The Sydney-based firm’s technology allows merchants to create an online store and sell via Facebook, Instagram and Google. Selz CEO Martin Rushe announced the deal in a blog post on Jan. 15, and Amazon confirmed it to GeekWire, but neither company disclosed terms of the deal. (GeekWire)

Talking point: Amazon has reportedly studied Shopify with the goal of mimicking parts of it. The Selz deal brings some tools and experience to Amazon, though the new unit is tiny by comparison to the Ottawa-based firm, with just 35 staff, according to LinkedIn data. “Nothing is changing for our customers at this time,” Rushe said in his mid-January post. Amazon faces challenges in launching a product that competes directly with Shopify, including its marketplace business model and concerns over its treatment of third-party sellers, analysts who cover Shopify’s stock recently told The Logic.