If there’s anyone who can grab the brass ring of a true end-to-end supply chain offering, which many providers have talked up for years and worked to cobble together, the smart money would be on Amazon, as the company awaits the hammer drop of an FTC antitrust action.
Ahead of its Accelerate seller conference in Seattle, running today and Thursday, Amazon announced a raft of interconnected services Tuesday, branded as Supply Chain by Amazon. It handles everything from logistics and forwarding from point of origin all the way to the customer’s door. For the first time, Amazon is offering its sellers bulk storage, distribution and replenishment across channels from the same optimized inventory pool, including retail stores.
In essence, Amazon is building a walled garden of supply chain and logistics services such that its sellers, who make up more than 60% of Amazon.com sales, incented through programs and discounts, need