The new economy means that the balance of power has shifted toward the consumer, explains Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon.com, Inc. The global online retailer is a pioneer of fast, convenient, low cost virtual shopping that has attracted millions of consumers. Of course, while Amazon has changed the way many people shop, the company still faces the traditional and daunting task of creating a seamless flow of deliveries to its customers"often millions of times each day.
Questions:
1. How do Amazon.com's logistics and supply chain management activities help the company create value for its customers?
2. What systems did Amazon develop to improve the flow of products from suppliers to Amazon distribution centers? What systems improved the flow of orders from the distribution centers to customers?
3. Why will logistics and supply chain management play an important role in the future success of Amazon.com?