A Leaner Supply Chain Can Lead to Bigger Profits on Amazon

In today’s increasingly competitive marketplace, sellers constantly seek ways to streamline operations, boost efficiency, and drive success. One proven approach lies in the application of a Lean Supply Chain. 

Demystifying core principles such as waste reduction, continuous improvement, and process efficiency can reveal actionable strategies for effectively implementing Lean methodologies. From optimizing supply chain activities and improving inventory management to swiftly responding to market dynamics, adopting these Lean principles can be a game-changer. Continue reading to begin the journey of transforming your business operations with a leaner approach to supply chain challenges. 

Fundamentals of a Lean Supply Chain

Lean Supply Chain Management (SCM) is a philosophy rooted in the manufacturing industry, specifically in the Toyota Production System. It’s about creating more value for customers with fewer resources. This philosophy can also apply to Amazon sellers, given that they are managing a supply chain from sourcing products to delivering them to customers.

The core principles of Lean SCM include eliminating waste, increasing speed and responsiveness, improving quality, reducing total costs, and fostering continuous improvement. 

In the context of Amazon operations, waste could be unnecessary storage costs, excess inventory, or inefficient processes. Sellers can eliminate waste by implementing demand forecasting to accurately predict the number of units they’ll sell and only order and store what’s necessary. They can also streamline their operations by automating tasks, such as repricing listings or fulfilling orders.

Lean SCM emphasizes reducing lead times and being responsive to the customer’s needs. Amazon sellers can achieve this by using Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), which allows Amazon to handle storage and shipping, ensuring quick customer delivery. In addition, sellers should actively monitor customer feedback and sales data to adjust their product offerings or resolve issues quickly.

Quality is another important aspect of Lean SCM. For Amazon sellers, this means offering high-quality products and ensuring accurate product descriptions. One way to achieve this is by working closely with suppliers to ensure they understand the quality standards. Regular audits and product inspections can also help maintain quality.

Lean SCM aims to reduce total costs, not just purchase costs. For Amazon sellers, this might mean considering the total cost of ownership of inventory, including purchase price, storage fees, and potential long-term holding costs. It’s crucial to regularly review these costs and find ways to minimize them, such as negotiating better terms with suppliers or improving inventory turnover.

Lean SCM is also about continuous improvement. Amazon sellers should always look for ways to improve their operations, whether finding a new supplier that can offer better prices, optimizing their listings for better search visibility, or implementing a new customer service strategy.

Implementing Lean methodologies into your Amazon business isn’t a one-time thing but a continuous process of reviewing and improving your operations. It’s about making small, incremental changes that add up to significant improvements in efficiency and customer satisfaction over time. 

Minimizing Waste on Amazon

For Amazon sellers, the focus on minimizing waste is one area of Lean SCM worth emphasizing. As mentioned, waste for an Amazon brand can include excess inventory, unnecessary movement of products, idle waiting time, defects or returns due to poor quality, and the underutilization of skills or talent.

Excess inventory is a prevalent issue where sellers stock up more products than necessary, which can tie up their capital and lead to potential storage fees or risk of product obsolescence. To tackle this problem, Lean strategies such as Just-In-Time (JIT) inventory management can be implemented. JIT involves keeping only the necessary amount of stock on hand and reordering more as sales happen. This strategy can help reduce storage costs and mitigate the risk of holding obsolete products.

Unnecessary movement of products, whether within a warehouse or from one location to another, can also increase costs and the likelihood of product damage. Sellers can minimize this by optimizing their warehouse layout for efficiency and by using services like FBA. 

FBA can also eliminate another type of waste in the form of waiting time—time wasted waiting for products to arrive from suppliers or for sold products to be shipped to customers. This can cause customer dissatisfaction and lost sales. By working closely with suppliers to reduce lead times and offering faster shipping options to customers, sellers can cut down on waiting time.

Defects or returns due to poor quality control are another significant source of waste, requiring additional resources to fix or replace and potentially damaging a seller’s reputation. Sellers should minimize this waste by establishing quality control processes like inspecting products upon arrival and working closely with suppliers to ensure they meet agreed-upon quality standards.

The underutilization of skills or talent can also be considered waste. If sellers spend their time on low-value tasks that could be automated or outsourced, they’re not fully utilizing their potential. Automating or outsourcing such tasks can free up a seller’s time for more strategic activities like product sourcing or marketing.

From an inventory perspective, Lean SCM encourages viewing inventory as a liability rather than an asset because it costs money to store and runs the risk of becoming obsolete. This shift in perspective promotes keeping inventory levels as low as possible, thereby reducing storage costs and improving cash flow.

Data and lean SCM

In today’s digital age, data analytics and technology are pivotal in supporting Lean Supply Chain initiatives for Amazon sellers. They provide the necessary tools and insights to identify waste, streamline operations, and enhance customer service.

Data analytics can provide valuable insights into various aspects of a seller’s supply chain. For instance, it can help identify patterns and trends in sales data, such as which products are selling well and which aren’t. This information can aid in making informed inventory management decisions, helping reduce excess stock and the associated costs.

Additionally, technology can automate various processes, reducing manual effort and potential errors. Inventory management software can track stock levels in real-time, automatically reorder products when they run low, and even predict future demand based on historical data. This insight not only reduces the risk of running out of stock or overstocking but also frees up time for sellers to focus on other aspects of their business.

To measure and assess the success of Lean Supply Chain implementations within their operations, Amazon sellers need to track key performance indicators (KPIs). These could include metrics like inventory turnover rate, which indicates how quickly inventory is sold and replaced; order lead time, which measures when an order is placed to when it’s delivered; and return rate, which can highlight product quality or description issues.

Sellers can use these KPIs to assess whether their Lean initiatives lead to improvements over time. For example, if the inventory turnover rate increases after implementing JIT inventory management, it suggests that the strategy is effective in reducing excess stock. Similarly, a decrease in order lead time following the optimization of fulfillment processes indicates that these processes have become more efficient.

The challenges of a lean supply chain

Implementing Lean Supply Chain principles can be a transformative process for Amazon sellers, but it’s not without its challenges. One of the main hurdles sellers often encounter is the shift in mindset that Lean requires. A Lean approach that focuses on eliminating waste and improving efficiency usually means changing long-established practices and workflows. This can lead to staff or management resistance, especially if they’re used to doing things a certain way.

To overcome this hurdle, it’s crucial to communicate the benefits of Lean SCM clearly and provide adequate training. It’s also important to involve all stakeholders in the process, from warehouse staff to customer service representatives, as their buy-in will be essential for successful implementation.

Another challenge can be the initial investment required. Supply chain optimization might involve purchasing new software or equipment, reorganizing the warehouse, or investing in staff training. While these investments can lead to significant cost savings in the long run, they require upfront capital that some sellers might struggle to provide.

A phased approach can help overcome this hurdle. Instead of implementing all Lean principles at once, sellers can start with one area of their business, such as inventory management or fulfillment. Once they’ve seen the benefits in that area, they can reinvest the savings into implementing Lean SCM in another area.

Sellers might also face challenges related to demand forecasting. Lean methodologies like Just-In-Tme inventory management rely on accurate predictions of customer demand, which can be difficult to get right. Inaccurate forecasts can lead to stockouts or excess inventory, both of which are forms of waste.

Investing in advanced analytics tools can help offset this challenge. These tools can analyze historical sales data and other relevant factors to predict future demand with a high degree of accuracy. Regularly reviewing and updating these forecasts is also crucial, as market conditions can change rapidly.

Obviously, Lean SCM can be particularly beneficial for Amazon sellers in responding to market volatility and changing customer demands. By keeping inventory levels low and focusing on efficiency, sellers can quickly adapt to changes in demand.

If a particular product suddenly becomes popular, sellers following Lean principles can quickly ramp up their orders for that product without worrying about storing excess inventory. Likewise, if demand for a product drops, they can quickly reduce their orders to avoid being left with unsold stock.

Furthermore, the focus on value creation that is integral to Lean SCM helps sellers stay responsive to customer needs. By continuously seeking ways to improve their products or services, sellers can ensure they’re always meeting – or exceeding – their customers’ expectations.

A lean and green supply chain

A lean supply chain can significantly contribute to sustainability initiatives for Amazon sellers in several ways. These principles, which emphasize efficiency and waste reduction, align well with the goals of sustainable business practices.

Just-In-Time inventory management helps reduce waste by ensuring that sellers only order and store what they need. This balance minimizes the risk of products becoming obsolete or going to waste and reduces the energy and resources used for storage and transportation.

The focus on efficiency in Lean practices also extends to energy use. Sellers can reduce their energy consumption by streamlining processes and eliminating unnecessary steps. Doing so could be as simple as optimizing warehouse layouts to minimize travel time or using energy-efficient equipment.

Of course, the commitment also encourages continuous improvement, which can drive innovation in sustainability. As sellers continually look for ways to improve their operations, they might find new ways to reduce their environmental impact. For example, they might switch to environmentally friendly packaging materials or implement a recycling program for their products.

Amify can optimize your supply chain and more

It shouldn’t be a surprise that Amazon sellers are often overwhelmed at the prospect of streamlining a complicated supply chain. Fortunately, the team at Amify has the experience to simplify the process. 

We understand the challenges and opportunities for sellers on the platform and can position your brand to navigate both. Contact us today to learn how partnering with us can maximize your company’s potential.