Product details

The case provides an overview of Amazon.com''s inventory management. Jeffrey Preston Bezos, the founder of Amazon.com, launched the company when he realised that the Internet provided immense scope for on-line trading. Although the site was originally launched as an on-line bookstore it eventually offered several other products to keep abreast of the competition. The case takes a look at the different products and features offered on the site. The case also discusses Amazon''s value propositions and its criteria for choosing strategic partners. It then elaborates on the strategies adopted by Amazon for managing its inventory. It also explains Amazon''s decision to outsource inventory management to distributors. The case takes a look at Amazon''s decision to sell the products of competing retailers on its site. It concludes with a brief note on the future challenges in Amazon''s warehouse management. The case enables the students to: (1) examine the various facilities offered and the technologies adopted by on-line shopping sites; (2) understand the value propositions adopted by e-tailing ventures and their importance in e-commerce activities; (3) examine the need for on-line ventures to partner with other on-line companies; (4) understand the warehousing details adopted by the on-line ventures and discuss their strengths and weaknesses; (5) analyse the decision taken by on-line shopping sites to outsource products from distributors and manufacturers so that they can concentrate on their core activities; and (6) critically examine the decision to sell products of competing retailers on a retailing site along with its own products. The case is aimed at MBA/PGDBA level students as part of the production/operations management and information technology and systems curriculum.