1) Suppose the president of a carpet manufacturing firm has asked you to look into the possibility of bypassing the firm’s wholesalers (who sell to carpet, department, and furniture stores) and selling direct to these stores. What caution would you voice on this matter, and what type of information would you gather before making this decision?
2) Read the case on page 347 titled “Amazon: Delivering the Earth’s Biggest Selection!”, and watch the video HERE (Links to an external site.). (a) How do Amazon.com’s logistics and supply chain management activities help the company create value for its customers? (b) What systems did Amazon develop to improve the flow of products from suppliers to Amazon fulfillment centers? What systems improved the flow of orders from the fulfillment centers to customers?
