Amazon's threat to distribution is real and here to stay. Through our research at MDM we are trying to provide clarity, depth and perspective on Amazon’s position and role in the industry’s digitalization, so we want to make sure you're caught up on our recent articles that outline how Amazon is evolving and what you can do to protect your business.
MDM's new president, Ian Heller, has written a pair of articles as part of a series about distribution's omnichannel future amid the disruption that Amazon presents. Here is a breakdown of Ian's series.
- Amazon’s Prime Target: Your Business – Part 1 of the series offers a harsh reality for distributors: "They’re coming at us hard and determined to win," Ian writes. "While Amazon’s capabilities are constantly expanding, it is not very good today at some things where you can have a clearly differentiated advantage with your customers. But you’re going to need to invest in those advantages to resist the onslaught and grow your own business." Check out the article to see where you should – and shouldn't – invest in response to Amazon.
- Amazon Gets Down to Business – Part 2 examines the origins and evolution of Amazon Business – formerly AmazonSupply – which offers customers everything from open-account purchasing to free two-day shipping on most products to easy integration into 54 different procurement systems and much more, including 500 million SKUs. Yes, you should be worried, because the company is expanding its capabilities every day. But there is still room for distributors to grow and thrive. Ian shows you how.
- Part 3 will be out in the Dec. 10 issue of MDM Premium. The third installment in the series will look at what Amazon's next move might be, why it could present the biggest threat to date for distribution – and what you can do to combat it.
The series isn't the only Amazon coverage in recent MDM Premium issues. Jonathan Bein's article, Analyzing Amazon’s Effect on Industry, used Real Results Marketing survey data to examine how distributors are dealing with the online giant. It found that some are trying to beat Bezos & Co. while others are joining them.
And two commentaries – Amazon Attacks Industries, Not Companies and Is an Amazon-Grainger Deal Next? – shed further light on where the online giant is heading and how it might try to not only disrupt distribution but displace it.
Our coverage won't end here, so don't miss out. Subscribe to MDM Premium now and read all of our past and future coverage on Amazon – deeper analysis than you’ll find anywhere else to compete more effectively in today's fast-changing marketplace.
