Amazon (AMZ) is continually pushing the boundaries of innovation in distribution. Following their ever-evolving methods for consuming channel volume is a full-time job. Depending on your perspective, AMZ has become your friend, your foe, maybe even your partner. However, one thing is for sure across the board: Amazon should be your role model for innovation in distribution.

My presentation at the Advanced Profit Innovation Conferences coming up this fall take a deep dive and explain why I say this. Here are the dates:

• Phoenix on October 16-17th You can go here for more info and to register
• Toronto on October 26th You can go here for more info and to register

The live discussion will take a look at AMZ’s latest moves in the marketplace. I will attempt to answer and analyze what I think are the most important questions so we can all learn from the master. Continue reading 69. The Many Faces of Amazon →

On June 29th, I did a one-hour webinar for the Health Industry Distributors Association (HIDA.org) on Customer Profitability Analytics (CPA) for Reinvention and Amazon-Proofing. We had 118 folks from 60 different companies sign up, and 85 from 40 companies attend. 60% were HIDA members, and 40% were distributor friends from other channels. And, most of these HIDA guests have been pursuing the webinar’s title themes and likely skewed the three survey-question results below.

We did survey questions upfront to reveal a bi-modal audience regarding: CPA; Rep compensation; and open-book management (with potential gainsharing) for all. The chasmic results were:

• 47% were getting traction with CPA; 31% had never even experimented with CPA
• 31% incented reps on customer net-profitability; 39% paid on gross margin dollars
• 63% practiced Open Book with all employees; 35% were quite closed

Continue reading 68. Customer Profitability Analytics (CPA) for Reinvention and Amazon-Proofing →