Want peace in your next annual vendor negotiation (AVN) with #Amazon? ๐๏ธ๐ค
Then you need to stabilise your Net PPM between AVN cycles.
๐ Here's exactly how to get started:
๐ญ- ๐ฆ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ณ๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฆ๐๐ก-๐น๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐น
Whether you're an SME or a big multinational. You must track your sales and profit metrics at the product level. Without having a clear understanding of how a single item may impact your account profitability, you cannot take effective action.
I highly recommend using Amazon's SP-API and connecting it to your internal Power BI. If that sounds too complicated, there are plenty of reporting tools for Amazon vendors that will give you the same insight without the initial setup barrier.
๐ฎ- ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ๐ผ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ณ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป
Once you clearly understand your portfolio's profit performance, it's time to shift investments to margin-accretive SKUs.
Amazon will often ask you to run price promotions on existing top sellers. But these may not be your profit drivers. So make sure you use ASIN-level insights to shift investments to where they will benefit your wider account margin.
๐ฏ- ๐ ๐ผ๐ป๐ถ๐๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฆ๐ฃ ๐ณ๐น๐๐ฐ๐๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ณ๐ผ๐น๐ถ๐ผ
Using virtual shelf monitoring software like Keepa or Profitero can help identify ASP fluctuations on your account. This is important because it allows you to spot pricing errors, overstock markdowns, and price-matching activities early.
While you won't be able to prevent the ASP changes, tracking them will help you better understand whether Amazon's requests for margin support are justifiedโฆ or caused by the online retailer itself.
๐ฐ- ๐ง๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐
Vendor Managers are known to reject vendor requests for cost price increases. But when reviewing your portfolio, you'll likely see two things:
1) ASINs with an accretive Net PPM, and
2) ASINs with a dilutive Net PPM.
This allows you to raise cost prices on items that have a margin surplus in exchange for a cost price decrease on dilutive items. Vendor Managers will often accept this trade, as long as the wider account margin remains unchanged.
๐ฑ- ๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐ถ๐บ๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐
Amazon is quick to request cost support from suppliers. But any dollar spent outside your AVN forms the basis of the investment requirements for your future negotiation.
So instead of granting cost support, focus on initiatives that drive joint cost savings: Bulk order discounts linked to a consolidated FC delivery, sell-out funding in exchange for visibility on the deals & promotions page, etc.
Remember: Managing your vendor profitability with Amazon is a joint effort. If you abandon your Net PPM between AVN cycles, annual negotiations will be more difficult.
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Did I miss anything? Let me know in the comments!
#amazonvendor #amazonstrategy