Caption: When you can’t find that one POD/BOL to dispute a deduction.

Hey there Vendorville,

Today, we are discussing how to investigate those problem areas at Amazon in order to identify and address their root cause.

And what better way to do that than to add a little investigation, within our investigation, with the queen of hidden messages, Taylor Swift? 😏

We can’t confirm or deny that TS ghostwrites on these newsletters, but we know that if she were a retail supplier for a day, that album would be fire. 🔥

As you read this issue, Vendorville, look for the easter eggs that reference to the Eras Tour singer. We’ll let you know how many we’ve planted at the end.

So … are you ready for it, Vendorville?

At Amazon, there’s a couple of problem areas that suppliers encounter and should start investigating.

Catalog data defects
Purchase order confirmation defects
Carton Content Defects
ASN Defects

If you’ve got a blank space in your mind when it comes to solutions for these common issues, here’s how to shake it off. 🫨

Catalog data defects
1. Make sure the external ID type in the Catalog matches your internal system.
2. There should only be one internal product ID for each external ID.
3. Make sure the carton quantity matches the physical quantity in the carton.
Purchase order confirmation defects
1. The same unit of measurement should be used across all data warehouses.
2. Whether you use a UPC, GTIN, ASIN, or Vendor SKU, they should match in the PO, ASN, invoice, and catalog.
Carton Content Defects
1. Make sure Unit UPC barcodes aren’t used on case packs or master packs.
2. Get a regular audit process in place to check label placement and print quality.
ASN Defects
1. ASN defects can be a result of the first three problem areas. Check the aforementioned areas against the ASN early on in your root cause analysis.
2. Ensure your EDI transmission is accurately set up to Amazon’s specification guide.

Soon you’ll get better at exploring these problem areas and cleaning up your Amazon issues. 😉

Bonus Track

We won’t leave you hanging with these problem areas. Here’s how your team can begin to address the root cause of Amazon deductions.

Uncover the worst offenders. Figure out what type of deduction is causing the most issues. The end game is to understand if there’s a pattern to the ASINs with chronic issues.
Review the deep cuts. Download all the details to investigate where the issue might lie. Start with ASINs, sample labels, picklist, the ASN, and the invoice.
Filter out timing. The timing of the invoice could be the only reason you are seeing a shortage. With this deep dive, focus on invoices with a payment due date at least 30 days before the current date.
Therein lies the issues. Once you’ve got a set of data, look for data incongruity between the catalog, PO, carton label, ASN, and invoice for the smoking gun causing issues in your supply chain.

Is It Over Now?

Not exactly. This review time can be tedious, especially if you don’t have a system or person to do regular broad checks.

Other Retailer News 📰

How importing directly to retailers has changed the game for Razor

“Two decades ago the scooter maker shipped just 9% of products from factories directly to retailers. That’s skyrocketed to 83%, and it’s part of an industry-wide shift.”

New U.S. Tariffs on Chinese Imports Could Spike Supply Chain Costs

“These tariffs, encompassing a wide array of imports such as semi-conductors, batteries, electric vehicles, and solar cells, are slated to take effect in stages from 2024 to 2026.”

Retail ETFs in Focus Ahead of Big-Box Q1 Earnings

“The retail sector is in focus now with the earnings releases of big retailers like Wal-Mart WMT, Home Depot HD, Lowe’s LOW and Target TGT, as well as store channels like Nordstrom JWN and Kohl’s KSS coming up.”

Rick’s Tips 💘

“It’s no surprise that Rick is a Swiftie. He’s actually featured on a song that didn’t make the Lover album. He signed an NDA, so Rick is unable to release Death by a Thousand Clicks (Rick’s Version)."

In 2024, Walmart plans to check ASN data more closely. ASN compliance won’t be affected but read up on the new documentation on EDI 824 on Supplier Academy here.

Let’s Circle Back 🌀

Welcome to the Tortured Supplier’s Department. We've recently discovered a supplier meme account called Dispute Denied on Instagram. Had to share this aptly timed meme – check it out for some laughs on being a supplier.

That being said, if Taylor had to deal with chargebacks or missing inventory, there’d definitely be a song or two written about them. 👀

Here are a couple of people her songs are rumored to be about, and we’ve compared them to issues in the supply chain. See if you can come up with one yourself!

Jake Gyllenhaal would be missing inventory -- give the scarf back, dude. 🧣

Joe Jonas is like a Walmart Code 94. Always showing up as part of a group (with Code 60 and 44). 🎸

Kayne is like an overage, inserting himself where he wasn’t asked to be.

And, as promised, there were 13 intentional TS-coded easter eggs. If you missed one, dry those teardrops on your guitar and try again. 🤠

❤️ Sincerely, Your Friends in Vendorville

SupplierWiki

The Tortured Supplier’s Department