Brands
Amazon launches Amazon Supply Chain Services, opens logistics network to all
From freight to fulfilment, firms tap Amazon’s logistics backbone
WASHINGTON: Amazon has thrown open its vast logistics network to businesses of all sizes with the launch of Amazon Supply Chain Services, extending capabilities once reserved largely for its own marketplace sellers.
The move marks a significant step in Amazon’s evolution from an ecommerce giant into a full-scale logistics provider. Drawing parallels with the rise of Amazon Web Services, the company is now offering its freight, warehousing, fulfilment and delivery infrastructure as a plug-and-play solution for industries ranging from retail to manufacturing.
Amazon vice president supply chain services Peter Larsen said the company is bringing its proven infrastructure, scale and technology to businesses everywhere, enabling them to access the same speed, reliability and cost efficiencies that power Amazon’s own operations.
The offering builds on years of groundwork. Since 2006, sellers using Fulfilment by Amazon have shipped more than 80 billion items, demonstrating the viability of outsourcing logistics to Amazon’s network. More recently, hundreds of thousands of sellers have used its services beyond the Amazon platform, handling millions of packages across third-party channels.
Now, that model is being formalised and expanded. Early adopters include global heavyweights such as Procter & Gamble and 3M, both of which are using Amazon’s freight services to move goods across supply chains. Retailers Lands’ End and American Eagle Outfitters are also on board, leveraging inventory pooling and last-mile delivery capabilities.
Lands’ End CEO Andrew McLean said the company is using the service to position inventory closer to customers, improving delivery speed and consistency, especially during peak seasons.
Amazon’s pitch is rooted in simplicity. Traditionally, businesses rely on multiple vendors for freight, storage and delivery, often with limited visibility across the chain. ASCS aims to stitch these pieces together into a single, integrated system with end-to-end tracking and forecasting.
The service is structured around three core pillars. Freight covers global transport across air, sea and land. Distribution and fulfilment focus on inventory storage and order processing across channels. Parcel shipping handles last-mile delivery with predictable turnaround times and seven-day service.
Smaller brands have already seen the upside. Finer Form, for instance, credits Amazon’s logistics ecosystem with reducing operational complexity and allowing it to focus on brand-building rather than backend operations.
With a centralised console now available for businesses to pick and choose services, Amazon is betting that its logistics engine can become as indispensable to commerce as AWS is to computing.
