The first step consists of users browsing the website / app. When you land on the home page you instantly notice Amazon's clever personalised algorithms which select personal items that you like. I usually skip this and go straight to the search bar or check my saved lists.
Out of interest, I wanted to find out why, out of 300 million products offered, does the algorithm always offer me specific personalised recommendations? I found out this is due to their generative AI model that groups information from my pervious searches, browses, purchases and preferences as well as “relatedness” (Amazon Science). ‘Relatedness’ refers to Amazon looking at other customers purchase histories to see which items they usually buy together. Next time you’re on the app look at the sections ‘Products customers bought together’ and ‘You might also like’, I try scroll past this quickly as I have an appetite of "maybe I do need that too" which usually results in more items in the basket.
This brings us to the next step, once you have your items in the basket, we proceed to checkout. Amazon have purposely made this step as easy as possible with options to change payment methods including a tap to pay NFC option, which I only found out was available from a previous girlfriend when checking my credit card balance, “We needed extra towels” was her response.
After navigating through the maze of deals and ducking big purchases, this part of the process is where I feel most at ease – All my details are stored safely on the super secure Amazon Web Service (AWS) leaving me to just click ‘Buy Now’. This user-friendly streamlined process is one the key reasons they retain customers at such high levels. No fuss, no bank verification codes, just 2 clicks. AWS is so robust as a system that the likes of NASA, The CIA, International banks and other large corporate heavyweights trust and invest billions into it, why I have peace of mind that my stored details and credit card information won’t be easily compromised.
Once you click ‘Buy Now’ almost instantly an email confirmation comes through, another peace of mind, you can see how they’ve thought about every part of the customer’s journey. Then the machine gets to work sending messages to the 30 huge warehouses around the UK, I’m sure you’ve seen one of them driving along the motorway, called ‘Fulfilment Centres’. Depending on what you ordered and proximity, will depend on which centre fulfils your order. Not all fulfilment centres have the same products, they vary from ‘Sortable centres’ – their largest warehouses – where smaller items like books and toys are picked and packed, to ‘Receive centres’ for those who order large items like that 80inch TV your neighbour ordered or that table and 6 dining chairs set that takes up too much room. Amazon have 6 categories of centres to cater for all possible events, including ‘Speciality centres’ for peak periods like this current Black Friday and the incoming Christmas period.
Once your order is picked, packed and labelled by the mix of humans and ‘Kiva’ robots – quality checks are in place to make sure that coffee maker is packed and labelled correctly and ready for the next step.
You’re thinking, ah this is where my delivery driver picks up my coffee maker, not just yet, Amazon added an extra layer to utilise their vast logistics network to cater to the thousands of people who ordered their Black Friday deals. Here parcels are packed into large lorries that use AWS’ route optimisation to plan delivery that bring yours and thousands of orders closer to their final destination – they call this ‘Last Mile Delivery’
'Your Amazon order has been dispatched'
Another peace of mind added to the customer journey. But this is where the machine gets bigger as Amazon partners with a multitude of delivery partners such as Royal Mail and DPD in a race to get that coffee maker to your doorstep. But let’s not forget those who use the option of lockers, every step of the journey is carefully orchestrated.
‘Your order will be delivered today’
“That was bloody quick !! ” – me every time I get that email. Then the app conveniently pops up so I can track my coffee maker, I’m already thinking about what I’m going to eat with my first cup.
Amazon are always two steps ahead of the competition when it comes to deliveries. I’m sure you’ve seen the drones being used to deliver items in America, well get ready to crank your neck up to look for your parcel, as it’s coming here soon. But their options don’t stop there, Amazon Scout, the 6-wheeler robot that scurries along the pavement is part of Amazon’s commitment to net zero carbon emissions. From Airplanes to 6 wheeled robots, there is no stopping their mission to deliver that coffee maker.
‘Delivered: How was your delivery?’
Me, I’m very satisfied as I slice open the carboard box and see my new coffee maker. However, this stage can be make or break for some customers. No matter how many oceans, warehouses and motorways that Amazon have carefully carried their parcel, they cannot fully control this stage – as some deliveries are fulfilled by their partners. So, if Mike is in a rush and chucks a parcel on a doorstep without knocking, the customer wont care about the previous steps Amazon carried out or that Mike has to hit his delivery targets.
This is the only part of the customer journey where they can interact with a real person who they think is from Amazon. If that interaction goes badly, so can their view of the company. Last Mile deliveries make up a large portion of complaints about Amazon, something I’m sure they’re trying to fix.
From browsing to delivery, Amazon have made ordering online seem quicker than making reservations at your local restaurant. This was not by luck, but through clever planning and engineering. Other companies have tried to emulate their processes in particular their delivery process above, unfortunately I cannot see them match their resources and attention to detail. But with AWS growing bigger each year, maybe they have a chance. I believe Amazon are changing their strategy from e-commerce to focus on AWS, why? That’s for another article.
