If your brand relies on Amazon MCF (Multi-Channel Fulfillment) for replenishment forecasts, you might not be getting the full picture.
MCF is a great option for Amazon and non-Amazon sellers—it offers businesses a one-stop fulfillment resource with expedited shipping in regular, standard packaging delivered by USPS, FedEx, or UPS. It provides sellers with access to Amazon benefits without requiring an Amazon storefront or sending products in branded shipping or delivery.
However—there is a catch.
Amazon Warehousing and Distribution (AWD) that fulfills Amazon MCF does not forecast inventory demand for non-Amazon orders.
Why is this problematic? Ask the award-winning silk brand Fishers Finery.
As a seller on multiple platforms (Amazon, Shopify, Walmart, etc.), Fishers Finery has relied on Amazon MCF for years. They’re an 8-figure seller on Amazon—as well as a 7-figure seller on Shopify. Their Cofounder, Craig Barnell, has utilized Inventory Optimizer for over 7 years to effectively manage their demand forecasting and restocking needs.
In addition to Inventory Optimizer, Fishers Finery has used fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) for years—and they’ve always struggled with Amazon’s forecasting tools. Amazon puts caps on the amount of inventory sellers can send in, and Fishers Finery was wasting hours every month preparing reports to prove they needed inventory amounts greater than the top threshold volume.
After being one of the first Amazon MCF sellers to use AWD in 2022, Barnell noticed the auto-replenishment forecasts from AWD were way off.
“It was off on a huge number of our catalogue ASINs—we have 4,000 ASINS, and it was off on hundreds and hundreds of ASINs.”
As a long-time user of Inventory Optimizer, he had access to over 4 years of data with precise forecasts. Over the years that they’ve relied on our forecasting, Fishers Finery had factual data that our projections were over 93% accurate. This confidence in their forecasting models led Barnell to challenge the experts at Amazon with a specific issue: their auto-replen forecasting was off for a majority of Fishers Finery’s top-selling ASINs.
After multiple back-and-forth discussions with Amazon data scientists, Barnell learned the shocking truth—AWD’s current replenishment algorithm does NOT include MCF demand.
The bottom line? MCF sellers relying on AWD for inventory forecasts are not getting the full picture of their demand.
Give your brand the information needed to:
1. Get an accurate accounting of your replenishment needs
2. Advocate for yourself when Amazon forecasts differ from the stock you know you need
Let’s compare our forecasting and replenishment models to Amazon’s suggestions for your MCF business. We’ll give you the factual data you need to make informed and accurate reordering decisions.
Schedule a demo to learn more about what Inventory Optimizer can do for your brand.
