SKUPREME builds upon Amazon’s B2B Vendor Central process by providing an integrated, automated workflow that helps brands manage purchase orders and shipments more efficiently.
Here’s how SKUPREME streamlines the Vendor Central B2B process:
- Centralized PO Management: When Amazon issues a purchase order, SKUPREME’s system can automatically ingest that PO into your dashboard (via EDI or API integration). Instead of manually downloading POs from Vendor Central, they appear in SKUPREME’s Purchase Orders module, complete with all line items and due dates. This ensures you never miss a new order and can act within the 48-hour confirmation window. SKUPREME can even send alerts or automatically acknowledge POs according to predefined rules (for example, auto-confirm if inventory is available, flag exceptions to your team).
- Coordinated Picking/Packing Workflow: Once a PO is accepted, SKUPREME helps coordinate the fulfillment. It can generate a pick list or work order for your warehouse team or 3PL, detailing the items and quantities to fulfill the PO. SKUPREME’s unified platform supports B2B-specific fulfillment steps – for instance, ensuring the correct Amazon barcodes (FNSKU labels) are applied and that case pack or pallet configurations meet Amazon’s requirements. SKUPREME’s “Carton Handling” and “Quantity Rules” features allow setting up how units should be packed per carton or pallet for each retailer’s guidelines (preventing costly mistakes in labeling or case configuration). This is part of SKUPREME’s specialized B2B requirements handling .
- Integrated Shipping & ASN: SKUPREME’s platform can integrate with carriers or Amazon’s routing requests. For Collect shipments, SKUPREME captures Amazon’s arranged pickup schedule; for Prepaid, you can use SKUPREME’s Transport Management module to schedule freight. It can generate shipping labels, Bill of Lading, and other paperwork right from the order in the system. SKUPREME also assists in creating and transmitting the Advanced Shipment Notification (ASN) back to Amazon. Through integration, once you input the shipment details (boxes, tracking numbers, carrier), SKUPREME can send that ASN info via the Vendor Central API, or you can download an EDI/CSV to upload to Amazon – reducing double data entry. In essence, SKUPREME acts as a bridge, synchronizing your fulfillment actions with Amazon’s systems.
- Visibility and Compliance: All Vendor Central B2B orders managed in SKUPREME are tracked in one place. You can see which POs are pending confirmation, in process, or shipped. SKUPREME’s dashboard provides real-time status so you know if a shipment is delivered to Amazon or if any issues arose. Because SKUPREME unifies inventory across channels, when inventory is allocated to an Amazon PO, the system can update available stock counts for your other sales channels (preventing overselling inventory that’s committed to Amazon). SKUPREME also helps maintain EDI compliance records for major retailers like Amazon – meaning all the PO acknowledgments, ASNs, and invoice documents follow Amazon’s exact specifications to avoid chargebacks. By using SKUPREME’s standardized workflow, brands can reduce errors and chargebacks in the Amazon PO process (for example, ensuring labels are correct and confirming orders on time).
Figure: SKUPREME B2B Workflow – Amazon’s PO is automatically ingested by SKUPREME; the platform coordinates picking/packing via your warehouse or 3PL; shipping details and ASNs are managed through SKUPREME and sent to Amazon.
How SKUPREME adds value: In summary, SKUPREME simplifies Amazon wholesale fulfillment by unifying it with your other operations. Instead of treating Vendor Central as a completely separate system, SKUPREME brings those B2B orders into your normal order management flow. This means:
- Your catalog and inventory stay consistent – product info and stock levels are synced across Amazon, Shopify, Walmart, etc., to prevent discrepancies.
- You can leverage the same warehouse processes and 3PL integrations for Amazon POs as for other orders, with custom rules as needed (like pallet labeling).
- There’s a single source of truth for all orders. For instance, your team can look in SKUPREME and see all outgoing shipments – both to end customers and to Amazon – instead of juggling spreadsheets and Vendor Central’s interface.
- SKUPREME’s reporting can also compile the metrics (on-time shipment rates, fill rates, etc.) so you can monitor performance and vendor score in one place. It essentially overlays a modern order management system onto Amazon’s Vendor Central, which by itself can be a bit siloed.
For detailed internal procedures on using SKUPREME for Vendor Central POs, see our SOP guides like “Processing Amazon Vendor Central Purchase Orders in SKUPREME” (which covers setup of integrations, confirming POs through SKUPREME, and ASN creation).
SKUPREME’s DTC Fulfillment Workflow (Amazon Direct Fulfillment)
When it comes to Direct Fulfillment (DTC) orders from Amazon, SKUPREME’s platform shines by handling those just like any other direct-to-consumer order – ensuring that even though the orders originate from Amazon’s Vendor Central, your fulfillment process is streamlined and unified. Here’s how SKUPREME supports the DTC model:
- Automated Order Ingestion: SKUPREME connects to Amazon Vendor Central’s Direct Fulfillment API (or EDI feed) to automatically pull in customer orders the moment they are placed. Instead of manually logging into Vendor Central to retrieve orders, each Amazon DTC order appears in SKUPREME’s Orders module, alongside orders from your DTC channels like Shopify or your own website. They’ll be clearly tagged as Amazon orders (e.g., with Amazon as the marketplace source). This immediate ingestion is crucial, given the tight shipping SLA for these orders.
- Unified Fulfillment Queue: Once in SKUPREME, Amazon direct-to-consumer orders can be handled using the same workflows as your regular D2C orders, with some special rules. SKUPREME allows custom workflow steps per channel, so for Amazon orders it can automatically fetch the Amazon shipping label and packing slip required. The system will attach the Amazon-provided label PDF to the order or send it to your warehouse printers. Your team (or 3PL) simply picks and packs the items as directed by SKUPREME, prints the Amazon label via SKUPREME, and ships it out. From the warehouse perspective, an order is an order – SKUPREME’s interface will mask the complexities (like not showing customer name if Amazon doesn’t provide it until label print, etc.).
- Real-Time Sync & Confirmation: As soon as you ship the order, SKUPREME pushes the shipment confirmation and tracking back to Amazon through the integration. This satisfies Amazon’s requirement to confirm shipments immediately after pickup . SKUPREME’s order status tracking will update the Amazon order as “Shipped” and capture the delivery tracking number in one go (no logging into Vendor Central to confirm or upload tracking – it’s handled in the background). The customer then gets their Amazon notification as usual.
- Inventory & Oversell Protection: SKUPREME’s unified inventory management means that any Amazon DTC order will automatically decrement your stock in the system. Moreover, SKUPREME can even push inventory feed updates to Amazon for Direct Fulfillment products, so Amazon knows your available inventory in near real-time . This prevents Amazon from selling something you’ve run out of, and ensures all channels stay aligned. For example, if you also sell the product on Shopify, SKUPREME will ensure that an Amazon order reduces the available quantity on Shopify as well. This centralized inventory approach is a huge benefit when juggling multi-channel D2C and Amazon direct orders.
- Compliance and Routing Rules: Through SKUPREME, you can set shipping presets to make sure Amazon DTC orders use the correct carrier service level as expected by Amazon. If Amazon requires use of their carrier account (which they usually do, via the provided labels), SKUPREME handles that by using the labels Amazon gives. If you have multiple warehouses, SKUPREME’s order routing can automatically send the order to the optimal fulfillment center (for instance, choose the warehouse closest to the customer or with the item in stock) to meet Amazon’s delivery promise. All this happens under the hood, so you maintain high performance metrics. SKUPREME even supports branded packing slips and custom inserts by channel – however, for Amazon DTC, you would stick to Amazon’s provided packing slip to comply with their policies. SKUPREME ensures that any channel-specific packing rules are applied (so if Amazon says no promotional materials in the box, the system will not include any extras for those orders, whereas it might for your direct Shopify orders).
In essence, SKUPREME extends your direct-to-consumer fulfillment capabilities to Amazon’s Direct Fulfillment program without adding manual effort. You get one workflow for all D2C shipments, whether they came from your own site or Amazon’s site. This unified approach reduces errors and saves time:
- You don’t need separate teams or processes for Amazon vs other orders – SKUPREME funnels everything together.
- Faster order processing: SKUPREME’s automation (auto-importing orders, auto-printing labels) means you can ship Amazon orders quickly enough to meet Prime-like speeds.
- Better visibility: You can see all Amazon DTC orders in one place, monitor if any are close to the ship deadline, and get alerted if anything might be late. This helps maintain Amazon’s stringent performance standards.
SKUPREME’s internal workflows for DTC have been refined to support high volumes and complex scenarios. For instance, if Amazon suddenly sends 100 direct orders in a day (perhaps during a Prime event), SKUPREME can batch process these, and even integrate with warehouse automation (scanners, packing stations) to ensure each gets the correct label and contents. The platform’s “Multi-channel order routing” and “Automated order prioritization” features make sure that time-sensitive Amazon orders are prioritized appropriately in the pick/pack queue.
How SKUPREME Simplifies Vendor Central Operations
By overlaying these robust workflows on top of Amazon Vendor Central, SKUPREME adds value at each step of the process:
- Efficiency: Tasks that normally require manual work in Vendor Central (confirming POs, printing labels, updating inventory) are automated. This frees up your team’s time and reduces human error.
- Unified Platform: Rather than siloing Amazon operations, SKUPREME centralizes B2B and DTC with your other sales channels. Brands can manage wholesale and direct orders together, gaining a holistic view of their business.
- Compliance & Customization: SKUPREME’s built-in compliance with Amazon’s requirements (like EDI formats, labeling rules, routing guides) means you are less likely to incur chargebacks. Plus, you can configure custom rules if your brand or 3PL has specific needs, making the workflow flexible.
- Visibility & Reporting: You gain real-time visibility into inventory levels, order statuses, and fulfillment metrics across both Vendor Central models. For example, you can track how many Vendor POs are in progress, or the on-time shipment rate of your Direct Fulfillment orders, all within SKUPREME. This data helps in decision-making and improving operations continuously.
- Scalability: Whether you are fulfilling large pallet orders to Amazon or thousands of small parcels to customers, SKUPREME’s system is built to scale with high volume. It’s designed for high-growth brands and 3PLs managing complex B2B/D2C operations , so as your Amazon business grows, the process remains smooth.
By leveraging SKUPREME, brands can confidently expand on Amazon’s Vendor Central via both models. You get the best of both worlds: Amazon’s vast market and logistical prowess, combined with SKUPREME’s streamlined workflows and tech infrastructure supporting your operations. The result is a simplified, efficient process that maintains compliance with Amazon’s rules while giving you greater control and insight. SKUPREME essentially acts as the operational backbone, so you can focus on strategic growth knowing that whether it’s a big Amazon PO or a direct customer order, everything is handled seamlessly in one place.
Internal Resources:
- SKUPREME Knowledge Base – Purchase Orders – Detailed guide on processing B2B purchase orders from retailers like Amazon.