POC

In Amazon’s ecosystem, a POC is the main communication bridge between two parties - ensuring information, decisions, and actions are clearly shared and tracked. Depending on context, a POC may represent Amazon (e.g., a Vendor Manager or AVS Specialist) or the vendor’s organisation (e.g., an Operations Manager or Account Lead).

How It Works:

• A POC is assigned for each major function or project to streamline collaboration:
  • Business POC: Handles commercial negotiations, pricing, and terms.
  • Operational POC: Coordinates logistics, POs, and replenishment.
  • Technical POC: Manages integrations (EDI, API, SP-API) and troubleshooting.
  • Compliance POC: Oversees product documentation, certifications, and audits.
• In large vendor accounts, Amazon often maintains multiple POCs across teams - Vendor Management, AVS, Finance, and Operations.
• Communication typically occurs via email, Vendor Central cases, or weekly business reviews (WBRs).

Examples of POCs on Amazon’s Side:

• Vendor Manager (VM) – business strategy and terms.
• AVS (Amazon Vendor Services) Specialist – day-to-day operations.
• Retail Finance Analyst (RFA) – invoice and payment issues.
• Supply Chain Specialist (SCS) – logistics and inbound optimisation.

Benefits for Vendors:

• Clear communication: Reduces confusion by having a single responsible contact.
• Faster resolution: Streamlines escalations and follow-ups.
• Relationship building: Strengthens partnership with Amazon teams.

Benefits for Amazon:

• Operational clarity: Avoids miscommunication between departments.
• Accountability: Ensures each vendor issue has a named owner.
• Efficiency: Simplifies coordination for multi-market vendors.

Challenges:

• POC turnover: Frequent internal changes at Amazon can disrupt communication flow.
• Multiple touchpoints: Large vendors may struggle to identify the correct POC for each issue.
• Escalation delays: Without a clear POC, case resolution can slow down.

Why It Matters:
Having a clearly defined POC is essential for smooth vendor management, faster issue resolution, and stronger alignment between Amazon and suppliers. A good POC relationship directly impacts operational efficiency and business growth.

Example:
A vendor has shipment delays affecting multiple ASINs. Their POC at Amazon (Supply Chain Specialist) coordinates with FC operations to resolve the routing issue and updates the vendor via weekly status calls.

In short:
POC (Point of Contact) is the designated person or team responsible for managing communication and coordination between Amazon and a vendor or seller - ensuring smooth collaboration, accountability, and timely issue resolution.