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Apple's Supply Chain Secret

businessweek.com

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Re: Apple's Supply Chain Secret

#31

Post by dangrossman »

ars wrote: post #27
notatoad wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

ruthless. they handle so much more volume than any other retailer that suppliers are willing to sign anything just to be a part of it. all losses are passed back to the suppliers, which enables wal-mart to take huge risks. the sibling comment to mine references a huge volume of pop-tarts being shipped to florida in preparation for a hurricane. if during mid-shipment the weather changed, wal-mart would call up the sup…

Your comment is fiction. Suppliers love walmart because walmart doesn't play those games with them, and walmart pays immediately, not after 90 or more days. Do a little research next time. The only people who really hate walmart are unions. Both consumers and suppliers love them. Small businesses have mixed feeling - yes walmart eats some of their business, but having a store near a walmart is great for them.

I read from the fingers of a farm owner about Wal-Mart regularly doing things like committing to buy all of a farm's output of some crop, setting a pickup date, then being days late and refusing to pay for what spoiled in the crates waiting for the truck that didn't come.

Re: Apple's Supply Chain Secret

#32

Post by jvdh »

nailer wrote: post #17

> Most of Apple’s customers have probably never given that green light a second thought Most, I'm sure. But personally the first time I saw light shining through my metal laptop, I was amazed, a little delighted, and slightly confused about how they were doing it (because, as the article mentions, the holes are too small to see).

Actually, I think that the sleep-light on the MacBook Pros came first. The small bar of light that's right next to the IR receiver on the front-right of the body.

That bar is actually a series of those small holes to let the light through. The green light for the metal casing came later IIRC.

Re: Apple's Supply Chain Secret

#33

Post by [deleted] »

nknight wrote: post #19
DiabloD3 wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree that exploit is the right word here, but probably not for the reason you chose it.

There's plenty to dislike about Wal-Mart, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with predicting a sudden shortage of a product in a particular area, and trucking in a bunch. If they'd doubled the price, that would be another matter, but that's not what they did.

[deleted]

Re: Apple's Supply Chain Secret

#34

Post by philwelch »

ars wrote: post #27
notatoad wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

ruthless. they handle so much more volume than any other retailer that suppliers are willing to sign anything just to be a part of it. all losses are passed back to the suppliers, which enables wal-mart to take huge risks. the sibling comment to mine references a huge volume of pop-tarts being shipped to florida in preparation for a hurricane. if during mid-shipment the weather changed, wal-mart would call up the sup…

Your comment is fiction. Suppliers love walmart because walmart doesn't play those games with them, and walmart pays immediately, not after 90 or more days. Do a little research next time. The only people who really hate walmart are unions. Both consumers and suppliers love them. Small businesses have mixed feeling - yes walmart eats some of their business, but having a store near a walmart is great for them.

The employees never seem happy to me, and as far as customers go, I think most of them see Wal-Mart like the phone company or Facebook--the offering is too good to refuse, but "happy" doesn't really describe the experience.

Re: Apple's Supply Chain Secret

#35

Post by dotBen »

mistermann wrote: post #28
kgermino wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not to mention that, while it would be cool and notable (and maybe worth it for that alone) making the logo invisible when the computer is turned off eliminates a marketing opportunity. The simple Apple logo against a plain backdrop provides a clean advertisement for Apple. Removing the logo removes the distinctiveness of the computer when it is turned off. Also, I'm not sure how the computer would look without a log…

>The simple Apple logo against a plain backdrop provides a clean advertisement for Apple. Exactly. Buying billboards on the most expensive streets in the world is very expensive. Having your customers sitting lined up in a row in coffee shops with their laptop lids with the lighted apple logo pointing outward to the street on these very same streets must be very valuable advertising. I'm constantly amazed when I walk…

Just to point out, if Apple did what I'm suggesting they would still achieve the same effect because the laptop would be on and thus shining through.

It's only when it's off that they would miss out - but most of the time if my laptop is out of my bag then it's on.

Re: Apple's Supply Chain Secret

#36

Post by nknight »

[deleted] wrote: post #33
nknight wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's plenty to dislike about Wal-Mart, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with predicting a sudden shortage of a product in a particular area, and trucking in a bunch. If they'd doubled the price, that would be another matter, but that's not what they did.

[deleted]

Pop-Tarts are a cheap, readily-accessible, easily-consumed source of calories with a long shelf life that most people will at least tolerate. They're nutritionally incomplete, but they will help keep you alive and functional in the short term.

Most people don't stock up on MREs and survival bars, nor even have a clue where to start. Under such circumstances, it's both expected and reasonable that they reach for a familiar, readily-available energy source.

Re: Apple's Supply Chain Secret

#37

Post by 2muchcoffeeman »

dotBen wrote: post #35
mistermann wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>The simple Apple logo against a plain backdrop provides a clean advertisement for Apple. Exactly. Buying billboards on the most expensive streets in the world is very expensive. Having your customers sitting lined up in a row in coffee shops with their laptop lids with the lighted apple logo pointing outward to the street on these very same streets must be very valuable advertising. I'm constantly amazed when I walk…

Just to point out, if Apple did what I'm suggesting they would still achieve the same effect because the laptop would be on and thus shining through. It's only when it's off that they would miss out - but most of the time if my laptop is out of my bag then it's on.

If they did that, having the logo light up through aluminium would make an awesome ad.

Re: Apple's Supply Chain Secret

#40

Post by bravura »

"This operational edge is what enables Apple to handle massive product launches without having to maintain large, profit-sapping inventories."

Could someone explain what that means more specifically? That they don't have to have a large stock?

Doesn't this controvert the earlier statement: "Because of its volume ... Apple gets big discounts on parts, manufacturing capacity, and air freight."

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