Running at Amazon Speed

​Last Tuesday, I ordered a few running items online. I try to support local businesses whenever I can, but one of the items was only available on Amazon US. The other two came from Australia, one from Sydney and the other from Melbourne - as close to home as I could find.

Lo and behold, the delivery from Amazon US arrived promptly, but I'm still waiting on the ones from Australia. It's mind-blowing!

Amazon has built an impressive system and infrastructure that allows them to deliver products at lightning speed. My guess is that they've created a global logistics network with warehouses, fulfillment centers, and distribution centers strategically placed worldwide. I also imagine they've partnered with couriers for the final leg of delivery. But what I discovered today is that they even have an algorithm that predicts demand and automatically orders stock from the production centers to the distribution centers. It's so obvious, yet I never thought of it before.

I can only imagine the amount of data and trends this algorithm has about global consumer behavior which may highlight not just what we desire and buy but also give a powerful insight on who we have become.