In this master-class we will take a look at how changes in the retail world will impact on procurement and supply chain in the B2B space, what the opportunities are, and how to take advantage of them. The size of the online retail market has trebled since 2007 and accounted for just over 10% of sales in 2013 and is set to continue to grow. Many traditional retailers are now re-designing their business models to drive more sales through their online channels in the face of competition from the likes of Amazon, high quality fulfilment logistics and associated customer service are becoming key battlegrounds. As these organisations transform their retail operations, how they service their retail customers is beginning to align with the needs of the business sector and this is where the opportunities lie.

1. PROCSERVE
What would Amazon do?
The art of the possible…
CPO Masterclass – MARCH 2014
© Procserve Holdings Limited. All rights reserved.
Paul Clayton
Head of New Service
Development
@Procserve @CPOEVENT #CPO

2. Synopsis
In this master-class we will take a look at how changes in the
retail world will impact on procurement and supply chain in the
B2B space, what the opportunities are, and how to take
advantage of them. The size of the online retail market has
trebled since 2007 and accounted for just over 10% of sales in
2013 and is set to continue to grow. Many traditional retailers
are now re-designing their business models to drive more sales
through their online channels in the face of competition from
the likes of Amazon, high quality fulfilment logistics and
associated customer service are becoming key battlegrounds. As
these organisations transform their retail operations, how they
service their retail customers is beginning to align with the needs
of the business sector and this is where the opportunities lie.

3. Introduction
3
The drive towards online retailing is creating
opportunities for procurement professionals to look
again at their procurement and supply chain processes.
But can traditional B2C companies cut it in the B2B
world?
We believe that the capabilities of the online retailing
world when combined with simplified B2B eCommerce
solutions means that it is now time for procurement
professionals to take a serious look at how this can be
exploited to deliver benefits to their organisations.

4. How long is your tail?
4

5. How long is your tail?
5
Typical tail:
• <10% of invoice value
• 75% of suppliers
• 5% of invoices

6. How long is your tail?
6
Extended tail could comprise:
• 25% of invoice value
• 90% of suppliers
• 50% of invoices

7. How long is your tail?
7
We only focus on what’s seen as strategic:
• 75% of invoice value
• 10% of suppliers
• <50% of invoices

8. 8
B2B suppliers are
used to charging
different prices to
organisations for
exactly the same
products
No matter how
good we think we
are, extreme
prices are being
paid for exactly
the same
products
Are we really achieving savings and control?

9. The price is right
9

10. Right place, right time
10
• Certainty / quality of supply are key to B2B
• In online retail, high quality logistics is also
key as focus extends from price to
customer experience
• Those with the best logistics will win out
• The best online retailers are experts at matching their
fulfilment chains with very unpredictable customers.
• With a much more predictable customer (businesses)
they can and will improve this even further.

11. Question 1 (using the red/green card)
11
Do you believe that
B2C logistics is good
enough for the tail?

12. Keep It Simple Stupid
12
• One of the top 5 reasons for not using the corporate
eProcurement system is “it’s just too complicated”
• Even the best P2P systems compare poorly against ‘One
Click’ Ordering !
• A recent article asked
“Can Procurement Compete with Amazon?”
• A better question might be
“Should Procurement compete with Amazon?”

13. Question 2 (using the red/green cards)
13
Are traditional P2P
systems just too
complicated to use for
the long tail – and
thereby preventing use?

14. Show me the money
14
• We analysed spend patterns of an organisation spending
£750M p.a. on 3rd party goods & services.
• 75% of their suppliers received 10 orders p.a. or less
• By using online retail to supply their long tail needs,
they could save c. £500K p.a. in P2P, supplier adoption
and AP process costs alone
• As online retailing embraces B2B, just how much
tail can it satisfy?

15. Service please
15
• Online retailers are not (yet) going to act as a front end
for services - unless they are easily commoditised:
– Tesco Insurance
– Expedia
• Fill this gap with greatly simplified RFX that are:
– Very easy to use
– Can handle basic sourcing activities
– Can provide corporate spend data

16. Question 3 (using the cream card)
16
What proportion of your
long tail is services?

17. Making it happen…
17
Nice in theory BUT what’s needed to use B2C in B2B:
• ePayments (eg virtual card platforms) - pay online
retailers using their preferred mechanism, without
losing line item VAT and spend data
• Integrate your B2B procurement system with
their online ‘marketplace’ to ensure
– MI
– Approvals
– Control
– Compliance
– Familiar buying process

18. 18
Questions?