Amazon India today announced the expansion of its Multi-Channel Fulfillment (MCF) offerings, enhancing automation capabilities and payment options for sellers and D2C brands. This expansion includes two key features: an integrations API suite and a pay-on-delivery payment option. Following a successful pilot in 2024, these services are now available to businesses of all sizes across India.
What is Multi-Channel Fulfillment?
Launched at Amazon Smbhav 2023, MCF enables D2C brands and small businesses to use Amazon's fulfillment network for orders from various sales channels, including their own websites. MCF addresses the biggest pain points for small businesses and D2C brands: managing inventory, logistics, and delivery. Once enrolled in MCF, Amazon's fulfillment centres will act as a single source of inventory for sellers to fulfill their orders without needing to split and commit inventory separately. This eliminates the need for separate warehouses or logistics partners. It allows entrepreneurs to focus on core business activities while Amazon manages fulfillment. Today, more than 1,000 entrepreneurs and D2C brands including Himalayan Organics, DermaTouch, Satthwa and others are using MCF services.
70% of D2C orders in India are cash-based
The MCF Integrations API suite automates order fulfillment for D2C sellers and independent software vendors (ISVs), enabling seamless integration with Amazon's fulfillment capabilities across multiple sales channels. This allows businesses of all sizes to connect their online storefronts or websites directly with Amazon’s fulfillment network, streamlining operations, minimising errors, and improving customer experience. ISV partners like Webbee and ShipTurtle have already implemented this integrated solution. Additionally, the pay-on-delivery (POD) option addresses a critical need for D2C brands, allowing customers to complete purchases on websites and social media stores with payment upon delivery. With approximately 70% of D2C orders in India being cash-based, this feature is expected to significantly enhance conversion rates and boost overall sales for MCF users.
Amazon’s commitment to empower small businesses and D2C brands
"We're committed to empowering small businesses and D2C brands with tools to thrive in today's e-commerce landscape. The expansion of our Multi-Channel Fulfillment service offerings, with automation capabilities and pay-on-delivery payment option, is a significant step towards this goal. By offering our world-class fulfillment network and technology, we're enabling entrepreneurs to focus on innovation and growth,” says Vivek Somareddy, VP, Seller Experience, Emerging Markets and India Global Trade at Amazon. “This service streamlines operations, provides flexible payment options, and allows seamless integration across sales channels, helping businesses offer superior customer experiences and expand their reach. Our vision is to level the playing field for businesses of all sizes, contributing to the overall growth of India's digital economy."
Anish Nagpal, Founder, Dermatouch, a D2C brand specialising in skincare products, says, “With the Multi-Channel Fulfillment features from Amazon, especially the cash-on-delivery option and the Integrations API suite, we are able to offer our customers a more seamless and trustworthy experience while streamlining our own operations. These capabilities allowed us to meet the demand for cash-on-delivery options, which is essential for our customers in India. Amazon’s extensive reach and infrastructure give us the confidence to expand across the country and enhance our service quality for every customer interaction, regardless of where they shop.”
Smbhav 2024: Unlocking possibilities for SMBs
You can learn more about MCF and other Amazon offerings that simplify online selling for entrepreneurs and SMBs at Amazon Smbhav 2024, a two-day event scheduled for December 9 and 10 at New Delhi’s Pragati Maidan. Since the inaugural edition in 2020, Amazon Smbhav has evolved into a marquee industry event bringing together government leaders, industry experts, MSMEs and the larger e-commerce ecosystem to ideate, plan, inspire, and unleash the true potential of a Digital India in the 21st century. Smbhav 2024 will focus on themes such as SMB digitization, exports, innovation, and sustainability, with a special focus on Artificial Intelligence (AI).
