Cruising through the crisis: How Amazon became the biggest gainer in the pandemic

Abstract

The coronavirus pandemic brought multitude of problems for business firms across the world. Shut businesses led to huge losses and mass layoffs. In the times of economic tumult, the e-commerce sector boosted unimaginably. Amazon being the market leader set breakthrough records during this period and emerged as the biggest gainer with huge profits and record sales. The case study focuses on challenges faced by Amazon during this period such as price gouging, employee safety, supply chain disruption and warehouse workers’ agitation. The case unveils how vertical integration in Amazon emerged as a saviour during the global supply chain disruption. It emphasizes the pro decision-making involved in safeguarding the company from the impact of pandemic as well as the robust actions taken by it to secure maximum profits without compromising the health of its customers as well as employees. The case study exhibits two important dimensions of Amazon’s success in the pandemic, its farsighted approach in controlling the supply chain and crucial management in times of crisis.