Operator glossary
Born to Run (vendor launch program)
The Vendor Central program that lets a vendor request an opening purchase order for a new product — guaranteed initial inventory in exchange for funding the launch risk if it does not sell.
Normally Amazon's ordering algorithms wait for demand signals before buying meaningfully — a cold start problem for new vendor launches. Born to Run inverts it: the vendor requests a specific initial order quantity, Amazon stocks it, and the vendor underwrites the bet, typically through launch marketing commitments and accepting returns of unsold units.
Used well, it puts real inventory behind a launch with retail placement from day one. Used carelessly, it is a consignment loss with extra steps — size the request against evidence (category data, off-Amazon proof of demand), and pair it with an ad plan that gives the inventory a chance to turn.
The numbers
- Vendor requests the opening PO quantity; Amazon stocks it; vendor underwrites unsold risk (marketing commitment / returns).
- Solves the 1P cold-start problem where ordering algorithms wait for demand history.
Related terms