Is it realistic to cut supply chain costs without a dedicated logistics team?
Supply chain cost reduction is usually framed as a headcount problem, like it requires a team to execute, but most cost optimization opportunities are structural decisions made at the sourcing and contracting stage, not ongoing management tasks.
Freight consolidation at origin is one of them. Combining shipments within the same factory production window reduces per-unit cost significantly with no ongoing management required once set up. HTS classification accuracy is another. Wrong classifications lead to consistently overpaying duties, and once you've got the right code confirmed and documented, every future shipment runs on the corrected rate. It requires actually going through the process to get there, but the benefit compounds across every order after that. MOQ negotiation at the relationship stage locks in better terms that hold for the life of the supplier relationship without weekly effort.
The overhead most brands miss is in the time spent chasing information that a well-structured sourcing engagement surfaces automatically. That is where kanary changes the math, not by reducing headcount but by removing the tracking work entirely so the information is just there rather than requiring someone to go find it every cycle.
Where do people here consistently find the most room to move on supply chain costs?