A benefit of the program is that it allows Apple to see the demand
patterns for its products. Dell Computers also sells its products directly to consumers without going
through the distribution channel.
Finally, as we noted before, long resupply lead times can aggravate the bullwhip effect. Improvements in
operational efficiency can help reduce the highly variable demand due to multiple forecast updates.
Hence, just-in-time replenishment is an effective way to mitigate the effect.