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On October 6, 2009. By Fran, under Tech Talk.
One of the spookiest parts of Halloween this year may be the amount people plan to spend on celebrating the 31st. According to the National Retail Federation’s 2009 Halloween Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey, consumers are expected to spend an average of $56.31 on Halloween, down from $66.54 total spending on the holiday is expected to plummet.
Like most holidays, Halloween will also be hit hard by the economic strife making this season a bit more frightful, but not in a good way. A report surfaced regarding that 71.2% households will forgo passing out candies to local children taking part in the most festive event, trick or treating. I find this appalling to suggest that the average American or 71.2% has suffered so greatly that a few bags of candy and the cost is a deal breaker for a few dozen children ringing neighborhood doors.
Frankly I also find the decline in costumes or dressing up, even pumpkin carving will plummet so drastically that kids & teens will show unpainted, uncloaked faces, pumpkins will only be cut for making pies to feed the homeless and Halloween parties will require canned goods before entering. I wonder sometimes who actually runs these reports and what group of educated persons comes to statics on such degrees of ridiculousness. Halloween has and always will be about resources. Taking bed sheets, broken charcoal for face painting, and flour in a sock, you know using what is around. I can remember getting pennies in my treat bag and as much as that was always a complete downer, it was still something.
I say take all the pennies you can find, or passing up fast food for lunch, lotto, even that rainy day cash we all have tucked away and spend it on treats, and if you’re still that destitute, send all those kids to my house, the one on the block with the carved pumpkins, spooky decorations and plenty of trick and treats to go round, even if it cost me a dollar and a dream.
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On August 17, 2009. By Fran, under Tech Talk.
The 852 provides the ability to be proactive in production planning and understand how products are selling, and across different locations and assists changes in marketing to gain sales. Using the 852, you can compare POS data and transactions and track selling statics between different locations and regions.
There are three reports that form the backbone of retail POS data analysis: item sell-thru by store, inventory on-hand by item and store, and top selling items. From these three reports you can create a library of very useful decision support tools segmented by geographic region, product category, and by retail partner. Vendors are working hard to understand how to best use retail POS and inventory data which is made available via EDI 852.
Considering the amount of information that is offered via the 852 document it may seem like a overload of confusing data, but working with your EDI provider, the right EDI provider who understands each function, you can road-map a plan of action and tailor the 852 exactly to your needs. Using this 852 document will provide a wealth of vital information that will most definitely surpass manual records, standard POS software reports and manual inventory controlling.
Every square foot of any warehouse or distributing center is prime inventory real-estate. Products are placed according to style, color or season, like a well oiled machine every component from receiving to stocking must achieve maximum ability. The 852 provides the document allows warehouse fine-tuning to adjust or increase production, report inventory changes for product movement and placement as well as plan upcoming orders both in receiving and shipping.
I have a small insight to this myself, working in retail and performed labored POS reports daily that consumed a volume of paper. Each report was compiled data of daily or weekly sales figures, stock and location sales. The POS reports are retrieved with software that is installed to a main register (cash) thermal. This terminal is accessed through a PC with standard POS software that is quite defunct by technology standards. Each report is a mass of confusion for anyone to master.
To have the ability to customize reports ranks the 852 ranks as a top performing solution with robust opportunities for any supplier.
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On July 14, 2009. By Fran, under Tech Talk.
It’s hard to think that September’s biggest season for back-to-school shopping is already underway. Maybe not on the minds of kids and teens but retailers are gearing up for fall 2009 in big ways. Lots of focus will be on the returning school year sales marking for the first time since the financial crisis went south last September.
Second only to the winter holidays, consumers spent $54.1 billion on apparel, shoes, electronics and other items for school kids and those heading back to college as of last year’s reports. Retailers are beefing up major marketing, promotions and anything possible to lure this year’s students into big sales for retail victory.
Consumers are holding off buying items until they really need it, and are hoping that they will get them at bargain prices, but will parents hold off all that much?
This question is quite significant, and if so, this will force retailers to slash prices when a season has just started usually when holding prices at full margin for a new season gains interest and demand. Moreover, retailers are up against a tough assignment since the 2008 back-to-school period got a boost from shoppers spending up to $600 in stimulus checks.
When it comes to children, parents often overspend when the new school year rolls around regardless of a set budget or economic blunders. New jeans and sneakers top the list for must have fashion wants and coming in close second are electronics. A lot remains to be seen, even though July is the official start of the back-to-school and only a month away.
Easy as A, B and C?
Speculation can be made along with polls and statistics, but the only ones with all the moxie are consumers, or is it? How and what we consider necessity or luxury determines everything.
I wonder sometimes, if we as a consumer ever stop to understand the power in consumption, or the other way around. Think about that next time, when your kids drag you under a trail of strategic marketing signs to the next & new must have necessity.
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On June 22, 2009. By Fran, under Industry News, Tech Talk.
At a time when supermarket profits remain slow because of rising labor and energy costs customer shopping has changed. Popular supermarkets around the country are forecasting for new lower-price campaigns.
In-store promotions, coupons, BOGO (buy one get one free) have hit the isles full throttle as the looming economy has not lifted its hold on purse strings. Household budgets tighten as smart shoppers watch for national-chain coupons and sales.
Ralphs, Vons, Albertsons, Kroger, Safeway and Supervalue have all jumped into action trying to forgo short-term plans to build longer relations and better customer service through promotions and discounts. National-brand food manufacturers are working with grocers by cutting their own prices to gain buying power. National brands have been targeted as thrifty consumers have turned to store-brand, the old standby no-frills as famous maker products are just too expensive.
Offering deep discounts and coupons on maker brands is all triggered to bring the consumer back to what they are accustom to, before the economic slide. Common foods and goods are the most discounted that has been seen so far. Staples such as breads, dairy, baby food, lesser cut meats and produce will get the most attention for racking up the sales.
The dollar store concept has finally come to the grocer. More & more Dollar Days, Saturday Specials and the like have become common ground among leading supermarkets. The iconic Sunday circular has gotten larger, bolder with more to clip, cut and redeem.
There was a time when the supermarket was a Mecca for in store freebies like china or collecting a set of canisters with weekly stamps, holiday bucks and more. This brought people back each week or month, and was enjoyable, making grocery shopping fun.
All this sounds good for the consumer and just might get even better. Competition has grown strong among theses food giants, all ready with a new plan on just how to keep their local weekly fans.
Moreover, with sales and completion outdoing the other, restaurant sales have dropped as consumers have skipped restaurant trips to make more meals at home.
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On June 2, 2009. By Fran, under Tech Talk.
Each season, the color experts at Pantone Color Institute release a report detailing the palette of hues that fashion designers expect to be indicative of the season.
And for fall 2009, designers are forecasting a palette of earth tones, from true red and deep orange to vibrant blue. Designers recognize the desire for basics that speak to the current economic conditions, but also understand the need to incorporate vibrant color to grab the consumers’ eyes and entice them to buy.
Some of the top colors designers identified as the most popular hues for fall:
- American Beauty - true red
- Purple Heart - jewel tone purple
- Honey Yellow - a warm yellow
- Burt Sienna - earthy shade of orange
- Rapture Rose - vibrant fuchsia & soft pink
- Warm Olive - rich yellow-green
- Majolica Blue - deep teal
Out of the ten colors that made the fall list, Neutral Iron received the highest rating from designers, a choice that points to practicality and sale-ability.
Color is the most significant role in how consumers gravitate or shy away from making purchases. We as humans have a relationship with color, how one formulates our likes and dislikes, what makes us feel emotion and moods.
Consistently is key for designers as to sustain sales and keep customers returning every season. A garish color palette could potentially hurt sales by a drastic disinterest and for jewelry that could mean big ticket items.
These tones serve as an ideal canvas for jewelry, whether that means sticking to one of the all-metal or neutral iron statement necklaces that will be big for Fall, or selecting colored gemstones with intense hues that are far from shy and make a bold statement.
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On May 18, 2009. By Fran, under Industry News, Tech Talk.
The “EDI Label” commonly known as a UCC-128, and now re-branded GS1-128, has always been a natural extension of the EDI process. It provides a link between the digital EDI transaction and actual physical carton or pallet. This link becomes critically important to your trading partner in order to expedite the receiving of goods and the routing to their final destinations. It won’t take long to find out just how critical the integrity of these labels is when you are suddenly bombarded for invalid labeling. If your trading partner has to suffer by manually handling your shipment they will literally make you pay.
The defined layout of this label is almost standard from trading partner to trading partner but there are always exceptions. These special requirements are one of the biggest challenges that the suppliers of the retail industry faces. The format of the label will fit on a standard 4″ wide by 6″ tall label stock. The different sections of the label are often referred to as zones. Your average label will always have zones for the ‘ship from’ and ‘ship to’ addresses along with carrier details.
The main key element is the SSCC-18 (serial shipping container code) commonly located in the bottom zone of the label. This is the code that gets transmitted in the EDI Advanced Ship Notice and can be used to reference the contents of the cartons. Another frequently seen zone containing a barcode on the label is the store number. This aids in the routing of the package once it arrives at a distribution center. There are some trading partners that have unique requirements. There are cases where they have asked for item specific information such as size, color and type. Additional barcoded information is sometimes also requested, such as a purchase order number or UPC number.
As a client support manager, I have seen first hand the common errors that my customers face on a day to day basis. One issue that has shown itself regularly is the reusing of SSCC-18 numbers. Most trading partner will not allow you to duplicate a shipment number within a year to avoid obvious confusion during receiving. There have also been occasions where the customer, after creating their ASN and producing their labels, need to make a change to the shipment and recreate their ASN and often forget to generate new labels with the updated carton numbers. Since there is no link between the physical box and the ASN transaction anymore, the ASN becomes useless and will most assuredly result in chargeback’s.
It is very important that your EDI system be capable of managing labels so that your process runs smoothly from beginning to end.
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On April 8, 2009. By Fran, under Tech Talk.
Going Green: Small Steps For A Brighter Future
Green technology has become not only a new word in business vernacular, but a foremost priority among both large and small industries. A responsibility to protect the environment has reached global scale: major factory operations harnessing airborne pollutants, offices taking steps to perform paperless protecting national forest resources, supermarket chains offering reusable bags unlike plastic that are not environmentally safe.
Green businesses operate in ways that solve, rather than cause, both environmental and social problems. By adopting principles, policies, and practices that improve the quality of life for their customers, their employees, communities, and environment.
In a recent U.S. survey, 80% of executives say that green IT (information technology) is increasingly growing in importance, and 43% say they consider a vendor’s “greenness” when selecting their suppliers. Giants such as Xerox are now bundling software to help reduce printer waste, IBM has developed a method of recycling, and both Microsoft and WalMart recently introduced plans for eco-friendly technology
Our own green philosophy has emerged not only in the workspace, but on a broader scale. Transactions that would consume volumes of paper are electronic creating a “paperless office”. Not only does this creates a smoother and safe transmittal of important information but greatly reduces waste. No longer is the dreaded file room, overflowing and disorganized but now replaced with electronic documents.
EDI Options: Keeping It Green
I’m happy to report here at EDI OPTIONS has taken a part in the green movement. Our office components, monitors, battery chargers, motherboards, wires & cording that is no longer in use is dropped off at a local “e-cycling” station for safe recycling. Manufacturers, and retailers, who are already aware of the pressing need to better manage these materials, are providing more opportunities to recycle and reuse this equipment. Many computer manufacturers, TV manufacturers, and electronics retailers offer some kind of take back program or sponsor recycling events.
The office is a good start to begin to see things green. The employee kitchen can be the first and easiest way to get into the practice or recycling. Sorters for plastics, metals and Styrofoam will ensure everybody has a hand and get involved. A company can also get a energy audit by contacting the local utility service. This survey tracks energy identifying the sources to prioritize the energy uses according to the greatest to least cost effective opportunities for energy savings.
Find out how your company can go green and support the environment. Celebrate Earth Day on April 22 and learn how you too can get involved.
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On March 5, 2009. By Fran, under Tech Talk.
What is a Liaison?
Webster Dictionary defines liaison as: communication for establishing and maintaining mutual understanding and cooperation.
As the Administrator and Project Manager here at EDI Options, I have personally maintained valuable relationships with Trading Partners (your retailers and other business partners) throughout the years. I personally manage the EDI setup, configuration and testing between the vendors and trading partner, and have done this more times than I can count for all of our clientele. A good liaison builds relationships over time.
I have the type of relationship with major EDI partners like Walmart, Sterling Jewelers and JC Penney that when they hear from me they know that they are in good hands and what they can expect. We have even conducted testing with EDI trading partners when they have upgraded their internal systems to ensure that the functionality remains the same.
Typically duties I perform as a liaison are:
- Contacting the trading partner to initiate the EDI partnership on the vendor’s behalf
- Filling out all paper work pertaining to EDI. If the paper work also requires business information, I will contact the vendor and send them the paper work as well so they can fill in their business portion.
- Send paper work back to the trading partner. I like to do this function as it opens the door for communication between them and myself and it shows them who they will be dealing with.
- Create and setup a VAN (Value Added Network) account (if one does not already exist) as well as add the trading partnership and interconnection with the VAN.
- Delegate, inter-office the tasks needed to be completed in order to start testing. For example, mapping creations, configuration and installation of the partnership on the vendors system.
- Deciding with the trading partner on a testing schedule and timeline for the testing phase.
- I personally contact the trading partner during testing to ensure the quality of the tests is up to par. And I am personally involved in all of the testing that goes on. I maintain a smooth flow of communication so we can get to the end of testing successfully.
- Once testing has been completed, we will instruct/train the vendor on the requirements for sending successful transactions to the trading partner.
- I put an email together to the vendor of the status of the project and what to expect next.
I personally take pride in my duties as I believe I am well liked in the industry, I have a good rapport with the trading partners and I am organized and keep track of progress and outstanding issues. I am always ready with status and can always produce any needed documentation.
Unlike other EDI providers, our customer’s trading partners always hear from the same person(s) and that is how strong relationships and confidence is formed. Personally, I find it to be a good feeling to hear on the other end that they are glad we are the contact, or shall we say liaison for the vendor. Your EDI is in good hands and your trading partners know it.
One of my EDI trading partners that I have worked with for many years is Sterling Jewelers. Marcia Keene from Sterling was nice enough to offer this:
“EDI Options’ staff proves every day that they care about their business because they are responsive and caring. The relationship they have formed with me has resulted in real trust. I never hesitate to recommend this company to anyone who asks for a reference for an EDI provider.” -Marcia Keene at Sterling Jewelers
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On December 11, 2008. By Neil, under Executive Desk, Tech Talk.
When I speak to company owners that are being asked to enter into an EDI relationship for the first time many times their attitude is to limit the EDI operation to provide simple compliance.
“Just tell me what I need for WalMart, Kmart, JC Penney or whoever to be satisfied so that I can get these initial EDI orders in house and start shipping”
This feeling is more than understandable when the EDI process is seen as hurdle that has to be passed in order to be approved as a vendor. Like some kind of final exam, if I answer all the questions carefully and fulfill enough of the requirements to get a passing grade I can advance to the status of preferred supplier. That level of EDI compliance will indeed satisfy your customer and solidify your relationship as a vendor but will it give you any value? Is it enough for you to just be compliant?
EDI compliance satisfies your customers because the EDI information that you exchange with them feeds their logistics process. EDI data is the life’s blood of modern retail logistics. Automated distribution centers scan and route your packages without any human handling. If your packages arrive without bar codes or associated shipping details those packages are forced to be manually handled or worse yet, rejected and returned. Like any operation that is automated, quickly the old manual methods are forgotten causing significant delay.
How automated are your shipping logistics? EDI information is tailor made for sharing with accounting, shipping, warehouse, and other logistics systems.
Companies that view the EDI process as an opportunity for their own business process improvement have the right idea by keeping in mind the fact that the EDI process in one that will be repeated time and again with new orders and shipments in increasing volume as the retailer relationship matures. Any manual handling in that process becomes a clog in the fulfillment pipeline keeping your goods from the shelves and keeping your operation from being as efficient as possible not to mention the inevitable manual errors that will occur.
As the volume of EDI orders and shipping goes up manual EDI processing brings more costs while automated EDI processing brings more value.
There is no secret formula for success since everyone’s fulfillment process is unique. Off the shelf EDI solutions can give you quick compliance with an inexpensive start up but what are the long term costs? At least 50% of our business is done with companies that are switching their EDI solutions because they are bogged down in manual EDI processing or have a competing EDI solution that is not efficient or automated.
Sometimes a lot of money spent by companies without a lot of forethought results in a lot of time and money wasted. That same time and money spent with a little consultation and consideration beforehand can result in more highly automated, efficient fulfillment operations.
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On December 8, 2008. By Fran, under Tech Talk.
After spending some time with our client support technicians, it seems that in the rush of the holiday season, our clients not only face shorter deadlines and shipping volume but unique EDI issues as well.
At holiday time, clients ship a much higher volume of goods, which can complicate every aspect of shipping logistics. From packing a much higher number of boxes and labeling to creating multiple invoices for stores or distribution centers. Holiday logistics can become exponentially more complex.
“During the holiday season many issues for support are easily fixed with features that are already built into The EC GearBox”-Tech Support
With our sheer variety of EDI capabilities & customization, each client has the ability to attain an automated EDI operation. Within our systems, there are tools for everyday business and tools that might only be used during this season when business traffic is high.
Clients found themselves learning how to easily edit items off an ASN or even delete items, while others use the GearBox reports to track invoices, ASNs or any transaction inbound and outbound that was sent or received from any given time frame even though these activities were easily performed manually during periods of low activity they would be impossible to perform without high level tools.
For business, especially in the wake of current economic challenges, it is imperative to manage every order to insure compete and timely fulfillment. The strength of an EDI system must mimic these goals allowing your EDI operation to be, productive & robust.
An EDI solution that is flexible & powerful is one part of managing holiday volume. Combine that power with knowledgeable staff, backed up by on call support & the result is a solution with all of the necessary tools to tackle a tough holiday season!
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