eZCom Software Blog

Supply chain demand planning is the crystal ball of the business world. Imagine if every time you went grocery shopping, you knew exactly how much milk, bread, and eggs you'd need for the week ahead. That's what demand planning does for companies, but on a much larger scale. At its core, demand planning is all about predicting what customers will want and when they'll want it. Sounds like a guessing game, right? Yes… But not really…

In today's dynamic business landscape, supply chain visibility is no longer just a buzzword; it's a necessity. With consumers demanding transparency and agility, brands must prioritize improving their supply chain visibility to stay competitive and resilient. Fortunately, there are several straightforward strategies that brands can adopt to enhance that visibility. Let’s dig in…

When a brand is considering an EDI provider (or any technology service provider, for that matter), they need to have data security at the top of their checklist. Specific to EDI, brands are trusting their provider with critical business information ranging from items and prices to customer details and should consider the following criteria……

X12 vs. EDIFACT In the world of EDI, there are two standards that facilitate the exchange of information between suppliers and trading partners: X12 and EDIFACT. Ultimately, these standards define EDI documents. The main difference is actually pretty simple: X12 is the preferred EDI standard in North America while EDIFACT is used throughout Europe and Asia. As your business expands globally, you’ll eventually hear about EDIFACT. And if you are already familiar with EDI for your company, your first question will probably be: how is EDIFACT different from X12, the EDI format used throughout North America?…

For many beauty, health, wellness and apparel brands, November and December tend to see the highest volume thanks to Black Friday and the holidays. But with Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day, February and May aren’t far behind. Whether they’re major or mini, these seasonal peaks can strain any organization across a range of departments – accounting, ecommerce, inventory, compliance… you name it. The keys to reducing that strain? Integration and automation. More specifically, integration and automation powered by EDI. Let’s run through some of the most common EDI integrations and automations that can help your business handle seasonal peaks…

Brick and mortar retail is dead. How many times have you heard that? We’re betting plenty. But the thing is, that statement couldn't be further from the truth. While “ecommerce sales in the third quarter of 2023 accounted for 15.6 percent of total retail sales,” 72 percent of consumers still shop in stores on a weekly basis. For every argument there is a counter argument. So what’s that tell us?…

The holiday season can be a whirlwind for suppliers, with increased sales, higher order volumes, and a surge in customer transactions. For brands that rely on electronic data interchange (EDI) systems to manage their trading partner relationships, it's crucial to assess how well the system performed once the holiday dust settles. Here’s what to look at…

EDI, or electronic data interchange, may not seem like the hotbed for innovation these days, but for brands and trading partners alike, there are a number of trends and advancements worth keeping an eye on as we head into 2024…

When faced with setting up electronic data interchange, or EDI – most often at the request of a future trading partner – suppliers have an immediate decision to make: handle it in-house or outsource it to a full-service provider. Here’s a quick guide to inform that decision…