This Week in IDEA | July 7, 2010

Busting the Net Price Quandary, Part Two of the tED Mag Exclusive

tED Magazine recently published part two of a three-part series on the solutions, challenges and the progress of automating net-into-stock pricing. Leaders from City Electric Company, Crescent Electric Supply, Eaton and IDEAL provide feedback and suggestions on how to successfully tackle the issue.

According to manufacturers: resources, security and added cost are some of the reasons why they are not yet automating the delivery of their net-into-stock pricing. Since most of the cost-and time-saving benefits of automating this process are experienced by the distributor, distributors suggest providing incentives to get manufacturers on-board. Distributors also remind the industry that this is a top-down priority-leaders within the organization need to make sure there are resources available.

Read more and provide your feedback and suggestions in the tED Magazine “Technology Today Blog”

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IDEA Welcomes its 1,000th IRD CERICOMX Customer

IDEA made history again in June after welcoming its 1,000th IRD CERICOMX® customer. These companies use IDEA’s IRD CERICOMX® to register product data with the GS1 Registry® and Global Data Synchronization Network (GDSN) via the 1SYNC Data Pool. IDEA also helps them to publish their product data to demand partners such as Lowe’s, Walmart, Supervalu and McLane so they can get their products sold through top retailer chains. IDEA monitors retailer mandates and responses to ensure all of our IRD CERICOMX® customers meet important deadlines without interruptions in their go-to-market strategy. This is all made possible with the IRD CERICOMX® user-friendly application and the help of IDEA’s customer support team.

Most recently, IDEA introduced a new service to give IRD CERICOMX® customers the option to outsource their data synchronization processes (read more about Data Management Services). We’ve also added an on-demand IRD CERICOMX® eLearning module to the IDEA Portal to walk users through the data synchronization process (read more about the module), and added educational sessions and training for GDSN-enabled trading partners to the 2010 Forum agenda. Sessions targeted to IRD CERICOMX® users:

Increasing ROI with Advances in Global Data Synchronization
Dan Wilkinson, 1SYNC; Peter Vient, OSRAM SYLVANIA

Get a comprehensive insight into the benefits of global data synchronization adoption and the related benefits of becoming GDSN-enabled with IDEA’s IRD CERICOMX® application. The session will begin with a current overview of GS1 US, the 1SYNC data pool and the Global Data Synchronization Network (GDSN) including adoption rates, retailer activity, healthcare and foodservice updates. Then the focus will shift to lessons learned from GDSN-enabled companies who have successfully adopted global data synchronization and use IRD CERICOMX® to synchronize with demand partners like Lowe’s, Walmart and McLane. You'll get tips on how to maximize the associated benefits of becoming GDSN-enabled including: cost savings, a more efficient supply chain and an overall increase in ROI.

IRD CERICOMX® User Group
Sarah Earleywine, John Etrie and Tony Gaffney, IDEA

This User Group was formed to cultivate relationships between IRD CERICOMX® users and provide a platform for users to share experiences and exchange ideas about synchronizing data in the Global Data Synchronization Network (GDSN®). Attendees will experience hands-on training in the IRD CERICOMX® application as well as discuss challenges, solutions, tools and resources. The session will focus on how supply-side partners (e.g. manufacturers) can successfully register and publish items to demand partners (e.g. Lowe’s, Walmart) and use IRD CERICOMX® to reduce costs. All IRD CERICOMX® users and attendees interested in global data synchronization should attend.

Other related milestones:

• November 2003: IDEA initiates Industry Retail Database (IRD) to meet retail chain and 1SYNC™ (Formerly UCCnet) requirements
• February 2006: IDEA completes asset acquisition of Integrated Software Systems (ISS)
• June 2010: IDEA welcomes its 1,000th IRD CERICOMX® customer

Read more about IDEA’s rich history

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Using IDX and IDW to Supplement Your VMI Strategy

The article "Data-Driven Vendor-Managed Inventory", published in the June edition of Electrical Wholesaling, describes the numerous benefits and considerations of utilizing a vendor-managed inventory (VMI) strategy. IDEA’s B2B eCommerce solution, Industry Data Exchange (IDX) and Synchronization solution, Industry Data Warehouse (IDW) are mentioned as supplemental technologies that can help make VMI management more efficient. Companies on both the manufacturer and distributor side credit the use of a VMI system for helping the entire supply chain directly and indirectly cut costs, eliminate waste and help achieve seamless automation. B2B leaders at Cooper Crouse-Hinds, Kirby Risk, Panduit, Revere Electric and Van Meter Industrial are quoted.

Download the complete article

Learn more about how IDEA customers are using our solutions to improve their VMI strategies in the case study featuring IDEAL and Kirby Risk – “Collaborative Standards-Based Solutions Build a Strong Foundation for Growth.”

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Thomas & Betts: Bronze Sponsor of the IDEA E-Biz Forum 2010

IDEA thanks Thomas & Betts for their Bronze sponsorship of the IDEA E-Biz Forum 2010. We’d also like to thank Stibo Systems for their Supporter level contribution to the event. These companies demonstrate their dedicated support of the training and educational event where B2B leaders in the electrical supply chain and other related verticals discover how to utilize the latest eBusiness strategies and technologies. Their leadership and support is greatly appreciated by all. The Forum, themed “eOptimizing Performance and Profitability”, will take place on September 20-22 in Dallas, TX.

Thomas & Betts has been a leader in providing products for commercial and industrial construction, industrial plant maintenance, repair and operation, electrical utility distribution, and communications and original equipment manufacturing for over 100 years. They offer one of the broadest product lines in the electrical industry, with more than 70 of the most widely recognized and valued brands. Their broad portfolio supplies over 70 percent of the items used in a typical electrical application. Thomas & Betts is headquartered in Memphis, TN. Learn more at www.tnb.com.

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New Synchronization Customers

IDEA, a 1SYNC Data Pool On-Board Solution (OBS) partner, implements suppliers that subscribe to the 1SYNC data pool using IDEA's IRD CERICOMX® application. IDEA was recently assigned 15 suppliers:

• Spiceco of Avenel
  
• 
  
• Kristian Regale­
  
• Tabatchnick Fine Foods
  
• Prime Global Products
  
• INSP-Higher, LLC
  
• Schylling Associates
  
• Madelaine Chocolate Novelties
  
• Burkhead Manufacturing
  
• Hanes Companies
  
• 
  
• Frontera Foods
  
• Scott Shoe Co.
  
• Honua Corporation
  
• Raymond Geddes
  

These companies will be trained to use IRD CERICOMX®, an online catalog that suppliers use to register product data with the GS1 Registry® and GDSN via the 1SYNC Data Pool. Suppliers also use this solution to publish product data to demand partners including retailers like Lowe’s and Walmart.­

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