Choosing between supplier portals and EDI platforms
Your business's lifeblood relies on a steady flow of retailer orders through your supplier portals but managing them all can be a nightmare. Vendors we work with here at SPS often share just how difficult it can be to manage multiple supplier portals (also called...
Meet Sarah de St. Aubin: #TeamSPS advocate for volunteerism-powered disaster relief
Welcome to #TeamSPS True Blue Stories #TeamSPS True Blue Stories is a blog series dedicated to highlighting the inspiring stories of SPS employees who bring our values to life in unique and meaningful ways. Sarah de St. Aubin, a volunteerism advocate is our first...
Transform your Tuesday with EDI system automation
EDI integrations and automation can break down data silos, reduce communication errors and eliminate bottlenecks that prevent your business from achieving full potential. Learn more about EDI integrations & automation with SPS Commerce blog post.
Retail System Readiness for the Holiday Season
Businesses in the retail industry are constantly making improvements, but everything needs to be ready to go when the busiest shopping season of the year rolls around. David Verette explores retail system readiness for the holiday shopping season in this podcast episode.
The Humble Co. meets retailer EDI requirements to stay focused
Helping suppliers who help the planet Founded in Sweden, The Humble Co. is creating a revolution in personal care through its innovative health and wellness products that are eco-friendly, stylish and socially responsible. The supplier began with bamboo toothbrushes...
4 tips on EDI vendor selection criteria for finance leaders
As we approach the end of 2019 with third quarter well underway, many CFO’s, controllers, and operational leaders are evaluating their retail technology stacks and vendor selection criteria in identifying EDI technology vendors and platforms to help drive better...
![Distributed order management for retailers and E-tailers [Part one]](https://www.spscommerce.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Distributed-order-management-for-retailers-and-E-tailers-1080x675.jpg)
Distributed order management for retailers and E-tailers [Part one]
By Shravan Talupula, Product Management, Director at Deposco & Carina Wingel, Marketing Director at Deposco Part 1: Distributed Order Management for Retailers and E-tailers In this first installment of a three-part series, we dive into three of the five key...
5 reasons to ditch free vendor portals
In life sometimes, you get what you pay for Supplier portals (or vendor portals) are usually free which is why some vendors use them to get their orders from retailers. However, most vendors will tell you that they aren’t as great as they appear. The unfortunate truth...
![Seven elements of full-service EDI [Infographic]](https://www.spscommerce.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/SPS-Commerce-Full-Service-EDI-Infographic-blog-post.png)
Seven elements of full-service EDI [Infographic]
If you’re looking for an EDI solution, the countless cloud EDI offerings available in the market today probably all sound the same. How can you tell the difference between providers? For many businesses, EDI is not a core competency. These companies want to minimize...
Thrive Market exec honored for supply chain vendor enablement
Every year, RIS News, honors several retail executives for their innovation, boldness, and impact through their Pacesetter award. SPS would like to congratulate Jeff Chaput, Vice President of Supply Chain, at Thrive Market for being awarded this supply chain honor in...
3 questions to ask when considering an EDI solution (from a retail IT perspective)
The number of new system integration platforms in the retail IT marketplace keeps growing. Despite each system's unique purposes, they all seem to promise the same thing: a transformation in the way they deliver product support and information to their customers. This...
How can suppliers reduce chargebacks from retailers
Being hit with chargebacks is often just a matter of doing business for some suppliers. For some retailers too. Back in the 1990s, Kmart used to just automatically levy a 2% chargeback against all orders from all suppliers because it was easier than trying to count...
How to choose EDI if you are undecided
You may have heard the pros and cons of EDI from your peers, customers, and partners, and haven’t quite been convinced the timing is right for your business to switch from manual order processing to an automated process using EDI. In short, you are not sure how to...
Strategies to drive your small business growth and product launch success
To make it in today’s rough and tumble eCommerce marketplace, the savvy small business owner needs a great product, and a willingness to take risks. There have never been as many opportunities (and retail technology tools) to either start an eCommerce business, scale...
SPS Commerce honored for gender diversity
SPS Commerce was recently named a Winning ‘W’ Company by 2020 Women on Boards for achieving at least twenty percent female gender diversity on its corporate board before the year 2020. Winning ‘W’ Companies are cited in the 2020 Women on Boards (2020WOB) annual Gender...
Annual SPS fundraising brew off mixes fun with corporate community service
SPS employees (SPSers) look forward to summertime as it means an abundance of beautiful weather for lawn games and events at the Turf Club (the extensive greenbelt which surrounds the SPS tower). When you mix in a bit of fun and competition and tie it to our company...
Mitigating retail seasonality with EDI retail technology
Order slumps and spikes are a nearly unavoidable seasonal byproduct if you operate a business within the retail industry. Retail seasonality consists of everything from shifts in industry/production practices, to weather patterns, holiday shopping periods, and more....
5 ways to scale your business with retail technology
Understanding how to scale a retail business into your next phase of growth is daunting and can take considerable effort. This means wearing many hats to get things done, especially if you're looking to tackle retail stores and also scale your online business. Whether...
Prevent costly and time-consuming errors with full-service EDI
EDI is highly visible to your retail customers and trading partners, especially when something goes wrong. EDI errors can lead to serious issues such as delayed orders, late shipments and damaged customer relationships. That’s why preventing EDI problems before they...
Apparel Magazine Honors Augusta Sportswear Brands’ Automated EDI Initiative
Apparel Magazine recently honored 26 apparel companies for their initiatives using technology to streamline data to impact their business and their supply chains. SPS Commerce was delighted to nominate Augusta Sportswear Brands and see them honored as an Apparel 2019...
SPS Certifies EDI Solution for Acumatica 2019 R1
SPS Commerce Fulfillment EDI solution for Acumatica powered by MAPADOC has been recently recognized as an Acumatica-Certified Application (ACA) for Acumatica 2019 R1. Companies use SPS Fulfillment to achieve 100 percent compliance with retailer EDI requirements....
Five key takeaways from IRCE 2019 @ RetailX
TeamSPS recently visited the Windy City to be part of IRCE @ RetailX. For more than a decade, experts from SPS Commerce have participated in IRCE 2019 to get a feel for what’s happening in the retail community through conversations with attendees from a variety of...
Key items to consider when forming a drop ship returns strategy
By Jenny Nguyen, Partner Marketing Manager, ShipStation Returns are a common hurdle for eCommerce retailers, especially in the drop shipping arena in which products are shipped out via suppliers. Though businesses may prefer not to think about returns and their...
![Freeing customer service from manual order validation [Case Study]](https://www.spscommerce.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/CS_SURR.png)
Freeing customer service from manual order validation [Case Study]
SUR&R Auto Parts, a leading supplier of fluid line repair kits and specialty tools to the automotive aftermarket industry, process orders. Recently, the volume of orders from one of the company’s key customers increased. This is good news for the business but...
Customer support sets drop shippers apart
By Megan Miller, Partner Marketing, ShipStation Your customers are vital to your company’s continued success. Today’s online shoppers have thousands of choices for similar products. Top customer service sets your business apart from the competition. When you go above...
Advice from suppliers on preparing for the first drop ship order
Every new retailer-supplier relationship marches towards its first major milestone, the first drop ship order. Fulfilling this order correctly and according to a retailer’s requirements sets the relationship on the right course for a long-term partnership. In late...
How EDI Integration for SAP works with a full-service approach
EDI Integration for SAP supports fast, efficient and accurate communication with trading partners, as well as helps to streamlines processes across the various systems within an organization. But as we discussed in our previous post, not just any SAP EDI integration...
Capterra ranks SPS as the #1 Most Popular EDI Provider for third consecutive year
Capterra, a Gartner company, has again ranked SPS Commerce as the most popular EDI software, a position SPS has held every year since the report launched in 2017. Capterra ranks technology providers based on a company’s customers, reviews and social presence. In May...
![How IMCO Carbide Tool used EDI to rise to the top [Case Study]](https://www.spscommerce.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/CS_IMCO.png)
How IMCO Carbide Tool used EDI to rise to the top [Case Study]
As a leader in the tooling industry, IMCO Carbide Tool is constantly driving towards delivering a more efficient and accurate order cycle with their distribution customers. Why? Distributors have many brands of similar tools to pick from for their customer’s order....
![Drop shipping advice from experienced suppliers [Research]](https://www.spscommerce.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Direct-to-consumer-journey-from-the-first-drop-ship-order-through-automation.png)
Drop shipping advice from experienced suppliers [Research]
If you happened to be looking for advice on drop shipping, who would you consider turning to for advice? More than likely it would be someone who had experienced the same excitement and anxiety associated with processing their first direct-to-consumer order from a...
Ensure EDI readiness with full-service EDI testing
When it comes to EDI testing, every retailer, grocer and distributor has different compliance requirements for their suppliers. Some require 20 or more distinct EDI testing scenarios based on product category or order fulfillment model, such as drop-shipping, cross...
SPS Commerce honored in 2019 Commuter Choice Awards
On May 7, 2019, Metro Transit honored SPS Commerce as an honorable mention in the Employer category of its 2019 Commuter Choice Awards. This was the first year that SPS has been nominated for the award and we are delighted to be included among the honorees. The staff...
Homegrown family business embraces EDI to sell to large retailers
Two middle-schoolers, Isabel and Caroline Berkaw, just wanted bath bombs that didn't stain their bath tub. When the sisters started making homemade bath bombs and submitted them to an art fair, they had no idea how their lives would change. In relatively short order,...
Trading partner communication sets the stage for positive EDI relationships
Communication with your trading partners can make or break your EDI initiatives. Good communication sets the stage for positive, collaborative trading relationships whereas poor communication can lead to chargebacks, unsatisfactory scorecard performance and damaged...
When evaluating EDI providers, focus on trading partner expertise
If you’re like many companies, you probably got started with EDI in response to a compliance requirement from a retail trading partner. What may seem like a relatively straightforward task of complying with one trading partner’s EDI requirements can quickly become...
Technology: Table stakes for your EDI solution
When looking for an EDI solution or EDI platform, most companies start by evaluating the provider’s technology. This is an essential first step in ensuring the solution can meet your business requirements and those of your trading partners. If you’re wondering how to...
![True Brands’ ROI from Full-Service EDI [Case Study]](https://www.spscommerce.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/CS_True-Brands.png)
True Brands’ ROI from Full-Service EDI [Case Study]
Savvy suppliers like True Brands, know doing EDI with its retail partners is not just about compliance, it’s a way to gain favor and more business. With a corporate initiative to eliminate data entry and an ERP switch to Oracle NetSuite, True Brands automated many...
![Evaluating Your EDI Options: 7 Building Blocks of Full-Service EDI [White Paper]](https://www.spscommerce.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/SPS-Commerce-Full-Service-EDI-graphic.png)
Evaluating Your EDI Options: 7 Building Blocks of Full-Service EDI [White Paper]
Whether you’re new to EDI or an EDI veteran, the countless cloud type of EDI offerings available in the market today probably all sound the same. A Google search for “EDI providers” leads to over 8 million results! Although the multitude of EDI services may sound...
![Benchmade cuts manual processes with SPS [Case Study]](https://www.spscommerce.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/CS_Benchmade.png)
Benchmade cuts manual processes with SPS [Case Study]
Benchmade has provided knives and other tools for elite tactical operators, first responders and collectors since 1987. In 2018, they wanted to reduce manual processes and advance their EDI operations to allow orders and invoices from their highest volume customers to...
SPS Commerce acknowledges Genesys Works interns’ contributions
At SPS Commerce, we are always eager to get new talent in the doors. The Genesys Works program is a national 16-year-old program that pairs high school students in underserved communities with internship opportunities in exciting organizations like SPS to connect...
Let’s talk about inventory cycles
If you're in the retail business, having an accurate count of your inventory can mean the difference between a happy customer and an angry customer. It can mean knowing when to reorder and restock products before they get too low, and being surprised that you just...
Top 10 SPS blog posts in 2018
It’s that time again when lists and lookbacks are prevalent as on year ends, and another begins. Though we’re not the types to follow along with the crowd, this is one thing where we make an exception because it’s so much fun to see where we’ve been as we look forward...
![Q Drinks reduced data entry per order by 90% [Case Study]](https://www.spscommerce.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/CS_QDrinks-02.png)
Q Drinks reduced data entry per order by 90% [Case Study]
Founded by entrepreneurs looking for a tonic that was as good as their gin, Q Drinks launched its superior mixers at some of New York City’s top bars in 2007. Since then the company has expanded its sales and distribution to dozens of national retailers and grocers...
SPS Commerce heading west for IN>LA18
If you’ve been following along with the blog over the past few months, you know that SPS Commerce has been hosting networking events from coast-to-coast. Our final occurrence in the series, SPS Commerce IN>LA18, is next week. Join us on Thursday, November 8, 2018,...
The true costs of inefficient supplier and vendor onboarding
We’ve mentioned previously how the typical process for onboarding a new supplier to your systems can take weeks, if not a few months, for some retailers. Though it simply sounds like a long, annoying process, it’s a bigger issue than that. A months-long vendor...
Using data to improve shipping costs for distributors and wholesalers
Unfortunately, for many distributors and wholesalers, shipping is just a cost of doing business. At best it can be a slight problem, and at worst, it’s one of the hardest parts of the job. But we've found that with electronic data interchange (EDI), shipping can not...
SPS Commerce at home for IN>MPLS18
SPS Commerce held the next installment of its networking event series someplace close to home: Minneapolis! The newly built FINNEGANS House was an easy choice to host the event on October 3, 2018, as it’s practically across the street from SPS Tower. And what a warm...
How automated is your inventory system?
Just how automated is your inventory supply chain to resupply the inventory into your store or warehouse? If you're a larger retailer, chances are you've been automated for years. But smaller retailers and suppliers are still dipping their toes into the EDI pool,...
What happened when SPS Commerce went to IN>CHI18
For the next location in the series of events from SPS Commerce, members of our team set off for Chicago, Ill., right on the water at River Roast. The second networking event IN>CHI18 was held on October 2, 2018, and was co-sponsored with our partner ShipStation....
Drop shipping: An eCommerce solution for today’s retail – Infographic
Consumer expectations are constantly rising, and on top of it, even more of them are doing their shopping online. eCommerce order volumes for retailers are growing every year, but their capacity to send out orders doesn't necessarily scale quickly or proportionally....
GET WEEKLY UPDATES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX.
Never miss an update from the SPS blog! Receive retail and supply chain news, valuable resources, expert tips and more.