How EDI is used in the Retail Industry?

Benefits of EDI in the Retail Industry

1. Reduce transaction times

In contrast to the manual paper-based system, EDI messages can be exchanged in seconds, which leads to faster invoice processing and improved cash flows. By using EDI solutions buyers/retailers can receive EDI invoices directly into their accounting software so they can process them quickly and efficiently.  

2. Reduce costly errors, avoid delays, and saves costs

Manual processing is prone to Invoicing errors and can be costly leading to charge backs from retailers. Also, errors in documents can cause delays in shipments and goods receivable disrupting the supply chain. However, by using an effective EDI solution you can reduce all these costly errors, improve operational efficiency, and save thousands of dollars.

3. Expand your fulfillment Models

Support eCommerce growth and create a seamless consumer experience across channels using standardized EDI transactions.

4. Simply order management and improve warehouse efficiency

Get EDI order information from suppliers and gain visibility into whether suppliers can fulfill orders in full and on time. By receiving automated ASNs from suppliers you can move your inventory efficiently through your supply chain and plan better warehouse management, which in turn improves warehouse operational efficiency.

5. Automation

With EDI you can automate your entire supply chain cycle. From procurement, shipping, and order management. On boarding your suppliers to EDI will enable a consistent order fulfillment process.

6. Improve supplier efficiency

EDI can help retailers gain visibility into order management which means which suppliers are delivering orders on time, correctly, and quickly and which are not. With this type of data, retailers can make changes if certain suppliers just aren’t cutting it. This type of insight would take months to discover without an EDI system.

7. Effective product management and bust trends

Gain visibility into product performance. EDI can help retailers help identify trending products i.e., which products are selling like hotcakes, and which are not. This will help retailers adjust inventory supplies accordingly.

8. Increase sales with drop shipping

Drop shipping is a process of providing goods directly from manufacturers to retailers or customers. If a retailer provides an option to its customers to order products online via its eCommerce store, instead of storing the inventory in the retailer warehouse, with the help of EDI it can send the same order information to its supplier and ask the supplier to fulfill the order directly to its customer from their warehouse. In this way, retailers can save time and save storage space by not storing the inventory and processing orders faster for its customers. All this can happen with an effective EDI system.