B2BGateway to attend Natural Products Expo East in Baltimore

B2BGateway, the leading global EDI solution provider will be attending the Natural Products Expo East trade fair which takes place in the Baltimore Convention Center from September 22-24, 2016.

Natural Products Expo East is the East Coast’s Largest natural, organic, and healthy products event with over 22,000 attendees and 1,800 exhibitors. Each year Natural Products Expo East draws top retail buyers from independent stores, natural market chains and big box retailers – all with the mission to find the newest and hottest products shaping the future of the healthy living marketplace. Market categories represented at Expo East include natural and specialty food and beverages, supplements, pet, natural living and beauty. New emerging trends include:

·         Foods and beverages with floral ingredients such as hibiscus, elderflower and chamomile.

·         Coffee fruit, the refreshing and flavorful anti-oxidant rich and anti-inflammatory fruit.

·         Snacks using avocado oil, which has always been GMO free and is paleo friendly.

The majority of large scale box store retailers and natural markets chains require all suppliers to become EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) compliant for the exchange of electronic business documents such as Purchase Orders (EDI 850), Purchase Order Acknowledgements (EDI 855), Advance Shipment Notifications (EDI 856) and Invoices (EDI 856). Suppliers can also use the EDI for seamless communication with their 3PL’s for Warehouse Ship Orders (EDI 940) and Warehouse Ship Advice (EDI 945).

By using B2BGateway’s cloud based EDI solutions the supplier can integrate with all relevant parties in their supply chain. Full integration removes the need for the supplier to re-key data when exchanging electronic business documents with trading partners, leading to greater accuracy, increased labor efficiencies and expediting the order-to-payment cash cycle with customers.

If you would like to meet with the B2BGateway team attending this year’s Natural Products Expo East, please email Sales@B2BGateway.Net 

Back in Black - Where does the future of Black Friday Lie?

2015 may be a defining year for the future of one of the world’s largest shopping days – Black Friday. To the (very few by now I would guess) uninitiated, Black Friday is the name given to the Friday that falls immediately after Thanksgiving. Traditionally Black Friday has been a retailers Mecca, through ingenious marketing campaigns and heavy discounting, crowds have been lining up outside retail stores from early dawn each and every Black Friday to splash the cash and grab a bargain.

The Black Friday annual shopping day has become so huge, that some large retailers in recent years have even begun opening their doors on the Thursday of Thanksgiving. However, this has not gone down well in all quarters, with many protests outside the shop doors lamenting retailers putting profit before the quality of family life for their employees. These lamentations have gained ground, and for the first year ever, some retail giants such as REI have bucked the trend and have stated that none of their stores will open on either Thanksgiving or Black Friday 2015 – a kind of a give back and thanks to their employees (not to mention tonnes of wonderful publicity headlines).

But it’s not just the feel good factor that may come into play for the future of Black Friday, according to BlackFriday.com the number of people who shopped both instore and online fell from 46% to 41% between 2013 and 2014. BlackFriday.com also states that the average spend per head by the Black Friday shopper has fallen steadily from $423 to $381 between 2012-2014.

With the comfort of online shopping, no queuing or waiting, new pretenders to the throne such as Cyber Monday and Singles’ Day in China, what does the future for Black Friday hold? My guess is that it is not a tradition that is going away, but rather like the omni-channel has changed the future of retail, it is a tradition that will have to be re-invented and upgraded. In this regard, I believe that the whole weekend comprising of Thanksgiving, Black Friday to Cyber Monday will become one huge festive splurge, be it instore, online or a combination of both. The retailers that will win will be the ones that combine both instore and online (e.g. purchase online and collect instore), give the same pricing and discounts trough coupons and other incentives and can work out how to give free shipping.

Managing the Omni-Channel – Hot Topic during SuiteWorld 2015.



Speaking at SuiteWorld, NetSuite’s annual client and partner conference, Branden Jenkins, General Manager for Global Retail at NetSuite, commented on disruption and change and how retailers need to adapt to the new world of omni-channel retail.

According to Jenkins "Retailers need to put systems in place that give them the omni-channel capability”. He believes that the NetSuite eco-system (combination of NetSuite product features and partner add-on features will give NetSuite users a clear lead in the omni-channel market place. NetSuite also introduced their new Point of Sale (PoS) functionality which should greatly enhance the retailers omni-channel approach.

As well getting the product visible and sold through the right channels, the NetSuite user also needs to look closely at a complete and seamless supply chain integration platform. A platform which ties in all the players in the channel from online retail to box store to shopping carts to 3PL providers to drop shippers to manufacturers and more.

The omni-channel approach by NetSuite seems to be working as they were able to announce at SuiteWorld that they have just landed international surfing and clothing company, Billabong as a major new customer. Billabong is starting with NetSuite’s eCommerce platform and says that over time it may also switch its current ERP systems as well.  According to Kadima Lonji, CTO at Billabong, the new NetSuite implementation with enhanced inventory and stock visibility has the potential to deliver Billabong cost savings of $13 million per annum.

If you would like to know more on how B2BGateway’s fully integrated EDI solutions for NetSuite can help your organization handle the disruption of the omni-channel while at the same time enhancing your business call +1 401 491 9595 (NA) / +353 61 708533 (EU) or email Sales@B2BGateway.Net

B2BGateway to Exhibit and Speak at NetSuite SuiteWorld 2015.

B2BGateway, the leading cloud based EDI solution provider and NetSuite partner since 2001, will yet again be exhibiting and meeting clients, partners and colleagues at this year’s SuiteWorld which takes place May 4-7 in San Jose, CA, USA.

SuiteWorld is NetSuite’s annual conference and this year NetSuite hopes to attract 7,500 attendees consisting of clients, partners, prospects and industry analysts. During the 4 day event attendees will hear key notes from CEO, Zach Nelson and CTO and founder, Evan Goldberg as well as learning about all things NetSuite.

As in every other year, B2BGateway will yet again have a booth at SuiteWorld 2015 where attendees can learn how B2BGateway’s fully integrated NetSuite EDI solutions remove the need to re-key data and help organizations improve and automate their supply chain and omni-channel operations. Removing the need to re-key data greatly reduces potential human errors while at the same time increasing overall supply chain efficiencies.

This year B2BGateway will also host two speaking sessions, “Improve your Supply Chain: B2BGateway EDI for NetSuite” , on Tuesday May 5^th at 8am in the Expo Hall Program Stage and on Thursday May 7^th at 8.30am also in the Expo Hall Program Stage.

If you or your colleagues are attending SuiteWorld 2015, make sure to drop by booth #538 to say hello to the B2BGateway team or drop by the Expo Hall Program Stage to hear one of the B2BGateway talks.

For further information on B2BGateway’s cloud based, fully integrated EDI solutions please call +1 401 491 9595 (USA) / +353 61 708533 (EU) or email Sales@B2BGateway.Net   

B2BGateway and Acumatica partner to deliver best of breed cloud based EDI and supply chain solutions to Acumatica users.

B2BGateway, a leading global EDI and automated supply chain solution provider, and Acumatica, the cloud ERP, have partnered to deliver Acumatica users the best in breed in cloud based EDI technology.
 
Acumatica is a leading provider of cloud ERP applications that empower SMBs to stay competitive. Born in the cloud, Acumatica’s browser-based Cloud ERP software offers many choices in deployment, licensing, integration, and customization.
 
Today EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) has become a standard business requirement in wholesale distribution, manufacturing, retail, automotive and ecommerce industries. By having B2BGateway’s fully integrated EDI solution, Acumatica users can now connect seamlessly with online retailers such as Amazon, eCommerce platforms such as Magento, box store retailers such as Walmart and third party logistics providers (3PL). In essence B2BGateway provides a ‘one stop’ solution that can cater for any organizations omni channel logistical and supply chain needs.

For further information on how B2BGateway can further help you automate your organizations supply chain processes with Acumatica call +1 401 491 9595 or email Sales@B2BGateway.Net