Posts

Showing posts from April, 2025

GS1 Barcodes: Cost, Compliance & How They Power Modern Supply Chains

Image
  What Are GS1 Barcodes and Why Do They Matter? GS1 barcodes are globally standardized codes that uniquely identify products, cases, or pallets across the supply chain. Each GS1 barcode contains a Global Trade Item Number (GTIN), which ensures your product is traceable and recognized by major retailers like Amazon, Target, and Walmart. GS1 barcodes are essential for retail, eCommerce, and logistics — powering automation, inventory accuracy, and product authenticity across global supply chains. How GS1 US Powers GS1 Barcodes and Global Standards GS1 US  is the official body that assigns unique Company Prefixes in the United States. These prefixes form the base of your GS1 barcode numbers. GS1 US also maintains the standards used for: UPC for retail products GS1–128 (formerly UCC-128) for shipping containers QR and DataMatrix codes for healthcare and logistics GS1 Barcodes vs UPC Codes: What’s the Difference? GS1 is the organization that defines barcode standards. UPC is just on...

Smarter GS1 EDI Standards for Manufacturers & Logistics Providers

Image
  What Are GS1 EDI Standards? GS1 Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)  standards are internationally recognized messaging formats designed to automate business transactions between supply chain partners. These standards ensure consistent communication for orders, invoices, shipping notifications, and other essential documents. By using GS1 EDI, manufacturers and logistics providers can significantly reduce manual entry, avoid data errors, and improve speed and accuracy in document exchange. These standards are adopted across industries-particularly in retail, healthcare, foodservice, and distribution-making them crucial for businesses looking to scale and stay compliant. For companies dealing with multiple trading partners, GS1 EDI provides a “common language” that streamlines interactions with suppliers, retailers, 3PLs, and distributors. Why GS1 EDI Matters to Manufacturers and Logistics Companies Whether you’re a component manufacturer shipping to OEMs or a logistics provider...

Powerful EDI for E-commerce: How Small Businesses Can Automate and Scale in 2025

Image
  EDI for E-commerce: How Small Businesses Can Automate and Scale What is EDI for E-commerce? EDI for e-commerce refers to the electronic exchange of business documents like purchase orders, invoices, and shipping notices between online retailers and their trading partners. Instead of relying on manual data entry or emails, EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) automates the entire process, making transactions faster, more accurate, and easier to scale. For small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), adopting e-commerce EDI solutions is no longer optional — it’s essential for staying competitive in today’s fast-paced digital supply chain. Why EDI Matters in E-commerce Today With the rapid growth of online shopping and multi-channel retailing, brands and suppliers are under pressure to: Process orders quickly Meet retail compliance standards Prevent costly errors Sync inventory in real time Manual workflows can’t keep up. That’s where EDI for e-commerce steps in. Whether you’re sell...

What Is Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)? A Complete Guide

Image
  Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) is transforming how businesses exchange important documents — like purchase orders, invoices, and shipping notices — by replacing manual paper processes with streamlined digital workflows. This article explores what EDI is, how it works, and why it’s become a vital tool for companies of every size. 1. Introduction to EDI Electronic Data Interchange is a standardized method of electronically transmitting business documents between two or more trading partners. Instead of mailing paper documents or entering data by hand, EDI automates these exchanges, cutting down on errors and increasing efficiency. By utilizing a common format — such as ANSI X12 or EDIFACT — parties can send and receive data in seconds, significantly speeding up their supply chain operations. 2. How EDI Works EDI transactions follow a consistent process: Data Formatting: Your internal system data is converted into a standardized EDI format. Secure Transmission: Documents are sent...