By the time the new collections are ready to dispatch to the retailer, the brand owner sends an EDI delivery note (DESADV) to the retail system of Coster, per branch stating the amount per SKU (EAN/UPC) to be delivered. The retail system of Coster (PFA from ProFashionAll) therefore knows what is going to be received. Upon delivery of the goods in the store or in the central warehouse, the goods are scanned and an automated comparison is made with the DESADV already in the system. Deviations, if any, are determined automatically and registered in PFA on detail level. Coster saves a lot of time, money and manpower. The main advantages are significantly reduced time-to-shop floor (average 4 days earlier on the shop floor) as well as to grow in the number of stores, without the capacity of the central warehouse and head office needs to be expanded.
The dispatch of the goods is the trigger for the supplier to send the invoice. This process is also 100% handled digitally via EDI (INVOIC). With a twofold advantage. Coster retail doesn’t need to book invoices in its financial system (Finall of Bison software) any more. Even more important is the invoice verification, which can be done fully automated. The retail management system PFA already knows what EAN codes are ordered, for which purchase price (ORDRSP) and the exact quantities received per EAN code in which branch (DESADV). The numbers actually received by barcode (scanned on entry) are stored in a database matching (FactMatch from Bizon Software). The numbers and amounts invoiced by EAN code are also written to FactMatch. Then FactMatch produces a list with the discrepancies between invoiced EAN’s and actually received EAN’s including (amount and price). Deliveries and invoices are automatically checked correct, approved and paid. This method is highly efficient and provides a tremendous decrease of workload.
EDI also makes replenishment of the basics very efficient. In their stock system (PFA) COSTER entered a minimum and maximum stock level of the basics both for each branch and for each EAN code. PDF will calculate periodically which EAN code, in which amounts for which branches are needed to be reordered and will hereby create a matching EDI order (ORDERS message). At the suppliers these electronic orders will be processed automatically and with priority and therefor will be replenished within 2 days at each branch. These will be followed by DESADV and INVOIC messages and in this way the delivery, billing and control can take place very efficient! With this replenishment procedure the lower actual minimum supply as well as the lower lost sales, are very important victory points.
For the handling of all their EDI traffic, Coster retail uses the dedicated EDI solution eBiss/eGate, provided, delivered and supported by FashionUniteted Indicia. Therefor Coster also exchanges EDI messages with G-star RAW, both in EDIFACT and in XML format. With eBiss Coster has a lot of flexibility within their own organization regarding EDI.
“Without our migration from our FUI’s MessagingCentre towards eBiss/eGate our business never could have been this efficient” says Klaas Both, chief controller of Coster retail.
