Sports Image Uses SPS VMI Replenishment

Apparel companies that use Gerber Technology WebPDM product data management (PDM) software now can integrate directly with the Centric 8 product lifecycle management (PLM) and sourcing suite, Centric reports.Sports Image, a designer and provider of custom decorated apparel and accessories with more than 1,300 retail partners, is using SPS Commerce's Trading Partner Intelligence service to improve its vendor managed inventory (VMI) process.

SPS reports that its service provides Sports Image's inside sales staff with online access to store-level inventory reports and interactive analyses, resulting in improved sales for the company's retail partners.

Trading Partner Intelligence is a completely outsourced service, with SPS Commerce providing the technology, staffing and data integration, and contacting retailers to secure data as needed.

Sports Image delivers apparel and related items that are branded with local high school team colors, mascots and logos to local or chain grocery retailers. The company manages all inventory management and replenishment functions for its allotted floor space, sending newly designed items to the stores on an as needed basis. Sports Image ships to more than 40 states, with apparel selections designed to suit regional tastes and seasonality differences.

"Based on their extensive merchandising expertise, our inside sales staff is highly skilled in meeting our customers' unique needs. However, until recently, our staff spent too much time and energy calling stores to gain a true inventory picture," commented Kris Koberg, president and CEO at Sports Image.

The company selected the solution after testing several approaches to gather this information and provide it to its sales department more effectively, all of which turned out to be too manual or not scalable, says Koberg. The Trading Partner Intelligence service leverages its retail customers' 852 EDI transactions, providing staff with online reporting and analysis of store-level data, he adds.

for more information: www.spscommerce.com