Boone, North Carolina-based ECRS has achieved a milestone for its Gateway Vendor Portal. More than 1,000 retail locations are now using this EDI platform as a direct connection to their suppliers, allowing them to move items through the supply chain efficiently and with precision.
“We began the year at 907 retail locations and passed 1,000 on Nov. 11,” said Melanie Marshall, ECRS Gateway product owner. “We also have integrated 17 new adaptors, such as Sysco and True Value, enabling retailers to automate their ordering experience with over 85 major suppliers.”
“Some people still think supply chain automation, like EDI and Perpetual Inventory, are only achievable by the national box chains, and we’ve proven that is simply not true,” said Ashlee Weathermen, ECRS VP of services. “We are on a mission to empower the independent retailer with the tools they need to compete in a technology-driven world.”
New enhancements to the ECRS Gateway platform include automation of TPR, promotional pricing and item maintenance files for Associated Wholesale Grocers customers and Fintech alcohol management invoice processing. On the horizon to close out 2021 is an integration for electronic shelf labels and a labor resource management program. These additions, plus enhancements to current vendor functionalities, continue to strengthen an already robust supply chain automation platform.
“We are interacting with our community forum and selecting our next adaptor integrations from the requests that are submitted,” Marshall said.
In addition, the ECRS Gateway team has been busy providing the ability for retailers to exchange information electronically with many local vendors and less technically sophisticated direct manufacturers through the ECRS EcoPortal. This new cloud-based solution bridges the gap between ECRS Catapult retailers and non-EDI compliant suppliers.
ECRS is a U.S.-based, Certified Evergreen transaction and retail solutions provider, with a successful track record that stretches more than 30 years. ECRS’ Catapult POS system is the market’s only truly unified transaction platform, running in thousands of locations across North America. With Catapult, the point of sale, self-checkout, deli scales, fuel pump, pharmacy, web-store, inventory, customer loyalty, back office, e-commerce and enterprise management all share one single transactional logic.
