An international version of the Internet data language XML standard
is being developed to aid the growth of e-commerce in the retail
sector.
Marcia MacLeodThe Global Commerce Initiative (GBI), which comprises retailers,
consumer goods manufacturers, barcode bodies the EAN and the UCC,
and the US Voluntary Integrated Chain Store Group, has been working
on the standard for EBXML for several months.
A standard XML schema for retail would enable firms to share
data and improve supply chain efficiency.
The standard for four messages - order, invoice, delivery note,
and master data and party alignment - is due to be published next
month. Master data and party alignment latter matches data about
the product with that relating to the buyer or seller.
"This will be an open international EAN/UCC standard," said
Peter Jordan, chairman of GBI and director of European systems at
Kraft Foods. "It will make it easier for retailers and their
suppliers to communicate."
With the standards smaller suppliers could carry out e-commerce
transactions with multiple retailers using the same messages.
However, this will only happen, if software houses pick up the
standard, said Jordan.
GBI will begin talking to major software companies as soon as
the standard is deliverable.
As well as working on the EBXML standard, GBI is looking at data
catalogues and how products are identified. It wants data in all
catalogues to be interoperable, wherever the catalogue is produced.
For example, the EAN/UCC code would be the same in a German
catalogue as in a UK one, as would other data, such as that used to
describe height and weight of products.
The group also wants to get rid of the divergent ways in which
the EAN/UCC codes are used. "Some retailers insist on using a
particular barcode format. We want them to use one standard," said
Jordan.
GBI is supported by the four main retail trading exchanges -
GNX, WWRE, Transora and CPGMarket - that have been set up.
GNX, which is possibly the most advanced, now has about 30 early
adopters, as well as the seven equity partners: Sainsbury's,
Carrefour and PPR from France, Germany's Metro, Sears Robuck and
Kroger from the US, and Australia's Coles Myer.
"GNX is about more than just transactions," said Carrefour's
chief information officer, Jeremy Hollows.
At last month's E-logistics conference in London, Hollows said
the value added services available through exchanges will bring
real benefits to retailers and their suppliers, although he
admitted that Carrefour has saved money every time it entered an
online auction through GNX.
"Transactions are a relatively low value phenomena," he
insisted. "They may even be a loss leader to attract people to the
exchange. Sharing of data and collaboration of planning can bring
greater benefits, leading to improved efficiency, reduced inventory
and lower supply-chain costs."
Global Commerce Initiative's proposals
- Messages in EBXML for order, invoice, delivery note and master
data and party alignment to be published in March
- All catalogues to be interoperable
- Standardisation on barcode formats.