Manage Product Data with Open Catalog Service

Linc Wonham
by Linc Wonham 07 Jun, 2012

SPS Commerce is offering an upgrade to its Universal Catalog service, which is a cloud-based solution that helps retailers set up, maintain and exchange product data such as global trade item numbers (GTIN), price, color, size, style, images and other ecommerce marketing information.

Using the Universal Catalog service, retail partners can respond to changing consumer product preferences and demand with speed and accuracy. By making product data directly accessible to multiple retailers and other catalogs, SPS' catalog solution provides a more flexible and affordable alternative to traditional catalog offerings that rely on proprietary data pools.

"Item information is the foundation of the supply chain, affecting every step of the buying and order fulfillment process," says SPS Commerce CEO Archie Black. "The need for accurate item information and electronic images has never been greater, given the rising popularity of drop-shipping and ecommerce. By eliminating the restrictions and surcharges that have become common obstacles to responsive item management, the openness of SPS' catalog positions it to become a standard platform for retail trading partners to share all item data."

The Universal Catalog service allows retail partners to do the following:

--  Receive, review and accept item data from multiple trading partners from one centralized location

--  Expand product assortments and reduce time-to-market for new products

--  Add ecommerce attributes for online stores, including product images and marketing copy

--  Enable trading partners to share their entire product catalog without incurring per-item charges

--  Send product data directly to hundreds of retailers or to other third-party data pools

--  Pay affordable monthly subscription fees without long-term contracts

Learn more about SPS Commerce's Universal Catalog service here.