While public and private business-to-business exchanges offer integrated catalog management, procurement, auction and logistics services, many are committed to offer collaborative planning, forecasting and replenishment initiatives as prescribed by the Voluntary Interindustry Commerce Standards Association, Lawrenceville, N.J. Efficiency and effectiveness are the driving forces behind this move.
nd allows buyers to optimize the offerings at individual stores and allows suppliers to refine their product mix," said Marina Kotsianas, president and chief executive officer, Agribuys, Torrance, Calif. This B2B exchange has recently added features and speed to its information flow that enables CPFR. "The need is there, not only from the buyer's side, but from the supplier's side as well.
"Business-to-business supply chain management is not just transactions," she said. "Demand forecasting must be added. Additionally paper has to be taken out giving trading partners time to do more intelligent things such as evaluating what impact actions taken today will have on business."
