Today, a growing number of retailers and manufacturers are sharing data directly with their trading partners and teaming up to analyze it themselves, saving money and enhancing performance through collaboration.The report reveals that among the supply chain and merchandising benefits trading partners are reaping with the use of retailer-direct data are reduced out-of-stocks, improved forecast accuracy and reduced merchandising costs at retail."One key learning that we identified in terms of successful practices for direct data-sharing programs is that the data must be shared throughout the company -- not restricted to one department or team," noted
CROSSMARKS"S Hollie Gonzales, one of the report authors and a member of the GMA Information Systems Committee.