GT Nexus Renews Supply Chain Software Agreement with Charming Shoppes

Logistics Insight Asia - Technology & Market Trends, 31/12/2009

Charming Shoppes has renewed and expanded its commitment to using a GT Nexus Web-based data platform for the former’s import management. Delivered via the software-as-a-service (SaaS) model, the platform supports and automates a range of processes for the retailer – including item-level visibility, air and sea freight contracting, customs documentation, and performance analytics.

Charming Shoppes is the parent company of three distinct store brands — Lane Bryant, Fashion Bug, and Catherines Plus Sizes; with outlet stores under the Lane Bryant label. With more than 2,200 stores in 48 states and US$2.5 billion in fiscal 2008 annual sales, the company is the third-largest women's specialty apparel retailer in the US, as measured by store units.

The platform includes an import data hub that captures and standardizes information about inventory and shipments, fed into the system electronically from other systems run by partners in the supply chain.

The data is then used to populate a suite of Web applications that, in turn, automate key import processes as well as interface data with internal mainframe based systems. Charming Shoppes is able to track inbound inventory broadly at the container level or according to details such as size, color, or style. Exception management and the capability to deliver proactive alerts if something does not go according to plan help minimize surprises and keep supply chain stakeholders informed. Visibility data is also repurposed and fed electronically to the company’s customs broker for entry documentation preparation.

The retailer also manages its global air and ocean freight spend on the platform, which automates the bidding process and serves as the central contract rate repository. The future extension into freight audit will allow company to match the actual contracted rate information with electronic freight bills to deliver a true comparison between the rates in the contract and what was executed.

Charming has the ability to access all of their actual import data and perform deep performance analytics. Reports can be generated "on the fly," based on actual, real-time operational data. Performance can also be compared to historical data that is stored on the platform.

GT Nexus, www.gtnexus.com