Innovate E-Commerce Blog

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Are your Purchase Orders working for you?

Are your Purchase Orders working for you?

Of course, your answer would be yes! You receive the orders, process them, and send the products to your customers. But is that all your orders can do? The answer is no. Your purchase orders are the lifeline for your business and can provide much more. Your orders…

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Is your supply chain data safe?

Is your supply chain data safe?

The number one security breach comes from the chair to the keyboard. Meaning that most hackers gain access to your company through an employee clicking on a phishing email. Companies have put in place more robust firewalls for email, training employees on how to spot…

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Customer Service Reps or Order Entry Reps?

Customer Service Reps or Order Entry Reps?

Imagine you are your customer with an urgent issue. Who will be the first person you reach when you call your customer service department? Do you reach someone that is trained and ready to handle your issue or do you get someone that is ready, willing, and able to…

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How AI and EDI Work Together

How AI and EDI Work Together

More companies have started implementing AI projects. However, many have found they are not or did not get the results they had expected. Why not? There are many factors to consider when implementing AI. Here are a few key factors: Successful AI starts with a…

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New Year, New Data

New Year, New Data

2025 was dominated by many disruptions – inflation, supply chain disruptions caused by weather, unforeseen disasters, and rising costs. However, one area of the supply chain that continues to be overlooked is waste and inventory shrinkage in the supply chain. The…

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The Pitfalls of Technology

The Pitfalls of Technology

Most failures come not from technology itself, but from underestimating the complexity and importance of data. In surveys of organizations, 85% say they fail because of poor data quality. Among data-integration projects specifically, there are claims that as many as…

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Garbage In – Garbage Out

Garbage In – Garbage Out

We have all heard this saying at least once in our lifetime. This is never truer than when it comes to the supply chain. Inaccurate data can seriously disrupt supply chains — both operationally and financially. Because supply chains depend on precise, real-time…

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What if we had a crystal ball?

What if we had a crystal ball?

This time of year, many companies are working on their forecast for 2026 and beyond. If we only had a crystal ball to know what is coming in the form of supply chain disruptions, natural disasters, economic changes, regulatory changes, market trends and other events…

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Blind Spots Hide in Many Places

Blind Spots Hide in Many Places

Disruptions in the supply chain have always happened, they are messier now with greater impacts. While disruptions are unavoidable, being blind-sided by them is not. According to a recent article in Food Logistics, 83% of supply chain executives now rank resilience as…

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Negating risks with “What if” scenarios

Negating risks with “What if” scenarios

Supply Chain disruptions in 2024 ranged from natural disasters to a cargo ship destroying a major bridge, blocking one of the largest eastern US ports. Spring of 2025 has already brought its share with tornadoes, flooding and unexpected late winter storms. Supply…

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Don’t Wait – Act now!

Don’t Wait – Act now!

As the world watches and countries begin talking to the US about tariffs, now is the time to act. Many companies are developing strategies to prepare for whatever the future holds. These strategies include: Stockpiling Inventory Diversifying Suppliers Expanding into…

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Are You Losing Money?

Are You Losing Money?

AI is a big topic right now, and many businesses are trying to figure out if, when, and how they should use it. One common way AI is being used today is for predictive analytics. However, implementing AI isn’t cheap and it requires expensive data collection, model…

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Supply Chain – Made in the USA

Supply Chain – Made in the USA

According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, there is a notable trend of consumers increasingly seeking and purchasing products made in the USA. Surveys indicate that a significant portion of Americans prefer domestic products and are willing to pay a premium…

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Reverse Logistics and EDI

Reverse Logistics and EDI

Reverse Logistics, the process of managing the recall or return of products from the customer back to the company, has become increasingly important for businesses. Whether there is a recall or deficit, how do you track and trace the product back to the source? When…

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The Future of EDI – Connect with Your Logistic Partners

The Future of EDI – Connect with Your Logistic Partners

EDI was first introduced to supply chains back in the 1960s, when Ed Guilbert developed a form of electronic communication between shipment supply chains in the US army. Although it took until the early 90s for EDI to find wide-spread supply chain integration, EDI was…

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The Future of EDI – Engage Your Customers

The Future of EDI – Engage Your Customers

The old expression “If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it” rings true in many aspects of our lives. This is even more relative when it comes to EDI. Historically, EDI was going to be combined, replaced, or eliminated. First, it was going to be combined with the…

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Global Supply Chain – Developing New Strategies

Global Supply Chain – Developing New Strategies

While the COVID pandemic exposed weaknesses in the global supply chain, unforeseen disruptions continue to play havoc every day. Companies are looking at new strategies to avoid risks in their supply chain. Several of these strategies are: Move from “Just in Time” to…

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Global Supply Chain – Developing New Strategies

Global Supply Chain – Developing New Strategies

A recent survey of 1,800 supply chain decision-makers from around the world revealed that most are struggling to minimize risks to their supply chains due to disruptions caused by geopolitical conflicts, natural disasters, the closure or delays of major ports, and…

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Global Supply Chain – Developing New Strategies

Global Supply Chain – Developing New Strategies

After the tragic collapse of the Key Bridge, the Port of Baltimore said last week that the vessel is expected to be removed by May 10. In a news release Monday, the Key Bridge Unified Command did not mention the deadline or when the removal of pieces of the bridge on…

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Overcoming Obstacles in the Global Supply Chain

Overcoming Obstacles in the Global Supply Chain

From robotics to Enterprise Resource (ERP) software, the technology sector continues to boom. These solutions are designed to streamline, optimize, innovate, and gain visibility in the supply chain. There is also a lot of excitement and confusion around Artificial…

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Supply Chain Disruptions – What’s Next?

Supply Chain Disruptions – What’s Next?

Do you know where your children are? This question was used as a public service announcement for parents on American television from the late 1960s through the late 1980s. Today, with all the supply chain disruptions, the question now becomes: do you know where your…

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Supply Chain Disruptions – What’s Next?

Supply Chain Disruptions – What’s Next?

Unrest in the Middle East and a drought in Panama are causing ships to take alternative or longer routes around Africa and South America. Longer routes mean longer transit times, which could lead to delays in the delivery of goods, affect the availability of products…

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Supply Chain – Preparing for the Future – Part III

Supply Chain – Preparing for the Future – Part III

The future will always bring new challenges with the supply chain while still trying to deal with the day-to-day operations. Rising costs, economic instability, labor shortages and supply chain disruptions will continue into 2024 and beyond. Now is the time to prepare…

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Supply Chain – Preparing for the Future – Part II

Supply Chain – Preparing for the Future – Part II

Global supply chains have experienced and overcome many disruptions and challenges in recent years. History has shown that these disruptions will continue to occur. We must learn from history, or we will face the same challenges again. Now is the time to prepare for…

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Supply Chain – Part I – Preparing for the Future

Supply Chain – Part I – Preparing for the Future

With tightening global regulations, increasingly discerning consumer base, and tighter due diligence laws from governments; old-school, manual supply chain processes can no longer keep up with the future. Most traditional supply chains still work in a siloed…

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