Innovate E-Commerce Blog

New Year, New Databy Karen Puchalsky | Jan 29, 20262025 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…

The Pitfalls of Technologyby Karen Puchalsky | Dec 9, 2025Most 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…

Garbage In – Garbage Outby Karen Puchalsky | Nov 19, 2025We 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….

What if we had a crystal ball?by Karen Puchalsky | Aug 27, 2025This 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,…

Blind Spots Hide in Many Placesby Karen Puchalsky | Jul 30, 2025Disruptions 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…

Negating risks with “What if” scenariosby Karen Puchalsky | Jun 3, 2025Supply 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…

Don’t Wait – Act now!by Karen Puchalsky | Apr 23, 2025As 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:…

Is Just In Time (JIT) and Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) Dead?by Karen Puchalsky | Apr 8, 2025With all the disruptions in the supply chain, have they destroyed the efficiencies that JIT and VMI processes provided to manage inventory levels? The concept of Just In Time…

Are You Losing Money?by Karen Puchalsky | Mar 17, 2025AI 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…

Supply Chain – Made in the USAby Karen Puchalsky | Jan 19, 2025According 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…

Is Your Supply Chain Ready to Meet Current and Future Market Demands?by Karen Puchalsky | Jan 9, 2025Supply Chain Disruptions – Are you ready for 2025? Another East Coast port strike may be in the cards for 2025. The International Longshoreman’s Assn. (ILA)…

The International Longshoremen’s Association reached a deal to discontinue their strike until January 15, 2025by Karen Puchalsky | Oct 22, 2024On October 3, 2024, the International Longshoremen’s Association reached a deal to discontinue their strike until January 15,…

If your company is doing Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), you should be starting your morning understanding how EDI has its role in PLMby Karen Puchalsky | Oct 1, 2024When you think of starting your morning, most people think about their first cup of coffee, going…

Reverse Logistics and EDIby Karen Puchalsky | Sep 17, 2024Reverse 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…

The Future of EDI – Connect with Your Logistic Partnersby Karen Puchalsky | Sep 3, 2024EDI 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…

The Future of EDI – Engage Your Customersby Karen Puchalsky | Jul 29, 2024The 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,…

Global Supply Chain – Developing New Strategiesby Karen Puchalsky | Jul 17, 2024While 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…

Global Supply Chain – Developing New Strategiesby Karen Puchalsky | Jun 18, 2024A 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…

Global Supply Chain – Developing New Strategiesby Karen Puchalsky | May 28, 2024After 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…

Overcoming Obstacles in the Global Supply Chainby Karen Puchalsky | May 7, 2024From 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 Disruptions – What’s Next?by Karen Puchalsky | Mar 5, 2024Do 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 – What’s Next?by Karen Puchalsky | Feb 13, 2024Unrest 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…

Supply Chain – Preparing for the Future – Part IIIby Karen Puchalsky | Jan 23, 2024The 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 – Preparing for the Future – Part IIby Karen Puchalsky | Jan 9, 2024Global 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…

Supply Chain – Part I – Preparing for the Futureby Karen Puchalsky | Dec 20, 2023With 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…

Supply Chain Disruptions – The Ripple Effect – Expand Your Customer Baseby Karen Puchalsky | Dec 12, 2023Many factors cause disruptions in the supply chain. Pandemics, weather, labor disputes and foreign conflicts to name a few. Who would have guessed that the rising…

Customer Demands vs. Supply Chain Disruptions – Forecastby Karen Puchalsky | Sep 6, 2023Many companies are dealing with supply chain disruptions in different ways. Many report that they are overstocked, yet they still plan to increase inventory significantly over the…

Customer Demands vs. Supply Chain Disruptions – Automateby Karen Puchalsky | Aug 25, 2023The “new normal”, “pre-pandemic”, “post-pandemic”, and others have described the last several years in the global supply chain. Supply chain disruptions are more common than ever….

Supply Chain Data – Do you know which of your suppliers are your most critical link to your supply chain?by Karen Puchalsky | Jul 25, 2023Supply chain disruptions and economic uncertainty is compelling procurement leaders to build stronger relationship with their…

Supply Chain Data – Does Your Data Meet Your Goals?by Karen Puchalsky | Jun 29, 2023The supply chain has been changing rapidly since the pandemic. The lack of visibility is a real concern today. Shortages continue to persist due to the lack of information sharing….