FIDX adopts 3 more e-commerce standards
By Brian Carroll -- Furniture Today, February 17, 2002
HIGH POINT — The Furniture Industry Data Exchange committee has approved three more key electronic data standards. With the five already adopted, they form a comprehensive set of e-commerce transaction standards, and several manufacturers and retailers already are testing them.
The new e-commerce standards were approved at a meeting in Charlotte, N.C., which attracted a record 50 participants, including representatives from retailers, manufacturers, suppliers, the industry's major trade associations and the Uniform Code Council.
Standards approved included those for order status inquiries, order status, and the electronic envelopes that carry the documents from database to database.
With the approval of the schemas, the fundamental standards for e-commerce are in place and ready for implementation.
"We have enough standards to be comprehensive," said Mary Frye, chair of FIDX and president of the Home Furnishings International Assn. "It's amazing what has been accomplished."
She said FIDX wants UCC to sign off on the standards so international companies can more easily trade with the furniture industry.
The new XML-based formats are comprehensive but have enough breadth and flexibility to handle product complexities and nuances, said Ames Flynn, vice president and chief information officer at Thomasville, one of the manufacturers that is testing the standards with dealers.
"Adoption of these new standards is a significant step for the furniture industry," said Flynn, who also is first vice president of the Information Technology Division of the American Furniture Manufacturers Assn.
"With the standards in place, manufacturers and retailers no longer need to reinvent the wheel every time they connect with a new trading partner," Flynn said.
The new standards should improve ease of implementation and reduce costs for all parties, especially retail systems suppliers, said Ron Martell, chairman of the FIDX steering committee and president of Micro*D.
Any company interested in adopting the standards can download them from the FIDX Web site at www.fidx.org. The working committee's next meeting is set for May 17 in Charlotte.
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