Sourcing City unveils plans for managing industry data

Product Media was invited to attend one of the five presentations around the country to understand Sourcing City (SC) plans to tackle one of the promotional merchandise industry’s biggest challenges. David Long, chairman of SC, has now engaged with more than 200 companies. The problem of a single hub where suppliers can enter data in one system then retrieve it has been an issue for many years.

Embarking on this project Long shared with the audience the enormity of the challenge, and the importance of delivering an outstanding solution. For example, one supplier alone had half a million lines of data when all the variable options were considered. “The feedback from the roadshows has been invaluable at giving us the opportunity to refine and perfect,” said Long.

One clear benefit is that suppliers need not modify their own data sheets, but can send them in for Sourcing City to map them with their own fields. The plan is also to include livestock data giving distributors the opportunity to quote based on real-time stock. The system will also allow for private suppliers through ‘private highway’ and allow for data in different currencies.

Sourcing City has also considered those suppliers that manage bespoke products so that they can provide an assumptive stock level.

Long, plans to roll this out my December 2016 on a beta trial. Reaction to those Product Media spoke to has been positive and the industry awaits further developments.