A group of fashion industry frontrunners are fully committing to GS1 Fashion Base for accurate, full and reliable product data. The test phase involving the GS1 data pool has been completed as retailers, manufacturers and industry organizations INretail and Modint have decided on large-scale implementation during 2019.
Bestseller, Dobotex, Euretco, Just Brands, Microfashion, PVH, Suitable, Van Tilburg Fashion and Sport, Van Winkel Fashion and Wehkamp are convinced more Dutch players will join the GS1 Data pool in 2019.
Omnichannel business, more regular shop stocking opportunities and consumers’ demand for ever more information explain the requirement of accurate and full product data in fashion industry.
Rens Tap from business network Modint: “It is absolutely necessary to have a single centralised location for recording and sharing up-to-date product data benefiting suppliers and retailers. This is required in order for our industry to service consumers, especially regarding the exponential growth of online.”
Quick action required to remain future-proof
Edwin Belt at INretail fashion: “We are convinced quick action is called for with the aim of having hundreds of fashion companies join the GS1 data pool in 2019. Major steps are required if we want our industry to continue future-proof operations. GS1 Fashion Base offers a perfect opportunity. The data pool is now ready to use.”
Sebastiaan van Zundert, responsible for GS1 Fashion Base at GS1: “This initiative represents an absolute necessity for businesses in the fashion industry in order to have access to accurate, full and reliable product data. As far as GS1 is concerned we will happily enter into cooperation with any business – be it large or small – in order to achieve this. With our know-how on standards and (product) data sharing and together with Icecat we will ensure that the required data pool infrastructure can be used efficiently and to optimal advantage for all parties involved in the chain.”
International implementation imminent
GS1 understands that the fashion industry benefits from international implementation. GS1 Fashion Base should facilitate businesses’ access to Europe and the rest of the world, is the opinion of fashion companies mostly operating internationally. This is why international businesses may join GS1 Netherlands, while contact exists with other European GS1 countries in order to facilitate data pool access for them as well.
About GS1 Fashion Base
Using GS1 Fashion Base, GS1 Netherlands’ data pool, suppliers and (online) retailers in the fashion industry can exchange standardized product data. The supplier only needs to enter its product data once. This information is stored in GS1 Fashion Base, at one centralized location. The supplier decides on whom to grant access to this data. Next, retailers import the product data into their systems.
This may involve:
1. Product master data such as product code, product name and colour
2. Enhanced product data such as commercial text and photos
