EDI OVER INTERNET!!!

New service eliminates paper, speeds cycle times while ensuring highest
levels of security

ATLANTA (May 13, 1996) -- For the first time, orders from an on-line
catalog can be sent in EDI format over the Internet.

Electronic Commerce Systems (ECS) has introduced "The Retail Catalog,"
which allows consumers, suppliers, manufacturers and anyone else involved
in the supply chain to choose items--raw materials, parts, consumer goods,
etc.--from on-line catalogs offered by multiple suppliers. These catalogs
have optional color photos of each item along with a brief description.
After the buyer has indicated color, quantity, size, etc., the order is
transformed into an EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) document. The
EDI-standard document is then securely transmitted via the Internet to the
appropriate supplier.

This represents a significant advance over traditional Internet ordering
techniques. Currently, on-line orders are E-mailed to the supplier, who
then usually prints out the order for entry into an order processing or
other system. This, essentially, is not much more efficient than receiving
an faxed order. But since EDI is optimized for business-to-business
transactions, an order in EDI format can move directly into the
appropriate financial system. By eliminating data entry, errors are
reduced, cycle times are improved and labor and other costs are
eliminated.

"We believe this represents the next generation of electronic commerce,"
said Brent Laminack, senior technical officer at the Atlanta-based firm.
"It merges the convenience of on-line shopping, the reach of the Internet
and the efficiency of EDI. It can open a new channel of distribution for
firms, or make their current electronic commerce efforts much more
efficient." 

According to Laminack, who has been involved in the Internet since 1979,
ECS is currently negotiating with several firms to EDI-enable their
catalogs over the Internet. An on-line demo, complete with additional
information on ECS and EDI, is available at http://retailcat.com/catalog.

If suppliers or manufacturers currently do not have EDI capabilities, they
can still take advantage of the ECS service, which can provide gateway
services to any EDI Value Added Network (VAN). ECS can act as a service
bureau, accepting EDI-based orders and re-transmitting them to the
supplier via fax. This way allows smaller companies and others without
in-house EDI capabilities to take advantage of the sales opportunities
offered by an on-line catalog.

Potential users of an EDI-enabled catalog over the Internet include retail
chains and their suppliers, third-party fulfillment houses, sales
configuration departments and catalog houses. It can also be used by firms
to add ordering and fulfillment capabilities to their Intranets.
Additionally, the technology can be used in any industry using EDI,
including healthcare, transportation and government.

The ECS system has two levels of security. The first is the security built
into the Netscape browser. Using a technology called the Secure Socket
Layer (SSL) and other techniques, it encrypts transmissions over the
Internet. This level of security is sufficient enough for major banks and
credit card companies. Order can be relayed via standard Value Added
Networks (VAN), which have ensured the highest levels of EDI security for
more than 10 years. And finally, ECS can E-mail your order, using the
well-known but impossible-to-break encryption method called PGP (Pretty
Good Privacy).

EDI is a standardized method for conducting business-to-business
transactions such as the exchange of purchase orders, invoices, etc. When
an EDI transaction is received, it is immediately incorporated into the
relevant order processing or financial systems without human intervention.
By eliminating paper, EDI reduces cycle time, eliminates date entry
errors, and substantially reduces the costs of processing orders. As a
result, EDI has been especially popular among the largest companies, who
have recently begun mandating EDI usage among their suppliers.

Electronic Commerce Systems, Inc., composed of experts with extensive
experience in Internet and EDI, is dedicated to pioneering new ways to
extend the supply chain via electronic commerce. Currently only an
extremely small percentage of businesses (current consensus is about
100,000) are involved in electronic commerce, which offers a high-powered
method to accelerate the speed of business, consolidate information and
improve communications with customers and suppliers.

For more information, contact: ECS; 770 Spring St., Atlanta, GA 30308.
(404) 876-5654. FAX: (404) 848-7752. E-mail: Sales@ecweb.com.
 
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