ARTS MEMBERS UPDATE - June 2003

Exclusive retail standards information for Members Only  

Top Story of the Month

 IXRetail meeting hosted by RadioShack,

The IXRetail meeting hosted by RadioShack, the first retailer to host an IXRetail meeting, was a huge success, with more than 42 attendees and two schemas, POSlog and Stored Value, advanced to the final review stage prior to public release.

POSlog V2 has been enhanced as directed by retailers on the ARTS Board and at the suggestion of 360Commerce, IBM and Triversity based on beta implementations. Version 2 enhancements include the functions of tendering and taxation.

Stored Value messages to link Gift Certificate, Loyalty, Coupon and Prepaid Card systems to POS applications were given a thumbs up review. These standard XML messages will process all required Stored Value functions such as issue, redeem, inquire and adjust.

The Customer work team was reorganized, with Doug Jones of Target and Melanie Hapai of Blue Martini elected co-chairs and a charter created and approved. It is available for member review on the ARTSXML Webboard, accessible through the members-only section of the ARTS website.

Ann McCool hosted the meeting in the Answer University, the RadioShack management-training facility. Several members of the Radio Shack staff attended the meetings and provided positive feedback on their educational value.

Data Model CDs Distributed
CD's of version 4.0 of the Data Model were mailed to members on May 13. Members that have not yet received the CD, please contact ARTS@nrf.com.
Three Different Vendors Endorse POSlog V2
The ARTS presentation to the IBM Stores Systems Users Groups was a milestone in ARTS - and maybe Standards - history. Colin Haig of Triversity, Hollis Posey of IBM and Jerry Rightmer of 360Commerce told the audience of the benefits they anticipate from implementing POSlog into their POS systems. This is the first time three major software providers have endorsed and begun implementation of a new ARTS standard within a few months of release. The presentation is available on the ARTS website .
ARTS and NRF to Create a Library of Standard RFPs
The first call for submitting RFP's for use in creating a library of standard RFP's that retailers can customize to their specific business requires has been sent to the ARTS Board and NRF CIO Council. Submissions are welcome from all retailer members of ARTS and NRF. If your company has issued an RFP for POS, ERP, Warehouse Management or other systems and would like to provide it as a straw man for developing these standards, please send to ARTS@nrf.com or mail to ARTS, 325 7th St. NW, Ste. 1100, Washington, DC 20004.
First Joint ARTS-NRF Presentation
ARTS Executive Director Richard Mader and David Hogan, NRF's new SVP and CIO, made the first joint ARTS and NRF presentation last month at Retek World 2003 in Orlando FL. This is one further demonstration of the new cooperative spirit of NRF and ARTS, working together and working with others for maximum member benefit. 
 

Upcoming Meetings and Events:

ARTS Board and Members of the NRF CIO Council
to attend the Retail Achievement Award party at Retail Systems at the invitation of Moonwatch Media.
ARTS Member Meeting
The next ARTS member Meeting will be held Wednesday, June 11 2003 from 2:00 to 3:30 at the Retail Systems Alert conference in Chicago. See retailsystems.com for more information on the conference. At press time it is expected that the POSlog V2 and Stored Valued schemas and messages will be made public and reviewed and case studies on the implementation of standards will be presented showcasing successful approaches to standards implementations and the resulting benefits. Learn how standards can enable your IT organization to implement new business practices faster and cheaper, and give your input to guide ARTS' development of ePC (RFID)-related standards. 
UCC and AfterBot to present at NRF Loss Prevention Conference
The Uniform Code Council (UCC) and AfterBOT, member of ARTS IXRetail Technical Committee, will present on the value of standards in reducing fraudulent merchandise returns at the NRF Loss Prevention Conference 

June 2 - 5 in San Antonio, Texas. See NRF.com for more information. 

IXRetail and Data Model Committees to meet in Washington DC
IXRetail and Data Model Committees to meet in Washington DC, August 11-15 In these meetings we will complete the Digital Asset Management (DAM) schema and begin work on two new schemas to be determine by the ARTS Board. 

INTRODUCING ARTS Newest MembeRS

Australia Post AUSTRALIA
Dell Computer Corp. United States
Librerķas Gandhi SA de CV MEXICO
Siva Corporation United States
Tiendas Chapur, SA de CV MEXICO