Business Tools
- The PBS Retail Toolkit
Developed in conjunction with PBS, this toolkit provides simple low to no-cost ideas on how to tap into PBS regional and national resources, promoting the new Ken Burns documentary, THE NATIONAL PARKS: AMERICA'S BEST IDEA. The toolkit also provides steps to create a community hub within retail stores to educate and engage customers about the parks and outdoor recreation. Resources such as artwork and promotional items will be added and updated on a monthly basis. Download the PBS Retail Toolkit. - B2B /XML Standards
The financial benefits of moving information between business partners using computer and Internet technology can be huge. However, when potential business partners choose different technologies or standards for communication, the costs of creating and supporting multiple methods and protocols quickly challenge the benefits. To solve this problem, Outdoor Industry Association member manufacturers and retailers volunteered their time to explore the potential of the electronic exchange of key business documents using industry-wide standards.
The result has been the creation of industry standards for the electronic exchange of documents including purchase orders, vendor catalogs, available-to-sell reports and more. Due to its wide availability, affordability and flexibility, the B2B work group has chosen XML as a document framework and web services as the "standard" communication method. Using XML and the industry standard, vendor catalogs, purchase orders, and other documents can be shared and used by all participants in the outdoor industry.
Looking to the future, the OIA B2B working group continues to development and refine additional specifications for the industry as additional cost savings and opportunities are identified. One example is the recent release of the first text file standard - in this case for Vendor Catalog - to bring some of the benefits of "standard" documents to those not yet ready to implement xml solutions.
Learn more about the B2B Standards and White Paper.
