Case Study: Northern Tool + Equipment achieves 95% vendor EDI compliance and streamlined trading-partner onboarding with SPS Commerce

Northern Tool + Equipment taps Community Development solution to ensure new vendors meet its guidelines

Northern Tool + Equipment, a retailer serving DIYers and professionals, was experiencing rapid multi‑channel growth (catalog, online and store sales) and needed better dropship performance and inventory visibility. To support that growth it required stricter vendor EDI requirements—adding a PO acknowledgement and a more detailed ASN—while enforcing vendor compliance across its supplier base.

SPS Commerce ran hands‑on vendor enablement campaigns with step‑by‑step support, testing and multiple compliance options (EDI, web forms, integrated services) and set firm deadlines for adoption. The effort drove near‑universal participation and, after the 2005 rollout, achieved 95% full EDI compliance (warehouse: 362 EDI‑enabled vendors tested and 162 non‑EDI vendors enabled; dropship: 135 EDI‑enabled tested and 31 non‑EDI enabled), improving trading‑partner collaboration and dropship profitability.

Northern Tool + Equipment

Brad Therrien

Divisional Merchandise Manager