Backbone Bulletin  
FIrst of Many
Better late than never!  Since Retail Backbone was first launched, we have (happily) put all of our time and energy into developing our product and supporting our clients.  However, we realized that many of our clients weren't aware of everything we offered, so we wanted a vehicle for communicating more with our clients and business partners. We may be a small group, but we have big things happening, and we want to make sure you are kept in the loop. With our new  newsletters, you can stay on top of enhancements within Retail Backbone and learn more about our team, clients, and business partners.  Enjoy and stay tuned!
Team Spotlight
We are excited to introduce two new team members to Retail Backbone, Andrew Beers and Laura Casanta.  Andrew will be joining our development team while Laura will be working as a project manager and marketing coordinator.  Both Andrew and Laura bring a refreshing sense of enthusiasm to the team and have already hit the ground running!  We are happy to have these two additions to our team, with their new perspectives and fresh sets of eyes, to help us strengthen our backbone!
SPS Commerce: Enhancing Your Supply Chain Experience
For many years, Retail Backbone has integrated with manufacturers to capture supplier-level inventory and facilitate drop-shop ordering.  However, this process was time-consuming due to the specific data requirements of each manufacturer.  Amid our partnership with Moosejaw Mountaineering, we established a relationship with SPS Commerce to streamline the data exchange between the retailer and vendor.  SPS Commerce offers a "one-stop shop" for hundreds of vendors, allowing Retail Backbone to leverage a single point of data exchange. 

Today’s technology has impacted how retailers do business from start to finish.  Consumers want quick, easy access to products, both in stores and online, and retailers must meet these demands to stay competitive.  Accommodating these needs is a huge undertaking for retailers to take on in-house, and it’s a daunting task to cover all of the bases necessary to ensure a seamless consumer experience.  Here at Retail Backbone, we have learned the pain points of our clients when it comes to order fulfillment strategies, and we often find ourselves pointing them in the same direction for a solution…to SPS Commerce.  SPS Commerce is an industry-leading supply chain management solution that specializes in enhancing retailers’ multi-channel business.  They are devoted to working with retailers and suppliers to ensure an ideal experience for consumers in today’s retail marketplace.

Although consumers don’t see the behind-the-scenes processes that take place to get products at their fingertips, retailers understand how strong their procedures and business relationships must be to provide consumers with the service and accessibility they expect.  Creating a strong supply chain is essential to maintaining effective business relationships and processes.  SPS Commerce maintains a cloud-based Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) system that promotes communication and collaboration between business partners.  Learn more about SPS Commerce and how they can enhance your supply chain, and ultimately your consumers’ retail experience by reaching out to Chris Stickney at 651-343-2139 or cstickney@spscommerce.com.
We Want Your Input!
Is there anything specific about Retail Backbone that you'd like to learn more about?  Do you want to be featured in an upcoming article?  Let us know how we can give you what you want in future newsletters.  Send an email to lcasanta@retailbackbone.com with ideas or suggestions and we will do our best to accommodate your requests. 
lcasanta@retailbackbone.com | 248-766-5514  
www.retailbackbone.com | Retail Backbone