Common WWW Format For Grocery Traders
Ray Van Eng (05/01/96)
The Packaged Goods Internet Task Force is devising a common world wide
web format for retailers and manufacturers who want to use the Internet
as a way to dispense product information. The aim is to make it easy for
retailers to find information quickly and effectively once they hook onto
a manufacturer's web site.
This approach to a unified interface is similar to Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) concept where all parties involved would follow a pre-defined data layout format to facilitate the easy and error-free transmission of business to business information in the buy and sell process. Increasingly, the world wide web is being seen as a cost effective and easy to use medium to dispense up-to-the-minute product information from various manufacturers.
Initially, the product details that are being incorporated into a web site could include the weight, size, packaging, nutrition values, storage requirements, special features, video demos or other forms of presentations. However, pricing will likely not be included at this stage at a manufacturer's web site for competitive and security reasons.
The task force is made up of members from such organizations as the Uniform Code Council, the Grocery Manufacturers Assoc., and industry giants such as Kraft Foods Inc., Walmart, Nabisco, The Kroger Corp., etc.
