MDP Overview
Data synchronization is the process by which a supplier and a retailer ensure that current product data is stored and accurately exchanged between their various information systems. The end goal is to synchronize 100% of the product data for every item sold within a trading network.
GDSN, the Global Data Synchronization Network standard, was formalized in August, 2004, and focuses on the synchronization of logistical, supply chain data. Product attributes such as width, height and weight are part of the GDSN standard. These attributes help identify products sold within a trading network and provide a common means of classifying them.
However, from a retail perspective (specifically hardlines and home goods retailers), the GDSN standard fails to support many of the attributes necessary to market and sell products in a compelling and consistent manner. These richer marketing attributes include things like product images and digital documents, marketing copy and bullet points, as well as support for international languages. By making these rich attributes or “marketing data” available to customers, suppliers and retailers alike can extend their selling opportunities and potentially increase their product sales exponentially.
To effectively manage and sell supplier products, retailers need comprehensive data in the three areas shown in the diagram below.
The Need for Marketing Data
Marketing data consists of those product attributes that directly educate and market your products to the consumer, leading them to make a buying decision. Some of the specific attributes that exist in a marketing data pool, and not in standards-based data, include:
| Marketing Descriptions | Logo Image | Keywords | Multiple View Images |
| Planogram Images | Buying Guides | MSDS Sheets | Warranty Information |
| Generic/Branded Flag | Prior Model/UPC # | Energy Ratings | Bullet Points |
Only Big Hammer
Big Hammer® Data is the only GS1 GDSN™-certified data partner that offers hardlines suppliers this enhanced marketing data pool. Becoming part of Big Hammer’s Marketing Data Pool not only ensures that you’ll sell more products, more easily and in more places, it also gives you a single place to manage all of this rich content for all the retailers in your supply chain.
Big Hammer’s Marketing Data Pool stores and manages each supplier’s rich marketing data in one location, with retailers being granted permission to receive that data for relevant products. With Big Hammer, synchronized marketing data is reliably and selectively delivered to subscribing retailers through a secure, permission-based system that can be managed simultaneously with our GDSN-Source and Private Data Pools for comprehensive data coverage.
Big Hammer’s Marketing Data Pool and our exclusive Product Registry offer advanced supplier marketing benefits, including the ability to:
- Gather and organize product information, including part descriptions, SKUs, and any other product attributes.
- Manage images and rich marketing copy for all your retail channels to meet all their selling needs, such as e-commerce, sign printing, store flyers, ads, coupons, circulars and more.
- Enforce workflow management so you’ll always know where your data is within the process and who is accountable.
- Map your data to several classification trees at once—GDSN and other standards, retailer-specific, custom.
- Collect, maintain and export data 24/7 via an easy Web interface.
- Support multiple languages for global commerce.
