International eCommerce provider NETRADA streamlines customs processes with AEB software

LEAMINGTON, U.K. - May 23, 2013 - PRLog -- Consumers who shop online with C&A, Tommy Hilfiger, Lacoste, Buffalo or Puma are actually being served by NETRADA, an international provider of eCommerce solutions. NETRADA not only manages the online shops, it is also responsible for the fulfilment of online purchases – from the initial order through to the final delivery. This takes the pressure off the actual retailers, particularly right after fashion peak-times such as Christmas, when people exercise their right to return or exchange gifts.

Dennis Bartels, head of NETRADA’s customs department, said: “For the provider of our previous customs solution, automating returns from non-EU countries such as Switzerland was simply not on the horizon. We needed a solution to handle imports, exports and NCTS (New Computerized Transit System), each with a simplified procedure. We also wanted an automated solution for clearing returns through customs.” An initial workshop with AEB yielded a detailed plan to manage fashion imports and exports with Switzerland, and AEB’s ASSIST4 Customs Management software went live as a hosted data centre solution in May 2012.

Since then, it has dramatically reduced the time and cost associated with customs management processes. Today, data is transmitted via an interface from the ERP system to ASSIST4, where it is converted and automatically consolidated into inbound consignments. NETRADAS’s core team of just five employees quickly clear all returns through customs. They particularly like the support provided by ASSIST4’s virtual “ASSISTant”, which helps ensure that customs declarations are complete and accurate.

Dennis Bartels happily remarked: “During peak loads, we used to require a lot of extra resources to comply with the turnaround times we negotiated with our clients, but that is now a thing of the past. With exports, we now save on average an hour of processing each day. But the biggest advantage stems from returned goods. Here we measure our time savings not in hours but in days.”

Opting for AEB data centre hosting
Because data security and failsafe mechanisms are essential for NETRADA, an on-site customs management solution was rejected, as this would have required in-house installation and service personnel. NETRADA employees only need a workstation with Internet access and all data is stored in AEB’s ISO 27001-certified data centre, which also handles data interchange with the customs office, amid the highest level of failsafe protections.

NETRADA now plans to open several online shops in other non-EU countries for its fashion partners. That means more work for the customs department, and more shipments for ASSIST4 to manage.

The full case study is available free of charge from http://www.aeb-international.co.uk/images/downloads/succe....

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Contacts
For further information, photos or interview requests, please contact Andrea Krug, Krug Communications Ltd, tel. +44 (0)7740 245 867, email: andrea@krugcomms.com. To find out more about AEB’s software solutions please visit www.aeb-international.co.uk.

Notes to Editors

About AEB (www.aeb-international.co.uk)
AEB is one of Europe's leading providers of supply chain logistics software and has been delivering solutions to customers for over thirty years. The company has over 6,000 customers worldwide and is headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany, supported by offices in the UK, Switzerland, Singapore and the US. AEB’s core product - ASSIST4 - is the comprehensive solution suite for all logistics processes in global business. ASSIST4 offers a complete set of business services for end-to-end logistics, including international goods movements, making it possible to standardise and automate business processes in supply chain execution. ASSIST4 also creates transparency and provides a reliable basis for making the right decisions about the planning, monitoring, control and continual optimisation of supply networks, even beyond the boundaries of the business. The ASSIST4 suite offers full functionality via a wide range of modules including Visibility & Collaboration Platform, Order Management, Warehouse Management, Transport & Freight Management, Customs Management and Compliance & Risk Management.

About NETRADA (www.netrada.com)
NETRADA develops and implements full service eCommerce solutions internationally in Europe, North America and Asia for the fashion and lifestyle industry. With 15 years of experience and 3,000 employees, NETRADA has established itself as a leading fashion eCommerce expert and exclusive partner for top-brands with over 80 online country shops worldwide.