DOLGEVILLE, N.Y. January 27, 1999.
Daniel Green Company initiated a collaborative effort to develop new, open standards for data exchange among footwear suppliers, retailers, web sites, sourcing and distribution. These new standards are intended for use with the increasingly popular "eXtensible Mark-up Language" (XML).
According to Daniel Green President, Greg Tunney, "The opportunity for establishing standards to interchange footwear data is substantial. Everyone will enjoy reduced cost and greater efficiencies. Eventually, these economies will extend all way through the footwear supply chain. If we can come together as an industry for this standard effort right now as XML first becomes established, everyone will save a great deal of time, money and hassles down the road. This working group will function in a all-volunteer, democratic fashion to develop free, open standards. The benefit will be substantial."
Rick Labs, Webmaster for Daniel Green Company, added, "The next versions of Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator will ship this year with native support for XML. Based on the groundswell of international support for this new technology, we look forward to those in the footwear industry soon modifying their web sites and EDI systems to exploit its benefits."
The working group will include representatives from a broad cross-section of the footwear industry, such as athletic, shoes, boots, women's fashion, retail and Internet outlets. "We also want to tie into the work being done by Federal Express, United Parcel Service, ISO, ANSI, other standards bodies, certain trade organizations and leading technology vendors," Labs said.
Initial plans call for the working group to define standard terms and design basic document object models that are expected to have a far-reaching impact on transaction productivity within the footwear industry. Ultimate goals include reduced inventories and waste as well as lower costs and greater variety for consumers.
The standards task force is timed to coincide with ongoing technology efforts throughout the industry relative to increased Internet usage and Year 2000 compliance issues. Qualified industry representatives are invited to participate in the group's first informal meeting during the Western Shoe Associates show held February 9-12 at the Sands Expo Center, Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, contact Daniel Green Webmaster, Rick Labs (+1 315-637-0915, rick@clb.com) or visit the special XML section of the company's web site at http://www.danielgreenco.com/xml.
[Posted to XML-DEV (xml-dev@ic.ac.uk) by Rick Labs, 27 January 1999.]
Contact:
CL&B
John Dickerson
Tel: 315/637-0915
Email: john@clb.com