JCPenney Import Advance Ship Notice overview and requirements for partners
JCPenney Import Advance Ship Notice guidelines are reviewed in today’s post. The objective of the JCPenney Import Advance Ship Notice Program is to move international merchandise achieved by enhancing the logistics processes through improved information flow and bar code technology. There are five major logistics processes that will be enhanced through the use of bar coded labels and EDI Advance Ship Notices (ASN). These are as follows:
A. Import Control. The information will be used to automatically populate the shipment monitoring system to a greater level of detail than is currently done. It will also make the information available on-line to other JCPenney areas, i.e. Merchandising.
B. Wholesale Distribution Centers. The facilities will use the information to automatically populate their ‘expected-to receive’ programs. Upon receipt, each carton’s SSCC (carton number) will be used to verify contents and to receive that carton into inventory. The information and labels will also be used to support cross-dock operations to move the merchandise to the stores more quickly.
C. Catalog Purchase Order Follow-up. The ASN information will be interfaced to this system. This will allow Catalog to begin accepting customer orders for not-in-stock items sooner than the current process allows.
D. Catalog Premark Facility. Selected bar codes on each carton will be used to sort each carton to the correct outbound door for the Catalog Fulfillment Centers.
E. Catalog Fulfillment Centers. The facilities will use the information to automatically populate their ‘expected-to receive’ programs. Upon receipt, each carton’s SSCC will be used to verify contents, receive that carton into inventory and fill customer orders.
UCC/EAN128 Bar Coded Labels
The supplier will be required to replace the current shipping label with the JCPenney Shipping Container Markings using the UCC/EAN128 bar coded information. The labels will also be used by the JCPenney Purchasing Corp. to confirm receipt of each carton and to forward it into jcpenney’s domestic logistics process. It is imperative that there be effective controls to insure the accurate application of these labels to the proper cartons. Any inaccuracies in this step will result in inaccuracies throughout the rest of the process. There are some major steps essential to accurate use of these labels:
- Procure labels that meet all JCPenney and UCC/EAN informational and technical equirements. The local EAN organization should be able to assist with any general technical questions related to bar code specifications. If you are currently using a software package that generates your shipping labels, you may continue to do so on shipments to JCPenney. However, these labels must meet all the JCPenney technical and informational requirements. Plus, you will be required to send samples to JCPenney before you can ship using any internally developed labels. If you choose to order these shipping labels, they must be ordered from one of the Foreign Buying Office
- If you do not procure labels from one of the JCPenney approved label providers, you must follow all the steps outlined in the Shipment Container Marking Testing and Implementation Procedures.
- The labels must be applied to the correct carton; actual carton contents must match the label contents. This is critical to the development of the ASN and the accurate receiving and processing of the cartons at the final destinations.
- The labels for a given SKU must have consecutive Serial Shipping Container Codes (carton numbers). This is essential for the International Consolidator to develop accurate Advance Ship Notice/Manifest data. The importance of this is evident in the packing lists.
JCPenney Import Advance Ship Notice – Shipment Contents
The supplier must provide the JCPenney International Consolidator with the detailed shipment content information required to develop the Advance Ship Notice. The preferred method for these communications would be electronic. Another method would be the use of a detailed Packing List reflecting contents by carton number. Each supplier should contact their respective jcppc Consolidator to work out the details of this required communication. Container Codes for the cartons included in the shipment. A packing list is required for last consecutively numbered Case Numbers and Serial Shipping Container Codes (SSCC) will be included on the list. This will allow the International Consolidator to logically derive the SSCCs for all the interim cartons for each item.
There are some critical rules for the development of this packing list:
A. The packing list must accurately reflect the actual SSCC labels for each item.
B. The packing list must reflect consecutively numbered cartons ‘for each item’. If, for any reason, there is a break in the consecutively numbered cartons, then the same item must be listed again with the next range of consecutive SSCCs.
C. For factory-loaded containers, if multiple containers are loaded, the packing list must provide SSCC number breakdown by container.