Uncover Profitable Strategies at VCF/TPMA Events in 2010

Online, December 28, 2009 (Newswire.com) - (VCF) Vendor Compliance Federation
Trade Promotion Management Associates

Company Contact:
Susan Haupt
Vendor Compliance Federation
51 Cragwood Road, Suite 200
S. Plainfield, NJ 07080
1-646-442-3495
[email protected]

For Immediate Release

South Plainfield, NJ - December 11, 2009 - The Vendor Compliance Federation (VCF) and the Trade Promotion Management Associates (TPMA) have scheduled an all-star lineup of retail related events for 2010 designed to uncover profitable strategies and technology-based solutions throughout the forecasting-to-cash cycle. At these events, participants will collaborate to perfect retailer-supplier execution on forecasting and planning, trade promotion optimization, inventory management, product lifecycle management, replenishment, deduction management, compliance and supply chain velocity.

Smart Inventory: Selling More With Less
At the VCF Spring West Coast Conference on March 16-17, 2010 in Manhattan Beach, CA, trading partners will gain key insights into Collaborative Planning, Forecasting, Allocation and Smart Inventory in a Lean Economy. In key workshops, major retailers will be sharing proven best practices for getting inventories right and will impart new 2010 business process initiatives that suppliers need to know. Learn about the latest innovations for:
• Minimizing time-to-market
• POS data sharing
• SKU optimization
• Assortment planning and Allocation
• Replenishment
• Localization strategies
• Overcoming out-of-stocks

"Buyer's and merchant's lean inventory models have put great stress on both the retailer and merchandise supplier supply chains," stated Kim Zablocky, Founder and Chairman of VCF. "VCF has taken a leadership role to bring together the Planning, Allocation and Supply Chain management teams of all trading partners for a collaborative two-day session."

The conference will also provide insights and analysis of multi-channel visibility systems and techniques that enable supply chain synchronization across catalog, web and store front channels. At a time when online and direct marketing sales are outstripping brick-and-mortar sales, companies that lack multi-channel proficiency will undoubtedly miss out on millions of dollars in sales and profits, which makes attendance at this conference an imperative!

Recovery 2010: Trade Promotion in the New Decade
The TPMA Annual Conference on May 3-4, 2010 at the Marriott O'Hare in Chicago, IL is a must attend event for retail and vendor trade promotion and marketing professionals. This conference will cover a broad range of pertinent issues, including:
• Forecasting
• Online shopper marketing
• In-store kiosks
• Avoiding the price-war mentality
• Private label and turnkey programs
• Sales recovery strategies for luxury goods
• SKU rationalization
• Deductions
• RFID-tagged displays that provide proof of performance, and more.

"The basic issues in trade promotion - the need to efficiently manage the complex processes and to optimize the huge spend - remain the same," said Bob Houk, Executive Director of TPMA. "But, now we need to shift our focus from how to accomplish these goals in the harsh environment of the recession, to how to take full advantage of trade promo's ability to drive sales in a recovery. We have a great line-up of presenters developing, and expect our usual lively exchange of ideas."

In addition, plan to stay one more day in Chicago and attend the VCF "Transforming Deduction Management" seminar on May 5.

VCF: Transforming Deduction Management
This is one of a series of special VCF training seminars, to be held on May 5 at the Marriott O'Hare in Chicago, IL. It will cover key topics that help companies understand retail compliance, technology, and strategies for preventing deductions that dilute profits, and much more! Companies looking to streamline and get better results from the deduction management process, reduce deductions, improve compliance, recover more money, improve profits and enhance trading partner relationships can ill afford to miss this opportunity to learn from peers and true industry experts.

Highlights include:
• Retail compliance policies and new technologies that can prevent compliance deductions
• Data mapping to streamline deduction processing and cash application
• Secrets of day-in-day-out negotiating strategies that work
• How to validate internal reason code methodology against best practices
• EDI/ASN - Routing & Compliance chargebacks
• Executive-caliber deduction reporting practices to emulate
• Recognizing which deductions are a valid cost of doing business, which are preventable and which are collectible
• Best practices in RTV reconciliation
• Improving deduction resolution through teamwork with other departments
• 7 key strategies for successful customer settlements
VCF: Merchandise Supplier Management: Driving the Perfect Order
This unique, first-of-a-kind Retailer-Only event on June 13-15, 2009 at the Teaneck Marriott in Teaneck, NJ will help retail executives and managers elevate their merchandise supplier management programs to a higher level. Retailers will learn about:
• Receiving audit practices
• Vendor performance metrics and ranking
• Retail vendor scorecards
• Supplier data sharing
• Vendor compliance communication
• Dispute resolution best practices
• Moving beyond deductions with vendor award programs
• On-boarding new suppliers.
• Working faster and more efficiently with vendors to drive an error-free flow of goods.

"VCF represents retail executives whose charge is to drive an error-free flow of goods, reduce cycle time, and move goods from the distribution center to the shelf," VCF's Kim Zablocky noted. "This cannot be done effectively unless retailers successfully manage their merchandise supplier base. This program will focus on educating, on-boarding, and proactive communications with suppliers."

The event will be capped by an evening gala, held on a luxury cruise around New York City. This is a must attend event for retail executives in operations, logistics, vendor relations, vendor performance management and vendor compliance.

VCF Retailer- Supplier Spring Conference: 10th Anniversary Celebration
At this conference on June 15-17 at the Teaneck Marriott in Teaneck, NJ, vendors will explore best practices for improving strategic retail-supplier business processes that curb deductions and contribute directly to the bottom line. At this conference, vendors will:
• Elevate their status in retailer-supplier award programs
• Improve negotiation skills
• Tap into automation strategies that work for their organizations
• Participate in one-on-one meetings with retailers
• Participate in the always-popular Vendor Open Forum session to share ideas and gain insights

Attendees will also enjoy a luxury cruise around New York City!

VCF Fall National Conference: VCF's Main Event
Save the date, as the Vendor Compliance Federation will return to Scottsdale, AZ for its Fall National Conference on November 7-10, 2010. As we are in the planning stages of this event, an agenda will be available as soon as possible. Check the VCF website at www.vcfww.com for more details in the coming months.

For more information, please contact Kim Zablocky at 646-442-3476 or by email at [email protected].

About Vendor Compliance Federation (VCF)
VCF is the leading organization focused on solutions, services and best practices for supplier-retailer collaboration within industries ranging from fashion and cosmetics to electronics and home furnishings. VCF is an advocate for retailer-supplier trading synchronization and champions initiatives to increase strategic industry-wide productivity, profitability and growth. VCF serves a multitude of touch points in perfecting retailer-supplier execution to shorten cycle times and drive overall velocity in the supply chain. VCF draws participation from leading retailers and suppliers such as JCPenney, Nordstrom, Lowe's, Liz Claiborne, Estee Lauder and Kellwood.

About Trade Promotion Management Associates (TPMA)
TPMA is the leading organization driving best-in-class process for global trade promotion management (TPM) and trade promotion optimization (TPO). TPMA is dedicated to the effective and efficient use of trade promotion dollars and serves as a collaborative resource for research and metrics for companies such as Hormel, Dial, Del Monte, Cargill Meat Solutions, Hewlett-Packard, Nintendo, Land O'Lakes, and Johnson & Johnson.

Press contact:
Susan Haupt
Director of Operations
Vendor Compliance Federation
51 Cragwood Road Suite 200
So. Plainfield, NJ 07080
Tel: 646-442-3495 | Fax: 908-755-7451
E-mail: [email protected]| Website: http://www.vcfww.com