Transora’s Data Catalog shows the value of public e-marketplaces. Transora, a public e-marketplace in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry, announced in February that Proctor & Gamble is now maintaining all its U.S. item information in Transora’s Data Catalogue. Eight major CPG manufacturers, including P&G, Reckitt Benckiser, and Kraft Foods are now participating in the catalog, which can maintain 225 product attributes on each item.

Public e-marketplaces, such as Transora, have been struggling to find a value-add against the private exchanges of the major retailers. Product catalogs are a good example of a value-add, because they can only be maintained by a neutral third-party. They offer significant savings to manufacturers, distributors, and retailers as the cost of each participant separately maintaining such information is eliminated. Furthermore, the consolidated data catalog is a key enabler to collaboration initiatives such as Collaborative Planning, Forecasting, and Replenishment (CFPR), which require all participants to agree on product nomenclature.

If they are to win the battle against the private exchanges, public e-marketplaces must continue to develop such value-added services that deliver tangible benefits. iSourceOnline has further discussion.