PRODUCT images play an even more vital role in the day-to-day operation of New Zealand’s grocery industry than ever before.
Whether its high-res images for newspapers or magazines or the supermarket groups’ own flyers or whether it’s low-res images for websites or Planograms, product images are forever in demand – instantly!
And the supplier who cannot supply an image the instant it’s needed may well miss out on the opportunity to be included in what could be a vital promotion.
Well known in the industry for its work with product images is Auckland-based Image Net which, through iBank, Fetch and, now, Generate, links suppliers to the two supermarket groups and to The Warehouse.
While the iBank service has been in existence for many years and is now the preferred supplier to the industry, Fetch Space Management System is a fast-growing service and this has given birth to the Generate Bar Code Catalogue.
The image database system Fetch is operated by Image Net as the main provider of images to the grocery and liquor industry and the main provider of images for updating Progressive’s online shopping site and providing images and data to Foodstuffs Management teams. Through Generate can be found retailer product codes, scanned bar codes and supplier sku’s – vital information for use at POS and on the road with reps providing full price lists.
“It’s an instant system which is instantly updated and can provide a print-off online,” said Image Net General Manager Shane Raymond. “Also extremely important is that from Generate you can import information into GS1, saving a vast amount of time and effort!
“And with Fetch we are not only making sure supplier images are being updated online, but images represented for catalogue reviews and the increasing importance of Retailer Planograms.”
PEL, Foodstuffs and The Warehouse all subscribe to Fetch and so do some of New Zealand’s leading Suppliers. Image Net also carries both PEL’s and Foodstuffs’ housebrands
For smaller suppliers who may not be involved with Planograms, subscribing to Fetch and Generate can also provide a valuable marketing and research tool. Fetch gives a supplier an insight into what products are being offered out there in the market and Generate enables a supplier to provide instant product catalogues for their staff and their customers
The service is also being used in the route trade making it an online information service for sales reps.
“The great thing with Generate is that by using this tool, suppliers are able to create their own catalogue,” added Raymond.
Three-in-one
Suppliers who may not be using iBank but see the value of signing up to Fetch and Generate are able to take advantage of a special three-in-one package subscription price to give them the benefit of using all three.
“As it continues to grow there will be a necessity for suppliers to be part of Fetch and the Generate community for them to effectively continue their relationship with the retailers.”
We have seen this with the communiqué being sent out to suppliers via Progressive and the information being put into IPro.
And with Foodstuffs and The Warehouse using Fetch it’s becoming increasingly important that suppliers’ imagery and information is available for these retailers”
