FSMA 204 compliance deadline: July 20, 2028

See how EDI helps you meet traceability requirements. Learn more

EDI for apparel & footwear brands

Stop losing margin to EDI chargebacks

Apparel and footwear brands selling into major retailers face some of the most complex EDI compliance requirements in retail — and the chargeback penalties for getting it wrong are steep.

BOLD VAN handles multi-retailer EDI compliance, ASN monitoring, and routing guide updates so your team can stay focused on the brand, not the back office.

  • ✓ Fixed per-trading-partner pricing — no bill shock during peak season.
  • ✓ We handle onboarding, mapping, and compliance testing with each retailer.
  • ✓ US-based EDI experts who know the routing guides inside and out.

99.3% ASN success rate

Your ERP / WMS
NetSuite · SAP

BOLD VAN EDI Network

Trusted by brands selling to

Nordstrom, Macy's, Target, TJX, Kohl's, Dick's Sporting Goods

99.3% ASN success rate across all retailer programs in the last 90 days

  • 2–3 weeks avg. time from kickoff to first compliant shipment with a new retailer
  • 40–60% VAN cost reduction vs. per-message pricing for mid-market brands

Why apparel and footwear brands choose BOLD VAN

Multi-retailer EDI compliance without the constant firefighting

Fewer chargebacks, better scorecards

Proactive ASN monitoring and retailer-specific alerts catch errors before they become deductions. We track routing guide changes so your team doesn't have to.

One partner for every retailer

Nordstrom, Macy's, TJX, Kohl's, Target — each with its own vendor guide, label spec, and routing workflow. We manage compliance across all of them under one agreement.

Predictable pricing through peak season

Fixed per-trading-partner pricing means your Q4 EDI bill doesn't spike with order volume. Know your exact cost every month, regardless of how many POs flow through.

Fast onboarding for new retail doors

Landing a new wholesale account is exciting — waiting weeks to go live is not. We get new retail connections up and compliant in 2–3 weeks so you can start shipping.

Three ways to work with us

Choose the right EDI setup for your brand

Whether you have an internal EDI team or need everything handled end-to-end, we have a setup that fits.

  • Transmission only — VAN connectivity for apparel brands
    Most affordable

    • We manage AS2/SFTP connectivity and VAN routing to your retail trading partners. You handle internal file management while paying a flat per-partner rate instead of per-message fees.
    • Best for: brands with internal EDI mapping who need reliable, cost-effective data exchange with multiple retailers.

  • Transmission + transformation — full EDI integration
    Most popular

    • We map EDI documents into and out of your ERP, WMS, or 3PL — and maintain those maps when Nordstrom, Macy's, or any other retailer changes their specs. No internal mapping software required.
    • Best for: brands that want retail EDI fully off their plate, including ongoing maintenance as routing guides evolve.

  • Web EDI portal
    No IT required

    • View POs, acknowledge orders, build shipments, print GS1-128 compliant labels, and generate ASNs and invoices — all from one browser-based interface, with no EDI software to install.
    • Best for: emerging brands or small wholesale teams that need to meet retailer requirements quickly without a dedicated EDI system.

Get a free EDI cost and chargeback review

A 15-minute call where we look at your current provider costs, chargeback history, and retailer mix — then show you what a move to BOLD VAN would look like. No obligation.

Get your free review →

Why brands switch to BOLD VAN

Your VAN shouldn't be the reason you're losing retail accounts

  1. Routing guide changes get caught before chargebacks do Retailers update their vendor compliance guides constantly. We monitor every retailer in your network and update your maps proactively — not after a chargeback tells you something broke.

  2. Fixed pricing that doesn't spike in Q4 Per-message VAN pricing turns your busiest season into your biggest EDI bill. Our flat per-trading-partner rate means order volume never changes what you pay.

  3. New retail doors go live in 2–3 weeks We handle setup, connectivity, mapping, and compliance testing directly with each retailer's EDI team. Your ops team doesn't need to manage the onboarding process.

  4. One agreement for your entire retail network Nordstrom, Macy's, TJX, Dick's Sporting Goods — each has its own compliance ecosystem. We manage all of them under a single BOLD VAN agreement at one predictable monthly cost.

  5. US-based support that actually knows your retail partners No offshore ticket queues. Our EDI team has worked with apparel and footwear brands across major retail programs and can resolve issues before they affect your scorecard.

EDI for apparel and footwear, end-to-end

Everything your retail partners require. Handled.

From purchase orders and ASNs to routing requests and inventory updates — we support every EDI transaction type your retail accounts require.

EDI documents supported

  • 850 Purchase Order
  • 855 PO Acknowledgment
  • 856 Advance Ship Notice
  • 810 Invoice
  • 860 PO Change
  • 753 Request for Routing Instructions
  • 754 Routing Instructions
  • 846 Inventory Advice
  • 997 Functional Acknowledgment

Connectivity options

  • AS2
  • SFTP / FTP
  • HTTPS / API
  • Direct ERP integration
  • WMS / 3PL
  • Flat files

We connect using any communications protocol — there is never an extra charge for connectivity to any trading partner, regardless of how many retail accounts you manage.

How we compare

Legacy VAN vs. BOLD VAN for apparel and footwear EDI

Capability Legacy VAN / in-house EDI BOLD VAN
Pricing model Per-message / kilocharacter + hidden fees Fixed per-trading-partner pricing
Peak season cost Spikes with Q4 order volume Same flat rate year-round
Routing guide updates Manual — you find out when chargebacks hit Proactive monitoring and map updates
New retailer onboarding 6–8+ weeks per partner Typical 2–3 weeks per retailer
Support Ticket queues, offshore, slow response US-based, apparel-experienced EDI team

Onboarding timeline

From kickoff to compliant shipment in 2–3 weeks

Most brands go live with a new retailer in 14–21 days from the first call. Here's exactly how it works.

  1. Week 1 - Discovery & scoping
    We review your current setup, retailer requirements, ERP/WMS environment, and map out the right integration approach for your brand.

  2. Weeks 1–2 - Connectivity & mapping
    We build and validate AS2/SFTP connections, configure EDI maps per each retailer's document specs, and set up proactive ASN monitoring.

  3. Weeks 2–3 - Compliance testing
    We run compliance testing directly with each retailer's EDI team, resolve any document or label issues, and confirm all requirements are met before go-live.

  4. Go-live
    Your first fully compliant PO, ASN, and invoice flows without errors. We stay on to monitor your transactions and update maps as retailer specs change.

Frequently asked questions

Common questions from apparel and footwear brands

What EDI documents do major apparel retailers require?

Most programs require the 850 Purchase Order, 855 PO Acknowledgment, 856 ASN, 810 Invoice, and 997 Functional Acknowledgment. Retailers like Kohl's and Dick's Sporting Goods also require 753/754 routing requests. Some retailers additionally require 846 Inventory Advice updates. We handle all of them and maintain your maps when retailers change their specs.

How does BOLD VAN handle multi-retailer compliance?

Each retailer has its own vendor compliance guide, label format, and EDI requirements. We build and maintain a dedicated map for each of your retail partners and monitor for compliance guide changes proactively — so updates get made before they cause chargebacks, not after.

How does BOLD VAN pricing work?

You pay a fixed monthly rate based on the number of active trading partners — not per message or kilocharacter. Whether your retail accounts send 500 POs or 5,000 in Q4, your cost stays the same. No peak-season surcharges, no volume overages.

Can BOLD VAN integrate with our ERP or WMS?

Yes. We integrate with NetSuite, SAP, Dynamics, Oracle, and most major ERP and WMS platforms. We also connect via flat files or API for custom or 3PL setups.

We're already working with another VAN. How does migration work?

We run a parallel pilot with one trading partner first so your current VAN stays live throughout the transition. Most migrations complete in 2–3 weeks with zero disruption to your retail partners or in-flight orders.

Do you support GS1-128 label compliance?

Yes. GS1-128 (UCC-128) label generation is included for brands on our Web EDI portal. For brands with ERP or WMS integration, we validate that label data flowing through your EDI 856 meets each retailer's specific labeling requirements.

Ready to stop losing margin to EDI chargebacks?

Moving your retail EDI to BOLD VAN is fast, straightforward, and fully supported from day one — with no disruption to your current retail partners.

  • ✓ Fast: Most migrations go live in 2–3 weeks
  • ✓ Predictable: Fixed pricing — no peak-season surprises
  • ✓ Supported: US-based team from paperwork to go-live

The EDI VAN trusted by top enterprises around the world for more than 25 years