Posted Wednesday, June 18, 2003
The Book Industry Study Group Embarks on an Initiative to Standardize Shipping Labels
Through its Distribution Executives Interest Group (DEIG), the Book Industry Study Group (BISG) has announced an important industry initiative to standardize shipping labels. The ultimate goal of the project is to minimize label customization, simplify shipping and receiving and move the book industry more in line with global trade. DEIG is currently inviting all interested members to participate in the process and is meeting on June 19th to review progress to date.
The Book Industry Study Group is a leading industry force for the development and implementation of industry supply chain standards that allow publishing organizations to operate more efficiently and cost-effectively.
Progress to Date
During the last conference call of the committee, it was established that the labels should remain flexible enough to allow each publisher or distributor to accommodate their internal references and to allow for customer specific fields.
The committee is also considering making use of the UCC 128 “zones”. This would keep the placement of information in the same general areas while not limiting the information that can be placed in those areas. It should also allow labels of varying lengths to be used depending on the information required by the shipper or to accommodate necessary carrier information.
Future issues to be covered by the committee include the placement of shipping labels and the possibility of making recommendations for revised product carton labeling.
BISG encourages publishers, distributors, wholesalers, printers and retailers to participate in the process. For more information on the committee’s activities and to participate in this initiative, please contact the committee’s chair, James Benjamin at (908) 541-7250 or deig_chair@bisg.org.
About BISG:
The Book Industry Study Group (BISG) is a not-for-profit research, policy and standards organization whose members come from every sector of the publishing community. The Study Group is a forum for managing change and enabling interaction among publishers, booksellers, librarians, wholesalers, manufacturers, authors, and suppliers. For more information, visit www.bisg.org.
The Book Industry Study Group is a leading industry force for the development and implementation of industry supply chain standards that allow publishing organizations to operate more efficiently and cost-effectively.
Progress to Date
During the last conference call of the committee, it was established that the labels should remain flexible enough to allow each publisher or distributor to accommodate their internal references and to allow for customer specific fields.
The committee is also considering making use of the UCC 128 “zones”. This would keep the placement of information in the same general areas while not limiting the information that can be placed in those areas. It should also allow labels of varying lengths to be used depending on the information required by the shipper or to accommodate necessary carrier information.
Future issues to be covered by the committee include the placement of shipping labels and the possibility of making recommendations for revised product carton labeling.
BISG encourages publishers, distributors, wholesalers, printers and retailers to participate in the process. For more information on the committee’s activities and to participate in this initiative, please contact the committee’s chair, James Benjamin at (908) 541-7250 or deig_chair@bisg.org.
About BISG:
The Book Industry Study Group (BISG) is a not-for-profit research, policy and standards organization whose members come from every sector of the publishing community. The Study Group is a forum for managing change and enabling interaction among publishers, booksellers, librarians, wholesalers, manufacturers, authors, and suppliers. For more information, visit www.bisg.org.