NAMM Standards: Setting the Standard – Literally!

Adopting, adapting to, and competing with online commerce has been one of the major hurdles facing traditional brick–and–mortar retailers since the ‘90s. The NAMM Standards committee is comprised of a group of MI leaders who strive to create and promote best practice standards that improve efficiency and keep the “playing field” level for all.

MMR recently spoke with the committee’s system architect Dan Kessler to find out a little more about the organization’s background, current makeup, and goals for the future.

Can you talk about the catalyst behind “NAMM Standards” – who and what were the driving forces behind the beginnings of the group?

The NAMM Standards committee is an outgrowth of NAMM’s technology committee that originally, way back when, espoused the adoption of bar codes in the industry.   In 2006, an “ad hoc” committee was formed to restart the development of B2B XML standards.  This has morphed into the NAMM Standards committee, which is a more appropriate name for the activities of the group.   There have been many contributors to the effort over the years including significant efforts by Paul Ward (Roland) and MaryAnne DelMundo (Guitar Center).  But there are some on the committee such as Bill McGloine (Korg) that have been involved longer than I have.   I have to say that the selfless collaboration on the behalf of the industry by everyone involved has brought us to where we are.  Thank you committee, past and present!

Who currently makes up the committee?

Presently:

William McGloine – Korg USA (chairman)

Robin Walenta – West Music

Joel Menchey – Menchey Music Service

Gordon O’Hara – Retail Up!

Pat Murphy – Tri–Technical Systems

David Rice – Omacro

Amy Pearson  – Sweetwater

Jacci Brandt – West Music

Mindy Czaplewski – Hal Leonard Corporation

James Puddicombe – Voodoo

Josh Koehler – RapcoHorizon

Jens Sorensen – Guitar Center

Doug Fraser – Alfred Publishing

(and me!)

Can you briefly summarize the mission statement of NAMM Standards?

Our mission statement is exactly this: “To develop and promote best practice standards for electronic commerce that improve efficiency between trading partners in the global music products industry.

We will provide a neutral environment for open discussion, encourage collaboration between industry members and promote the continued evolution of electronic commerce.”

There are three components of the NAMM Standard that are designed to work together.  First there is a standard for product information.  This is designed to interchange all of the data that would comprise an electronic catalog.  It contains all the details about the products including marketing information and shipping information as well as pricing.   NAMM Categories is the second component.  It is designed to generally categorize the product information for both internal and external use.  Finally, we have a number of document specifications for transactions such as Purchase Orders, Invoices and Shipping notices.  These are meant for system–to–system transactions (although they can be used in other contexts to some degree).

Can you talk about “NAMM Standards v2015” and when it will be released?

The 2015.1 version contains new documents that have previously been in draft state.  It also has some small changes to some documents that we think are just fixes.  Finally, we will now support line–level shipping info that should accommodate both drop–shipping as well as multi–ship–to locations within one purchase order. We are presently finishing the finally touches.  I expect it to be publicly released in March.

What are the benefits of NAMM Standards to MI suppliers? To retailers?

Benefits to retailers:

• Improved accuracy and efficiency in product maintenance.
• Improved efficiency for purchasing and receiving.
• Timely availability and price updates for systems and for end users.
• Reduction of manual processes and paperwork.

Benefits to suppliers:

• Give your resellers greater catalog reach 
• Potential access of sell through information
• Lower overall costs and improve accuracy in taking and processing orders
• Discrete, individualized and timely wholesale pricing

What’s on the horizon for the NAMM Standards committee in the coming months?

This year we are focused on improving our operation in order to better facilitate our long-term goals.  We are thinking about changing how the committee is managed in order to make sure we are doing the absolute best we can do to meet our goals.

As we are doing this we will continue with our present pattern of teleconferences and face–to–face meetings at the NAMM Show and Summer NAMM.

Can you talk more about those long-term goals?

The committee has specific goals in two areas:

Awareness.  We think that everyone in our industry should be aware of the existence of the Standard and generally understand where it might be applied.

Adoption.  We would like to see Standards used throughout the industry.  This is a case where the more users there are, the more value it has for everyone who adopts it.  The committee is working to facilitate and support those who are implementing the standard. 

Any final thoughts you’d like to share with our readers?

In the long run, B2B e–commerce will be as normal and expected as consumer e–commerce is today.   The benefits and efficiencies that result will help create more profitable and enduring companies in our industry.  NAMM Standards will help to make this happen.