The Thomas Blog

JANUARY 15, 2025

Here at Thomas , we've been powering North Americas largest and most active network of B2B buyers and industrial/commercial suppliers for more than 120 years. That's why we developed the Thomas Network to help you search for qualified manufacturers, distributors, and service companies.

Sourcing 98

Sourcing Export Suppliers Quality 98

Supply Chain Brain

NOVEMBER 1, 2021

The success of your brand will depend on how quickly you can pivot to both meet the needs of the new buyer and respond to global disruptions. Many CPG supply chain networks, however, are built upon rigid infrastructures, whose inflexibility renders them vulnerable to external forces.

Agile and Lean Supply Chain 98

Agile and Lean Supply Chain Networking Supply chain Buyers 98

Spend Matters

AUGUST 18, 2022

Categories: Source to Pay , supplier networks Tags: PRO This Spend Matters PRO Vendor Analysis will give an overview of Tungsten Network’s global AP automation solution, called Total AP. The accounts payable automation market for large enterprises (over $1 billion in revenue) is different from the middle market or SME.

Networking 98

Networking Market analysis Buyers Suppliers 98

Spend Matters

JANUARY 7, 2025

Although our AI and existing network can fill in the gaps in many cases, supplier resistance also needs to be taken into account. Consult TechMatch our tech selection tool that helps procurement and finance technology buyers quickly explore the market and identify best-fit solutions.

supply chain software solutions 114

supply chain software solutions Supply Chain Efficiency Procurement Raw materials 114

Procurement Tactics

JANUARY 5, 2023

A PunchOut catalog is an integrated e-procurement system that allows suppliers to promote goods and services to buyers through the supplier’s own procurement application or hosted e-procurement system. . Modern procurement systems enable buyers to import supplier catalogs directly into the buyer’s own e-procurement system or application.

Buyers 179

Buyers Purchasing Suppliers Price 179

Spend Matters

AUGUST 12, 2024

Networks are nothing new in the procurement technology space, but the focus of most networks so far has been primarily on transactions — connecting trading partners in a many-to-many network to facilitate the exchange of purchase orders and invoices. This content is for members only.

Suppliers 111

Suppliers Buyers Management Purchase orders 111

The Thomas Blog

JULY 6, 2022

The industry's most trusted sourcing platform at Thomasnet.com hosts more than 500,000 North American suppliers and brings millions of buyers each month. In fact, every second, a supplier is evaluated by a buyer on the platform. Your buyers needs are changing and it's important to update your online tactics to meet those needs too.

Networking 98

Networking Buyers Budget Suppliers 98

Procurement Tactics

DECEMBER 7, 2022

Financial supply chain or supply chain finance describes a set of technology-based solutions that helps lower financing costs and enhance the business experience for sellers and buyers connected in sales transactions. . While suppliers can gain quick access to money the buyer owes them, the latter can get more time to pay their balances.

Supply Chain Efficiency 181

Supply Chain Efficiency supply chain software solutions Supply Chain Optimization Supply chain 181

Supply Chain Brain

MARCH 1, 2021

’s nationwide network of giant fulfillment centers offers sellers an unmatched resource for processing and shipping e-commerce orders to buyers. Amazon.com, Inc.’s But it’s not the only game in town.

Buyers 122

Buyers Networking 122

Spend Matters

AUGUST 19, 2024

The company goes beyond traditional costing approaches through a network/marketplace where suppliers maintain rich information on their cost structures (SG&A, machine rates, etc.) This content is for members only. Visit the site and log in/register to read.

Category management 117

Category management Buyers Influencing Sourcing 117

Procurement Insights

APRIL 3, 2025

Like any ecosystem, it has both positive and critical aspects , depending on your perspective whether you’re a startup, enterprise buyer, vendor, or procurement leader. Enterprise Buyer Friction Some procurement teams view DPW as too startup-centric or “innovation for innovations sake.” Positive Aspects of DPW 1.

Innovation 52

Innovation Real-time Visibility Sustainability Collaboration 52

ivalua

MAY 19, 2022

Our unrivaled licensing and banking networks are setting new standards of security, transparency, and speed for B2B cross-border payments,” said Sinead Fitzmaurice, CEO of TransferMate Global Payments – a subsidiary of the Clune Tech Group. All this is transparent across the payment journey, to the buyer and supplier.

Supply Chain Efficiency 130

Supply Chain Efficiency Real-time Visibility e2e Buyers 130

Spend Matters

APRIL 15, 2024

Rather than issuing cards natively, Fyle differentiates itself through its ability to connect to cards customers already have across all major card networks, such as Visa, Mastercard and Amex. By doing so, the vendor eliminates the reliance on issuing banks for transaction fees and streamlines data access.

Management 117

Management Buyers Networking Data 117

SupplyShift

SEPTEMBER 10, 2021

You can stand out to environmentally-conscious buyers by focusing on the following four steps: 1. Know Your Buyer. Who is your buyer and what is important to them? Don’t wait for buyers to explain what matters to their business and how you fit in—be proactive. Establish regular procedures. Respond promptly. Get Aligned.

Buyers 52

Buyers Suppliers Supply Chain Efficiency Sustainability 52

Jaggaer

FEBRUARY 5, 2025

Onboarding S uppliers Onboarding new suppliers and integrating them into the buyers supplier landscape can be a complex and laborious process involving several stages. Misalignment of Expectations – One of the most common issues when engaging new suppliers is a misalignment of expectations between the buyer and supplier.

Strategic sourcing 52

Strategic sourcing Strategic sourcing Sourcing Strategy 52

Spend Matters

DECEMBER 11, 2023

The year 2016 marked a pivotal moment for Tradeshift as it ventured into strategic acquisitions, including the purchase of IBX Business Network and Merchantry. By 2018, Tradeshift had evolved into a global business network that connected buyers and suppliers across diverse industries and regions.

Market analysis 103

Market analysis Networking Buyers Supply chain management 103

Spend Matters

SEPTEMBER 18, 2023

In addition, a slew of ESG-focused regulations came (and will continue to come) into force, requiring companies to understand their supply networks deeply. It brings granular and deep visibility into supply networks and constantly monitors and assesses risks associated with the many partners in a company’s supply chain.

Risk management 120

Risk management Risk Supply chain Management 120

Spend Matters

OCTOBER 7, 2024

As an analyst, I’m witnessing rapid technology advances, which lead me to a vision of a future where procurement operations are as seamless and intuitive as managing a highly automated network. Regular biannual updates keep it cutting-edge, empowering organizations to leverage automation and AI-driven processes with harmonized data.

Networking 116

Networking Procurement team Buyers Procurement 116

Procurement Templates

JANUARY 17, 2024

They want very much to believe that they’re building lasting ties with buyers—but they’re not. The always-a-share buyer is likely to have a short time horizon in its ties with suppliers. Examples of such customers are fleet purchasers of cars or trucks, buyers of carbon steel, and users of banking services.

Demand 130

Demand Management Buyers Purchasing 130

Spend Matters

FEBRUARY 12, 2024

It has a network approach in the sense that its main value proposition is to increase network resilience by giving manufacturers a blended mix of technology and services to increase the resilience of their critical suppliers through peer-defined and industry-specific assessments and guidance. This content is for members only.

Risk management 111

Risk management Risk Suppliers Management 111

Supply Chain Game Changer

AUGUST 13, 2020

With that being said, McDonald’s supply chain has likely been able to stabilize quicker than others during this pandemic as their immensely global organization provides access to a massive global supply network, where alternative supply sources can be located and there’s often less key supplier dependency or local ownership to the sourcing process.

Agile and Lean Supply Chain 121

Agile and Lean Supply Chain supply chain budgeting Supply chain Supply 121

Spend Matters

JUNE 3, 2024

Here’s why we think that Basware Matters: To the market — Basware is a well-established company that provides a complete P2P solution, including one of the biggest B2B commerce networks and a mature AP automation solution for e-invoicing processing.

Buyers 117

Buyers Networking Procurement Purchasing 117

Spend Matters

SEPTEMBER 7, 2022

Here’s why Requis matters: To the market — Requis is focused on sourcing for CAPEX-intensive projects, an area that requires specific capabilities to buy and sell which many generic procurement solutions do not cover, especially when considering the potential for business development and creating a trading network of buyers and sellers.

Sourcing 98

Sourcing Buyers Collaboration Procurement solutions 98

Jaggaer

OCTOBER 24, 2024

The concept goes beyond traditional buyer-supplier relationships, focusing on creating value through closer, more integrated partnerships. In a global business environment, supplier collaboration is better understood as a dynamic network involving partnerships within an extended ecosystem.

Collaboration 52

Collaboration Innovation Suppliers supply chain budgeting 52

Procurement Leaders

MARCH 26, 2024

On the other hand, if the buyer would involve the supplier intensely, it would provide the functional specifications ( see Figure 2, above ), such as the expected weight of the new car, and request a new wheel design from its supplier.

Suppliers 130

Suppliers Product development Supply Chain Efficiency supply chain budgeting 130

Procurement Insights

FEBRUARY 27, 2025

Its the broader network of partners, suppliers, customers, and even competitors that the business interacts with. When I talk or write about an external metaprise, I extend the model to the broader network of suppliers, partners, and market dynamics that procurement must engage with. The focus is on efficiency and control.

Agile and Lean Supply Chain 52

Agile and Lean Supply Chain Supply Chain Optimization Procurement Supply Chain Efficiency 52

Spend Matters

JULY 27, 2022

From the ability to have a material/BoM repository, to qualify and classify suppliers at a granular level, to run sourcing events with deep details on costs/cost drivers, to collaborate with suppliers on quality aspects, up to fostering cross-functional processes, the solution “speaks” to direct-material buyers. Read more. ).

Sourcing 98

Sourcing Material management Suppliers Buyers 98

Spend Matters

OCTOBER 23, 2024

Another aspect of geopolitical risk mentioned by the WEF is that “misinformation and disinformation and societal polarization are seen by GRPS respondents to be the most strongly connected risks in the network, with the largest potential to amplify each other.”

Risk 111

Risk Buyers Supply chain Suppliers 111

Procurement Insights

MARCH 17, 2025

Approach : Data-driven, emphasizing external market insights to level the playing field between buyers and suppliers. commodity buyers, cost analysts). Innovation and Vision ProPurchaser : Innovative in its niche of marketplace intelligence, closing the knowledge gap between buyers and suppliers.

Negotiation 52

Negotiation Procurement team Real-time Visibility Cost of ownership 52

Spend Matters

JULY 27, 2022

Categories: Sourcing , Supplier Information Management , supplier networks , Supplier Performance , Supplier Risk and Compliance Management , Suppliers Tags: PRO Direct materials management is a hot market for procurement solutions with few specialists on the market. and changed its name from Allocation Network to QAD Allocation.

Market analysis 98

Market analysis Sourcing Supplier relationship management Material management 98

ivalua

MARCH 27, 2023

The first and most visible element of this change are the emergence of Government tax networks or Continuous Transaction Controls (CTC) systems. The Invoice Hub Unfortunately, this just won’t work if the AP process is locked behind “old school” networks like Basware, Coupa, Tungsten, or Ariba.

Procurement strategies 130

Procurement strategies Agile and Lean Supply Chain Real-time Visibility Networking 130

Spend Matters

JANUARY 29, 2024

To potential buyers — Sphera SCRM is a leading SCRM solution that ensures a company can monitor risks in its supply chain based on the locations, supplier sites and logistics routes it uses. GHG, human rights and PFAS). This content is for members only.

Supply Chain Efficiency 110

Supply Chain Efficiency Supply chain resilience Risk management Supply chain 110

Spend Matters

SEPTEMBER 12, 2022

The origin of the company and its regional focus makes it stand out in the market, as its capabilities and partner network are profoundly shaped by these considerations. This Vendor Analysis provides an overview of Oalia, a look at its competitive landscape, selection tips and an analyst summary.

Sourcing 98

Sourcing Networking Buyers Collaboration 98

Spend Matters

JANUARY 12, 2023

Rails’ are platforms/networks that facilitate the flow of cash and information between buyers, suppliers and financial services firms via different schemes such as ACH, SWIFT, RTP Network (US-based), card networks and entities such as Venmo (Paypal) and Zelle (multi-bank consortium).

Networking 97

Networking Buyers Supply chain Procurement 97

Supply Chain Opz

MARCH 6, 2015

3) Risk Management: In the past, many buyers relied on safety stock inventory to mitigate any risks or disruptions to suppliers. 4) Management of Complexity: Complexity of supply chains is not a fad that will pass rather, the supply chains continue to evolve into networked economies.

Supply Chain Optimization 111

Supply Chain Optimization Supply Chain Efficiency Supply chain e2e 111

Procurement Heads

JANUARY 4, 2023

As a Buyer at British Airways, I bought a range of different categories from engineering spares to airport services. It’s a chance for buyers to do their job and look for efficiencies across the total supply chain. Visit suppliers’ premises, listen and speak at events, and network with other professionals. Join networks.

Supply Chain Efficiency 246

Supply Chain Efficiency Agile and Lean Supply Chain Sustainability Suppliers 246

ivalua

OCTOBER 1, 2020

This is because the Accounts Payable teams have been expecting eInvoicing Networks to address this challenge. Unfortunately, these Networks have now become the barrier to adoption by forcing new T&Cs and processes on the Supplier. Today, everyone from the poolman to the global catalogue provider can email a PDF Invoice.

Real-time Visibility 130

Real-time Visibility Networking Supply Chain Efficiency Suppliers 130