Footwear Distributor Turns to Internet for B2B
E-Commerce Needs

May 28, 2003 – Carson, CA – Palos Verdes Footwear, doing business as Volatile Shoewear and Sideout Footwear, is a leading mid-sized distributor of women’s, men’s, and childrens footwear. As an emerging company that has been a family owned business since 1995, Palos Verdes Footwear finds itself selling products to such retail giants as Federated Department Stores, Saks Group, and Nordstrom. Most recently, the company’s Volatile brand has exploded with a 10 shoe, all-store presence in Journeys, Genesco’s junior division, as well as in their 40 new Journeys Kidz stores. “For a supplier to grow and stay competitive, an aggressive EDI initiative is imperative” says Allan Gumbinger, Palos Verdes’ Vice President of Technical Operations. “The issue is that for midsize companies, it is extremely difficult to find the right solution that will fit your needs today, and grow with you in the future without costing an arm and a leg.”

Like many suppliers, Palos Verdes Footwear opted to turn to an EDI Service Bureau to solve this issue. Gumbinger states, “It seemed like the logical thing to do, after all we are not in the EDI business, we are in the shoe business.” After several thousand dollars worth of compliance chargebacks and the realization that they had absolutely no control over the timing and quality of the EDI data being transmitted, Palos Verdes Footwear was in dire need for an EDI solution that worked.

After considering several new alternatives, including taking their EDI program in-house, Palos Verdes Footwear found eZCom Software Inc. eZCom set Palos Verdes up with a web-based solution called Web-ConnectTM. Gumbinger states, “This application is exactly what we need. It gives us the control of having an application in-house, without having to be concerned with the complexities and confusion commonly associated with today’s EDI technology. Web-ConnectTM is very efficient and easy to use. All this and no software to purchase.”

eZCom’s core team is comprised of e-commerce specialists that have practical supply chain experience. “We all used to work ‘in the shoes’ of our clients,” says Carol Heyman, eZCom’s Vice President of Sales and Finance. “Understanding and being concerned with the pain our users are going through enables us to give them a solution that truly exceeds their expectations.”

Since using eZCom’s Web-ConnectTM, Palos Verdes’ EDI nightmares have vanished. They currently exchange EDI and e-commerce documents with 15 Retailers through their Web-ConnectTM account, and have not had a single compliance issue.

About Palos Verdes Footwear
Palos Verdes Footwear is a fast growing West Coast footwear manufacturer providing innovative styling to such prestigious retailers as; Nordstrom, Macys West, Pacific Sunwear and Hot Topic. The Company’s aggressive nationwide advertising campaign can be seen in such publications as: Seventeen, Teen People, Lucky, YM and Cosmo Girl. Palos Verdes Footwear has also just opened an office/showroom in New York City, on the 12th floor of 1370 Ave of the Americas. For further info please visit our website at www.volatileusa.com. Or call toll free at 888/374/3368.

About eZCom Software
eZCom Software Inc is a leading software and services company, providing innovative e-commerce solutions for small and mid-sized distributors (SMDs) in supply chains. eZCom capitalizes on the growing need for a simple and effective e-commerce solution that empowers SMDs to effectively participate in these supply chains. Proprietary open-ended architecture supports multiple translation and communications protocols such as EDI X12, XML, and AS2, while reducing the complexities of this process. An easy to use batch driven interface manages multiple relationships, and allows suppliers to focus on their core business process: Getting Orders, Shipping Merchandise, and Billing Customers. eZCom's solutions become an extension of the suppliers' company, growing with them as their needs evolve. For further information, visit us at www.ezcomsoftware.com.