Retailer Compliance Requirements — EDI Documentation

Every retailer has their own set of compliance requirements that you must follow as a supplier. These requirements are usually documented in a vendor compliance guide (sometimes called a routing guide or supplier manual). Failing to meet these requirements results in chargebacks, fines, and strained relationships.

While every retailer's guide is different, most share a common set of requirements. Here is what you can expect.

Common Retailer Requirements

OTIF Minimums

As covered in the OTIF article, most retailers require a minimum OTIF score. Typical thresholds range from 90% to 95%. Some retailers measure on time and in full separately and have different thresholds for each component.

ASN Timing

Retailers require you to send an Advance Ship Notice (856) within a specific window after the shipment leaves your facility. Common requirements include:

ASN must be sent within 30 minutes of carrier pickup (strict retailers)
ASN must be sent within 24 hours of shipment (more lenient retailers)
ASN must arrive before the shipment arrives at the distribution center

Sending an ASN late — or worse, not sending one at all — is one of the most common causes of chargebacks. RetailReady makes this easy by letting you generate and send the ASN directly from the shipment screen.

Labeling Standards

Most major retailers require GS1-128 labels (formerly called UCC-128 labels) on every carton you ship. These barcoded labels contain the SSCC (Serial Shipping Container Code) that links each physical carton to the data in your ASN. Requirements typically include:

GS1-128 label on two adjacent sides of every carton
Labels must be scannable — no wrinkled, smudged, or partially covered barcodes
Label content must match the ASN data exactly
Product-level UPC labels on every individual unit

Routing Guide Compliance

The routing guide specifies how your shipments must be transported. This can include:

Which carriers you are allowed to use (retailers often negotiate their own carrier rates)
Delivery appointment scheduling requirements
Pallet configuration rules (how to stack, wrap, and label pallets)
BOL (Bill of Lading) formatting requirements

Invoice Accuracy

Your 810 Invoice must match the purchase order and the ASN precisely. Common requirements include:

Prices must match the PO exactly
Quantities must match what was actually shipped (per the ASN)
Invoice must reference the correct PO number
Invoice must be sent within the retailer's required timeframe (often within 48 hours of shipment)

Finding Your Retailer's Specific Requirements

In RetailReady, each trading partner profile includes a summary of their key compliance requirements. Go to Trading Partners, select the retailer, and look for the compliance requirements section. This includes their OTIF thresholds, ASN timing rules, and any special requirements.

For the full vendor compliance guide, most retailers publish it on their supplier portal. RetailReady provides links to these portals where available.

Tip: When you onboard a new retailer, read their vendor compliance guide from start to finish before shipping your first order. The requirements are often very specific, and learning them upfront is much cheaper than paying chargebacks to learn them the hard way.

Walmart EDI Requirements

Walmart is one of the largest and most demanding retailers for EDI compliance. Here are the specific validation rules RetailReady enforces:

TD5 Segment Required in ASN — Walmart requires carrier information in every ASN. Select a carrier with a valid SCAC code in the Ship tab before sending.
SSCC-18 Required on Every Carton — Walmart requires SSCC-18 barcodes (MAN segment) for each carton. Use the Generate button in Shipment details to create these.
SSCC-18 Must Be 18-20 Digits — The barcode must be exactly 18-20 numeric digits. Invalid formats will be rejected.
PO Reference Required in ASN — The PO number must appear as a reference in the ASN. This is included automatically from the original 850.
No Zero-Total Invoices — Walmart rejects invoices with a $0.00 total. Verify all line items have quantities and prices.
UPC Required on Every Line Item — Walmart identifies products by UPC. Add UPC codes in the Products page.
Remit-To Address Required in Invoice — Your company payment address must be included. Set it in Settings > Profile.

Target EDI Requirements

Target's Perfect Order Program sets high standards for vendor compliance. Violations result in per-carton fines:

SSCC-18 Required on Every Carton — Missing SSCC-18 barcodes trigger a $0.75/carton penalty (minimum $100 per shipment). This is one of the most common chargebacks.
SSCC-18 Must Be Valid Format — 18-20 numeric digits required. Invalid formats are treated the same as missing.
PO Number Required in Invoice — The PO number must be in the invoice header and must match the original order exactly to avoid short-pays.

Amazon EDI Requirements

Amazon has unique requirements due to their scale and fulfillment center operations:

Carrier Info Required (SCAC Code) — Amazon requires a valid SCAC (Standard Carrier Alpha Code) in the ASN. Select a carrier in the Ship tab.
PO Reference Required — Amazon uses three-way matching (PO, ASN, Invoice). The PO number must be referenced for reconciliation.
Shipped Quantities Required (SN1) — Amazon needs exact shipped quantity details for each line item in the ASN.
Payment Terms Expected — Amazon typically requires payment terms (ITD segment) in invoices. These are included automatically.
PO in Invoice for Three-Way Match — The PO number must appear in the invoice for Amazon's automated matching system.
ASIN Must Be 10 Characters — Amazon ASINs must be exactly 10 alphanumeric characters (e.g., B08N5WRWNW). Fix any incorrect ASINs in the Products page.

Best Buy EDI Requirements

Best Buy enforces compliance through its Ship It Right (SIR) program, which tracks 9 metrics across the supplier lifecycle. The required EDI document flow is 850 → 860 → 856 → 810, with 824 Application Advice used for error feedback.

860 PO Change Acknowledgment — Best Buy sends 860 documents to communicate PO modifications. Unlike most retailers, the 860 is part of the standard flow, not an exception. Process every 860 before shipping.
SSCC-18 Required on Every Carton — SSCC-18 barcodes must appear in the MAN segment of the ASN. Values must not repeat within an 18-month rolling window per Best Buy's RDC receiving guide.
Carrier Info Required (SCAC Code) — A valid SCAC code must be included in the TD5 segment of the ASN. Select a carrier in the Ship tab.
PO Reference Required in ASN and Invoice — The PO number from the original 850 must appear as a reference in both the 856 and 810. This enables Best Buy's three-way matching.
824 Application Advice — Best Buy returns 824 documents when an inbound EDI document has errors (formatting, missing fields, invalid data). Monitor your 824s in the Documents page and correct the underlying issue before resending.
SIR Scorecard — Best Buy's Ship It Right program evaluates suppliers on 9 metrics including ASN timeliness, ASN accuracy, carton labeling, on-time delivery, fill rate, and routing compliance. Scores are reviewed quarterly. Consistently low scores lead to chargeback escalation and potential vendor review.
UPC Required on Every Line Item — Best Buy identifies products by UPC. Ensure all products have valid UPCs in the Products page.