BETHESDA, MD — The Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA) has announced publication of the latest version of the Product Information Exchange Standard (PIES). PIES version 5.0 includes support for the exchange of product images in compliance with the Imaging Best Practice Guideline, also published by AAIA. The latest version of PIES also includes additions that bring the industry standard and a similar CARQUEST specification into closer alignment.

“The industry is well served by a single standard for the exchange of product attribute data, including product images. All of the companies that contribute to the AAIA standards are driven by a desire to reduce costs in the aftermarket supply chain by cooperating on best practices,” said Scott Luckett, AAIA vice president, technology standards and solutions.

Several leading retailers and wholesalers have recently been urging their vendors to adopt the PIES standard and begin to supply item level product information in the standard format, according to Luckett.

“This is the critical first step that leads to synchronization of product data between trading partners. Synchronized trading partners enjoy a lower cost of doing business together, faster new product introductions and fewer errors in the electronic transactions they exchange,” Luckett said.

PIES is an open industry standard that has been approved by the Aftermarket Council on Electronic Commerce (ACEC). The specification is available at no cost on the PIES Web page at: www.aftermarket.org .

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