Multi-channel merchants like K-Mart / Sears, Target, Costco, Kohls, and several others, are ramping up their online efforts.   Vendors are required to implement EDI to exchange business documents that facilitate cross-channel orders.  Warehouse management and outbound shipping systems have to be tuned to ship to multiple touch points for a single customer account, including drop shipping direct to the consumers address.  The recession forced merchants to focus on effective inventory management which manifested tighter demand sensing throughout the supply chain and information exchange across supply chain partners.  Merchants and vendors inventory on-hand and demand numbers are shared through the exchange of EDI documents and business portals.