Value-Added Networks (VANs) have been around for more than 30 years. But today’s VAN is definitely not your father’s VAN. VANs have evolved from simply being a managed network on which to exchange EDI information and documents between a company and its trading partners to a more robust service that includes not only the network but also a variety of services aimed at facilitating more effective commerce amongst numerous organizations.

It goes without saying: Ecommerce has changed everything, from the way we shop to the way retailers stock their in-store and virtual shelves. Consider the endless aisles, with a multitude of product choices and varying price points, and showrooming, the practice involves consumers trying out products at stores and then searching for better deals using mobile commerce.