One Place, One Network: The Next Step for E-Commerce Connect™

As the E-Commerce Connect™ network has grown, so has the amount of information being shared across retailers, suppliers, vendors, and program partners.

Supplier updates, onboarding resources, training materials, promotions, marketing assets, events, and industry intelligence all play an important role in helping members succeed. The challenge was that much of this information lived in different places, making it difficult to find what you needed when you needed it.

To address that challenge, we created the E-Commerce Connect™ Network Portal.

Built around our vision of "A Digitally Connected Ecosystem of Collaboration and Commerce," the portal serves as a central resource for members participating in the network.

The portal brings together many of the tools and resources members use most often. Retailers can access supplier information, complete onboarding tasks, find marketing materials, register for events, participate in discussions, and connect with fellow members from one location. One area receiving significant attention is the Marketing Hub. Members can access monthly themes, supplier promotions, Canva templates through the Post Office, marketing calendars, and seasonal ideas designed to help reduce planning and content creation time. Rather than starting from scratch, retailers can quickly find resources that support products and promotions already active within the network.

The portal also introduces the Retail Intelligence Hub, which includes the weekly Intel Report, Influencer Watch, and Industry News. Together, these resources help members stay informed about emerging product trends, retailer activity, supplier promotions, and developments across the garden center industry. The goal is simple: help members identify opportunities earlier and make more informed business decisions.

Another important component is collaboration. Through the Member Directory, Supplier Directory, Messaging Forum, and Shared Library, members can connect directly with one another, exchange ideas, share resources, and learn from real-world experiences taking place throughout the network. From merchandising photos and marketing examples to operational insights and supplier recommendations, valuable knowledge becomes easier to share across the community.

The portal also serves as a home for training and education. Members can access webinars, videos, guides, supplier presentations, and program resources while staying informed about upcoming events and workshop. As the network continues to expand, the Network Portal provides a foundation for stronger communication, better resource sharing, and closer collaboration among participating retailers and suppliers.

Most importantly, it creates a place where the collective knowledge of the network can be organized, shared, and put to work for the benefit of the entire community.