Bimp Ecosystem: who it is for and why
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The Bimp Ecosystem connects two independent accounts, a supplier (principal) and a seller (commission agent), so that consignment goods are recorded in both databases at once. The supplier sees the partner's stock and sales, the debt is created automatically, and documents are created as mirror copies. Setup and the workflow are described in separate articles.
What the Bimp Ecosystem is
The Ecosystem is a Bimp feature that joins independent companies into a single data exchange network. It automates the accounting of consignment goods between a supplier (principal) and a seller (commission agent). Each party works in its own Bimp account, and the documents for goods movement are created as mirror copies in both.
| Role | Who they are | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Principal (supplier) | Transfers goods for sale | Clothing manufacturer “StyleUa” |
| Commission agent (seller) | Sells someone else’s goods and reports | Store chain “FashionPoint” |
What problems the Ecosystem solves
The Ecosystem removes the loss of control over goods that sit with a partner. In the classic scheme, the supplier ships the goods and, until the monthly Excel report, does not know what has been sold.
- Transparency. The supplier sees where their goods are and when they were sold.
- Control of money. The seller’s debt is created automatically after the sales report is issued.
- Time saved. You do not need to re-key delivery notes by hand: documents are created and posted in both databases.
Example. Without the Ecosystem, a “StyleUa” manager calls the store and asks them to count the T-shirts sold during the week, and an accountant spends a day entering the data. With the Ecosystem, the seller “FashionPoint” issues a sale, and the supplier sees it in their own system, with the goods written off from the shared warehouse.
Who the Ecosystem suits
The Ecosystem is designed for companies that work on a consignment, commission or franchise model.
| Who | What they get |
|---|---|
| Manufacturers and distributors (principals) | See which models sell better, control stock on partners’ shelves, plan replenishment |
| Showrooms and marketplaces (commission agents) | Do not keep product cards and supplier delivery notes by hand, and automatically see profit (revenue minus the supplier’s price) |
| Franchise networks | The head office sees end-to-end analytics across the network and controls prices and assortment |
Key features
- Shared warehouses. The partner sees your stock, and you see their sales.
- Mirror documents. A goods transfer on the supplier’s side automatically becomes a receipt document on the seller’s side.
- Confidential markup. Each party sees only their own financial figures: see Prices and cost price in the Ecosystem.
- Sales report. The document is generated in the system, which rules out manual errors.
Where to start
The scenario consists of three steps, each described separately:
- Ecosystem setup: connecting the accounts, exchanging IDs, the shared warehouse.
- Transferring and receiving goods: the goods go to the seller’s warehouse.
- Selling consignment goods and reporting: the sale, the sales report, the debt.
The rules for prices and the debt currency are collected in the article Prices and cost price in the Ecosystem.
FAQ
Who are the principal and the commission agent in the Ecosystem?
The principal (supplier) is the company that transfers goods for sale. The commission agent (seller) is the company that sells these goods and reports on the sales.
Does the supplier see my markup?
No. The supplier sees only their own transfer price and the fact of the sale; the final selling price stays only in the seller's database.
Do both parties need separate Bimp accounts?
Yes. The Ecosystem works between two independent Bimp accounts that exchange company IDs.
More about this in Bimp: Sales in Bimp