Rithum Commerce (CommerceHub) EDI: What It Is and a Better Way to Manage Retail Connections

Rithum Commerce, formerly known as CommerceHub, helps suppliers exchange order data, invoices, and shipping details with retailers through electronic data interchange (EDI). It’s a powerful link between brands and their sales channels, simplifying retail transaction processing and fulfillment. 

But as supplier networks expand, many teams find Rithum’s system rigid and time-intensive to maintain across multiple retailers. That’s why more suppliers are exploring flexible, API-driven EDI platforms like Orderful to take greater control of their retail connections.

What Is Rithum Commerce EDI?

Rithum Commerce is a centralized platform that connects retailers and suppliers to streamline how products are sold, shipped, and tracked across digital and physical storefronts. Major retailers like Walmart, Target, and Home Depot use it to manage supplier communications, orders, and fulfillment through a single network.

Behind the scenes, Rithum uses EDI to transmit core business documents, such as purchase orders and invoices, between trading partners. Instead of managing these EDI connections directly, suppliers rely on Rithum’s system to handle mapping, formatting, and transmission. This setup helps ensure retailer compliance but gives suppliers limited visibility and control over the underlying data exchange process.

How Rithum Commerce EDI Works

Rithum Commerce automates much of the order and fulfillment process between retailers and suppliers, but the data still moves through structured EDI documents behind the scenes. Each transaction type follows a defined format that tells systems what information to send, when, and to whom.

Suppliers typically log into Rithum’s portal or connect through an API or file-based integration to send and receive these transaction files. This setup simplifies retailer compliance, but it often requires repetitive uploads, manual data entry, and close monitoring to avoid mapping or timing errors.

The four most common EDI transactions in the Rithum network include:

• EDI 850 – purchase order: Sent from the retailer to the supplier to request goods or services. It includes product details, quantities, and delivery information to start the order process.

• EDI 855 – purchase order acknowledgment: Sent from the supplier back to the retailer to confirm that the order was received and accepted. It also notes any changes before beginning fulfillment.

• EDI 856 – advance ship notice (ASN): Sent by the supplier to notify the retailer that an order has shipped. It lists package contents, carrier details, and expected delivery dates.

• EDI 810 – invoice: Sent from the supplier to the retailer to request payment once goods have shipped. It mirrors the purchase order and includes pricing, tax, and payment terms.

Common Rithum (CommerceHub) EDI Transactions

These standardized transaction files keep retailers and suppliers on the same page through every stage of the order process. When each document moves accurately and on time, businesses reduce errors, avoid costly chargebacks, and maintain the visibility needed to keep fulfillment running smoothly.

Challenges with Rithum Commerce EDI

Even though Rithum streamlines compliance for large retailers, suppliers often face hurdles once their order volumes grow. Managing EDI through a third-party platform can quickly become time-consuming and expensive, especially when every transaction depends on manual updates or file transfers.

Here are some of the common roadblocks Rithum Commerce users encounter:

• Manual data entry: Every uploaded file, field correction, or order update takes time away from fulfillment and customer service.

• Limited visibility: Suppliers can’t easily monitor where transactions stall or which partners need attention until issues surface.

• High transaction fees: Each order or acknowledgment can carry costs that add up fast, especially across multiple sales channels.

• Scaling challenges: Onboarding new trading partners or marketplaces often requires custom mapping or separate setups.

While Rithum handles the technical side of compliance, suppliers still spend hours managing data that should move automatically. Modern EDI platforms resolve many of these issues by providing direct access, real-time updates, and reusable integrations across retailers.

Solution: API-Driven EDI for Rithum Suppliers

Modern EDI removes many of the common obstacles associated with Rithum. Orderful's API-driven web EDI platform provides suppliers with a faster and simpler way to manage retail EDI, eliminating the need for intermediaries. Its API-first architecture connects trading partners in real-time, so transactions flow instantly between systems instead of waiting for manual uploads or overnight batches to be completed.

Suppliers can choose between Orderful’s browser-based EDI solution for quick access or build deeper connections through API integration that syncs directly with their internal systems. Either way, every document moves through a single, standardized platform that ensures accuracy, efficiency, and compliance across all retailers and distributors.

Unlike network-locked solutions, Orderful lets you add new partners in days instead of weeks and test live transactions instantly. That means less time spent managing and manually editing files and more time fulfilling orders and growing your business.

From Rithum-Managed EDI to Supplier-Controlled Integration

Rithum acts as the go-between for retailers and suppliers, handling EDI translation and transmission on behalf of both sides. While that approach simplifies compliance, it also means suppliers have little insight into what’s happening behind the curtain. Most teams rely on portal dashboards or status emails instead of viewing their data in real time.

Orderful changes that dynamic. By giving suppliers full ownership of their integrations, this platform eliminates the guesswork and delays common with intermediary-managed systems. You can monitor every document as it moves, confirm acknowledgments instantly, and reuse validated connections for new trading partners without rework.

Whether you're a small retailer handling a few transactions a day or run a large e-commerce site that gets dozens of inventory updates an hour, you get a smoother, faster, and more transparent retail network where you stay in control of your data and your business's growth.

Rithum-Managed EDI vs. Direct EDI Control with Orderful

This shift from Rithum-managed to supplier-controlled EDI gives teams full transparency and flexibility without the delays or complexity of third-party dependency. With Orderful, every integration becomes reusable, every partner connection is faster to onboard, and every transaction is easier to track in real time.

Web EDI vs. Integrated EDI: Which Is Right for You?

Orderful gives suppliers two flexible ways to manage retail data exchange, depending on their size, systems, and trading volume. Both options use the same modern EDI platform, so you can start simple and expand as your operations grow.

Web EDI for Smaller Teams

Orderful’s cloud-native EDI system makes it easy for smaller supplier teams to trade electronically without needing an IT department or custom integrations. You can log in from any browser, view purchase orders, send acknowledgments, and manage invoices directly through a clean, modern interface. It’s the fastest path to compliance for suppliers new to EDI or handling a limited number of partners.

Integrated EDI for Larger Suppliers

For established suppliers that already use systems like NetSuite, SAP, or Microsoft Dynamics, Orderful’s Integrated EDI provides a deeper level of automation. It connects directly to your ERP or order management system, syncing documents automatically between platforms. The result is seamless order processing, fewer manual steps, and complete real-time visibility across every retailer connection.

How to Transition Smoothly from Rithum to Orderful

Migrating from Rithum Commerce to Orderful doesn’t have to be complex or disruptive. With a clear plan and the right tools, you can move your EDI connections quickly without a negative impact on your supply chain workflow.

Here’s what a typical transition looks like:

1. List your trading partners and transactions. Start by identifying every retailer and the EDI document types (such as 850s or 810s) you currently exchange through Rithum.

2. Export current mapping and specifications. Download the configuration details for each connection, including partner IDs, file formats, and communication preferences.

3. Import and configure in Orderful. Orderful’s interface makes it simple to set up your existing connections and align them with standardized EDI mappings.

4. Test and validate transactions. Send test files through Orderful to confirm each document type passes validation and meets partner requirements.

5. Go live with full visibility. Once validated, activate your connections and monitor transactions in real time through Orderful’s unified dashboard.

The process typically takes days rather than weeks, giving you all the benefits of a modern EDI solution quickly so you can keep your products moving without interruption.

A Better Way to Connect Retail EDI Partners

Rithum Commerce gives suppliers a way to connect with major retailers, but Orderful takes that concept further. Its modern, API-first EDI platform gives you full control over integrations, faster onboarding, and real-time visibility across every trading partner, without any of the bottlenecks of a managed network.

Whether you’re maintaining existing Rithum connections or expanding to new marketplaces, Orderful helps simplify every part of the process. You’ll spend less time managing files and more time building stronger partnerships with the retailers that matter most.

If you're ready to speed up your retail connections and see how a modern EDI platform works in real time, contact an EDI expert or book a demo today, and see how Orderful helps you start delivering your orders faster and smarter.

FAQs About Rithum Commerce EDI

What is Rithum Commerce (formerly CommerceHub)?

Rithum Commerce is a centralized platform that connects retailers and suppliers to streamline product sales, shipping, and tracking across digital and physical storefronts. Major retailers like Walmart, Target, and Home Depot use Rithum to manage supplier communications, orders, and fulfillment through EDI. The platform automates much of the order and fulfillment process by transmitting standardized business documents like purchase orders, invoices, and shipping notices between trading partners.

How does EDI work with Rithum?

Rithum uses EDI to transmit core business documents between retailers and suppliers through standardized transaction formats. Suppliers typically log into Rithum's portal or connect through an API or file-based integration to send and receive transaction files. The most common EDI transactions include the 850 (purchase order), 855 (purchase order acknowledgment), 856 (advance ship notice), and 810 (invoice). While this setup simplifies retailer compliance, suppliers often have limited visibility and control over the underlying data exchange process.

Can I use a different EDI provider for Rithum?

Yes, suppliers can use alternative EDI platforms to manage their retail connections, including those with Rithum-connected retailers. Modern EDI providers like Orderful offer API-driven platforms that give suppliers direct control over their integrations, real-time visibility, and the ability to connect with any trading partner beyond just the Rithum ecosystem. Transitioning typically involves mapping your existing trading partner connections, testing transactions, and validating document flows before going live.

What are common challenges with Rithum Commerce EDI?

Suppliers using Rithum often face several operational challenges, including time-consuming manual data entry for file uploads and order updates, limited visibility into where transactions stall, high transaction fees that increase with order volume, and scaling difficulties when onboarding new trading partners. These challenges become more pronounced as supplier networks expand and order volumes grow, leading many teams to explore more flexible EDI solutions.

What benefits does Orderful offer over Rithum Commerce?

Orderful provides supplier-controlled EDI integration compared to Rithum's intermediary-managed approach. Key benefits include full real-time visibility into all transactions, the ability to connect with any retailer or partner (not just those in the Rithum network), faster partner onboarding in days instead of weeks, reusable integrations across multiple trading partners, and the choice between web-based EDI for smaller teams or fully integrated API connections for larger operations. This gives suppliers greater transparency, flexibility, and control over their retail data exchange.