Top 6 trading partners you can connect to for free with fast EDI setup

Every extra week spent on EDI setup isn’t just IT overhead—it’s missed orders, chargebacks, and friction that erode your hard-won margins. 

On average, manufacturers, wholesalers, and other suppliers have to endure 6-8 weeks of mapping, testing, and partner approvals before they can even send their first invoice or ASN. During that time, seasonal campaigns stall and manual work piles up. 

Imagine a different scenario: starting to trade with reliable, automated EDI in days—whether you’re onboarding new partners or upgrading how you work with existing ones. No manual entry, no setup delays—and no setup fees, either. 

That’s what our fast-track free EDI setup delivers: real automation, rigorous testing, end-to-end mapping, and compliance checks handled for you, even if you’re already trading manually with these partners today.

You could see order volumes climb 17x over time and manual errors decrease within days of onboarding. See how our EDI setup works, which partners you can connect to for free, and how to choose the best one for your business. 

Why speed, clarity, and zero fees matter

Many suppliers are already trading with Kroger, Target, Macy’s, or other major retailers but rely on EDI portals and manual processes. We help you upgrade that workflow with automated EDI that saves time, reduces risk, and simplifies your operations from day one. 

When your EDI integration drags on, teams spend more time wrestling spreadsheets and firefighting errors than driving sales. That’s why the leading supply chain teams benchmark their “time to first document”—because the sooner their first ASN or invoice gets out, the sooner they see the cash. 

Nailing down exactly which documents you’ll exchange, how you’ll validate them, and a hard launch date from day one stops endless revision cycles in their tracks. With clear checkpoints everybody’s aligned with, you can remove the guesswork. 

And while most providers charge for mapping, testing, and compliance, Tech85 covers all of that—plus the first month of document processing—so you can start seeing ROI before you actually spend anything. 

The top 6 trading partners you can connect to with zero fees

Kroger

As one of America’s largest grocery chains, Kroger processes millions of invoices and advance ship notices every month. Getting on its roster unlocks supermarket aisles coast-to-coast. 

Target

Target’s omnichannel reach means they move millions of orders across online and traditional channels every week. Connecting to Target means connecting to a massive, engaged customer base. 

Macy’s

Macy’s leads department store retail with ever-evolving product assortments and promotional calendars. Seamless EDI onboarding means your activities sync with Macy’s in-store and online sales events. 

CVS Health

CVS Health dominates pharmacy retail with daily prescription sales and high-volume retail orders. Integrating with CVS Health expands your reach into healthcare and everyday essentials. 

Nordstrom

Nordstrom’s reputation for luxury demands flawless order accuracy and on-time fulfillment. Connecting to Nordstrom’s network unlocks premium sales channels and elevates your brand presence. 

Kohl’s

Connecting to Kohl’s can drive massive seasonal traffic and let you capitalize on spikes in home, apparel, and small-goods demand, while streamlining hassle-free customer returns. 

How to choose the right trading partner

Every business has different priorities. So if you still aren’t sure which of our trading partners is the ideal partner for your business, ask your team these questions:

1. What volume are you handling? High-volume product flows demand a trading partner setup built for scale. If you process thousands of orders every day, prioritize partners with bulk-processing templates and capabilities. 

2. How complex are your promotions? Department stores and specialty retailers run frequent, often delicate campaigns. If syncing promotions is your biggest headache, start with partners offering robust promo workflow support. 

3. What compliance requirements apply? Handling sensitive client or financial information? Look for a trading partner setup with built-in compliance validation, secure data storage, and audit-trail logging. 

4. What’s your EDI familiarity level? New to EDI? Begin with a partner who’s easy to understand, manage, and make the most of. Or, look for a seasoned partner with a proven track record if you want to speed up the learning curve

5. What business goals are you chasing? Need a quick seasonal lift? Grocery and pharmacy chains can power volume spikes fast. Looking to expand your reach across channels? Fashion and department stores unlock new revenue streams. 

Our advice is to start by selecting one or two partners that align with your immediate needs, track your KPIs, optimize if needed, and only then ramp up additional connections. 

Our best practices for trading partner onboarding

Scope definition

We rely on input from all the key players—from management to IT and logistics—to set crystal clear objectives. We map out document types, protocols, and success criteria before moving on. 

Make the process secure

You can’t afford to settle for basic data security measures. Tech85 uses the strongest, proven-to-work encryptions and audit-trail logging so every interchange gets protected by enterprise-grade security standards. 

Track “time to first document”

Let’s make your first successful invoice or ASN one of the key KPIs. We fully understand that each hour shaved off onboarding can often directly affect your profit margin performance, so make sure you start seeing real growth as soon as possible. 

Automate compliance validation

We embed compliance checks into your mapping and testing workflows. Automated validation means any missing fields, mismatches, or security gaps get instantly flagged before they get a chance to affect your business. 

What does your free EDI setup include? 

If you’re manually downloading documents from a portal, we’ll generate a custom file that you can import into your system—no keying required. 

Prefer a deeper integration? We can support that too—and your first month of document processing is on us. Full integrations require more setup, but the gains in accuracy and speed are immediate and substantial. 

Start trading with top retailers and the benefits of real, automated EDI

Forget the months-long wait and sizeable setup invoices. Our fast-track free EDI setup lets you plug into Kroger, Target, Macy’s, and 300+ other trading partners in a matter of days—with zero setup fees.

Because this is real, automated EDI—not a shortcut—you’re not just about to speed things up. You’re also about to reduce manual work, eliminate chargebacks, and improve vendor ratings with every new order.

It’s a faster start and a stronger foundation for long-term growth. 

‍See how easy it is to start transforming your supply chain into a revenue-driving asset.