How America’s Largest Specialty Photo Retailer Brought order to Its Supplier Payments

The Hidden Cost of Getting Payments Wrong 

B&H Photo has always treated technology as a competitive edge — but even the most forward-thinking retailer can find itself held back by the wrong tools. With a supplier base spanning hundreds of international and domestic vendors, each using different shipment methods, B&H's order-to-pay process had become a persistent source of friction. Invoices were regularly mismatched against purchase orders, and their existing EDI provider couldn't resolve it. The accounts payable team was left manually juggling multiple document versions just to settle payments — a time-consuming workaround that was never a long-term solution. B&H needed a system that could handle the complexity of its supplier network with accuracy, automation, and room to scale. 

One Platform That Speaks Every Supplier’s Language 

TradeBeyond replaced the manual juggling act with a single, cloud-based platform that automates every step of the order-to-pay process. The system automatically links advance shipping notices to shipments, purchase orders, and invoices — regardless of shipment method — so the right documents are always connected to the right transactions. Routine tasks like discount-from-invoice calculations, serial number tracking, and label printing are handled automatically, while suppliers can submit Excel spreadsheets directly as EDI messages, reducing the friction of onboarding. The result is a unified, flexible system that works consistently across B&H's entire supplier base. 

Scalable, Accurate and Built for What Comes Next 

The impact was immediate and far-reaching. B&H's accounts payable team gained a reliable, automated process for invoice reconciliation — one that matches purchase orders to individual line items and issues payment without manual intervention. The platform was rolled out to several hundred vendors within just a few months, a fast implementation that demonstrated just how ready the business was for a better solution. Vendors have felt the difference too: greater accuracy and real-time visibility means fewer disputes, better customer service, and faster payment. As B&H EDI Manager Solomon Schnitzler puts it: "TradeBeyond gives us the flexibility to handle more complex requirements with a high degree of accuracy." With a scalable system now in place, B&H can onboard new vendors with confidence — and keep growing without the growing pains. 

About B&H 

B&H is the largest non-chain U.S. retailer of photo, video, audio and other imaging products targeted towards both professional and amateur photographers and enthusiasts. The company sells products through a superstore in New York City as well as online and through a catalogue. Competitors range from smaller specialty retailers to big box electronic retailers. B&H is renowned for their progressive approach in adopting technology and business practices which provide their suppliers with a positive user experience.