EC Sourcing: Vendor Analysis 2020 Update (Part 2) — Product Strengths and Weaknesses

Many procurement organizations at larger firms will soon be on their second (or even third) set of e-sourcing technologies, with many using multiple solutions. The middle market is different, with scattered adoption and a much more recent track record of “sourcing” tools for the first time, if at all. Both trends favor lesser-known providers like EC Sourcing, a closely held technology and solutions firm that has compiled a commendable e-sourcing package and various components of a broader “upstream” suite — albeit with strengths and weaknesses in different areas.

EC Sourcing built out its suite from an e-negotiation core, and now it has a range of surprisingly deep capabilities that go beyond modular capability alone, including workflow management. On a functional basis, the provider offers e-sourcing, basic contract management, supplier management (including supplier corrective action reporting, or SCAR).

This Spend Matters PRO Vendor Snapshot explores EC Sourcing’s strengths and weaknesses, providing facts and expert analysis to help procurement organizations determine if they should shortlist the vendor as a potential provider. Since our last three-part Snapshot in 2016, EC Sourcing has addressed a number of the weaknesses we pointed out. It has built a reporting module and partnered with BidMode to add an optimization module to its offering. It also has updated its UI.

Part 1 of our 2020 Update provided a company and detailed solution overview, as well as a summary recommended fit suggestion for what types of organizations should consider EC Sourcing. Part 3 of this series will offer a SWOT analysis of the company, a discussion of competitors, selection recommendations and a summary analysis.

Let’s look at the strengths and weaknesses.