Vertical marketplaces exist in metals, chemicals, paper, agriculture, retail, and many other industries. They often involve specialized or standardized products and services. These marketplaces may be created to sell off surplus inventory. Both eSteel and PlasticsNet are examples of neutral exchanges. Finally, B2B exchanges can be categorized by the major types of transactions they support.
Negotiations links one seller to many buyers, often for procuring or selling goods or services.
Today's eMarketplaces support a broad offering of products, services, and content, as well as provide a venue for multiple types of business transactions. As mentioned earlier, eMarketplaces most often include an exchange as part of their services. For example, a marketplace might offer catalogs, Negotiations, and an exchange in addition to a number of supply chain services. In addition, B2B eMarketplaces provide value-added content and communities to participants. Online training might feature tutorials on leading edge industry developments.