The products also could free companies to focus on their core businesses in the critical start-up phase. Online communities linking trading partners are cropping up in virtually every industry. Yet most e-marketplaces are built in anything but Internet time. They're bringing in applications such as catalog management and order fulfillment from vendors, then laboriously developing and integrating those apps themselves, said Aberdeen analyst Tim Minahan. Most e-marketplaces are also hosting and maintaining their own sites.
Several vendors think they have a better way.
IPlanet, Intershop Communications and USinternetworking last week each rolled out comprehensive software and service platforms that promise to get e-marketplaces running quickly and relatively cheaply. The software includes integrated modules for aggregating catalogs, running forward and reverse auctions, participating in online negotiation and several other functions. Intershop promises fast time to market by combining existing products that customers can mix and match. The service gives customers the option of running their sites on BroadVision or Ariba platforms, and also includes USi's backbone data transport, combined with Web hosting, security, transaction processing and system management. Other providers, meanwhile, are getting into the act.