Business-to-business e-Commerce is hot, and everyone from infrastructure software vendors to marketplace and exchange providers want to get into the act. The marketplace model (i.e., online communities where multiple corporate buyers and sellers exchange goods, services, and information) is especially active, with new entrants emerging daily. In some instances, what is being sold is fairly straightforward (such as hard hats and safety glasses for construction workers and flour for bakers) but in other instances, products and services are more complex, high priced, or require a high degree of customization. These products and services may not lend themselves directly to the actual, completed sale via an online marketplace, but the sale can certainly be facilitated this way. Telecommunications equipment is a good example of a high-cost, complex, customized product set in which commerce can be facilitated online, via a marketplace model. Some telecommunications equipment can be purchased easily online, but more complex items such as switches, digital cross connects, and satellite communications products, to name a few are more difficult to purchase via an online transaction. Telezoo.com, which refers to its service as “facilitated commerce,” is a telecommunications marketplace that facilitates the buying and selling of telecommunications products and services. The company provides information that identifies and compares products and services from multiple providers, enabling the buyer to request proposals from those vendors whose products they are interested in. THE HURWITZ TAKE: Clearly, some products can be sold directly through a marketplace, but the very nature of other products makes it more difficult to actually complete the transaction online. A number of marketplaces are already using the Request for Proposal (RFP) mechanism to facilitate these types of purchases. This type of high-cost, complex, and/or customized purchase lends itself well to the idea of facilitated commerce, and is especially true for the initial purchase, not just a repeat order. A facilitated e-Commerce process provides buyers with the information they need to take a purchase to the RFP phase. Related content feature Key findings from the CISA 2022 Top Routinely Exploited Vulnerabilities report CISA’s recommendations for vendors, developers, and end-users promote a more secure software ecosystem. By Chris Hughes Sep 21, 2023 8 mins Zero Trust Threat and Vulnerability Management Security Practices news Insider risks are getting increasingly costly The cost of cybersecurity threats caused by organization insiders rose over the course of 2023, according to a new report from the Ponemon Institute and DTEX Systems. By Jon Gold Sep 20, 2023 3 mins Budget Data and Information Security news US cyber insurance claims spike amid ransomware, funds transfer fraud, BEC attacks Cyber insurance claims frequency increased by 12% in the first half of 2023 while claims severity increased by 42% with an average loss amount of more than $115,000. By Michael Hill Sep 20, 2023 3 mins Insurance Industry Risk Management news Intel Trust Authority attestation services now in general availability Formerly known as Project Amber, Intel’s attestation services support confidential computing deployments. By Michael Nadeau Sep 20, 2023 3 mins Zero Trust Security Hardware Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe