Ariba and IBM Unveil Complete B2B E-Commerce Solution for Suppliers

Business Wire, July 25, 2000

Business Editors

BURLINGAME, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 25, 2000

Ariba Supplier Conference--

E-Commerce Leaders Enable Mid-Sized Suppliers to Connection

to their Trading Partners, Buyers and Marketplaces

IBM and Ariba (Nasdaq: ARBA) today announced the first complete solution to enable suppliers to participate in B2B e-commerce.

The 'IBM Start Now e-commerce Solutions for Ariba SupplierLive' enables suppliers to build an e-commerce site on the Internet that is automatically connected to multiple buyers and marketplaces on the Ariba Commerce Services Network. The offering uses networking solutions from Cisco Systems and provides integrated, plug-and-play solutions for suppliers, allowing participants to generate B2B transactions rapidly for a low up-front cost.

Developed by Ariba and IBM, the offering dramatically streamlines the process through which suppliers participate in e-commerce by providing all the components for a complete solution, including: Hardware, application and middleware software, services and support, financing, B2B connectivity with the Ariba platform, and networking solutions from Cisco Systems. This offering is the first of several complete supplier enablement solutions to be offered under the Ariba SupplierLive program.

Based on IBM's WebSphere Commerce Suite and the IBM Netfinity(R) and AS/400(R) server platforms, and incorporating Cisco networking solutions, IBM Start Now e-commerce Solutions for Ariba SupplierLive' offers easy access to multiple procurement systems and e-marketplaces from a single platform.

The solution is part of the IBM Start Now e-business Solutions program, a marketing and enablement program designed to enable IBM Business Partners to quickly implement e-business solutions for customers. It will be available through the worldwide reseller channels of IBM, guaranteeing easy customer access, high adoption and rapid implementation. Networking solutions provided by Cisco Systems will give the supplier the capacity to handle the connectivity demands of business on the Internet to meet customer demands and improve internal efficiencies.

"More than ever before, suppliers want to get involved in global B2B e-commerce," said Ed Kilroy, general manager, IBM electronic commerce software. "IBM Start Now e-commerce Solutions for Ariba SupplierLive meets the needs of suppliers that do not have all of the technological capabilities, expertise, budget and time to build a customized B2B e-commerce solution. Suppliers can drive costs and inefficiencies out of their supply chain by streamlining and automating core business processes. This solution allows suppliers to quickly, efficiently, and affordably integrate into the Ariba Commerce Services Network."

"Ariba, IBM and Cisco recognize the need to help mid-sized suppliers compete within the global e-commerce market, and we are the first to meet that need with a single integrated solution," said Cindy Elkins, senior director, global supplier and content solutions, Ariba. "With the addition of our Ariba SupplierLive solutions for mid-tier suppliers, we now have a complete set of solutions to meet the needs of all suppliers, regardless of their size or level of e-commerce experience and requirements."

Key Features

Multiple selling models: enables suppliers to build a

differentiated e-commerce site on the Internet and to connect to

buyers and marketplaces across the Ariba Commerce Services Network

Seamless cXML PunchOut: allows buyers live access to a supplier's

e-commerce site, maintaining differentiation and streamlining

content management Robust implementation for buyer specific

catalogs and pricing: IBM's WebSphere Commerce Suite enables

customers to create bundles, packages, cross-sells, and up-sells

Pre-negotiated prices: buyers and suppliers can securely contract

with each other for discounted prices Back-end integration: orders

can now flow directly from Ariba Buyer to IBM's WebSphere Commerce

Suite without human intervention, and IBM's WebSphere Commerce

Suite can be integrated directly into the supplier's ERP system B2B

interoperability: allowing suppliers to connect and do business

with various B2B ecosystems Continuous connectivity: networking

solutions provided by Cisco provide suppliers the capacity to

handle the increased demand for connectivity

Customers

IBM Start Now e-commerce Solutions for Ariba SupplierLive targets medium-sized suppliers requiring an all-in-one solution for B2B e-commerce transactions. MSC Industrial Direct (NYSE: MSM) is a pilot customer implementing the solution.

"The IBM Start Now e-commerce Solutions for Ariba SupplierLive" is an innovative solution that will enhance MSC's value to our customers," noted Mitchell Jacobson, Chairman and CEO, MSC Industrial Direct. "It will shorten implementation time, reduce our costs, provide better information, and enable us to leverage our assets as part of our program to access Fortune 1000 customers."

IBM Business Partners

IBM is working with OnLink and Profile Systems to provide value-added solutions around the offering. OnLink Sales (superscript: TM) configuration application works with WebSphere Commerce Suite to provide suppliers and buyers with order accuracy and information consistency. Profile Systems' MasterDepot solution complements WebSphere Commerce Suite, to help a selling organization gather, store, enhance and maintain their electronic product data . In addition, Xerox Connect, Trifecta, RCM Technologies, Inc. and other IBM Business Partners are working with IBM to implement the IBM Start Now e-commerce Solutions for Ariba SupplierLive for customers.