B2B Electronic Marketplaces

Abstract

We are in a time where one of the oldest of business activities is being reinvented using new technology, and as discussed briefly in Chapter 5 (where e-Marketplaces were introduced) the concept of a marketplace has been around for many years. There are many examples, with one of the more interesting being the numerous waterways intersecting various parts of Bangkok in Thailand. These have facilitated commerce since ancient times, and continue to do so successfully today. Thailand boasts many floating markets, where merchants ply their trade along the various klongs, or canals in long, open ruilla pai (boats). From what seems like precarious perches to the untrained eye, merchants load produce and provide freshly cooked dishes, amongst other items, to barter and exchange. The marketplace has excellent liquidity, in that merchants are plentiful and a buyer can easily choose the best deal available on the day, providing for an efficient pricing mechanism.