Who will start the bidding?

While US insurers are clambering to join in internet marketplaces, their UK counterparts remain wary but how long will they hold out?

One of the fastest growing areas of e-commerce is
business-to-business (b2b) electronic marketplaces. These so-called net
markets bring together, on an electronic platform, the suppliers of
products with distributors and corporate clients, with the aim of
streamlining the interaction between all parties, cutting out the
paperwork and significantly reducing both time and costs.


e-marketplaces can vary widely in terms of purpose and functionality.


They can be trading sites whereby the distributor or