mySAP.com Marketplace

mySAP.com Marketplace

mySAP.com? Marketplace is a community. It provides a forum for conducting business safely and easily over the Internet. Essentially, this site links businesses together online so that they can carry out transactions, share information, and collaborate on projects.

What is mySAP.com Marketplace for?

mySAP.com Marketplace facilitates communication between enterprises on many levels

Through the construction of a virtual business ecosystem, mySAP.com Marketplace facilitates communication between enterprises on many levels. Participation can be as much or as little as the individual enterprise requires. Through mySAP.com Marketplace, SAP aims to meet the needs of as wide a spectrum of the business community as possible. The following facilities are available with mySAP.com Marketplace:

• business directory - an online listing of suppliers and customers

• one-step business - applications and technology to enable you to carry out business transactions online

• mySAP.com communities - collaborative communities that can carry out business transactions and share information

• personalize mySAP.com Marketplace - you can personalize your home page to obtain information that is most relevant to your needs

• advertise your business

• become a mySAP.com partner - collaborate with SAP to expand mySAP.com offerings

Because of SAP's experience and long-standing position in the ERP market, it has an established base from which to build a strong online business community. SAP estimates that mySAP.com Marketplace brings with it 12,000 enterprises and over 10 million users. This should translate directly into a comprehensive business directory, which marketplace users can use to procure materials and gather quotes for projects. Once enterprises become enabled for one-step business, staff members will be able to conduct business transactions in one easy step. This will apply to business-to-business and business-to-customer transactions alike.

mySAP.com Workplace can save up to 90 percent of an enterprise's procurement costs

The main advantages to conducting business like this are its cost efficiency and convenience. Employees can access directories and business information directly through mySAP.com Workplace and then quickly order whatever they need, without the need for paperwork. This can save up to 90 percent of an enterprise's procurement costs, according to Triangle Publishing Services Co. Staff Report in "Found Money: Web-Based Procurement is Here".

Apart from the ease of conducting business over the Web, there are other opportunities to be exploited in the creation of such a business community. Enterprises can advertise their wares to one another, and make themselves easily available as online suppliers. The sharing of information and resources, and even collaboration on projects is also being made easier. This is particularly pertinent where SAP have focused on vertical industries - that is, forums for companies of the same sort to pool expertise and utilize shared strengths.

mySAP.com Marketplace in the future

After a strong fourth quarter in 1999, SAP looks poised to become a major player in the e-commerce game. While initially slow to embrace Internet technologies, it is now committed to enhancing customers' capabilities with web-based functionality incorporated into EnjoySAP and a strong emphasis on online business communities and trading.

SAP intends to continue to develop the area of vertical industry and expects to announce the creation of ten vertical marketplaces. Already confirmed are vertical markets in the chemical and pharmaceutical markets, one in the healthcare industry licensed by Neoforma.com, and one in the oil and gas industry in partnership with Statoil.

If SAP can continue apace with its e-business strategy, and win the confidence of its customers, mySAP.com Marketplace is likely to become a major player in web-based commerce.