NBC Internet Inc.’s
AllBusiness.com and firstsource Corp., a facilitator of
online marketplace exchanges, Thursday established an alliance to create a business
marketplace and procurement engine for AllBusiness.com’s small business users.
AllBusiness.com is a virtual business partner for small businesses.
firstsource is also a provider of business products, services and online
business procurement solutions.
The new marketplace on AllBusiness.com will offer computer hardware,
software, office equipment and supplies and telecommunications products.
Under the terms of the multi-million dollar agreement (specifics were not
disclosed), firstsource will pay AllBusiness.com for distribution and
promotion, and the two will share revenue generated by the sale of business
goods and services to AllBusiness.com users.
firstsource will provide end-to-end sourcing, fulfillment and customizable
technology. AllBusiness.com will customize pricing templates and control
online merchandising.
The new AllBusiness.com marketplace will showcase firstsource technology that
enables
comparison-shopping across a broad range of distributors and suppliers, as
well as providing order tracking, fulfillment and full customer support. The
new marketplace features storefronts that retain the look and feel of
AllBusiness.com and will contain sub-branding for firstsource corp.
“This agreement with firstsource corp. uniquely positions AllBusiness.com to
best serve small businesses, adding full procurement capabilities to an
already strong service that features expert content, an extensive business
directory and a robust information exchange,” said Teymour Boutros-Ghali, chief executive officer
of AllBusiness.com.
“More importantly, AllBusiness.com will own the customer
relationship, acquiring and monetizing users through a powerful broker model
that enables us to connect buyers to sellers without having to incur heavy
bricks-and-mortar costs.”
AllBusiness.com and firstsource corp. will work together to implement a
series of joint marketing initiatives and co-branded programs.
AllBusiness.com to Offer firstsource Procurement Engine
