Final Comments and Looking Forward
215
e-Negotiation
Getting buyers and sellers together electronically is the heart of much of the
current wave of e-commerce and B-to-B e-procurement capabilities. Most
forms of market-making today are either an auction where the only negotiation
is on price, or an electronic purchase from a product catalog where there is
no negotiation. New technology is being developed to support interaction
between parties that most resolve specific issues that go beyond price. Topics
that will soon be amenable to on-line negotiation include:
Price
Product requirements
Delivery requirements
Warranty terms
Payment terms
Financing alternatives
Intellectual property ownership
Testing and validation requirements