Peering Into the Future

San Diego  September 14, 2001  FirstPeer, which was the first developer to introduce an online marketplace solution based on peer-to-peer (P2P) architecture, is announcing the release of the second generation of CommerceSphere.

New features include flexible customization tools that address specific needs of different industries and improved user interface, allowing for dynamic configuration and customization to meet the needs of supplier enablement, dynamic marketplaces, and private exchanges.

FirstPeer's solution enables users to find sellers, search their inventory, cooperatively interact and transact with others sharing complementary commerce objectives.

The new version continues to focus on connecting searches directly to existing inventory at the purchase level, instead of sending users to a site entry point requiring a subsequent set of clicks. Founder and CEO Brent Gutekunst explained, "Imagine going to a library and sitting down to a computer, entering a subject, choosing exactly what you want from the results and having a librarian deliver your selections to your seat. We're taking online commerce way beyond that."

Gutekunst, who built and operated several successful Internet marketplaces, gathered P2P programmers to develop a cost-effective solution, enabling small- to medium-sized businesses to participate in an otherwise prohibitively priced transaction medium. GnuMarkets, an open forum-styled marketplace, was FirstPeer's first customer.