Iinterworld's Commerce Exchange Version 5.0 Ports To BEA App Server

Ripping a page from Art Technology Group's playbook, Interworld released the latest version of its e-commerce software suite for BEA Systems' market-leading application server.

In addition, a version of Interworld's Commerce Exchange 5.0 for IBM's WebSphere application server is slated for release in early 2002, Interworld executives said.

Interworld is the latest vendor to take an agnostic approach to the application servers on which its software runs. In July, ATG, Cambridge, Mass., said it would port products to BEA app servers, followed by those from IBM, iPlanet and Hewlett-Packard's Bluestone unit.

One goal of Interworld's move "was to [offer] a baseline J2EE-compliant solution," said President Larry McTavish.

In addition, Commerce Exchange 5.0 includes enhancements to reporting, debugging and enterprise application integration (EAI) features, as well as support for companies that do business in multiple countries, he said.

Craig Broadbent, manager of electronic marketing at Oki Data Americas, which manufactures printers and fax machines, said his company is using Interworld's software both internally and as a customer-facing solution. Built by Interworld's professional services unit, with help from KPMG and Andersen, the solution lets Oki Data integrate sales channels.

Interworld is also offering a guarantee to convince customers they will reap e-commerce rewards quickly. Twenty-five percent of the license fee for Commerce Exchange is due when a deal is signed, but the balance isn't due until the e-commerce system is fully deployed,a process that takes an average of three to four months, McTavish said.

Interworld partners say the company's products are sufficiently mature to offer such a guarantee.

Interworld knows "what a business' needs are," said Sundeep Kapur, director of e-commerce at NCR, a Columbia, S.C.-based solution provider that has developed solutions using Interworld's products for Casual Corner Group, Ann Taylor and other retailers.

The guarantee, called GoLive, will be useful "because there can be a lot of uncertainty in terms of 'scope creep,' " Kapur said, referring to scenarios in which clients' plans for an e-commerce solution exceed the fees they've paid to the solution provider. The guarantee clarifies up front for customers exactly what their e-commerce applications will do for their businesses, he said.

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