MEDIA-I: Asia-Pacific B2B market to reach dollars 500b by 2005

<p>The Asia-Pacific business-to-business (B2B) market is expected to </p><p>grow at an unprecedented rate over the next five years, with business </p><p>purchases over the internet catapulting by more than USdollars 500 </p><p>billion by 2005, according to the IDC. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The researcher's report shows that companies in the region, excluding </p><p>Japan, will purchase more than USdollars 516 billion of direct and </p><p>indirect materials through the internet by 2005. That figure represents </p><p>a 3,900 per cent increase over the USdollars 12.8 billion spent last </p><p>year. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The report also revealed a stark contrast between internet-related stock </p><p>market sentiment in Asia-Pacific compared with B2B e-commerce revenue </p><p>forecasts. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>It added that internet-related firms should take advantage of this </p><p>growing opportunity rather than dwell on the losses that have surrounded </p><p>the internet. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Singapore-based Richard Jacobson, IDC's B2B internet research manager, </p><p>said: "Investors who are cringing away from internet-related markets </p><p>should be seeing the tremendous potential in the B2B e-commerce </p><p>market." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The report added that businesses must first overcome many challenges. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>