Abstract: System and method for managing purchases of goods or services include registering entities interested in receiving or providing the goods or services, enabling a potential receiver of goods or services to search the registered providers using search criteria including market segment defined by the potential receiver, and communicating to the potential receiver a list of the results of the search. The system enables potential receivers to select one of the registered providers from the list to deliver the goods or perform the services, enables the potential receiver to select one or more of the goods or services capable of being delivered by the selected provider, communicates to the selected provider placement of a request for goods and/or services by the receiver, and communicates a confirmation generated by the provider's acknowledgement of the receiver's communicated request to the receiver.

Abstract: Data collection and management system using portable computerized data collection equipment, such as, for instance, a handheld or palmtop device, and a mainframe computer which incorporates a database. Information about visitors to a commercial store may be collected and stored via the portable electronic equipment, and then transferred to the mainframe. The collected data is analyzed at the mainframe in order to generate electronic statistical reports and spreadsheets, whose results may be automatically made available to improve traffic of people in the commercial stores.