Abstract: A method that includes serving a web page to a retailer, the web page including a two-dimensional grid of boxes in which the retailer can specify quantities of multiple retail items for purchase without being required to move to another web page between the specification of a quantity of one of the retail items and the specification of a quantity of another of the retail items.

Abstract: A method that includes (1) storing (a) item data associated with retail items available for sale to retailers and (b) presentation information that defines a mode for presenting the item data to a buyer associated with the retailer, (2) presenting the item data to a buyer in an interactive user interface in accordance with the predefined mode, and (3) accepting from the buyer through the user interface, order information associated with at least some of the retail items for which item data has been presented.

Abstract: A method that includes maintaining an on-line facility that provides to a retailing customer of a manufacturer information about the status of transactions involving products of the manufacturer. The information provided on the on-line facility includes information about transactions that are entered by the retailer in the on-line facility and information about transactions that are entered other than through the on-line facility.

Abstract: A method that includes, (a) from a communication link, receiving items of data from suppliers with respect to products offered by the suppliers for sale to sellers of the products, different items of data being received in different formats, (b) expressing the different data items in a common format, and (c) storing the different data items as expressed in the common format in a single database table structure.