Abstract: Embodiments are directed to electronic commerce and/or procurement in which buyers and suppliers are linked via an electronic marketplace in a cloud computing environment. Orders are placed by buyers to be executed and delivered by suppliers. An efficient electronic procurement network uses a mathematical optimization algorithm to minimize order costs while adhering to buyer requirements, optimization parameters, and supplier constraints. Suppliers input updated product information, as well as various constraints relating to the products, into the electronic marketplace to be used by the optimization algorithm. In some embodiments, multiple transaction options are provided to the buyer, with the multiple options determined by relaxing one or more of the buyer requirements and optimization parameters in the optimization algorithm.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed to electronic commerce and/or procurement in which buyers and suppliers are linked via an electronic marketplace in a cloud computing environment. Orders are placed by buyers to be executed and delivered by suppliers. An efficient electronic procurement network uses a mathematical optimization algorithm to minimize order costs while adhering to buyer requirements, optimization parameters, and supplier constraints. Suppliers input updated product information, as well as various constraints relating to the products, into the electronic marketplace to be used by the optimization algorithm. In some embodiments, multiple transaction options are provided to the buyer, with the multiple options determined by relaxing one or more of the buyer requirements and optimization parameters in the optimization algorithm.