Abstract: A method and a system for a user-initiated vendor search are described. In one aspect, the system includes a mechanism for collecting purchase solicitations from the buyers and sale solicitations from the sellers. The purchase solicitations include information about the products/services sought by the buyers, while the sale solicitations include information about the products/services offered by the sellers to the buyers. In one aspect, upon receiving a purchase solicitation from a buyer, the system attempts to accommodate the request by matching the request for the products/services with the offers of the products/services offered by the sellers. Similarly, upon receiving a sale solicitation from a seller, the system provides the matching offers of the products/services the products/services sought by the buyers. The solicitations and the matches are advertised to the sellers and to the buyers using various schemes and schedules.