B2B: Not so nimble after all

The company's CEO strutted like a proud peacock around Radio City Music Hall as umpteen customers sang his company's praises. We know everyone in technology is being squeezed but analysts, and Ariba themselves, claim to have been taken aback by the profit warnings and the job cuts.

Many are surprised Ariba has done quite so badly because it was thought that companies supposed to help other companies cut costs will always be in demand. The scrapping of the deal with Agile follows constant criticism that it was offering way over the odds for the company.

Ariba just hasn't been lucky in love. Its partnership with i2 very quickly became rocky and eventually fizzled out as customers lost interest in public exchanges. Ariba is going to have to do some serious re-grouping. At least it can gain some comfort from news that ex-bedfellow i2 has also had a seriously bad day.

Agile's technology was right at the centre of Ariba's strategy to take on the likes of Oracle and SAP. All the big B2B vendors have been pushing collaboration technology, but now Ariba will have to re-route its plans.

But just as one beautiful relationship comes to an end, a new one begins. Barclaycard's IndigoSquare really has brokered a nice little deal, picking up Shopsmart.com for a pittance. The price comparison service has fallen prey to this online mall as its value hits a very rocky bottom.

And, of course, IndigoSquare can say - with some self-satisfaction - that consolidation in e-tail is a must for success.