Mumbai: The Global Trading Web Association (GTWA), the worlds largest independent member organisation of electronic marketplaces, has released unprecedented transactional and sales volume data, indicating that activity among e-marketplaces is growing at an aggressive rate.

In an announcement made at Comdex, Las Vegas, GTWA chairman Sandy Kemper (founder and CEO of eScout) and GTWA president Dennis Jones (president and vice-chairman of Commerce One) reported that GTWA e-marketplace transactions have increased from 106,168 to 884,166 a 733-per cent increase when comparing January-June 2001 activity with the same time period in 2000.

The projected 2001-yearend transactions are expected to reach 2,140,500. The sales volume reported among GTWA member exchanges rose from $115,258,841 during the first two quarters in 2000 to $3,700,144,295 for the first two quarters in 2001 a 3,110-per cent increase. The projected 2001 yearend sales volume is expected to reach $6,238,433,526. The data offers a resounding endorsement of the strength of electronic commerce.

Speaking on the occasion, Kemper said: "The recent terrorist events throughout the world have heightened the dialogue concerning globalisation and trade, and the outlook for global trade is high in the thoughts of many. These data represent composite activity among GTWA members, who constitute the largest and most vigorous electronic trading network in the world. While we are extremely pleased with the accelerated rate of growth, we are not surprised."