Ariba and Descartes to Link B2B E-Commerce and Internet Logistics Infrastructures

Strategic Alliance to Allow Buyers, Suppliers and Marketplaces to Efficiently Manage Complete Commerce Cycle -- From Order Placement Through Delivery and Payment

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA and WATERLOO, Ontario, May 23, 2000 /PR Newswire/

Ariba, Inc. (Nasdaq: ARBA - news), the leading business-to-business (B2B) eCommerce platform provider, and the Descartes Systems Group Inc. (Nasdaq: DSGX - news; Toronto: DSG - news), the leading provider of Internet logistics solutions, today announced a strategic alliance to link buyers, suppliers, and B2B marketplaces on the Ariba B2B Commerce Platform(TM) with transportation carriers, shippers and logistics providers connected to the Descartes Global Logistics Network.

Integrating the two industry-leading B2B infrastructures will help dramatically improve the ability of buyers, suppliers and B2B marketplaces to manage the full cycle of commercial transactions -- from ordering merchandise, to triggering and processing payments, to delivering the goods -- increasing their ability to better serve their customers and uncover new revenue opportunities.

"This alliance is evidence of how quickly marketplace interoperability is being forged among the industry's most dominant players," said Lara Abrams, senior analyst, Aberdeen Group. "By connecting buyers, suppliers and market makers to Descartes' vast network of freight carriers and logistics providers, Ariba delivers a critical component of B2B eCommerce."

"We are confident that Ariba and Descartes will provide powerful solutions to enable net marketplaces," said Brian Kinsey, president and CEO, CarrierPoint, a leading logistics exchange and digital marketplace for the trucking industry. "Having the ability to leverage integrated logistics management services and gain access to the combined networks of Ariba and Descartes will help us deliver more comprehensive logistics capabilities to our customers. We look forward to expanding our current relationship with Ariba to include services jointly developed by Ariba and Descartes."

Under the agreement, Ariba will deliver a suite of new Web-hosted services -- expected to be called Ariba Logistics and Fulfillment Services, Powered by Descartes -- through the Ariba Commerce Services Network(TM) (Ariba CSN). Buyers, suppliers, and B2B marketplaces will have access to a variety of logistics and fulfillment services they can integrate into the transaction process. Planned services include global visibility of order status, exception-based performance monitoring, total shipment cost calculation, delivery optimization, and Internet-based transportation management. These services are expected to be available to users on a subscription and/or transaction fee basis.

Descartes' B2B Internet logistics infrastructure will also be linked to Ariba CSN, enabling seamless connectivity and logistics network visibility between buyers, suppliers, B2B marketplaces and logistics providers. In addition, Ariba and Descartes plan to collaborate to develop future commerce network services that further facilitate B2B eCommerce.

"With this alliance we are continuing to aggressively execute on our strategy to develop new, open, Web-hosted commerce services that enable today's trading partners to fully realize the benefits of B2B eCommerce," said Keith Krach, chairman and CEO, Ariba. "Descartes' industry-leading logistics services and global logistics networks will be a significant enhancement the Ariba B2B Commerce Platform, enabling us to help our customers complete the commerce cycle."

"The Descartes-Ariba alliance brings together Ariba's buyer, supplier and market maker community with Descartes' customers linked to the Global Logistics Network, connecting the demand for logistics with the aggregated logistics capacity of the Global Logistics Network," said Peter Schwartz, Chairman and CEO, Descartes Systems Group. "This Strategic alliance enables global efficiencies and increased trade opportunities for all participants in the combined networks."

Ariba Logistics and Fulfillment Services, Powered by Descartes will streamline and improve the commerce process for B2B eCommerce organizations. Buyers can improve supply chain efficiencies and lower shipping costs, suppliers can increase customer satisfaction and revenues from B2B commerce, marketplaces can differentiate themselves from their competitors and increase their transaction volumes; and carriers and logistics service providers can serve their customers more effectively and increase their access to buyers, suppliers, and marketplaces.

SOURCE: Ariba, Inc.

About Descartes

Descartes is a leading provider of end-to-end logistics solutions that facilitate B2B e-commerce. Descartes' e-fulfillment software and exchange solutions enable companies to create high-speed, high-performance fulfillment networks called DeliveryNets. DeliveryNet solutions empower organizations to deliver reliable, responsive customer service in a profitable manner and to create innovative new products and services. Descartes products are licensed today by more than 1,000 companies in 35 vertical industries in over 50 countries worldwide. For more information about Descartes, visit www.descartes.com.

About Ariba, Inc.

Ariba, Inc. is the leading business-to-business (B2B) eCommerce platform provider. Through the Ariba B2B Commerce Platform -- an open, end-to-end infrastructure of interoperable software solutions and hosted Web-based commerce services -- the company enables efficient online trade, integration and collaboration between B2B marketplaces, buyers, suppliers and commerce service providers. The global reach and best-of-breed functionality of the Ariba B2B Commerce Platform creates Internet-driven economies of scale and process efficiencies for leading companies around the world, including more than 20 of the FORTUNE 100. Ariba can be contacted in the U.S. at 650-930-6200 or at www.ariba.com.

    Cecilia Denny, Ariba Public Relations   Phone: (650) 930-8403
    Elisse Fulop, Benchmark Porter Novelli for Ariba, Inc.   Phone: (416) 423-6605

SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT: Information in this release may involve expectations, beliefs, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. All forward-looking statements included in this release are based upon information available to Ariba and Descartes as of the date of the release, and we assume no obligation to update any such forward-looking statement. The statements in this release are not guarantees of future performance and actual results could differ materially from the company's current expectations. Numerous factors could cause or contribute to such differences. Some of the factors and risks associated with Ariba's business are discussed in its registration statement on Form S-1 declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on June 22, 1999, and in the other reports filed by it from time to time with the SEC. Some of the factors and risks associated with Descartes' business are discussed in the "risk factors" section in documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Ontario Securities Commission, and other securities commissions across Canada.

NOTE: Ariba and the Ariba logo are registered trademarks of Ariba, Inc. in the United States and other countries. Ariba B2B Commerce Services Network is a trademark of Ariba, Inc. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

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