Press Release

ECI2 Selects Ariba and XMLSolutions to Power First Neutral Digital Exchange for the Office Products Industry

OPDXchange(TM) Digital Marketplace to Use Ariba® B2B Commerce Platform and XMLSolutions Translation Software to Link Manufacturers,

Wholesalers, Dealers and Corporate Customers

VIENNA--Va.--Nov. 7, 2000--(BUSINESS WIRE)--eCommerce Industries, Inc. (ECI2), the leading provider of e-commerce solutions for the office products industry, announced today that it has selected Ariba and XMLSolutions to provide the technology platform for the only neutral digital exchange for the office product industry, OPDXchange(TM).

Ariba is the leading business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce platform and network services provider, and XMLSolutions is a leading worldwide provider of software for conducting XML-based direct materials procurement.

OPDXchange, a subsidiary of ECI2, will combine comprehensive office products content and other information with advanced communication software and e-commerce capabilities to reduce costs, improve communications, and facilitate commerce for all participants in the office products supply chain. As a neutral and unbiased marketplace, OPDXchange will act as a trusted intermediary that brings equal value to both buyers and sellers of office products.

``Integrating XMLSolutions' software and Ariba's B2B platform into the OPDXchange(TM) Digital Marketplace is an important step in streamlining the buying and selling process for the office products industry,'' said John Sidgmore, chairman of ECI2 and president and CEO of OPDXchange. ``Based on an Ariba/XMLSolutions foundation, OPDXchange will quickly provide a neutral `any-to-any' marketplace with a low barrier-to-entry for corporate customers and office products dealers, wholesalers, and manufacturers.''

The Ariba B2B Commerce Platform software solution will provide the fundamental infrastructure of the exchange, while the XMLSolutions translation software will provide the EDI-to-XML translation necessary for industry players to interface with the exchange using their embedded infrastructure. ECI2 will also develop customized extensions to facilitate rapid and widespread market acceptance of OPDXchange.

``ECI2 is developing OPDXchange to meet the specific needs of the office products industry,'' said Ron Shelby, CEO of XMLSolutions. ``By allowing exchange members to use their EDI-based legacy systems, our translation software will reduce barriers-to-entry and enable participation by all industry players.''

``By utilizing the Ariba B2B Commerce Platform, ECI2 will enable buyers and suppliers in the office products industry to increase the value of their exchanges in a truly open, digital marketplace,'' said Brian Gentile, vice president of marketing for Ariba. ``We are pleased to contribute our leading technology to the OPDXchange Digital Marketplace and look forward to increased customer satisfaction and success as the result of our combined energy.''

About ECI2

eCommerce Industries, Inc. (ECI2) is the leading provider of information technology solutions to the office products industry. Through the development and application of leading edge e-commerce technologies, the company is changing how office products are bought and sold. Paula Jagemann is the company's President and CEO. John Sidgmore serves as ECI2's Chairman of the Board, President and CEO of OPDXchange, and Vice Chairman of WorldCom (NASD: WCOM - news) and Chairman of its Internet subsidiary, UUNET, the world's largest Internet communications company. The board of directors also includes Mory Ejabat, Chairman and CEO, Zhone Technologies and former CEO, Ascend Communications; Dan Rosen, General Partner, Frazier Technology Ventures and former GM, Microsoft Internet Research; Peter Barris, Managing General Partner, New Enterprise Associates, and Christina Jones, President and COO, pcOrder (NASDAQ: PCOR - news). ECI2 is the parent company of Distribution Data Management Systems (DDMS) and its sister companies, Silver Plus and O/PUS; ECI International; Internet Office Solutions and Services (IOS2); Online Office Supplies Company (OOSC); OPDXchange, and United Business Computers (UBC). ECI2 is based in Vienna, Virginia and is privately held. For more information, visit www.eci2.com, call 888-499-ECI2, or send email to info@eci2.com.

     ECI2
     Alecia Cooper, 703/270-3838
     alecia@eci2.com
        or
     The Merritt Group for ECI2
     Jayna Ontko, 703/556-6300
     ontko@merrittgrp.com