Business-to-Business Transactions Grew 13 percent in 2005

Business-to-business transactions increased by 13 percent in 2005, according to a report released last week by Abacus. Despite this double digit growth in transactions, B-to-B sales grew just 9 percent. Other details revealed in the report:

* Small businesses made purchases accounting for 81 percent of revenue, an increase of 11 percent from 2004;
* Small businesses accounted for a 16 percent increase in Web sales;
* Small business customers spent $566 million in direct transactions in 2005;
* Medium businesses spent $52 million;
* Large businesses spent $77 million; and
* 40 percent of B-to-B sales took place on the Web in 2005, compared to 31 percent of B-to-C sales.