Initiating an agreement in an e-commerce environment

1. A method for initiation of an agreement utilizing a network, comprising:

(a) allowing a buyer and a seller to negotiate terms of a trade utilizing a network, wherein on-line term negotiation forms may be traded via a network as buyer and seller negotiate a transaction;

(b) receiving from the buyer the form indicating the terms of trade utilizing the network;

(c) receiving an identifier from the buyer utilizing the network;

(d) sending the form to a bank for assessing the credit of the buyer utilizing the network, wherein the bank to which the credit application is sent is based on the identifier;

(e) forwarding the form to the seller along with the assessment of the credit of the buyer utilizing the network;

(f) allowing the seller to digitally sign the form utilizing the network;

(g) receiving the digitally signed form from the seller utilizing the network;

(h) transmitting a notice to the buyer indicating that the digitally signed form has been received from the seller, thus initiating the agreement;

(i) verifying the credit of the seller utilizing the network; and

(j) allowing the buyer to select from a group of options in order to settle an account utilizing the network, wherein the options include settling a minimum balance, partially settling, settling a full balance, and applying for an import loan on payment due date.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the network includes a wide area network.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 , and further comprising authenticating an identity of the buyer prior to sending the form to the bank.

4. A method as recited in claim 3 , wherein the identity is authenticated by requiring the submission of an identifier and a password.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the form is a combined purchase order proforma invoice.

6. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium for initiation of an agreement utilizing a network, comprising:

(a) a code segment for allowing a buyer and a seller to negotiate terms of a trade utilizing a network, wherein on-line term negotiation forms may be traded via a network as buyer and seller negotiate a transaction;

(b) a code segment for receiving from the buyer the form indicating the terms of trade utilizing the network;

(c) a code segment for receiving an identifier from the buyer utilizing the network;

(d) a code segment for sending the form to a bank for assessing the credit of the buyer utilizing the network, wherein the bank to which the credit application is sent is based on the identifier;

(e) a code segment for forwarding the form to the seller along with the assessment of the credit of the buyer utilizing the network;

(f) a code segment for allowing the seller to digitally sign the form utilizing the network;

(g) a code segment for receiving the digitally signed form from the seller utilizing the network;

(h) a code segment for transmitting a notice to the buyer indicating that the digitally signed form has been received from the seller, thus initiating the agreement;

(i) a code segment for verifying the credit of the seller utilizing the network; and

(j) a code segment for allowing the buyer to select from a group of options in order to settle an account utilizing the network, wherein the options include settling a minimum balance, partially settling, settling a full balance, and applying for an import loan on payment due date.

7. A computer program as recited in claim 6 , wherein the network includes a wide area network.

8. A computer program as recited in claim 6 , and further comprising a code segment for authenticating an identity of the buyer prior to sending the form to the bank.

9. A computer program as recited in claim 8 , wherein the identity is authenticated by requiring the submission of an identifier and a password.

10. A computer program as recited in claim 6 , wherein the form is a combined purchase order proforma invoice.

11. A system for initiation of an agreement utilizing a network, comprising a tangible medium having embedded therein the following machine readable logic:

(a) logic for allowing a buyer and a seller to negotiate terms of a trade utilizing a network, wherein on-line term negotiation forms may be traded via a network as buyer and seller negotiate a transaction;

(b) logic for receiving from the buyer the form indicating the terms of trade utilizing the network;

(c) logic for receiving an identifier from the buyer utilizing the network;

(d) logic for sending the form to a bank for assessing the credit of the buyer utilizing the network, wherein the bank to which the credit application is sent is based on the identifier;

(e) logic for forwarding the form to the seller along with the assessment of the credit of the buyer utilizing the network;

(f) logic for allowing the seller to digitally sign the form utilizing the network;

(g) logic for receiving the digitally signed form from the seller utilizing the network;

(h) logic for transmitting a notice to the buyer indicating that the digitally signed form has been received from the seller, thus initiating the agreement;

(i) logic for verifying the credit of the seller utilizing the network; and

(j) logic for allowing the buyer to select from a group of options in order to settle an account utilizing the network, wherein the options include settling a minimum balance, partially settling, settling a full balance, and applying for an import loan on payment due date.

12. A system as recited in claim 11 , wherein the network includes a wide area network.

13. A system as recited in claim 11 , and further comprising logic for authenticating an identity of the buyer prior to sending the form to the bank.

14. A system as recited in claim 13 , wherein the identity is authenticated by requiring the submission of an identifier and a password.

15. A system as recited in claim 11 , wherein the form is a combined purchase order proforma invoice.