The study, the fourth conducted by the two organizations, found that the number of buying organizations that used the Internet to collaborate with suppliers grew from 43.6% in the second quarter of 2001 to 49.5% in the third quarter ending September 30.

Large-volume buyers reported the most significant increase in online collaboration with suppliers – climbing from 46.4% in 2Q to 63.5% in 3Q. Overall, manufacturers reported an increase from 40% in 2Q to 52.4% in 3Q. Despite the slowing economy, the total number of procurement organizations using online tools increased.

Interestingly, however, the statistics indicate that buyers may be pulling away from online marketplaces in favorite of private online channels. The number of organizations that reported using online marketplaces fell to 23% in 3Q, down from 25.2% in 2Q. Organizations that buy in large volumes showed the greatest decline, from 30.5% to 24.8%. Use of online auctions dropped from 20% to 17.4%, mostly because of a decline in activity among small buyers.

Forrester pointed at that the majority of buying activity has switched from mere procurement to more sophisticated collaborative activities. “E-procurement represented only the first wave of online activities,” observed Bruce D. Temkin, Group Director at Forrester. “We are now seeing the start of the next wave – collaboration – in which buyers will use the Net to redefine how they interact with suppliers.”

Edith Kelly-Green, Vice President and Chief Sourcing Officer for FedEx, said she believes the switch “indicates an awareness that successful use of the Internet requires a partnership between the buyer and the seller with benefits to both.”

That certainly is a switch from the days when most people assumed the Internet would concentrate power in the hands of buyers – a belief still held by many. It will be interesting to see if future surveys add weight to her theory.