Pandesic e-business system debuts

Pandesic, the joint e-commerce venture of Intel (INTC) and SAP will roll out its first e-business system by month's end, the company said today at the Internet Commerce Expo in Los Angeles.

Pandesic executives also outlined the company?s pricing strategy, several new alliances, and its first customers.

Announced in August, the launch of Pandesic was intended to package SAP business application software with Intel-based PC hardware, enabling almost any company, whether fledgling or Fortune 500, to do business over the Internet.

Starting September 30, merchants will be able to take advantage of Pandesic's e-business system at an entry price of $25,000. Merchants will pay a monthly, transaction-based fee that will vary from a high of 6 percent to a low of 1 percent. The fee is based on Internet commerce revenue, for which merchants will receive continuing, "evergreen," service, according to company executives.

"Our evergreen service will provide our customers with certainty and reliability through ongoing service and support, in addition to a fast time-to-market with a two- to six-week installation," said Pandesic's president and CEO, Bryan Plug.

As reported in August by CNET's NEWS.COM, Pandesic initially will focus on U.S. companies selling hard goods to consumers, with rollouts to international markets and Web sites selling to other businesses planned within a year.

The 50-50 joint venture between Intel and SAP, based in Sunnyvale, California, has about 50 employees drawn equally from both parent companies. Chairman Harold Hughes, Intel's vice president of planning and logistics and a former CFO, will join former SAP America vice president Plug in leading Pandesic.

Company executives also announced new business with MultiVision Consulting, InfoEdge, and Thunderhouse in an effort to expand its sales, distribution and installation channels.