A method comprises making a set of personal profiles available, from at
least one buy-side user to at least one sell-side user, each personal
profile in the set of personal profiles including a first set of first
values for a plurality of information fields, the plurality of
information fields relating to commercial transactions. Based upon the at
least part of the set of personal profiles, the method receives a request
to enter into a trusted relationship from the at least one sell-side user
at the at least one buy-side user, and receives a set of trusted
relationship information from the at least one sell-side user at the at
least one buy-side user. The method sends the set of trusted relationship
information, from the at least one buy-side user to the at least one
sell-side user. The relationship includes a variable level of trust which
affects the amount of infrastructure functionality available to one or
more users and wherein the variable level of trust comprises a first
level of trust and a second level of trust and wherein the first level of
trust is set by the at least one buy-side user and the second level of
trust is set by the at least one sell-side user.