Architecture and method for product catalog web service

A method for producing a web service comprising:

• providing at least one client computer in communication with a computer network;
• receiving a product catalog request from the client via the computer network;
• identifying the client;
• extracting data from a central product catalog database to fill a client-specific product catalog;
• generating a client-specific product catalog;
• and
• sending the client-specific product catalog to the client computer via the computer network in response to the request.

An apparatus for producing a product catalog web service comprising;

• at least one server computer in communication with a computer network;
• an interface module in communication with the server computer, the interface module comprising software for receiving a service request for a product catalog from a client, passing the service request to at least one other component of the apparatus, and passing a product catalog to the client in response to the product catalog service request;
• an implementation module in communication with the interface module, the implementation module comprising software for assimilating data provided by at least one other component of the apparatus into a product catalog in response to the service request;
• and
• a fulfillment module in communication with the implementation module, the fulfillment module comprising software for extracting client-specific data from a central product catalog database in response to the service request and providing the extracted data to the implementation module.