Commerce One to Cut Staff by Nearly a Third

Commerce One Inc., which makes software used for buying business supplies over the Internet, said it will fire nearly one-third of its staff after first-quarter sales plummeted 81%. The job cuts will reduce Commerce One’s work force to about 1,100. Commerce One had a loss of $220.6 million, or 77 cents a share, in the quarter ended March 31, compared with a loss of $228.5 million, or $1.02, a year earlier. Sales plunged to $31.8 million from $170.3 million.