Microsoft Teams With Industry Leaders To Deliver Broadest Range of E-Commerce Solutions to Customers Today

SAN FRANCISCO, March 4, 1999 — Customers around the world today are experiencing the benefits of working with Microsoft Corp. and its partners to deploy innovative e-commerce solutions that meet their business challenges. Currently, customers are working with more than 100 leading independent software vendors (ISVs), eight global alliance partners, 70 hosting service providers, and thousands of Microsoft® Certified Solution Providers (MCSPs) to develop e-commerce solutions based on Microsoft technologies. By using the Microsoft platform, businesses seeking state-of-the-art e-commerce solutions have access to the broadest range of commerce products and services in the industry. Customers looking to implement commerce solutions should visit http://www.microsoft.com/dns/commerce/ for more information.

“Today, Microsoft and its partners are helping customers realize the promise of e-commerce,” said Bob Herbold, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Microsoft. “Our platform, combined with the skill and experience of our partners, allows customers to benefit from best-of-breed products and services to rapidly deploy affordable, integrated solutions that scale to meet the broadest range of customer need.”

Microsoft: Commerce Platform Momentum

Microsoft’s new e-commerce products and services build on the fast-growing momentum of its current commerce platform, which consists of the Windows NT® Server operating system version 4.0 and the application server technologies, in addition to Site Server Commerce Edition version 3.0 and SQL Server

version 7.0. Thousands of businesses today are using the platform for business-to-consumer and business-to-business e-commerce. Dell Computer Corp., for example, currently uses the platform to generate upwards of $14 million per day in online sales and to enable a strong self-service model for consumers and businesses, and 1-800-FLOWERS averaged 100,000 shoppers per day on its site during the week of 14 Feb., 1999.

Industry-Leading Vendor Support for the Microsoft Commerce Platform

ISVs, MCSPs and global alliance partners use Microsoft commerce technologies to develop and deploy e-commerce sites that help organizations streamline business operations and better serve their customers and partners. More than 100 ISVs, including the top ERP vendors (The Baan Co., J.D. Edwards & Co., SAP AG and PeopleSoft Inc.), as well as leading corporate purchasing ISVs (Clarus Corp., Commerce One Inc. and Concur Technologies Inc.), and Great Plains Software Inc. are developing commerce applications for Site Server Commerce Edition and Commerce Interchange Pipeline.

In addition, more than 180 ISVs and system integrators are members of the Microsoft Value Chain Initiative (VCI), a consortium of customers and leading vendors dedicated to providing a framework that allows companies to integrate applications and link entire value chains of trading partners. More than 600 ISVs are supporting and building applications on the Microsoft Windows® Distributed interNet Applications (Windows DNA) architecture in various industries, including financial services, health care, manufacturing, energy, retail and distribution.

Global Alliance Partners

Microsoft’s global alliance partners help the largest companies implement strategic solutions for e-commerce, including direct marketing, selling and service, corporate procurement, and supply chain. Through its alliances with global systems integrators, consulting firms, and other enterprise services organizations, Microsoft is able to provide high-end e-commerce solutions that enable organizations to forge stronger relationships with their own customers and partners. Partners focused on Microsoft-based commerce solutions and services include Amdahl Corp. and DMR Consulting (an Amdahl company), Cambridge Technology Partners, Compaq Computer Corp., Ernst & Young LLP, ICL, KPMG LLP, NCR Corp. and USWeb/CKS.

Microsoft Certified Solution Providers

Around the world, MCSPs are implementing business-to-business and business-to-consumer commerce solutions for midsize and enterprise businesses. Customers say the ability to work with independent experts is a competitive advantage, as they can pick the company or companies with the experience most applicable to their e-commerce needs. MCSPs have played a crucial role in bringing commerce solutions to customers. As of today, thousands of MCSPs have experience working with e-commerce related solutions and services, and nearly 200 MCSPs have deployed Microsoft commerce solutions using Site Server Commerce Edition.

Companies such as Rand McNally & Co. and 800.COM Inc. have turned to MCSPs for
e-commerce solutions that expand business, decrease costs and leave room for company growth. Rand McNally found that in the six months it has been operating its e-commerce solution, implemented by Snickelways Interactive, sales have increased, order-processing costs have decreased and the site has paid for itself. 800.COM similarly benefited from its e-commerce site, built by STEP Technology; the site has attracted 100,000 new customers and is averaging nearly 10,000 visitors per day.

“Microsoft offers the best e-commerce platform for customers and enables us to build a variety of solutions,” said David Fry, president, Fry Multimedia Inc., an MCSP that recently developed the Eddie Bauer e-commerce site. “Beyond the platform, Microsoft provides the most comprehensive business and technical resources to help its channel partners succeed. We’ve seen our business grow as customers in need of e-commerce solutions are seeking out Microsoft solutions.”

Hosting Service Providers

Responding to demand from customers, Microsoft announced in January the availability of Complete Commerce, a packaged e-commerce solution for medium-sized to large enterprise businesses looking to host commerce-enabled Web sites through hosting service providers. More than 70 commerce-hosting providers now support the Microsoft platform. In addition, Microsoft has teamed with 10 commerce-hosting service providers, including Compaq Computer Corp., Intel Corp. and USWeb/CKS, to help customers build commerce-enabled Web sites. For more information, please visit http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/1999/jan99/isppartnerspr.htm .

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing.

Microsoft, Windows NT and Windows are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.

Other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/ on Microsoft’s corporate information pages.

Microsoft Commerce Business Applications Partners

ACCESS http://www.dsign.com/

ACCPAC International http://www.accpac.com/

Active Software Inc. http://www.active-software.com/

AIT GmbH http://www.aitgmbh.de/

ATIO Corp. http://www.atio.com/

The Baan Co. http://www.baan.com/

BOV GmbH http://www.bov.de/

Calico Technology Inc. http://www.calicotech.com/

Clarify Inc. http://www.clarify.com/

Clarus Corp. http://www.claruscorp.com/

ClearCommerce Corp. http://www.clearcommerce.com/