Microsoft Announces Top Online Merchants Featured on MSN eShop

REDMOND, Wash., Nov. 2, 1999 — Microsoft Corp. today announced the first wave of leading retailers to participate in the newly launched MSN TM eShop shopping service on the MSN network of Internet services. Leading retailers, including 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Amazon.com, 800.COM, Eddie Bauer Online, Expedia.com TM , Garden.com, PETsMART.com, sears.com, ShopSports.com, Toysrus.com, ToyTime.com and wine.com have joined the growing group of MSN eShop-affiliated merchants. MSN eShop, launched today at http://eshop.MSN.com/ , is a full-featured shopping service that meets a previously unmet key need of consumers – the ability to easily find and buy exactly what they are looking for. Because consumers have access to an unprecedented shopping service on MSN eShop, merchant sites can expect highly qualified buyers to visit them. In addition, the integration with MSN means that merchants have access to the over 30 million consumers who visit the portal site each month.

“We are thrilled at the list of top merchants that have chosen to participate on MSN eShop,”
said Yusuf Mehdi, director of marketing for the Consumer and Commerce Group at Microsoft.
“Due to the unique combination of services and merchandising opportunities on MSN eShop and the phenomenal consumer traffic via the MSN portal, we are excited about being able to offer our consumers top-notch retailers to meet their shopping needs.”

MSN eShop Integrates Merchants’ Strengths With Consumer Demand

Leading online retailers are working with MSN because of the unique opportunity MSN eShop provides, with its deep integration with the product and contextual merchandising and exposure to millions of targeted shoppers. For example, if a person is shopping for a snowboard on MSN eShop, merchants have the opportunity to present targeted offers and promotions relating to snowboards. In addition, merchants are able to increase the visibility of their products and offers by placing advertising content on services across the MSN network, from the CarPoint TM online automotive service to the MoneyCentral TM online personal finance service to the Health channel.

“MSN eShop is a key part of our marketing strategy because it provides visibility to millions of qualified customers and it allows us to market to online consumers using our own merchandising concepts,”
said Chris McCann, senior vice president, 1-800-FLOWERS.COM.

New merchants will join industry leaders in receiving the following benefits from MSN eShop:

  • Network integration.

    One of the biggest benefits to MSN eShop-affiliated merchants is the exposure across the MSN network of services. For example, MSN Search results will provide relevant links to product categories on MSN eShop and Auctions, contextual merchandising will take shoppers directly to product offerings, and advertising will draw consumer attention to special offers and promotions.

  • Complete, timely delivery of information to consumers. MSN eShop includes more than links to merchant sites. The BizTalk TM industry e-commerce framework makes it easier for companies to conduct transactions, integrate applications and exchange data such as product specifications on MSN eShop. Using BizTalk, merchants provide current and detailed information about products and special offers, which makes it easy for shoppers to find and compare items they are interested in, delivering a highly qualified consumer to merchant sites. MSN eShop also includes a yellow pages directory so consumers can choose to purchase from local retail outlets, in addition to online merchants or auctions.

  • Flexible merchant options
    . Flexible options allow merchants to determine the appropriate levels of merchandising, sponsorship and advertising to promote their offerings to consumers across the MSN portal. Merchants also have the ability to work with MSN to provide new and timely content that changes as often as daily.

MSN eShop combines Microsoft’s strengths in technology with a top-notch service that provides tools to make it easy for consumers to find the right products. The merchant opportunities that integrate into this experience allow retailers to provide shoppers with complete and relevant information about their products and services.

The following online merchants are participating in MSN eShop: 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, 800.COM, Altrec.com, ALLOY.com, Amazon.com, AtYourOffice.com, Barnesandnoble.com, BigEdge.com, Birthdayexpress.com, Biscoff.Com, Bluefly, Bolt, Campmor, CDW.com, Cooking.com, Crutchfield.com, CyberShop, Eddie Bauer Online, eHobbies, ePhones, eToys.com, Fingerhut, FreeShop.com, FultonStreet.com, Furniture.com, FurnitureFind.com, gap.com, Garden.com, Gear.com, Godiva.com, Gymboree.com, Harry and David, HickoryFarms.com, ibeauty.com, ingredients.com, iTurf, Lifextension.com, Magazineoutlet.com, MediaBay, Mercata, Mondera.com, Moviesaver.com, Netmarket.com, OmahaSteaks.com, Outpost.com, paperStudio.com, PETsMART.com, Quick Gifts, QVC, RedEnvelope, REI.com, sears.com, Send.com, ShopSports.com, SimplyFamily.com, TooHome, Toysrus.com, ToyTime.com, Umbra.com, WatchZone and wine.com.

About MSN

MSN is the network of Internet services from Microsoft that helps people better organize the Web around what’s important to them. The network of MSN services, located on the Web at MSN.com ( http://MSN.com/ ), helps people easily stay in touch with friends and colleagues, make smart and secure purchasing decisions, and get more done. MSN offers award-winning e-

mail functionality; personal communications services; wireless services information; customizable access to news; popular sites for travel, investing, automotive services, shopping and more; an online community; a Web search engine and directories; and top-rated Internet access.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq
“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software – any time, any place and on any device.

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.

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