looking at this one ... not my usual ... as it's near 52 wk highs ... could be a CNBC play ... as they are on tomorrow
BKST
Tuesday December 21, 8:31 am Eastern Time
Company Press Release
SOURCE: Brookstone, Inc.
Brookstone.com Holiday Sales Increase Substantially -
E-Commerce Volume During Holiday Equivalent to
that of Six Retail Stores -
NASHUA, N.H., Dec. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Brookstone, Inc. (Nasdaq: BKST - news) today announced that Internet sales
through its e-commerce site, www.Brookstone.com, are surpassing expectations. Daily Internet sales are averaging
approximately $100,000 in December. November Internet sales alone exceeded 1998 total Internet sales. The Company
anticipates that e-commerce sales will contribute 2-3% of Holiday sales this year, up from less than one percent last year. This
level of volume is equivalent to the volume contributed from six retail stores versus last year's level that equaled less than one
store.
Over the last three weeks, Brookstone's base of registered e-commerce customers has risen by 30%, and, more importantly,
the number of repeat purchasers has also increased dramatically. Site traffic has increased both from Brookstone's
clicks-and-mortar strategy of successfully driving customers to its site through in-store advertising, catalogs, and other off-line
retail strategies such as its first-ever national advertising campaign. The Company's on-line co-marketing arrangements with
Internet-based companies such as Outpost.com (Nasdaq: COOL - news) and E*Trade (Nasdaq: EGRP - news) have also
yielded very strong results by broadening the reach of the Brookstone brand.
Michael Anthony, President and Chief Executive Officer, commented, ''We are very pleased with the success of
Brookstone.com. We believe that our Internet site acts synergistically with our stores and catalogs and that our customers
appreciate the convenience and ease of purchasing Brookstone products through the method that is easiest for them. Our
proven direct marketing infrastructure ensures that customers receive the same high level of customer service no matter how
they purchase their products.''
Brookstone, Inc. is a nationwide specialty retailer that operates 211 stores in 38 states and the District of Columbia. Typically
located in high-traffic regional shopping malls and airports, the stores feature unique and innovative consumer products. The
Company also operates a direct marketing business that consists of three catalogs, The Brookstone Gift Collection,
Hard-to-Find Tools and the recently acquired Gardeners Eden catalogs, as well as an e-commerce web site at
brookstone.com.
Statements in this release which are not historical facts, including statements about the Company's confidence or expectations,
anticipated operations of its e-commerce sites and those of third-party service providers, and other statements about the
Company's operational outlook, are forward-looking statements subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual
results to differ materially from those set forth in such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, without
limitation, risks of changing market conditions in the overall economy and the retail industry, consumer demand, the
effectiveness of e-commerce technology and marketing efforts, availability of products, availability of adequate transportation of
such products, unforeseen difficulties arising from the Company's or its vendors' systems as a result of the Year 2000 problem,
and other factors detailed from time to time in the Company's annual and other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of
the date thereof. The Company undertakes no obligations to publicly release any revisions to these forward-looking statements
or reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof.
|
