Bigstep.com Selects CheckSpace as Exclusive E-Check Provider
Relationship Brings E-Checks to Thousands of Small Businesses
BELLEVUE, Wash., Jan. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- CheckSpace, Inc., the premier
ePayments service for small businesses and their customers, today announced
that Bigstep.com, the award-winning small-business services company and web
hosting-services provider, has selected CheckSpace as its exclusive electronic
check provider. CheckSpace's ePayments service offers Bigstep.com's more than
250,000 small-business merchants and their customers the option to send and
receive payments directly from existing checking accounts, providing them the
same payment options online as they have offline.
With rapid growth -- Bigstep.com registers nearly 1,000 small businesses a
day -- and with business partners such as America Online and Compaq, the
company boasts the most extensive reach of any online small-business-services
site.
"Small-business owners are quickly moving to the web to run and grow their
business," said Lucy Reid, CEO of Bigstep.com. "Sending and receiving
payments online with vendors and customers is a natural extension of how small
businesses are using the Internet. Bigstep.com considered all the electronic
check providers, and CheckSpace's ePayments service stood out because it
provided the deepest functionality and will easily integrate into our existing
platform."
"Our partnership with Bigstep.com is a natural fit, as both companies are
intensely focused on creating technology to ignite the power of small
businesses on the Internet," said Naseem Tuffaha, CEO and cofounder of
CheckSpace. "CheckSpace is committed to partnering with leaders in the
small-business space, and Bigstep.com's endorsement validates CheckSpace's
position as the premier ePayments service available for small businesses."
The CheckSpace ePayments service will be integrated with the Bigstep.com
shopping cart later this year. In addition, Bigstep.com will immediately
promote CheckSpace to its existing merchants, and new Bigstep.com members will
have the ability to sign up for CheckSpace during the registration process.
With a flat fee structure, CheckSpace presents a low-cost payment option
for online merchants. Moreover, amid mounting concern over Internet fraud,
CheckSpace provides superior protection against unauthorized transactions,
since financial data is stored offline. CheckSpace members are fully
protected by the CheckSpace Guarantee, which includes $100,000 of coverage
against unauthorized transactions through Lloyd's of London WebFunds
insurance.
About Bigstep.com
A business-services company that is leading the movement of small
businesses to the Web, Bigstep.com is a do-it-yourself, online service center
where small companies can build business web sites, communicate with
customers, market their sites, perform credit card transactions, track
visitors and more. Based in San Francisco, Bigstep.com was listed as one of
"The Best of 2000" in web development by PC Magazine and also made its "Top
100 Web Sites" list for 2000. Bigstep.com has also earned Home Office
Computing's Gold award, Computer Currents' Readers' Choice Award, and PC
Computing's MVP Finalist award. The company is privately held and funded by
Worldview Technology Partners, InterWest Partners, Cardservice International,
Compaq Computers, Office Depot, U.S. Venture Partners, Mayfield Fund, The
Washington Post Company, Angel Investors, LP, Partech International, Draper
Richards, Argus Capital, Staenberg Private Capital and private investors.
About CheckSpace, Inc.
CheckSpace, Inc. (http://www.checkspace.com) is the premier ePayments
service for small businesses and their customers. CheckSpace's secure,
comprehensive payment service allows small businesses to get paid faster by
providing an electronic alternative to paper checks. CheckSpace integrates
with major small-business accounting software programs and productivity
applications such as QuickBooks and Microsoft Office. By enabling electronic
payments from a PC or wireless device between any two parties, CheckSpace
allows its members to pay anyone, anywhere. CheckSpace offers free
memberships, flat transaction fees, and a quick sign-up process. The company
is privately held and funded by Voyager Capital, Northwest Venture Associates,
Kellet Investment Corporation, Staenberg Venture Partners, and prominent angel
investors.
SOURCE CheckSpace, Inc.
-0- 01/22/2001
/CONTACT: Daniel P. Mullen of Barokas Public Relations, 206-264-8220, or
daniel@barokas.com, for CheckSpace, Inc.; or Brian Riseland of CheckSpace,
Inc., 425-643-9905, ext. 202, or brianr@checkspace.com ; or Anna O'Neil of
Bigstep.com, 415-229-8500, or annamoneil@bigstep.net/
/Web site: checkspace.com
CO: CheckSpace, Inc.; Bigstep.com
ST: Washington
IN: MLM FIN
SU: CON
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