MORE COMPETITION>>>>>>>>>>>>
BARNESANDNOBLE.COM STRIKES PREMIER DEAL WITH VIRTUAL EMPORIUM
BarnesandNoble.com to Become Premier Bookseller In Leading Secure
Online
Shopping Community
NEW YORK, Nov. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- BarnesandNoble.com, a subsidiary of
Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS) and Virtual Emporium today announced
the two companies have signed an agreement that makes
BarnesandNoble.com (http://www.barnesandnoble.com) the premier
bookseller in Virtual Emporium's online shopping community
(http://www.virtualemporium.com). Additionally, Virtual Emporium has
joined the BarnesandNoble.com Affiliate Network. Further details about
the agreement were not disclosed.
"BarnesandNoble.com is the premier bookseller online, providing
consumers with a convenient and secure online shopping experience,"
commented Tuck Richards, founder and CEO of Virtual Emporium. "Virtual
Emporium views this strategic agreement as a tremendous asset to our
online shopping community."
"Virtual Emporium extends its reach beyond the traditional Internet
shoppers by offering consumers the ability to shop online from its
flagship store in New York City, a network of ATCOM kiosks in public
facilities and soon-to-come mini-shops through Cybersmith," noted Carl
Rosendorf, vice president, new business development,
BarnesandNoble.com. "This strategic agreement with Virtual Emporium is
an important part of BarnesandNoble.com's goal to bring the benefits of
personalized e-commerce to the mass market."
About the Affiliate Network
Launched in September 1997, the BarnesandNoble.com Affiliate
Network creates co-branded marketing and bookselling opportunities for
the thousands of Web sites who see the profit potential of selling
books online by leveraging the rich features, turnkey fulfillment and
consumer brand of the world's leading bookseller. Companies spanning
general consumer, business- oriented and Internet-focused markets have
joined the best-known brand name in bookselling, earning commission on
every book sold for all sales transactions generated through links from
their site.
In addition to site-specific marketing programs, Affiliates have access
to BarnesandNoble.com's merchandising plans and the complete
BarnesandNoble.com search engine, consisting of all books currently
available from more than 10,000 publishers. BarnesandNoble.com enlists
a staff of account executives to work with affiliates to ensure that
their co-branded bookstores are successful.
About Virtual Emporium
Virtual Emporium promotes the development of online shopping with
consumers via resources like its Gift Finder, Sales and Specials, and
Shopping News sections. Consumers can also interact with
online-shopping specialists at Virtual Emporium's retail store at 412
Columbus Avenue in New York City. Virtual Emporium reports
online-shopper preferences and demographics to its vendor sites to
encourage improvements in site design and functionality.
Virtual Emporium, Inc., based in Cambridge, Mass., is a leading online
shopping community that packages cutting-edge, consumer-oriented
technologies with links to the best secure Web merchants. Virtual
Emporium also operates the world's first retail outlets for online
shopping as well as its Web site (http://www.virtualemporium.com),
kiosks, and mini-shops throughout the United States.
About BarnesandNoble.com
Since its inception in early 1997 as an online subsidiary of
Barnes & Noble, Inc., BarnesandNoble.com (www.barnesandnoble.com) has
continually introduced innovations to the online bookselling
marketplace. The company was the first to offer deep discounts online,
create compelling community environments, provide substantial inventory
on its shelves and deliver personalized e-commerce. BarnesandNoble.com
is the exclusive bookseller to America Online's 9 million Marketplace
customers (Keyword: BarnesandNoble) and runs its own Web site offering
books to customers worldwide.
Barnes & Noble, Inc. is the world's largest bookseller. It is the
leading operator of book superstores in America, with 455 stores
nationwide, in 48 states. It also operates 556 bookstores in shopping
malls. The company also publishes books under its own imprint for
exclusive sale through its retail stores and nationwide mail order
catalogs. General financial information on Barnes & Noble, Inc. can be
obtained via the Internet by visiting the company's investor relations
Web site: shareholder.com
SOURCE Barnes & Noble, Inc.
-0- 11/4/97 /CONTACT: For BarnesandNoble.com:
Elisa Klosterman or Cora Lee of Cunningham Communication, Inc.,
617-494-8202,eklosterman@ccipr.com, clee@ccipr.com or Rich Berkman of
Virtual Emporium, 617-441-9400, rich@virtualemporium.com/
(BKS)
CO: Barnes & Noble, Inc.; Virtual Emporium ST: New York,
Massachusetts IN: REA MLM SU: |
