America Online and Gap Inc.Announce Multi-Year Partnership; Gap Inc. Brands to Become AnchorTenants On New Shop@AOL Marketplace
August 26, 1999 08:32 AM
DULLES, Va. and SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 26, 1999-- America Online, Inc. AOL and Gap Inc. GPS today announced a three-year commerce and marketing agreement that will bring Gap Inc.'s brands -- Gap, Banana Republic and Old Navy -- to the world's largest online shopping destination: Shop@AOL marketplace.
The agreement gives Gap Inc. anchor and other premier placements within each of America Online's new comprehensive e-commerce destinations: Shop@AOL, Shop@AOL.com, Shop@Netscape.com and Shop@CompuServe. Gap Inc.'s brands will have prominent positions in the Men's and Women's areas of the Apparel Department as well as in the Babies, Kids, and Teen Boys and Girls apparel areas.
Gap's newest concept, GapBody, will also be promoted in the Lingerie area. The two companies will also work together on innovative ways to reach consumers and expand e-commerce.
"Gap Inc. is one of the best-known retailers in the country. It offers exactly the kind of quality, selection and customer service that AOL users have come to know and trust," said Bob Pittman, AOL's President and Chief Operating Officer. "We're delighted to work with an innovative company like Gap Inc. to give consumers more reason than ever to shop online with AOL."
"We're always looking for more ways to make shopping easier for our customers, and with AOL, we've found a partner who shares that same philosophy," said Jeanne Jackson, CEO of Gap Inc. Direct. "This relationship will provide a whole new level of ease and accessibility in online shopping."
The new Shop@AOL marketplace began rolling out to consumers in mid-July with the introduction of the new Apparel and Kids areas, and will culminate with the introduction of new shopping services in October 1999.
Once the rollout is complete, the Shop@AOL destination, with the most complete shopping experience online, will be available to the more than 46 million people who use AOL's network of interactive brands every month, or 70 percent of all those who visit online services or Web sites every month, according to Media Metrix research.
As a result of its extensive reach, Shop@AOL will be the largest consumer shopping destination in the world, and the most important online retail channel for merchants.
About America Online, Inc.
Founded in 1985, America Online, Inc., based in Dulles, Virginia, is the world's leader in interactive services, Web brands, Internet technologies, and e-commerce services.
America Online, Inc. operates: two worldwide Internet services, America Online, with more than 18 million members, and CompuServe, with approximately 2 million members; several leading Internet brands including ICQ, Digital City, Inc., Spinner.com, and Winamp; the Netscape Netcenter and AOL.COM portals; and the Netscape Navigator and Communicator browsers.
Through its strategic alliance with Sun Microsystems, the Company develops and offers easy-to-deploy, end-to-end e-commerce and enterprise solutions for companies operating in the Net Economy.
About Gap Inc.
Gap Inc. is an international specialty retailer offering clothing, accessories and personal care products for men, women, children and babies under the Gap, Banana Republic and Old Navy brand names. Gap Inc. operates more than 2,600 stores in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, France, Germany and Japan, with 1998 sales exceeding $9.1 billion.
In the United States, customers also may shop the Gap Online store at gap.com.
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