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To: StockRepairShop_Dot_Com who wrote (32432)	10/8/1999 12:36:00 AM
From: puborectalis	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 41369

Rebate offer fuels CompuServe comeback Copyright © 1999 Nando Media Copyright © 1999 Associated Press From Time to Time: Nando's in-depth look at the 20th century By ANICK JESDANUN NEW YORK (October 7, 1999 8:46 p.m. EDT nandotimes.com) - The CompuServe online service is making a comeback in North America, propelled by an offer for rebates on the purchase of new computers, CompuServe operators said Thursday. America Online Inc. said the service's net membership grew by 300,000 in United States and Canada in the July-September quarter, the most growth since AOL bought CompuServe. The company attributed more than half of the growth to the promotion. The number of CompuServe subscribers had been steadily declining for years; when AOL announced the purchase in late 1997, it inherited 2.6 million subscribers. Worldwide membership was about 2 million before the spike last quarter, AOL said. While it provided North American figures, it did not provide a comparable worldwide total. "CompuServe is in the midst of a dramatic and really successful turnaround," said Audrey Weil, AOL senior vice president and general manager for CompuServe. "We have revitalized and repositioned this business." In an announcement at the Internet World conference, she said CompuServe will try to lure additional customers by offering instant rebates for the first time. Currently, customers must mail in a form. CompuServe offers $400 off certain computers with a three-year commitment to the $21.95 monthly service, which costs $790 for three years. Someone buying an eMachines computer, which starts at $399, effectively gets the computer for free, although the monitor is not included and can cost $100 to $300. The company, which is not alone in offering rebates, also offers a $100 rebate for a one-year commitment. The rebates apply only to computers bought at certain retailers or directly through certain manufacturers. Earlier this week, CompuServe extended the program to some Apple Macintosh computers, including the iMac marketed for home Internet use.