Monday December 15, 8:03 am Eastern Time
Company Press Release
SOURCE: Excite, Inc.
Attention Holiday Procrastinators!
Millions Find Refuge in Excite's Procrastinator's Corner; Take Comfort in Next-Day Deliveries
Shopping Procrastinators Unite Via Worldwide Chat
REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Dec. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Each holiday season, millions of Americans make a holiday gift list. They check it twice. Then, they procrastinate.
This year, Excite (Nasdaq: XCIT - news) is offering its Shopping Channel at www.excite.com as a quick solution and ray of hope for those who fell behind on holiday shopping, with services to help even the worst procrastinator. And to cure the isolation that often surrounds the dawdling gift-giver, Excite will offer procrastinators esprit de corps during a live, worldwide chat on Monday, Dec. 22.
Excite Shopping Channel's Procrastinator's Parade offers links to Web merchants that guarantee delivery by Christmas Eve / the day before Hanukkah, while the Excite Holiday Gift Guide eases the pressure of finding the perfect gift for ''that special someone.'' Say you're looking to spend no more than $50 on a particular person? Excite's Holiday Gift Guide will scour the Internet for items at that price point and return with gift suggestions that can be immediately ordered.
Or, shoppers can search among special interest categories such as gardening tools, and the Gift Guide will return a list of specific product recommendations. The Gift Guide also offers a gift list, comprising suggestions for him, her, babies & kids, friends & colleagues, and clients & customers alike, as well as a budgeting feature for easy and efficient shopping.
Procrastinator's Amnesty Day: December 22
Those who seek relief from the pressures that accompany procrastination will find solace on Dec. 22. Excite has declared Amnesty Day for the millions of shoppers who waited too long and will host a live, worldwide chat from 7- 7:30 p.m. PST with Excite founders, Graham Spencer and Joe Kraus. The two will lead the shopping-challenged to catharsis, providing encouragement as the shopping days dwindle.
They also will shed light on the 12 myths of online holiday shopping, showing procrastinators that online, last-minute shopping may be the solution they seek. On Amnesty Day, procrastinators will have one last chance for absolution and even receive a guarantee that the gifts they purchase will be delivered by Christmas Eve and the start of Hanukkah.
''Excite understands the stress and burdens of procrastination; the peer pressure to finally come through with the perfect gift -- on time,'' said Joe Kraus, senior vice president and co-founder of Excite.
''The Excite Shopping Channel relieves this pressure, and on Dec. 22, will give procrastinators amnesty for one day and a real chance, thanks to online shopping, to deliver on that holiday gift list.''
Excite shoppers can also trade tips and advise on a gift suggestions bulletin board.
Procrastination is Pervasive Problem for Americans
In a series of polls conducted during the last week on Excite, the truth about procrastination was uncovered with millions of respondents voicing their confessions.
DO YOU WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE TO DO YOUR HOLIDAY SHOPPING?
No, got it all done before Halloween: 12 percent
Yes, but I have a really good excuse: 51 percent
What's wrong with day-after Christmas sales? 37 percent
BEST WAY TO GET A JOB WITH SANTA CLAUS?
Mention that stint with the Keebler elves on your resume: 35 percent
Flash those photos of him kissing the Snow Queen: 43 percent
Don't be afraid to show a little ear in the interview: 22 percent
YOU PUT OFF YOUR HOLIDAY SHOPPING BECAUSE?
You've got an irrational fear of mall Santas: 31 percent
You just got a copy of your credit report: 39 percent
Scrooge is your hero: 30 percent
FAVORITE PLACE FOR LAST-MINUTE HOLIDAY SHOPPING?
Grocery store -- their flowers aren't that bad: 30 percent
Drugstore -- impostor perfume for Mom, Mylanta for you: 43 percent
Your closet -- you never wear that puce scarf anyway: 27 percent
WHAT'S THE WORST GIFT YOU'VE GIVEN BECAUSE YOU PROCRASTINATED:
Fruit cake or other grocery store purchased item: 52 percent
That orange sweater Aunt Marge gave you in '93: 24 percent
Corkscrew -- only nonperishable thing 7-11 had: 24 percent
Toys for Tots: Give to Toys for Tots This Holiday
A lot of things can be said about procrastinators, but one thing's for sure: they're a charitable lot. And Excite has even made donating easier with the Internet's First Official ''Digital Drop Off'' for Toys for Tots.
Through Dec. 21, daily visitors to the Excite Shopping Channel can send donations directly to Toys for Tots or locate drop-off points around the country. Now in its 50th year of providing toys to thousands of underprivileged children, Toys For Tots, run by the United States Marine Corps., knew it would take more than nine reindeer and a sleigh to meet the needs of these little ones, so it looked to the power of the Internet and Excite to spread the word.
About Excite Shopping Channel
The Excite Shopping Channel offers a safe and convenient online shopping service, arranged around 16 departments, including: automobiles, books, clothes, computers and software, flowers and gifts, music and movies and ''weird stuff.'' The secret behind the Shopping Channel is Excite Shopping Search powered by Jango, which received accolades from BusinessWeek and US News & World Report. Jango pulls requested product information for the shopper from multiple Internet sources simultaneously. The final results are presented to the shopper in an easy-to-browse report that typically includes product reviews, specifications, pricing, secure transaction information, and other essential shopping details. Results can be easily sorted by price, version or other specifics.
About Excite, Inc.
Founded in 1994, Excite, Inc. is an Internet media company which offers the Web's first free online service. The Excite Network consists of Excite's two flagship brands, Excite (http://www.excite.com), and WebCrawler (http://webcrawler.com). Localized versions of Excite are also available internationally for the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Sweden, Netherlands, Australia and Japan. Based in Redwood City, Calif., Excite, Inc. (Nasdaq: XCIT - news) has strategic relationships with America Online, Inc., Intuit Inc. [Nasdaq:INTU - news], Tribune Company [NYSE:TRB - news], CUC Investments Inc., Apple Computer, Inc. and Netscape Communications Corp [Nasdaq:NSCP - news].
THE 12 MYTHS OF ONLINE HOLIDAY SHOPPING:
1. YOU CAN'T FIND EVERYTHING YOU WANT ONLINE.
TRUTH: More than 150 Web merchants are waiting for you to stroll through their virtual doors. Just point your browser to www.excite.com and click on the Shopping Channel to find gift to buy online! You can search by item, price, recipient or special interest. Or, do some ''virtual'' window shopping and check out the various merchant ''store fronts!''
2. YOU MUST PLAN AHEAD TO SHIP GIFTS TO YOUR LOVED ONES, FRIENDS AND
FAMILY.
TRUTH: Thanks to the Procrastinator's Parade on the Excite Shopping Channel, you can order gifts as late as December 22 for delivery on Christmas Eve and the day before Hanukkah. If you can get your order in before 10 a.m. EST, 24-hour delivery is also guaranteed by 911 Gifts, Amazon Books, J. Crew, Music Boulevard, The Gap, and Cyberian Outpost to name a few. Or, if you've got some extra time, 48-hour delivery is available from Eddie Bauer, GolfWeb and many others.
3. THERE'S NO ONE TO HELP WHEN I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO BUY FOR MY OFFICE
MATE.
TRUTH: Services like the Excite Shopping Channel's Gift Guide act as your personal shopping assistant. Just specify the gender, interests and amount you want to spend and the Gift Guide will scour the Internet and return a list of specific product recommendations. Or, you can exchange gift ideas with other shoppers via the Gift Suggestions bulletin board.
4. IT COSTS MORE TO SHOP ONLINE.
TRUTH: It doesn't cost more to shop online. In fact, Excite Shopping Search powered by Jango scours the Internet for the best prices on many covered items, returning a list of merchants offering the product at the lowest price -- something you can't get in the physical world. It's like having your own comparison shopper at your fingertips!
5. THERE AREN'T ENOUGH SHOPPING DAYS LEFT -- ONLINE OR IN LINE.
TRUTH: Since you can shop 'round the clock online, you actually add valuable hours and days to the shopping time left before the holidays.
6. NO GIFT WRAP, FANCY BOWS OR PERSONALIZED GREETING CARDS CAN ACCOMPANY
ONLINE GIFTS.
TRUTH: You can have your presents gift wrapped and even personalize the card all with the click of your mouse.
7. YOU CAN'T SEE, FEEL, OR TOUCH YOUR GIFTS.
TRUTH: Thanks to advances in online technology, you can see your gift, in various colors, and read all about its specifications (texture, size, etc.) in the product reviews and information provided by Excite Shopping Search.
8. MY FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS AREN'T SECURE ONLINE.
TRUTH: The Excite Shopping Channel offers the most comprehensive Certified Merchant Program on the Web today. To qualify, merchants must offer secure transaction technology and meet rigorous customer service requirements including email verification and processing of orders within one business day.
9. YOU CAN'T MAKE RETURNS.
TRUTH: Decide you don't like the color? Returns, refunds and exchanges are no problem with many web merchants. Just refer to the packing slip included in your purchase.
10. SANTA CAN'T BE TRUSTED WITH MY VISA ONLINE.
TRUTH: Excite guarantees against credit card fraud with the Excite Safe Shopping Guarantee. If your credit card company determines that fraudulent use of your credit card occurred as a result of a transaction from one of Excite's Certified Merchants, Excite will reimburse you for any fraud liability that the credit card company does not cover, up to a maximum of $50.
11. IT TAKES MORE TIME TO SHOP ONLINE.
TRUTH: When you add up the time it takes to drive to the mall, find a parking place, browse among hundreds of other shoppers and wait in the register line, you just might be willing to settle for the minute or so that it takes to dial up the Internet!
12. THERE ARE NO SALES ON DECEMBER 26.
TRUTH: Shop online 'til you drop, even the day after, and every day, 24- hours a day.
SOURCE: Excite, Inc. |
