NTT Software and Stumpworld Provide New Dimension to Internet Retailing Through Live Celebrity Chat
PALO ALTO, CALIF. (Oct. 5) BUSINESS WIRE -Oct. 5, 1998--
One of People Magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People" To Promote
Products For BuyItOnline At Fall Internet World '98
NTT Software Corporation, a subsidiary of Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation, and Stumpworld Systems Inc. announced today that Ali Landry, Spokesmodel for FragranceDirect.com--former Miss USA and one of People Magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People"--will participate in a live 3D chat session in booth #1480 during Fall Internet World '98, being held October 7-9 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City. Using NTT Software's InterSpace(TM) virtual reality client/server software, multiple-users will have the ability to simultaneously interact with Landry face-to-face in Stumpworld's revolutionary BuyItOnline(R) Website (www.buyitonline.com), the industry's first end-to-end shopping center focused on the needs of merchants and consumers.
Stumpworld created the BuyItOnline chat room using NTT Software's InterSpace(TM) Virtual Reality Community Builder Version 2.4--the only authoring tool technology that allows multiple-users the ability to interact within a 3D environment using any combination of real-time audio/video communication and text chat over a 28.8kbps (or faster) Internet connection.
"Unlike most electronic commerce and chat sites, those visiting BuyItOnline will actually have the luxury of interacting with vendors and fellow shoppers through real-time sight and voice, in addition to chatting with guests such as Ali Landry," said Mike Bartzel, Manager of Marketing and Sales for NTT Software. "Through the use of NTT Software's InterSpace Community Builder, BuyItOnline has created one of the Internet industry's most unique and interactive shopping environments."
"Imagine being in the same room with one of the most beautiful women in the world--3D software breaks the tyranny of geography and even the person at home can share the shopping experience with a former Miss USA", stated Peter Klamka, President of Fragrance Direct.
BuyItOnline is the only electronic commerce site that is both merchant and consumer centric. With BuyItOnline, small and medium size merchants receive the functionality of high profile Internet shopping sites without the hassle or expense. BuyItOnline is the first and only e-commerce site to offer store development and hosting, advertising and promotion, 24x7 customer service, and order processing and delivery--all for one monthly fee.
For the consumer, BuyItOnline offers unique, value-added services including a safe Internet shopping site, guaranteed shipping services and product tracking, online coupon redemption and frequent buyer shopping programs--all of which differentiate BuyItOnline from other e-commerce sites and encourage repeat consumer shopping.
"We chose NTTS InterSpace as the premiere chat environment in our e-commerce community site, for many reasons," said Scott Matalon, President & CEO of Stumpworld. "Among these were InterSpace's ability to import a standard 3D file format, a robust custom development environment, and the numerous streaming audio and video capabilities - including 'video avatars' and 'video walls' which create a compelling, interactive environment for our consumers."
"We will be using InterSpace and Software Vision to host celebrity chat events as a means of promoting the e-commerce capabilities of our site through redeemable digital coupons embedded as 3D hyperlinks within the InterSpace environment." Fragrance Direct President, Peter Klamka added: "Knowing that we have a unique line of quality products to offer, we are excited about selling online, and believe that the partnership between NTT Software and BuyItOnline will provide us with premium exposure for attracting web shoppers."
Landry will be chatting with shoppers about the "Celebrity Fragrance Store," one of the vendors within BuyItOnline's shopping center. It was last year's Superbowl Sunday spot for Doritos 3D that garnered Landry national attention and catapulted the actress to appearances on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Vibe!, and Access Hollywood; as well as a spot on People Magazine's coveted "50 Most Beautiful People" issue for 1998. Landry has also had starring roles on shows such as Clueless, The Bold & The Beautiful, and Significant Others. About NTT Software Corporation
NTT Software Corporation was founded in 1985, in Yokohama, Japan. It is a subsidiary of Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation, the world's largest telecommunications company--with 1997 revenues in excess of $71 billion.
The California branch of NTT Software, located in Palo Alto, is the United States software development division, established in 1995. One of the technologies NTTS is developing and marketing in the U.S., is InterSpace virtual reality software, featuring real-time, interactive, two-way audio/video communication in 3D environments, for multiple users worldwide. About Stumpworld
Stumpworld Systems, Inc. is a technology company specializing in re-engineering clients' businesses into the online medium. The Company has an impressive client list which includes Media One, Aerosmith, NYNEX, The Woolworth Corporation, Sony Music, The Rolling Stones, Stone & Webster, and more. Editors' Note:
Still shots and video images of InterSpace and InterSpace VR Community Builder packaging are available from the NTTS public relations and marketing coordinator, Taya Waltke-phone: 650-688-1104, e-mail: taya@ntts.com
InterSpace is a trademark of NTT Software Corporation. Online Merchant is a trademark of Alpha Software Corporation. BuyItOnline is a registered trademark of Stumpworld Systems, Inc. All other product and company names are the properties of their respective holders. |
