Okay, one more item... I recalled reading this earlier.
The alliance of Hanover Direct and Excite, as shown below, is one step away from offering the incentives we're talking about.
I could easily see them offering a discount on either narrowband or broadband access charges (what's a few bands among friends) through its ISP(s) of choice, or some kind of minimum purchase formula to offset a totally free access arrangement.
Or, perhaps, and I'm certain that some will love to jump on this one, they will offer "free" any-distance Voice over the Internet service instead, or at least the long distance portion will be free, citing how this will allow the consumer to save over thirty, forty dollars per month, or more, where international calling is concerned.
It's coming, in one denomination, or form, or another, but it's coming.
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Monday November 2, 8:02 am Eastern Time
Company Press Release
SOURCE: Excite, Inc.
Hanover Direct and Excite Team to Launch Comprehensive Catalog Shopping Online
Branded Direct Marketer and Leading Portal Team to Offer Consumers The Powerful Combination of Convenient Online Shopping and an Expanded Collection Of Quality Merchandise
WEEHAWKEN, N.J. and REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Nov. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Hanover Direct, Inc. (Amex: HNV - news) and Excite (Nasdaq: XCIT - news) today announced an electronic commerce alliance bringing the extensive Hanover Direct branded portfolio of specialty catalogs to Excite's online shopping audience. In a brand new Catalog Department on Excite's Shopping Channel launching later this year, Excite will feature Hanover merchandise as well as promote targeted offers of Hanover merchandise throughout the Excite site. In addition, Excite has selected Keystone Fulfillment Inc., an affiliate of Hanover Direct, as the third party fulfillment services vendor which it will exclusively promote.
Excite Builds Out Catalog Department to Support the Way Consumers Buy Online Reflecting the mass appeal and success of shopping from specialty catalogs, Excite will build out its Catalog Department with leading branded catalogs. Hanover Direct, a leading specialty marketer with a strong family of quality brands is able to create unique shopping experiences geared to the needs of specific customer audiences. The initial launch of the Catalog Department will feature merchandise from leading Hanover catalogs including The Company Store, Silhouettes, International Male, and Improvements and will ultimately include all of Hanover's catalog titles including Clearance World.
In addition, Excite will create buying opportunities uniquely assembled for consumers around holidays and other special occasions, showcasing Hanover merchandise and giving consumers a great line-up of gifts for quick, easy purchases. ''The addition of Hanover Direct's specialty catalogs is another step in our electronic commerce strategy to build the Web's largest product catalog,'' said George Bell, CEO, Excite, Inc. ''Hanover Direct's database marketing expertise as well as their large base of five million committed catalog customers made them a natural choice as a preferred commerce partner. Working in tandem with Hanover Direct, we can expand our direct marketing efforts, delivering a broad range of popular, quality merchandise from top Hanover catalogs at a central online location to millions of new customers.''
Hanover Direct, Inc. President and Chief Executive Officer Rakesh K. Kaul stated, ''This strategic alliance will accelerate Hanover Direct's already growing e-commerce activity. Partnering with Excite will enable Hanover to offer its portfolio to the portal's 16 million unique users every month and utilize Excite's cost effective marketing media program. Excite's highly rated navigation system is fast and easy to use, critical components in the on-line shopping experience. Their emphasis on personalization philosophically matches ours. Once the systems integration is complete, further consumer enhancements will be introduced. Additionally, through Keystone Fulfillment, Excite can now offer proven, reliable fulfillment services to additional catalogers and retailers who want to harness the power of online retailing which will also further broaden the range of offering to the consumer,'' added Kaul.
About Excite, Inc.
Founded in 1994, Excite, Inc. is a global media company offering consumers a personalized Web start page on
www.excite.com and a ''back to basics'' Web search service on www.webcrawler.com, and advertisers the best one-to-one
marketing services available online. The Excite Network consists of two of the largest brands on the Web, Excite
(www.excite.com) and WebCrawler (www.webcrawler.com), and its subsidiaries; Classifieds2000, MatchLogic, Inc., Excite
Japan Co., Ltd. and Excite UK, Ltd. Localized versions of Excite are available in France, Germany, the UK, The Netherlands,
Sweden, Japan and Australia. Based in Redwood City, Calif., Excite, Inc. has strategic relationships with America Online, Inc.,
Apple Computer, Inc., CUC Investments Inc., Intuit Inc., Netscape Communications Corp., Prodigy Internet and Tribune
Company.
About Hanover Direct, Inc.
Hanover Direct, Inc. is a leading, specialty direct marketer with a diverse branded portfolio of home fashions, general
merchandise, women's and men's apparel and gift catalogs and proprietary products delivered via direct mail and electronic
commerce platforms. Its branded portfolio of catalogs includes: Domestications and Colonial Garden Kitchens (Home Fashions
- Mid Market brands); The Company Store and Kitchen & Home (Home Fashions - Upscale brands); Improvements and The
Safety Zone (General Merchandise brands); Silhouettes and Tweeds (Women's Apparel brands); International Male, Austad's
and Undergear (Men's Apparel brands); and Gump's By Mail (Gift brands). The Company owns Gump's, a retail store based
in San Francisco and recently launched Keystone Fulfillment Inc., offering third party fulfillment and proprietary electronic
commerce services. Information on all of Hanover Direct's retail titles can be accessed on the Internet individually by name.
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