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To: Robert Brooks who wrote (36293)	4/25/1999 9:55:00 PM
From: Doug Robinson	Respond to of 120523

PCLN-Pricelinecom Serves a Million Customers in Its First Year Stamford, Connecticut, April 26 (Bloomberg) -- Priceline.com Inc., whose Internet site lets users bid for airline tickets, hotel rooms and other services, said it served more than a million consumers in its first year. The company said it sold more than 330,000 airline tickets since opening for business in April 1998 and now sells more than 20,000 a week on average. For all its services, Priceline.com said it's averaging more than 300,000 new customers a quarter. Priceline.com, which runs advertisements featuring Star Trek's William Shatner, has seen its shares rise 28 percent since its initial public offering last month. They rose 14 percent April 14, after the company announced a marketing agreement with Bank One Corp.'s First USA unit, the largest issuer of Visa credit cards. ''Priceline.com gives average consumers the power to tell big companies what they want to pay for goods and services,'' said founder and Vice Chairman Jay Walker in a statement. ''Sellers can fill as much of that demand as they want at prices well below retail prices, but still above their costs.'' Priceline.com's hotel service has sold more than 75,000 room nights since it began in October, the company said. It now sells more than 5,000 a week. The company's home-financing service, which started in January, lets consumers name their interest rate and terms for a mortgage, refinancing or home equity loan. More than $125 million in mortgage offers were accepted through the service in the first 90 days, Priceline.com said. It's also been testing an auto service in the New York metropolitan area since July, which lets buyers name their own price for a new car. Priceline.com said it's sold more than $11 million worth of new cars, and it plans to expand that service nationally sometime this year. Eighteen major domestic and international airlines now participate in Priceline.com's service, up from five when it started, the company said. As a result, Priceline.com said it's now able to fill an average 35 percent of all ''reasonable'' ticket offers for domestic flights on the first try, up from 24 percent just two months ago. A reasonable offer is no more than 30 percent below the lowest advance-purchase fare for the same route, it said. Stamford, Connecticut-based Priceline.com rose 11 5/8 to 88 Friday. Apr/25/ 99 18:37