Bid.Com to Provide Online Auction Services to ValueVision Interactive / Relationship Enhances Newly Realized Television/Internet Convergence
21.09.1999, 10:12
TORONTO and MINNEAPOLIS (PROTEXT) - Bid.Com International Inc.
(Nasdaq: BIDS; Toronto: BII), one of North America's leading
online auction companies, today entered into an exclusive three-
year technology services and licensing agreement with ValueVision
Interactive Inc. (VVI), the wholly owned e-commerce subsidiary of
ValueVision International, Inc. (Nasdaq: VVTV).
Under the terms of the agreement, Bid.Com will provide a
complete e-commerce solution for VVI's "Dutch Auction" component
of ValueVisionInteractive's recently announced "Snap TV" brand.
Bid.Com will also be a partner in several future projects
involving television and Internet convergence. In return for
VVI's use of Bid.Com's "Dutch Auction" technology in the U.S.,
Bid.Com will receive undisclosed fees and percentages of future
revenues. The two companies will also jointly develop consumer
applications for personalized marketing software using advanced
collaborative filtering technologies.
On September 15, 1999, ValueVision International Inc., and NBC
Internet (NBCi), to be formed, subject to shareholder and
regulatory approval, as a result of the proposed merger of
Snap.com, XOOM.com (Nasdaq: XMCM) and several Internet assets of
NBC, announced strategic commerce initiatives under the brands
SnapTV and SnapTV.com. Under the terms of the agreement,
ValueVision's home shopping cable television network will be re-
branded SnapTV and ValueVision Interactive's companion SnapTV.com
Internet shopping service will be launched together with a wide-
ranging direct e-commerce strategy.
"We are excited to be a key strategic partner to VVI as it
widens the boundaries of online home shopping," stated Jeff
Lymburner, CEO of Bid.Com International Inc. "As we move towards
the convergence of Internet and television, this relationship has
the potential to expand our audience by many millions of
viewers."
Cary Deacon, President of ValueVision Interactive, Inc. said:
"The Bid.Com relationship and technologies will afford
ValueVision Interactive's SnapTV brand with incredible
promotional and transactional capabilities on the Internet that
will roll across to our cable television network in the future."
The companies expect to test and launch this technology in
several stages beginning in the fourth quarter of 1999. "Being
selected as a VVI partner is a further example of our technical
team's leadership in the interactive field," continued Lymburner.
"Bid.Com has demonstrated the value of using live Internet
auction events to improve the quality of the online shopping
experience. This partnership with VVI demonstrates the two
companies' belief in the convergence of the Internet and
television."
About ValueVision International Inc.
ValueVision International, Inc. is an integrated electronic
direct marketing company operating a television home-shopping
network. The Company offers live programming 24 hours per day, 7
days a week broadcasting to approximately 32 million cable homes
(as of September 14, 1999).
In July 1999, ValueVision International announced the
formation and launch of VVI, a wholly owned e-commerce subsidiary
that will launch an internet shopping service featuring online
purchasing opportunities of SnapTV merchandise, streaming video
of SnapTV's cable channel, short form video representations of
products and auctions, together with online e-commerce
opportunities offered by SnapTV's merchant partners. VVI is also
responsible for pursuing and managing ValueVision's series of new
investments and strategic alliances in Internet ventures, working
closely with its partners NBC, GE Capital Equity Investments and
NBC Internet.
ValueVision International, Inc. and NBC Internet, which will
be formed, subject to shareholder and regulatory approval, as a
result of the proposed merger of Snap.com, XOOM.com and several
Internet assets of NBC, are undertaking strategic commerce
initiatives under the brands SnapTV and SnapTV.com.
ValueVision's home shopping cable television network will be re-
branded SnapTV and a companion SnapTV.com Internet shopping
service will be launched together with a wide-ranging direct e-
commerce strategy.
The Company's shares are traded on the Nasdaq Stock Market
under the symbol VVTV. For additional information on ValueVision
please visit the Company's web site at http://www.vvtv.com or by
fax, at no cost, dial 1-800-PRO-INFO, and enter code VVTV.
About Bid.Com International Inc.
Bid.Com, founded in 1995, is one of e-commerce's leading
online auction sales organizations, with offices in Toronto,
Ontario, Tampa, Florida and Dublin, Ireland. The company offers
a compelling, entertaining and cost-effective method of selling a
wide array of goods and services over electronic distribution
channels. Bid.Com is strategically positioned to leverage its
business-to-consumer technological leadership by offering the
pre-eminent online auction platform for co-ventures into
business-to-business markets, licensing custom branded e-commerce
solutions and for distribution through broadband/cable media. In
addition to strategic alliances with America Online and Rogers
New Media, the company has recently announced an alliance with
SCS Solars offering discounted travel products to the growing
business-to-business market and a joint venture with Point2
Internet Systems providing e-commerce technology and online
auction capabilities for the used heavy equipment market. The
company's shares trade on both the Nasdaq National Market and the
Toronto Stock Exchange.
This news release may include comments that do not refer
strictly to historical results or actions and may be deemed to be
forward-looking within the meaning of the Safe Harbor provisions
of the U.S. federal securities laws. These include, among others,
statements about expectations of future revenues and cash flows.
Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties
that may cause the results of Bid.Com and VVI (the "companies")
to differ materially from expectations. Important factors and
risks that could cause results to differ materially from those in
any such forward-looking statements include: consumer spending
and debt levels; interest rates; competitive pressure on sales
and pricing; the maintenance of ValueVision's programming; the
possibility that ValueVision's revenues and cable distribution
will not continually increase; that e-commerce will not be
successful; that other strategic alliances (including the GE
Equity and NBC alliance) may not result in increased revenues,
earnings or subscribers; that shareholders or regulators will not
approve the proposed NBC Internet merger; the risks of
infringement of intellectual property rights; reliance on
strategic relationships; Bid.Com's ability to further develop its
business-to-business and licensing businesses, its ability to
develop appropriate strategic alliances and successful
development and implementation of technology, acceptance of its
products and services, competitive factors, new products and
technological changes, and other such risks the companies may
identify and discuss from time to time, including those risks
disclosed in Bid.Com's amended Form 20-F filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission and risks and uncertainties
disclosed in ValueVision International, Inc.'s Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the year ended January 31, 1999, quarterly reports
on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission. Accordingly, there is no
certainty that the companies' plans will be achieved.
To receive additional information on Bid.Com International
Inc. via fax, at no charge, from the U.S dial 1-800-PRO-INFO or
from Canada dial 201-432-0955 and enter code BIDS. ots Original
Text Service: Bid.Com International, Inc. Internet:
http://www.newsaktuell.de CONTACT: Greg Bewsh, Vice President,
Investor Relations of Bid.Com, 905-672-7467 ext. 322, Fax 905-
672-9928 or E-mail, investorrelations@bid.com; or Cary Deacon,
President of ValueVision Interactive, 612-947-5200 or E-mail,
cdeacon@vvtv.com; General, Alison Ziegler, Analysts, Barbara
Manley and Media, Claudine Cornelis, 212-661-8030, all of FRB for
Bid.Com; or General, Haris Tajyar, 310-442-0599, Analysts, Tracy
Gutwillig, 312-266-7800 and Media, Marjorie Ornston, 310-442-
0599, all of FRB for ValueVision/ Web site: http://www.vvtv.com
Web site: http://www.bid.com
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