Microsoft CarPoint Accelerates With Online Distribution
23 October 1997
Microsoft CarPoint Accelerates With Online Distribution
Announces Agreements With Major Search Sites
REDMOND, Wash., Oct. 23 -- Microsoft Corp.
announced today that the CarPoint(TM) online automotive service -- an Internet
automotive super site -- will be a premier automotive sponsor on five leading
Internet search sites. Infoseek, WebCrawler and Yahoo! will prominently
feature Microsoft(R) CarPoint in their automotive areas. In addition, Excite
and HotBot will feature CarPoint in their shopping and automotive shopping
areas. These sponsorships also include CarPoint advertising and promotion in
a broad list of automotive search results.
"We are very pleased to have CarPoint selected by these sites," said John
Neilson, vice president of the interactive service media group at Microsoft.
"By teaming with the leading search engine providers, we can bring the
benefits of CarPoint 2.0 to the entire Internet. With these agreements, we
expect to more than triple the CarPoint audience."
On each search site, CarPoint will be a featured sponsor and will receive
promotion and branded placement in targeted automotive content areas. This
wide-ranging placement will expose Internet users to CarPoint more than
300 million times next year.
"Yahoo! continues to partner with leading merchants to bring the best
e-commerce services on the Web to our users," said Ellen Siminoff, vice
president of business development at Yahoo!. "Microsoft CarPoint 2.0 offers
our users easy access to additional automotive and car-buying information to
help them make smart purchasing decisions quickly."
Online automotive shopping, including researching and purchasing, is one
of the fastest-growing businesses on the Internet. Industry analysts estimate
that by the year 2000, 25 percent or more of all cars sold in the United
States will be sold online. As leading companies prepare to meet this demand,
working with established automotive sites like CarPoint is becoming very
attractive.
"Infoseek is dedicated to providing our users with the online services
they want," said Harry Motro, president and CEO of Infoseek. "As over
20 percent of all searches on Infoseek are automotive related, teaming up with
Microsoft is a great way to do this. CarPoint 2.0 gives us a way to present
Infoseek users with the highest-quality automotive information and services on
the Web."
Rick Boyce, senior vice president of advertising and commerce at Wired
Digital, expressed similar sentiments. "The new Shop Wired site on our HotBot
search engine is dedicated to bringing the best online shopping experiences
possible to Wired Digital's quality user base. With the addition of CarPoint
2.0 on Shop Wired, our users now have instant access to a leading source for
online automobile shopping and purchasing."
Distribution agreements between vertical category providers and the
leading online search sites are the latest business trend on the Internet.
They give sites like CarPoint access to new, large customer bases, while
allowing search sites to fill out their offerings and tap additional
e-commerce revenue streams.
"As part of Excite Inc.'s further commitment to electronic commerce,
CarPoint 2.0 gives WebCrawler and Excite Shopping Channel users the
information they need to make car purchasing decisions online," said Brett
Bullington, executive vice president, Excite Inc. "With Excite's multibrand
strategy, maintaining Excite and WebCrawler, we remain committed to giving our
customers the best possible choices in making buying decisions online."
In related news, Microsoft announced the availability of CarPoint version
2.0, an Internet automotive super site. This new version offers new and used
car shoppers an end-to-end research and purchasing Web site. Highlights of
the new version include Kelley Blue Book information, used-car reliability
ratings, dynamic side-by-side comparison tools and up-to-date interest rate
information.
Microsoft CarPoint is a comprehensive automotive Web site, offering users
complete car-buying information. First available in August 1996, CarPoint
gives users access to detailed specifications, reviews from the world's
leading automotive writers, detailed pricing information and interactive
decision-management tools.
Founded in 1975, Microsoft is the worldwide leader in software for
personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services
for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it
easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of
personal computing every day.
NOTE: Microsoft and CarPoint are either registered trademarks or
trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
Other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective
owners.
SOURCE Microsoft Corp.