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Autoco.com Signs Exclusive Deal to Promote Sherwood Products

9 December 1999

Autoco.com Signs Exclusive Marketing Deal to Promote Sherwood Newcastle Products Across Canada

    MINNEAPOLIS--Dec. 9, 1999--Royal Oak Marketing Associates Inc., a subsidiary of Autoco.com Inc. (OTCBB:AOOO), announced today that it has finalized a deal that gives it exclusive marketing rights for Sherwood Newcastle's home audio products in Canada. Royal Oak's marketing arrangement provides them with the rights to promote Sherwood Newcastle's WA-240 Lyceum Music System, as well as Sherwood Newcastle's entire 1999 Home Audio Components line within Royal Oak's existing line of personal computer, mobile communications and home and automobile security systems.
    "This arrangement makes Royal Oak Sherwood Newcastle's exclusive marketing representative throughout Canada," says Alex Romanov, CEO of Royal Oak Marketing Associates. "The agreement is great news for both parties. Sherwood Newcastle gets nationwide representation from an organization that has a great track record for successfully promoting quality brands and Royal Oak has added a new brand name with proven revenue capabilities to its product line. This should prove to be an exciting and profitable opportunity for both companies."
    The Sherwood Newcastle products to be marketed by Royal Oak include the WA-240 Lyceum, billed as the World's Thinnest Music System. The system is renowned for its design and has won many top international prizes for it. Royal Oak will also market Sherwood Newcastle's entire 1999 Home Audio Component line, which consists of three new audio/visual receivers, two CD players and two cassette decks.
    Since 1953, Sherwood Newcastle has been an elite brand name in the field of audio and audio/video products. Sherwood Newcastle is a division of Sherwood America, now part of the Haitai Group, one of the worlds leading multimedia, autosound and home electronics companies. The company builds a medium to high-end line of audio products, which includes amplifiers, receivers and cassette, CD and DVD players. Every Sherwood Newcastle component is manufactured according to ISO 9001 standards.
    Royal Oak is a national sales and marketing agent representing a variety of brand name home and automotive electronics in Canada, including Jensen car audio systems, First Smart Sensor security products and Koss speakers and multimedia products. As Canada's premier consumer electronics sales agency, Royal Oak Marketing has a long track record of creating successful brands through creative marketing. Prior to launching its own computer brand -- 1World -- Royal Oak promoted AST computers in Canada, capturing 16 percent of the PC market in less than three years, with over $100 million in annual sales. Royal Oak's four product groups include home and office computers and communications, home, car and personnel security systems, mobile electronics and the home audio and video.
    Autoco.com, Royal Oak's parent corporation, has established a group of profitable business enterprises providing significant revenues and profits from the sale of consumer and commercial electronics, both through traditional retail channels and e-commerce. Autoco.com has recently acquired several companies that are helping it to establish an even stronger e-commerce enterprise. Autoco.com consists of three operating divisions, Royal Oak Technologies Inc., GTA Auctions and Liquidations Inc. and The Motor Pages.
    The statements made by Autoco.com may be forward-looking in nature. Actual results may differ materially from those projected in forward-looking statements. Merger Communications (Merger) is a media relations firm employed by the Company. The statements and opinions presented here represent the views of the Company, not Merger, as the release is based on the information provided by the Company. Merger and the Company believe that all information in this release has been obtained from sources considered reliable, but cannot guarantee that the statements presented herein are accurate or complete. Merger's compensation for its media relations services, including preparation of press releases, consists of a monthly retainer and stock. Merger or its employees may have a long position in the securities of the companies in which it distributes information to the media, and Merger may be buying or selling securities in the course of its regular business.