Autoweb Announces New, Innovative Technology for Automotive Shoppers and Marketers Through Partnership With qMGN
12 December 2000
Autoweb Announces New, Innovative Technology for Automotive Shoppers and Marketers Through Partnership With qMGN
New Autoweb-Branded q(TM) Software Device Makes Surfing Faster and Easier
For Consumers and Gives Marketers Direct Access to Automotive Shoppers
SANTA CLARA, Calif., Dec. 12 Autoweb.com, Inc. , the leading consumer automotive Internet
service (http://www.autoweb.com), today announced a partnership with qMGN, the
developer of q(TM), a software device that makes using the Internet both
faster and easier for users. The Autoweb-q will provide constant branding for
Autoweb wherever its visitors travel on the web. The device gives marketers
direct access to automotive shoppers and provides Autoweb an additional
revenue stream through targeted advertising.
"Our relationship with qMGN highlights our commitment to interaction
between the automotive consumer, our brand, and to automotive marketers," said
Nadyne G. Edison, Ph.D., Chief Marketing Officer and Vice President, Customer
Relationship Management, Autoweb. "By offering this software device to
Autoweb's numerous automotive consumers, we're providing them another service
to enhance their web experience -- on our site or across the web. In addition,
q offers marketers a unique vehicle to reach qualified automotive shoppers
while offering Autoweb continuous branding, both online and offline, and
incremental advertising revenue."
"We are delighted to enhance Autoweb's arsenal of consumer-focused
services and are pleased to partner with this popular site," said Xavier
Ferguson, Chairman and CEO of qMGN.
The q Software Device
q has a stylish and compact interface that resides on the desktop and
launches with the browser. At the core of q is qMGN's Elective Caching(TM), a
technology that allows each user of a computer to download, store, and
instantaneously access content from the web sites they visit. Users
drag-and-drop links from anywhere on the web into q for later viewing, even
after the Internet connection has been terminated.
Users of q enhance the speed, control, and mobility of their web
experience because they can download selected links in the background from
anywhere on the web, and instantaneously access them when they want, in any
order they want.
Marketers advertising on the q platform can reach qualified automotive
shoppers and will benefit from:
-- The ability to reach individual users, even where multiple users share
a computer;
-- The ability to target these individuals based on demographic and
behavioral data;
-- Guaranteed ad exposure;
-- Continuous user interaction with the ad unit;
-- The ability to use expanded creative capabilities, including the use of
rich media and targeted text messaging.
About qMGN
qMGN(TM) (http://www.qmgn.com) is the developer and distributor of q, a software
device that makes using the Internet both faster and easier. Unlike other
Internet-related software, q has a stylish and easy-to-use interface that
enables Internet users to select and interact with exactly the content they
want, without having to wait for it. Users who are looking to enhance the
speed, control and mobility of their web experience can download q for free
from premier sites that are part of the q network.
qMGN is based in New York City with development facilities in New Delhi,
India. The company was founded in 1997 by Chairman-CEO, Xavier Ferguson, and
Co-Chairman Dr. Giri Giridhar.
About Autoweb
Autoweb is the leading automotive Internet service, guiding users through
every stage of vehicle ownership. Through its direct and referral commerce
channels, Autoweb offers consumers a variety of ways to purchase new and used
vehicles in conjunction with vehicle manufacturers, local Member Dealers and
other commerce partners. The Company's Web site also provides consumers with a
wide range of automotive-related products to support the complete lifecycle of
the vehicle, including finance, insurance and maintenance. Autoweb features
comprehensive, unbiased research from its Automotive Information Center (AIC)
division.
Autoweb also continues to set the standard in the business-to-business
marketplace by providing Web sites with the most advanced technology to view
automotive information, and the most accurate and reliable automotive data and
content. Currently, major automobile manufacturers, including BMW,
DaimlerChrysler, Ford, General Motors, Honda and Toyota, use Autoweb's
automotive data to power their sites. The major consumer portals also use
Autoweb's content and technology, including AOL, Lycos, MSN Carpoint and GO.
AIC AutoSuite is highly configurable for any individual AIC customer, as the
interface can match any look and feel, while vehicles (both target and
competitor) and specific features can be limited to any selection desired. For
more information, please visit http://www.autoweb.com and
http://www.autosite.com .
Safe Harbor Statement
Certain statements in this news release, including statements that include
words such as "expects," "believes" or other future-oriented statements, are
forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve risks and
uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from anticipated
results. In particular, factors that could cause Autoweb not to reach
profitability in 2001 include, but are not limited to: our ability to attract
consumers through existing and recently announced portal relationships; the
combined viability of current and new car buying process on our site; consumer
acceptance of online car buying and our ability to continue to reduce expenses
without comparable or greater revenue reductions. Other risks and
uncertainties include changes in competitive behavior or market forces,
uncertainties regarding response from the vehicle manufacturers, changes in
the legal or regulatory environment, changes or lack of changes in consumer
preferences over time, technological challenges and an inability to
forecast future traffic and transactions. Further information on risk factors
that could affect results is detailed in Autoweb's filings with the Securities
and Exchange Commission, including its Registration Statement on Form S-1
(No. 333-71177) and its Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2000,
filed with the Securities and Exchanges Commission.