Busy Professionals On CompuServe Proving Online Holiday Shopping Popular.

COLUMBUS, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 16, 1998--

Holiday Season Traffic to Brand New Shopping

Channel Has Seen a Ten-Fold Increase

Now Showcasing Gift Ideas and "Do's and Don'ts"

for Last-Minute Shopping

Midway through the holiday shopping season, CompuServe, one of the world's premier Internet online services, today reported a ten-fold increase in traffic to CompuServe's brand new Shopping Channel, which launched in November.

Computing, Apparel, Electronics/Video, Department Stores, Kids/Toys/Babies and Sports/Health are among the most popular shopping categories, with Kids/Toys/Babies experiencing a 41 percent traffic increase.

"A significant majority of CompuServe members are shopping online - and spending more in a wide variety of categories to tackle all their shopping needs - this holiday season," said Beth Sibbring, Vice President of Commerce for CompuServe.

"All the buzz about online shopping this season has been well- deserved: More and more time-constrained, Internet-savvy users are recognizing the safety, ease and convenience of online gift-buying for clients, colleagues and vendors, as well as for friends and family members."

In a survey conducted by The Internet Research Group in November, 25,000 randomly sampled CompuServe users were asked about their online shopping habits during the holiday season: Of those surveyed, as many as 22 percent said they planned to spend more than $500 online this season -- an increase of 12 percent over last year -- while the typical CompuServe shopper expected to spend an average of $319.

Buying Patterns Reflect Increasing Confidence in Online Shopping

An impressive 80% of CompuServe's regular online buying audience surveyed said they planned to shop online this holiday season. More than half (61 percent) of CompuServe subscribers said they'd bought online in the past six months, and a quarter said they'd bought five or more times in the past six months. Online spending levels were also found to be high among CompuServe buyers: One in four reported spending over $1,000 over the past year.

"CompuServe's busy professional members have always been ahead of the curve," said Sibbring. "They've got a limited amount of time, so they've gotten online and become familiar with the advantages of online shopping on CompuServe: 16 merchant departments for purposeful buying; state-of-the-art encryption for safer transactions; exclusive merchant guarantee program; time-saving gift reminder services; special discounts and 24-hour access.

Online Shopping Most Convenient Way to Take Care of Last-Minute

Gifts

As shoppers rush to finish their lists before the Christmas holiday, CompuServe continues to offer an easy, hassle-free alternative to making a trip to the local mall. In addition to featuring Last-Minute gift ideas and shopping suggestions in its Shopping Channel, CompuServe recommends these "Do's and Don'ts" for shopping online when you're short on time:

-- DO look for merchants who recommend "last-minute" gifts that can be delivered within 24 to 48 hours;

-- DO select merchants who specify a complete range of shipping options from express mail to Federal Express;

-- DO take advantage of merchants who offer upscale gift baskets that can be shared among colleagues, ex. Harry & David, Godiva Chocolatiers, Hickory Farms, Digital Chef, AKA Gourmet, Virtual Vineyards and others;

-- DON'T forget to use complimentary services like gift-wrapping and gift cards to ensure that your gift makes a good impression;

-- DON'T send something too personal to a business colleague;

"When you're in doubt or just can't find the perfect gift, try a gift certificate or flowers (from FTD), chocolates (from Godiva) or books (from barnesandnoble.com)," said Sibbring.

"For the truly wired executive on your last-minute list, try e-mail, fax and voice mail services from JFAX.com. And, if you've truly run out of time, CompuServe offers GreetMail Unlimited for instant online greetings to friends, families and business associates."

All recommended items are available on CompuServe's Shopping Channel, which is found on CompuServe at GO HOLIDAYS and GO CATALOG and on the Internet at www.compuserve.com/shopping.

Based in Columbus, Ohio, CompuServe Interactive Services is one of the world's premier Internet online services and provides approximately 2 million worldwide members with unparalleled depth and breadth of content, premium services, hundreds of Forums and access to the Internet.

CompuServe Interactive Services offers access in more than 185 countries with separate services in the U.S., Europe and elsewhere in the world.