CoolSavings Announces E-Mail Best Practices For Advertisers; Recommendations Designed to Help Guide Legitimate E-Mail Marketers.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 8, 2004

The recent passage of the Federal anti-spam legislation(a) coupled with the increasingly confusing and misunderstood issue of unsolicited commercial e-mail, or spam as it is commonly known, can present formidable challenges to legitimate advertisers communicating with their online audiences through permission-based e-mail marketing. To help advertisers effectively deliver successful e-mail marketing messages in this ever-changing environment, leading online direct marketing and media company CoolSavings, Inc. (OTC:BB:CSAV) announces e-mail best practice recommendations, setting industry-leading standards for online marketers that go beyond the legal requirements of CAN-SPAM.

"Many advertisers are deeply concerned about the negative impact of spam on legitimate, permission-based e-mail marketing, and want to avoid any association with the practice," said Matthew Moog, President and CEO of CoolSavings. "As a recognized consumer brand that has built loyal relationships with millions of consumers, CoolSavings provides a trusted source for advertisers to reach their customers with legitimate, 100% permission-based e-mail marketing."

"At the same time," added Moog, "CoolSavings is a valued advisor for our advertisers and a leader in the online direct marketing industry. CoolSavings supported Federal efforts to enact anti-spam legislation and demonstrated its industry-leading status by meeting and, in fact, exceeding, all of the requirements within CAN-SPAM before CAN-SPAM became law. That is why we have outlined eight principles to share with fellow marketers and to serve as a cornerstone for proper, effective e-mail marketing."

While CoolSavings has always adhered to these practices, the impetus for sharing them with the rest of the industry resulted from CoolSavings' examination of research gauging spam's impact on the e-mail marketing industry:

-- Spam accounts for 40% of e-mail traffic. (Washington Post,

4/15/03)

-- Forrester Research recently reported that two-thirds of

permission-based e-mail is opened by consumers.(b)

-- In a recent survey of its members, CoolSavings found that 82%

of respondents define spam as e-mails received from companies

with whom the respondents did not register, thereby

demonstrating that consumers differentiate between legitimate

e-mail and spam. Furthermore, 73% of CoolSavings' members said

they will subscribe to new e-mail programs within the next

year that offer value and reliability.

"While spam concerns are justified, research shows that legitimate, permission-based e-mail marketing is still one of the most effective means for companies and their customers to communicate and build mutually beneficial relationships," commented Moog. "As an industry leader, CoolSavings feels a responsibility to set standards that exceed the legal requirements imposed by CAN-SPAM and that separate legitimate e-mail marketing from spam and ensure it continues to provide benefits for marketers and consumers alike."

About CoolSavings

CoolSavings is an online direct marketing and media company that provides smarter solutions to help marketers reach their target consumers. Combining a broad distribution network, sophisticated analytics and proprietary technology, CoolSavings enables a wide variety of advertisers to identify and engage their best customers using highly targeted services such as printable couponing, lead generation, e-mail, category newsletters, direct mail and product sampling. CoolSavings' popular consumer savings destination, coolsavings.com, is ranked the #1 coupon site on the Internet by Nielsen NetRatings.(c) As of June 2003, more than 30 million U.S. households have registered with the CoolSavings' service, with nearly 12 million users active in the last 12 months.

(a) The "Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act of 2003" ("CAN-SPAM")

(b) Forrester Research, The Big Picture April, 2003

(c) Nielsen/NetRatings, November 2003

CoolSavings is a registered trademark of CoolSavings, Inc. Other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this press release regarding CoolSavings' business that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including the statements under "Business Outlook" and other statements regarding the CoolSavings' expectations, beliefs, hopes, intentions or strategies. Where possible, such forward-looking statements have been identified by use of words such as "project", "target," "forecast," "believe," "expects," and similar expressions. Known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, both general and specific to the matters discussed in this press release, may cause CoolSavings' actual results and performance to differ materially from the future results and performance expressed in, or implied by, such forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties, and other factors include, without limitation, CoolSavings' to meet any debt repayment or equity redemption demands of its preferred stockholders, CoolSavings' ability to protect its patents, trademarks and propriety rights, the successful introduction of new products by CoolSavings, the ability to add new members, the ability to attract, assimilate and retain highly skilled personnel, and CoolSavings' ability to retain its advertisers. For further discussion of some of the risks, uncertainties and other factors which could cause actual results and performance to differ from those expressed in, or implied by, the forward-looking statements, see "Risk Factors" in CoolSavings' Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2003, as filed with the SEC. Except as expressly required by the federal securities laws, CoolSavings undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or developments, changed circumstances, or any other reason.

       CoolSavings Recommended Targeted E-mail Best Practices
----------------------------------------------------------------------
        BEST PRACTICE                        RATIONALE
----------------------------- ----------------------------------------
E-mail should only be sent to Consumer retains control of his/her
 consumers who have given you  inbox
 affirmative consent to       ----------------------------------------
 receive your e-mail, thereby Builds consumer's trust that his/her
 allowing for highly targeted  information is valued and protected
 content to consumers         ----------------------------------------
                              Permission-based, targeted e-mail avoids
                               CAN-SPAM labeling requirement and
                               therefore increases open, response and
                               conversion rates
----------------------------- ----------------------------------------

----------------------------- ---------------------------------------
All e-mails should provide a  Avoids potential liability from CAN-SPAM
 clear and conspicuous opt-    and the other existing 36 state laws
 out ability and e-mail       ----------------------------------------
 senders should honor all     Builds consumers' trust
 recipient opt-out requests   ----------------------------------------
 within 24 hours              Increases consumers' control
----------------------------- ----------------------------------------

----------------------------- ----------------------------------------
All e-mails should contain    Avoid potential liability from Federal
 the sender's valid physical   CAN-SPAM legislation
 postal address               ----------------------------------------
                              Builds consumers' trust
----------------------------- ----------------------------------------

----------------------------- ----------------------------------------
All e-mails should contain a  Avoid potential liability from CAN-SPAM
 valid reply address           and the other 36 state laws
                              ----------------------------------------
                              Builds consumers' trust
----------------------------- ----------------------------------------

----------------------------- ----------------------------------------
E-mails should not contain    Builds consumers' trust
 false or misleading          ----------------------------------------
 headers/subject lines        Increases quality of responses from
                               advertisers
                              ----------------------------------------
                              Avoid potential liability from Federal
                               CAN-SPAM legislation and the other
                               existing 36 state laws
----------------------------- ----------------------------------------

----------------------------- ----------------------------------------
E-mail publishers should not  Consumers who have not given affirmative
 harvest e-mail lists from     consent to receive commercial e-mails
 their parties, employ         from a specific advertiser may assume
 automated dictionary          that they are receiving unwanted e-
 "attacks" nor use             mails
 unauthorized relays          ----------------------------------------
                              Perceived spammers have lower open and
                               response rates
                              ----------------------------------------
                              Avoid potential liability from Federal
                               CAN-SPAM legislation and the other
                               existing 36 state laws
----------------------------- ----------------------------------------

----------------------------- ----------------------------------------
E-mail publishers should have Consumers are leery of the abuse of
 a strong member privacy       their information and look for a strong
 policy endorsed by TRUSTe     privacy policy
 that guarantees the          ----------------------------------------
 protection and use of the    Consumers  put their trust in a company
 member's information          by providing personal information, and
                               the company should reward this trust
                               with the protection and promise of a
                               strong privacy policy
----------------------------- ----------------------------------------

----------------------------- ----------------------------------------
Manage ISP relationships to   Work with e-mail providers who are
 ensure e-mail delivery        white-listed and have good working
                               relationships with ISPs
                              ----------------------------------------
                              Increase proper delivery of e-mail
----------------------------- ----------------------------------------