08/15/00
Respond.com and ConsumerREVIEW.com Partner Respond.com Features ConsumerREVIEW.com Product Reviews Written by and for Consumers; ConsumerREVIEW.com Adds "Shop By Request" Feature to Help Customers Find Exactly What They Want
 
Palo Alto, CA - August 15, 2000-- Respond.com?www.respond.com), the leading online shopping service that allows customers to "shop by request," today announced an innovative partnership with ConsumerREVIEW.com, the leading, trusted source for consumer product information on the Web. Respond.com has integrated ConsumerREVIEW.com's product reviews, written by and for consumers into its Web site, and ConsumerREVIEW.com now features Respond.com's "shop by request" service as a shopping alternative on its network of sites. The partnership agreement enables Respond.com's consumers to make more informed purchase decisions and provides ConsumerREVIEW.com customers with a convenient way to shop.
 
"Our relationship with Respond.com allows ConsumerREVIEW.com to deliver high-caliber product reviews to the largest 'shop by request' audience," said Max Mancini, CEO of ConsumerREVIEW.com. "We are pleased to create a better shopping experience for our users by connecting them with merchants who sell the product they have researched using ConsumerREVIEW.com's network of product enthusiast communities."
 
Respond.com customers can read abstracts that feature quotes and ratings from ConsumerREVIEW.com's community members. Currently, ConsumerREVIEW.com is providing Respond.com customers with thousands of reviews for audio, digital camera, DVD and computing products and will soon expand into other Respond.com categories. In turn, ConsumerREVIEW.com users have access to Respond.com's "shop by request" service, enabling them to describe in their own words what they want, after having read a review. Respond.com sellers then respond directly to their request.
 
"With ConsumerREVIEW.com, Respond.com is providing unbiased product reviews and information at the fingertips of consumers making shopping online effortless," said Will Clemens, CEO of Respond.com. "This strategic partnership with ConsumerREVIEW.com brings more shoppers to our site and helps Respond.com keep its commitment to provide our customers with all the information they need to buy products quickly and easily online."
 
Respond.com's "shop by request" service allows customers to find exactly what they want without having to spend time and effort clicking through search engine results or searching auction sites. Instead, customers submit a simple, anonymous request in their own words with their purchase criteria, and sellers respond directly through email. The customers are never obligated to buy, and their identity is only revealed when they choose to contact the seller directly. Respond.com connects customers with sellers in more than 3,000 categories, ranging from travel services to apparel and accessories to consumer electronics and more.
 
About ConsumerREVIEW.com
Founded in 1998, ConsumerREVIEW.com is the leading, trusted source for consumer product information on the Web. ConsumerREVIEW.com develops and manages Web communities around common product interests to meet the needs of consumers researching purchases. The company's review content is available to millions of consumers through partnerships with sites such as Yahoo!, AltaVista, MountainZone.com and PlanetOutdoors.com. The company is focused on creating an online environment that fosters communication, community spirit and quality product reviews. ConsumerREVIEW.com is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California.
 
About Respond.com
Respond.com? (www.respond.com) is the leading online shopping service that allows customers to "shop by request" and use their own words to get exactly what they want. Respond.com takes the work out of shopping, saving customers effort and time. Sellers with Respond.com benefit by receiving highly-targeted leads from customers who are ready to buy. Respond.com has partnered with American Express, America Online, Inc. (AOL) and additional online businesses to provide their members access to Respond.com's community of customers and sellers. Based in Palo Alto, California, the company is funded by The Barksdale Group, Benchmark Capital, Hummer Winblad Venture Partners and Morgan Stanley Dean Witter Private Equity, along with Access Technology Partners, Amerindo Capital Management, Attractor Investments and Index Ventures. Respond.com was founded in 1998.