Lycos/Tripod in Exclusive Software Pact With TestDrive

Lycos, Inc. and electronic software distributor TestDrive Corp. entered into a three-year agreement that names TestDrive as the exclusive software reseller for both the Lycos Shopping Network and new Tripod Shopping Zone sites.

The alliance calls for TestDrive to exclusively merchandise games,
productivity, entertainment, and other software titles on special sections
of the Lycos and Tripod sites. In exchange, TestDrive will pay Lycos and
Tripod guaranteed cash payments of $6.2 million during the three-year period.

The companies said new online software “stores” will enable users to directly download “try and buy” software or have the products directly shipped to them.

Under the agreement, Lycos and Tripod will provide TestDrive with banner ads, keywords, and links from areas such as the Lycos Computing Web Guide and similar Tripod computer and software Pods.

“Traffic acquisition, traffic-to-customer conversion and customer
retention are key components of TestDrive’s online retailing strategy,”
said Ed Lauing, president and CEO of TestDrive Corporation. “As two of
the fastest-growing, high-traffic Web sites, Lycos and Tripod are ideal
to help extend TestDrive’s leadership in electronic commerce services.”

TestDrive currently has online stores with a number of Web sites, including
USA Today, The Sporting News, and Hewlett-Packard.