Internet retailer BuyItNow.com signed a licensing agreement
to incorporate Summus Ltd.’s MaxxShow, a rich media
encapsulation tool, into its online store operations.
MaxxShow is designed to optimize rich media, enabling BuyItNow.com to enhance
its site for showcasing online merchandise and creating a more active user
experience. Financial arrangements were not disclosed.
MaxxShow integrates various rich media, including video, audio, graphics and
text into a synchronized presentation, creating an interactive experience for
users.
“Until now, rich media hasn’t been a viable option for e-commerce because
viewing full-motion video, audio, and graphics would slow a Web site to a
crawl,” said Randy Jo Wilcox, president of BuyItNow.com. “Summus’ MaxxShow
changes the playing field by enabling BuyItNow.com to “model” products so
that buyers can see and experience them before they purchase.”
BuyItNow.com said the application will be used enhance efforts between CosmeticsPlus.com, a
company formed by BuyItNow.com and CosmeticsPlus Group, and Always In Style, a
developer of fashion, style and home decorating content and profiling
technology.
BuyItNow.com and CosmeticsPlus.com will feature the Always in Style profile
system, which prompts customers to provide information about themselves,
their needs and preferences.
A detailed personalized profile will be
provided, and based on each
customer’s individual data, the site will then recommend a product mix that
is totally customized. The three companies intend to work together to provide
interactive media such as video, slide shows, images and audio.
MaxxShow and MaxxNote, Summus’ recently announced video e-mail product, are
the first in a family of wavelet-based compressed imaging, video and rich
media solutions. The BuyItNow.com WebPlaza currently features 14 specialty
stores linked through real-time fulfillment and a unified shopping cart.