GeoCities announced the launch of
GeoShops, an electronic-commerce solution available to all GeoCities
“homesteaders.”
Through a partnership with Internet Commerce Services Corp., which uses
software provided by Open Market, GeoShops allows any
GeoCities homesteader to easily and inexpensively commerce-enable their site
to sell products on the Internet, the company said.
In addition to gaining access to all existing GeoCities tools and utilities,
each GeoShops Merchant will receive a license to engage in commercial
activity, a full 15 megs of server space (additional space available), a URL
address for their store, and unlimited e-mail aliases.
Those who elect to make their GeoShop transaction-enabled will get secure,
real-time, credit-card processing capabilities; use of TaxWare to calculate
sales tax and shipping; and order notification and fulfillment.
GeoCities said it expects to welcome more than 100,000 marketers and online
shops, generating nearly $10 million in revenues, during the program’s first
12 months of operation.
“GeoShops is the culmination of our mission to integrate commerce into our
dynamic online community,” said David Bohnett, CEO of GeoCities. “Our mission
has always been to offer a valuable service and sense of place on the Internet
for the nine million users who visit GeoCities each month. With GeoShops, we
have created the most compelling and robust commercial page program available
anywhere on the Internet.”
To create GeoShops, GeoCities has established relationships with ICOMS
(Internet Commerce Services Corp.) and, through ICOMS, Open Market, two of the
most well respected and reliable e-commerce names on the Internet. Financial
details were not disclosed.
A GeoShop costs $24.95 per month for a special listing in the GeoCities
neighborhoods and up to three “Topics” pages, plus a $100 fee to register the
merchant’s domain name directly with InterNIC.
A $120 one-time startup fee for credit card processing will be applied if
the GeoShop Merchant elects to use GeoCities’ transaction technology
powered by ICOMS. A monthly charge of either $80, or $40 plus 5% of
transactions, whichever is larger, will be applied to each GeoShops Merchant.
In addition, GeoCities said it has entered into a marketing partnership
with Wells Fargo Bank to facilitate the establishment of special accounts
for GeoShops Merchants.
