Denver-based W3 Networks Inc. launched 360 separate comparison shopping sites
powered by the Inktomi Shopping Engine.
W3shopping.com serves as a point of entry
for the shopping service.
W3 Networks said it has designed an intuitive naming structure for its
service,
which will enable shoppers to simply combine “W3,” derived from the World Wide
Web, in front of a product category such as CDs or books.
“Online shopping no longer has to be a tedious research exercise,” said
Steve Bonneau, president and CEO of W3 Networks. “With W3 Networks’ intuitive
search service, shoppers can browse in a specific product category by visiting
a single site, such as W3taxsoftware.com, rather than trolling around the Web
to find availability and get the best price.”
Search results in a W3 category will offer product and price comparison
shopping, and over the coming months will incorporate feature comparisons,
research and expert recommendations.
The Inktomi Shopping Engine provides W3 Networks
shoppers with fast search
access to more than one million products across the Web. The Inktomi Shopping
Engine, scheduled for full availability in the second quarter of this year, is
designed to deliver end-to-end shopping services including product and price
comparison shopping, feature comparisons and research, and expert
recommendations.
Inktomi has announced support from a broad range of Internet companies
for its Inktomi Shopping Engine. Fifteen portals and more than 300 online
merchants have signed agreements to work with Inktomi on the buildout of its
commerce services.
Cebourn Ltd. is the investment banker managing the capital formation for W3
Networks Inc. Derrin Smith, chief economist of Cebourn Ltd. has joined the
technical advisory board for W3 Networks, and the Cebourn Technology Fund is
an early investor.