Viaweb Inc., a supplier of
online store software, entered into partnerships with two newspaper
companies, The Boston Phoenix and the Orange County Register, which will
now build online stores for their customers using Viaweb Store.
“These two major media companies are going the extra mile to help their
advertising clients prosper,” said David Parker, general manager of the New
Media Group for Viaweb. “Small to medium sized businesses are showing great
interest in using the Internet to boost sales–and newspapers are in a
perfect position to help these retailers succeed . . . through Viaweb Store.”
Financial arrangements were not disclosed.
Web stores that are set up through the newspaper site will reside on Viaweb’s
server. The online newspapers will establish links to their clients’ sites
that will help increase Web traffic.
“Our advertisers are eager to begin selling on the Web, and we are able to
set up a retail client immediately using Viaweb Store,” said Tony Lucas,
manager of interactive media of the Boston Phoenix.
The Bostonphoenix.com Web site
has been online since 1995, with 90% of the Boston Phoenix’s (an
alternative weekly) editorial content reproduced every week.
The Orange County Register’s ocregister.com serves a market of 2.6
million residents and claims two million page views a month.