San Francisco-based direct e-commerce company XOOM.com Inc. launched XOOM.com Member Stores,
a free service that allows small business owners to build and promote their
own online stores.
The service includes a Web-based app called EasyStoreBuilder and the opportunity to
promote their store in the XOOM.com Member Stores shopping area.
XOOM.com partnered with e-commerce provider Netgateway Inc. to create, host and
manage the new service. Financial arrangements between the companies were not
disclosed.
XOOM.com members can use EasyStoreBuilder to create a free online store with
up to three different products. The service also includes technical support
and instructions on how to establish an Internet-ready credit card merchant
account. Members may elect to upgrade to a larger storefront for a
monthly fee starting at $89.95.
“Unlike our Affiliate Network, which allows homepage builders to earn
commissions on sales, XOOM.com Member Stores empowers small business owners
to sell their own products online, whether they already have a Web site or
not,” said Stuart Illian, vice president of channel development for XOOM.com.
XOOM.com, which claims more than 7.5 million members and offers homepage
building, chat rooms, message boards, HTML e-mail, online greeting cards,
clip art and downloadable software utilities, will be included in the
recently announced NBC Internet or NBCi operation, along with the Snap Web
directory. Xoom.com shareholders would own 34 percent of the new company.
