Monday November 29, 1999: F2, Fairfax Interactive Network, today launched shoptoday.com.au, which brings together leading online retailers, the excitement of online auctions, a services directory to find local businesses and a showcase of online bargains.

"shoptoday.com.au is a gateway to the best of online shopping in Australia," said Nigel Dews, Chief Executive of F2. "We have launched with a select group of retailers who meet our strict quality and security requirements. From this base, we will continue to increase the number of retailers on the site and expand the services we offer."

The new site hosts 10 retailers including Collins Books, Compaq, Estore, Toys and More, Wish List, Mark Foys, Toy Spot, Toyshop, Gift Voucher and Telstra Big Pond Travel, with thousands of products categorised under Books, Computers, Gifts, Health and Beauty, Toys and Games, and Travel. The integration of SOLD.com.au, Australia’s leading online auction site, and CitySearch.com.au the leading leisure and lifestyle guide, gives Australian consumers access to an extensive range of products and services all available from one user-friendly site.

Many of these retailers are providing special deals and great discounts for shoptoday.com.au users, and an upcoming promotion will give visitors to the site a chance to win a $3,000 Christmas hamper which includes electrical items, games, gourmet food, wine, and other great gifts.

"Currently around 10 percent of Australians use the Internet for online shopping according to www.consult, but if the US experience is any guide we can expect this number to grow substantially," said Dews. "Some of the factors that are likely to contribute to this growth will be a greater number of quality online shopping sites, an overall increase in Internet usage and increased consumer confidence.

"From our experience, the sites which are most likely to succeed will have a trusted brand, be easy to use, provide a variety of high quality products and services, and most importantly, deliver on their promises," he said.

The shoptoday.com.au site allows users to browse and compare products and services at any time, without the hassle, all from the comfort of their PC. It provides hints and tips on how to get started and members can sign up for a free newsletter so they are the first to know about the latest bargains and new services being offered on the site.

To make it easy for consumers to find what they are after, shoptoday.com.au is divided into four areas:

Departments – choose from thousands of products in categories such as books, computers, gifts, health and beauty, toys and games, and travel.

Showcase – highlights the greatest online bargains and special deals.

SOLD.com.au – shoptoday.com.au is integrated into Australia’s largest online auction site which lists over 27,000 items for auction in around 100 categories, from sporting memorabilia to office equipment.

CitySearch Local Shopping – provides a database of thousands of retailers and service providers around Australia which can be searched by region, product category or by company name to find a supplier who is nearby.

shoptoday.com.au will be promoted in Fairfax publications and across the f2 network of sites, which attracts more than 1.4 million page views per day.

Note to editors

f2, the Fairfax Interactive Network, is a leading online publisher that is at the forefront of adapting new technologies, such as streaming video and audio, to augment its content and coverage. All of the f2 network sites and its partner’s sites are accessible through its home page at f2.com.au.