Yahoo! Small Business Introduces Yahoo! Merchant Solutions, Business Center [23rd September 2003]

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Sep 23, 2003 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Yahoo!(R) Small Business (http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com) today announced the launch of Yahoo! Merchant Solutions, three new e-commerce packages that are seamlessly integrated with Yahoo! Web Hosting services to meet the varying needs of merchants. Yahoo! has also introduced a new business center providing Yahoo! Small Business customers with a full spectrum of online business solutions and an integrated management console for all core Yahoo! Small Business services.

Yahoo! Merchant Solutions is the latest example of our ongoing commitment to provide small businesses with the services they need to reach new customers and increase sales," said Rich Riley, vice president and general manager, Yahoo! Small Business. "In addition, with our new business center, all of our services are available in one central location, making it easier for small businesses to find and manage the tools they need to sell and market online."

"Yahoo! Small Business has the right formula for integrating its services and making them easy to use," said Melanie Posey, Analyst, IDC. "Yahoo! Merchant Solutions offers a comprehensive online business bundle to make it easier than ever for small businesses to sell online. In addition, the new business center integrates all of Yahoo's small business services into one place, providing customers with simplified access to and management of their online businesses."

Yahoo! Merchant Solutions

Yahoo! Merchant Solutions simplifies the online selling process by providing domain name registration, business email, Web site hosting, and advanced e-commerce functionality in every plan. The three economically priced plans offer unique levels of functionality - from e-commerce basics including online payment processing, shopping cart and order management, to advanced solutions that provide merchandising and scripting tools as well as sophisticated marketing tools that include coupons, automated cross-selling, and more. All three packages provide round-the-clock toll-free phone support.

Merchant Starter - An affordable introduction to online selling

Pricing: $39.95 per month, 1.5% transaction fee, $50 setup (Waived until 12/31/03)

-- E-commerce basics: online payment processing, shopping cart,
and catalog management

-- Built-in shopping cart, customer checkout, and order
management system

-- Domain name and 35 Business Mail accounts

-- 350 MB of disk space and 35 GB of data transfer/month
(bandwidth)

-- Easy-to-use Yahoo! Web design tools and support for Microsoft
FrontPage

-- Credit card and person-to-person payment processing

-- 24-hour toll-free phone support

Merchant Standard - An e-commerce solution for established businesses

Pricing: $99.95 per month, 1% transaction fee, $50 setup (Waived until 12/31/03)

-- Everything included in Merchant Starter

-- Advanced merchandising tools

-- Advanced scripting tools for creating robust, interactive
stores

-- Sophisticated marketing tools such as coupons, automated
cross-selling, and more

Merchant Professional - Customized pricing for high volume sales

Pricing: $299.95 per month, 0 .75% transaction fee, $50 setup (Waived until 12/31/03)

-- Everything included in Merchant Standard

-- Priority customer support

-- Pricing tailored to meet the needs of merchants with high
volume sales

New Business Center

Yahoo! Small Business (http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com) customers can now manage their integrated services from a single management console and access the tools and resources they need to establish their business online, sell their products online, and effectively market online. These resources and services include Web Hosting, enabling customers to establish a professional Web presence; Merchant Solutions, providing everything a business needs to sell online; Domains, fast and easy domain name registration; Business Email, enabling businesses to establish their online identity easily; Marketing Tools, providing specially negotiated deals and numerous online tools for generating leads and acquiring customers; Internet Access, through the newly announced SBC Yahoo! DSL and Dial for Small Business; and Recruiting Services through HotJobs.

About Yahoo! Small Business

Yahoo! Small Business (http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com) is a leading provider of services enabling small businesses to be successful online. In a powerful one-stop shop, Yahoo! Small Business provides a comprehensive, easy-to-use suite of services that enable small businesses to get online, sell online and market online. Yahoo! Small Business provides services such as Yahoo! Web Hosting, Yahoo! Merchant Solutions, Yahoo! Domains and Yahoo! Business Mail.

About Yahoo!

Yahoo! Inc. is a leading provider of comprehensive online products and services to consumers and businesses worldwide. Yahoo! is the No. 1 Internet brand globally and the most trafficked Internet destination worldwide. Headquartered in Sunnyvale, Calif., Yahoo!'s global network includes 25 World properties and is available in 13 languages.

Yahoo! and the Yahoo! logo are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Yahoo! Inc.

All other names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

SOURCE: Yahoo! Inc.