STAMPS.COM AND OFFICE DEPOT EXPAND STRATEGIC ALLIANCE
Stamps.com Adopts OfficeDepot.com as Engine Behind its New Co-Branded Online Store; Office Depot Enhances Stamps.com’s Access to SOHO and Small Business Market
SANTA MONICA, Calif. – August 31, 2000 – Stamps.comTM (NASDAQ: STMP), the leading provider of Internet mailing and shipping services, and Office Depot (NYSE: ODP), the world’s largest seller of office products, today announced the expansion of their existing partnership. The extended agreement will make Stamps.com Internet PostageTM available through Office Depot’s numerous business channels, including its nationwide chain of retail stores, direct sales force, office supply catalogues, as well as the www.officedepot.com site. Additionally, Office Depot will extend its reach to a new category of customer – the Internet postage user.
The new online store, found at sdcmainprod.wpengine.com/store or by clicking the “Buy Supplies” tab when using the Internet Postage service, will make Office Depot’s selection of products and services available to Stamps.com’s customer base of more than a quarter of a million users. Additionally, Office Depot and Stamps.com will develop marketing programs intended to educate small businesses, small offices and home offices (SOHOs) on the benefits of using the Stamps.com Internet Postage service, which allows users to purchase and print postage directly over the Internet.
“Many of our customers run small businesses and home offices and simply don’t have the time to leave work to purchase postage or office supplies, for that matter,” said Doug Walner, senior vice president and general manager of the Small Business Unit at Stamps.com. “By partnering with Office Depot and expanding our online store, we’re able to offer our customers everything they need for their office. Whether it be mailing and shipping supplies such as envelopes or labels, or office supplies like pens, paper or even a computer, our customers will benefit from Office Depot’s expanded selection, low prices and quality service.”
Stamps.com customers who access the new online store will be able to select from Office Depot’s stock inventory of more than 15,000 office products, in addition to the mailing and shipping supplies the store previously offered. Enhanced features of the store include online order tracking in real-time, free next-day delivery on all orders over $50, the convenience of identifying correct supplies with Toner/Ink QuickFind and Office Depot’s competitive price guarantee. Both new and existing Stamps.com customers will receive a voucher for $10 off their next purchase the first time they order from the new co-branded site.
“In today’s competitive market, efficiency is the key to profitability. Office Depot’s goal is to continue to be the destination for the small business customer,” said Monica Luechtefeld, executive vice president of E-Commerce at Office Depot. “In expanding our Business Services offering and creating this alliance with Stamps.com, we can provide our small business customers with convenient access
to an important service, Internet postage.”
About Stamps.com
Stamps.comTM provides the easiest, smartest way to mail or ship letters, packages or parcels anywhere, anytime. Stamps.com operates three business units focused on providing valuable e-services allowing small businesses, large corporations and e-commerce companies to control costs and efficiently manage their mailing, shipping and returns operations. Its business is anchored in key relationships with the U.S. Postal Service and United Parcel Service (UPS) and other carriers, including FedEx, Airborne Express, DHL and Yellow Freight. Stamps.com’s subsidiary, EncrypTix Inc., leverages its highly secure, patented technologies enabling companies to provide value-bearing documents like tickets, coupons and certificates over the Internet to consumers. Stamps.com International will extend the company’s reach into foreign markets. Visit sdcmainprod.wpengine.com for more information.
About Office Depot
As of June 24, 2000, the Company operated 855 office supply superstores in the United States and Canada, in addition to a national business-to-business delivery network supported by 30 delivery centers, more than 60 local sales offices and seven regional call centers. Furthermore, the Company owned and operated 27 office supply stores in France and seven stores in Japan; had mail order and delivery operations in 14 countries outside of the United States and Canada; and under joint venture and licensing agreements, had 89 additional stores operating under the Office Depot name in six other foreign countries. The Company also operates an award-winning U.S. Office Depot brand Internet Web site at www.officedepot.com where customers can access Office Depot’s low competitive prices seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day, and it operates Viking brand Web sites at www.vikingop.com in the United States, www.viking-direct.co.uk in the United Kingdom, www.viking.de in Germany, www.vikingdirect.nl in The Netherlands and www.vikingop.it in Italy. Office Depot’s common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol ODP and is included in the S&P 500 Index.
“Safe Harbor” Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This release may contain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Important factors, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements, are detailed in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission made from time to time by Stamps.com, including its annual report on Form 10-K/A for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1999 and its quarterly report on Form10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2000. Stamps.com undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
Stamps.com, iShip, iReturn and the Stamps.com, iShip and iReturn logos are trademarks of Stamps.com Inc. All other brands and names are property of their respective owners.