Dawson Rorick, USWeb/CKS, 415/369-6719
[email protected]
USWeb/CKS Prepares FAO Schwarz for the Holiday Shopping Season
New Look Welcomes Customers with Animation and Free Screen Saver
San Francisco - November 22, 1999 - USWeb/CKS (Nasdaq: USWB), the leader in Internet professional services, today announced its work in helping FAO Schwarz welcome holiday shoppers to their site with a new look and added features. FAO Schwarz, �the world�s ultimate toy store�, will re-launch its site www.fao.com at a special window lighting event at the Manhattan flagship store. The event officially kicks-off the holiday shopping season and will be hosted by special guest Michael J. Fox, who plays the voice of Stuart Little in the new holiday movie of the same name.
The creative work, which includes a special welcome animation for the site, a free screensaver for the holiday season, refreshed navigation, and new main page design, is the first phase in an ongoing project that will include additional front- and back-end projects involving USWeb/CKS� strategy, marketing and technology capabilities.
� FAO Schwarz has been recognized by many as the location for holiday toy shopping for 138 years,� said Dwayne Stoltz, director of production at USWeb/CKS. �This year, we captured the energy of the stores and brought it online for the rest of the world to experience.�
In a new move for FAO Schwarz, FAO.com will feature a Spanish-language site, marking the first time that the company is courting international customers. Additionally, FAO.com, which is the fastest growing part of FAO Schwarz�s business, currently features a variety of exclusive merchandise such as dolls and plush toys that are available only at www.fao.com.
�We are extremely pleased to work with USWeb/CKS to help bring the magical experience of shopping in an FAO Schwarz store online,� said John Eyler, Chairman and CEO of FAO Schwarz. �Our relationship with USWeb/CKS is an integral part of our strategy to help grow our online business as we head into the new millennium.�
The New York-based FAO Schwarz online, merchandising and visual design teams worked closely with USWeb/CKS to develop the site upgrades in time to meet the increased demands of the holiday season.
Robert Shaw, CEO of USWeb/CKS added, �The holiday season is critical to both brick-and-mortar retailers and e-tailers and FAO Schwarz is at the forefront of the holiday push in both venues. Our mission is to increase their sales online while reaffirming the brand that has been so solid for so long in the offline world. These projects represent the first step in our efforts to create many more strong holiday seasons for FAO Schwarz and FAO.com�
About FAO Schwarz and FAO.com
Founded in 1862, FAO Schwarz has long been recognized as the toy store with distinction. The company has consistently delivered exclusive, unusual and trend-setting merchandise. Stores and catalogues have been designed to interact with customers in a manner which distinguishes FAO from other retailers and involves customers with merchandise.
FAO Schwarz launched www.fao.com in 1995 and has been rapidly expanding ever since to become the premier online specialty toy retailer. As the fastest growing part of FAO Schwarz�s business, the site offers a vast selection of toys, collectibles, and novelty items. The Web site also boasts a variety of exclusive merchandise such as dolls and plush toys not found anywhere else.
About USWeb/CKS
USWeb/CKS (Nasdaq: USWB) seeks to transform businesses in the digital economy and create sustainable market leadership for its clients. As the leading Internet professional services firm, USWeb/CKS has created a new standard for success in the digital economy � Time-to-Value. Time-to-Value means USWeb/CKS applies its extensive insight, experience and scale to deliver breakthrough results quickly. The Company is headquartered in San Francisco, with more than 4,000 professionals in over 50 locations worldwide. Additional information about USWeb/CKS is available by calling 415/284-7070.