uBid TO HOST AUCTION OF “TODAY BUILDS A HOUSE” in
conjuNction with ourhouse.com and the today show
CHICAGO, IL – May 2, 2001 – uBid, a
leading online auction and e-commerce site, has something for everyone on the
auction block this moving season, including a house! uBid, in conjunction with
OurHouse.com, the Internet's premier web site for home solutions, and NBC News’
“Today" show announced that beginning today, consumers have the
opportunity to bid on the first-ever "Today Builds a House,” a newly built
2,902 square foot, fully furnished home located in Lithia, Florida. The house was constructed during a weekly
program on the “Today” show devoted to guiding viewers through the
home-building process. All proceeds raised from the auction will be
donated to Habitat for Humanity.
“We’re
pleased that OurHouse.com and ‘Today’ looked to us to provide the auction
technology for this one-of-a-kind auction,” said Greg Jones, president and
chief executive officer of uBid. “It
provides us with the opportunity to give back to the community. We can’t think of a more worthwhile
organization to donate the proceeds.”
Beginning
today, continuing through Saturday, May 12, 2001, consumers who log onto uBid,
at http://www.ubid.com/cat/1321.asp, will have the opportunity
to bid on this luxurious new home. As
part of its relationship with OurHouse.com, uBid agreed to host the "Today
Builds a House" auction by developing a co-branded auction page in order
to provide consumers with the opportunity to bid on the home, while helping
Habitat for Humanity raise money for those who are less fortunate. Consumers can also log onto www.ourhouse.com to bid on this
once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
“We are
proud of the relationship that we have formed with uBid to present this online
charity auction that benefits such a wonderful organization,” said Gary Briggs,
chief marketing officer of OurHouse.com.
Over the
last 12 weeks, OurHouse.com, in conjunction with “Today,” participated in the
first ever “Today Builds a House” project.
Each week, OurHouse.com’s “Mr. Fix-It,” Lou Manfredini, appeared on
“Today” to guide viewers through the home building process. At the end of each segment, viewers were
able to vote on different aspects of the home by logging on to
www.today.msnbc.com. Votes were tallied
for everything – from the floor plan to design choices for the kitchen, bath,
living room, landscaping, color schemes and more! Now completed, the
four-bedroom, three-bath home features a formal living and dining room, covered
lanai with pool, three-car garage and flex space that can be used as a child’s
playroom, home office or workout room among other things.
Through relationships with leading
manufacturers, uBid auctions more than 12,000 new and refurbished products
daily, including computers, house wares and consumer electronics,
often at deep discounts.
uBid, a
majority-owned operating company of CMGI, Inc., is a leading retail auction and
e-commerce site, offering consumers and small to mid-sized businesses the
opportunity to purchase a wide range of brand name merchandise, often at
greatly reduced prices, through live-action bidding using sophisticated auction
technology. The company’s Internet auctions feature a rotating selection of
more than 12,000 products daily. uBid sells products in more than 12 different
product categories, including computer equipment; consumer electronics; home
and leisure; sports and recreation; jewelry and gifts; apparel; home
improvement products; art; appliances; and travel and events. In addition,
consumers may participate in the new uBid Auction Exchange marketplace, in
which third-party vendors and consumers list their items for auction.
With more than 2 million registered users, uBid is committed
to providing its customers with the highest quality auction experience on the
Internet and offers supplier warranties on most consumer products. uBid also
meets Better Business Bureau Online standards, which gives customers the
confidence and security to bid safely online. For more information, visit the
company’s Web site at www.ubid.com.
uBid and uBid.com are trademarks of uBid, Inc. All other products and services mentioned
may be trademarks or service marks of their respective owners.
This
release contains forward-looking statements which address a variety of subjects
including, for example, the expected ability of uBid to auction a house and
other products. The following important
factors and uncertainties, among others, could cause actual results to differ
materially from those described in these forward-looking statements: uBid’s
success depends on the continued and increased acceptance of its website and
the Internet as a medium; consumer preferences for the products offered by uBid
may change rapidly; uBid’s technologies may not successfully interoperate with
those of third parties; and increased competition and technological changes in
the markets in which uBid competes. For a detailed discussion of these and
other cautionary statements, please refer to CMGI's filings with the Securities
and Exchange Commission, including CMGI's most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.
CONTACT:
Denise Mancini
Manager, Public Relations
uBid
773-272-4562
Allison Gollust
NBC News Communications
212-664-3220