| CNET.com Launches Campaign to Help Consumers Get Cash for Old Tech Products While Contributing Money to Local Schools |
SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 22, 2005--CNET Networks, Inc. (Nasdaq:CNET):
-- Teams with Renowned Organization Schoolpop to Develop
Innovative Win-Win Goodwill Campaign for Consumers and Schools CNET (www.cnet.com), the trusted, unbiased resource for people interested in enhancing their life with personal technology, and a property of CNET Networks, Inc. (Nasdaq:CNET), today launched "Trade up to the Future," a goodwill campaign that makes it easy for consumers to trade in their old, unwanted technology products for cash, while simultaneously contributing money to their local schools. For each product traded in using CNET's hassle-free online system, CNET will donate 10 percent of the product's trade-in value to the consumer's local school of choice. Trade up to the Future is part of CNET's 10-year anniversary celebration, which kicks off today with a series of events and special features that will roll out during the next few months (see today's related announcement for details). CNET worked closely with Schoolpop (www.schoolpop.com), a leading provider of nontraditional fundraising and a subsidiary of LoyaltyPoint, Inc. (OTCBB:LYLP), to develop the campaign. Together, they created the CNET Trade-in Center (http://tradein.CNET.com), an easy-to-use online service that provides consumers an instant quote on the trade-in value of their used product. For example, if a consumer has an old digital camera, they simply visit the Web site to obtain its trade-in value, consent to the trade-in terms and conditions, and then print out a mailing label to send the camera in to Schoolpop, who resells the product and sends the consumer the pre-designated amount of cash back. Donations can support any US-based K-12 public, private, or parochial school through Schoolpop's national network. A complete list of schools can be found at Schoolpop's website or at the CNET Trade-in Center so participants can find out whether their favorite school is already a Schoolpop customer. If it is not on the list, they can easily enroll their school. Parents and students are encouraged to rally together, get the PTA/PTO involved, or unite the school community in sending in their old products to take advantage of the 10 percent donation. "We are so proud of this program and the stellar win-win system for consumers and communities we set up, thanks to our successful collaboration with Schoolpop," said Candice Meyers, senior vice president of CNET. "Our users can clear out their old tech products so they can essentially 'trade up to the future' and better afford the latest technologies, while contributing to an extremely worthy cause in their own backyard." "Schoolpop's mission is to find new ways to allow everyday purchases to help schools, and CNET's 'Trade up to the Future' campaign does just that," said Paul Robinson, president and CEO of Schoolpop, Inc. "Budgets continue to be reduced at a time of increasing student populations, threatening the quality of education. This first-of-its-kind joint program with CNET fits our history of inventive fundraising programs and leverages our market-leading online school support infrastructure." To further support local schools and encourage consumers to trade up this summer, CNET and Schoolpop are taking the campaign on the road in a 10-city nationwide tour. Beginning August 13th in Seattle, CNET and Schoolpop will host "Trade up to the Future" events at local CompUSA stores. Each local event will include a live trade-in center where visitors will get a CompUSA gift card for any products they trade in onsite, plus seminars from CNET's expert editors on topics like hot tech gear for the upcoming school year and chances to win cool tech prizes. Details on tour dates and cities can be found at: http://ten.CNET.com. About CNET.com CNET, a property of CNET Networks, Inc., is dedicated to helping people buy and use personal technology to enhance and enrich their lives. CNET's award winning editorial staff reviews thousands of products each year, providing expert and unbiased advice on what products to buy. The site also offers help and how-to features enhanced with video content that visually shows consumers how to get the most out of technology once they own it. And, with an extensive directory of more than 400,000 products and price comparisons, CNET also gives consumers the most up-to-date and efficient shopping resource on the Web. About Schoolpop, Inc. Schoolpop, Inc. is a nontraditional fundraising company for thousands of schools and nonprofits nationwide. Supporters purchase "everyday shopping" items in stores, catalogs, and online, with a percentage of each purchase contributed back to the designated school or nonprofit at no additional cost to the supporter. Over 300 merchants participate in Schoolpop's programs, which has resulted in more than $200 million of contributions to schools and nonprofits nationwide. For more information visit www.schoolpop.com.
CONTACT: CNET |