| CNET.com Announces Local Shopping, Lets Consumers Locate Nearby Stores That Stock the Tech Gadgets They Want to Buy; |
Launches Annual Holiday Gift Guide Featuring Live Holiday Help Desk on ''Black Friday,'' and Audio Tours on This Year's Hottest Technologies SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 21, 2005--CNET (www.cnet.com), the trusted, unbiased resource dedicated to helping consumers live the digital lifestyle, and a property of CNET Networks, Inc. (Nasdaq:CNET), today announced local shopping functionality that lets consumers find stores in their area that stock the technology gadgets they want to buy. Part of CNET's annual holiday line-up of resources for consumers, the new local shopping functionality serves up comprehensive local store information, such as the store's hours, contact information and directions. CNET's innovative local shopping capability goes beyond today's standard local shopping services, which typically provide stock availability for a retailer, but not for a specific store. Product availability information, which is provided by Channel Intelligence (www.channelintelligence.com), is available for more than 1,600 of this year's hottest products, as determined by popularity on CNET, as well as availability at participating retailers, which include Best Buy, Circuit City, CompUSA, and OfficeMax. CNET also provides shoppers with total price of the product, including tax according to zip code, as well as links to reputable online retailers. "There is no one else that provides this type of detailed, local information that helps consumers quickly and easily locate the product they want to buy," said Candice Meyers, senior vice president of CNET. "While the vast majority of consumers research products online before they make a purchase, they don't always want to purchase online. With the addition of local shopping to our price comparison and shopping tools, we now give users access to qualified online merchants, as well as information on retail stores that stock the products they want, and tools that help them compare both options side by side so they can make an informed decision about where to buy." In addition to local shopping, this holiday season, CNET also offers consumers the ability to check prices, product reviews, and user opinions from their cell phone as they shop. Launched earlier this year, CNET Mobile is available for free at http://mobile.cnet.com and gives consumers the ability to research and compare products while they are on the go. CNET local shopping complements the site's annual Holiday Gift Guide (http://holiday.cnet.com), a complete round-up of the season's must-have technology products. Features of this year's Holiday Gift Guide include: -- Live Holiday Help Desk on Black Friday: Hosted by Editor-at-large Brian Cooley and featuring tech experts from CNET's editorial team, The Live Holiday Help Desk takes place Friday, November 25, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Pacific Standard Time. Consumers can call 800-599-CNET to speak directly with CNET editors or watch the show live online at http://helpdesklive.cnet.com. -- Holiday Audio Tours: To provide shoppers with expert advice while they shop, CNET has created unique Audio Tours that can be downloaded and listened to while browsing a retail store (http://holidaytours.cnet.com). Available in five categories including MP3 players, TV's, digital cameras, laptops, and cell phones, the audio tours offer consumers tips, information, and advice on how to choose the perfect products. In addition to product recommendations by category, the Holiday Gift Guide also includes editorial features such as stocking stuffer ideas, gift ideas for kids, a round-up of this year's ultimate tech luxuries, and guides to setting up the ultimate gaming or home video center. Users can also create and share wish lists with family and friends using My Products (http://myproducts.cnet.com), a new personal product catalog launched earlier this month that lets CNET members keep track of the products they have, and those they want. About CNET CNET (www.cnet.com), 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 CNET Networks, Inc. CNET Networks, Inc. is a worldwide media company and creator of content environments for the interactive age. CNET Networks takes pride in being "a different kind of media company," creating richer, deeper interactive experiences by combining the wisdom and passion of users, marketers and its own expert editors. CNET Networks' leading brands -- such as CNET, GameSpot, MP3.com, Webshots, and ZDNet -- focus on the personal technology, entertainment, and business technology categories. The company has a strong presence in the US, Asia and Europe.
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