Attention Retailers: It’s Not Too Late to Offer Online Holiday Shopping

Chicago—November 25, 2003—Retailers who think it’s too late to provide their customers the option of shopping online this holiday season still have time to cash in on the year’s big ecommerce rush.

A recent study by Jupiter Research forecasts a record $17 billion in holiday ecommerce transactions this year.

"With a strengthening economy, thousands of small ‘brick-and-mortar’ retailers want to reach their customers through ecommerce, but they don’t think they can get an online store set up in time for the holidays, " said John Lee, director of marketing for Web hosting leader Hostway Corporation. "We want to assure them that they still have time, although time is running out."

To help merchants take advantage of this urgent opportunity, Hostway has introduced the Hostway Merchant Manager, an online-store setup and management tool. Available with all Hostway ecommerce plans, Merchant Manager is a powerful, highly customizable and easy-to-use store tool that allows merchants to launch their store in time for the busiest retail season.

Lee said many small retailers have resisted ecommerce because they fear the complexity of setting up and running an online store. Hostway Merchant Manager provides the simple, yet full-featured solution that small retailers demand. It easily enables customers to create a robust and customized store, track and manage inventory, and understand their customers’ purchasing habits.

"Small-business owners don’t have to miss another busy holiday shopping season." Lee added. "Using Hostway Merchant Manager, building an online store is as easy as point…click…launch."

Hostway Merchant Manager is available via Web site orders at www.hostway.com or by calling their sales department directly at 1-866-467-8929.