Computer-products Distributor Ingram Micro to Offer Internet Commerce On Behalf of Its Resellers, Reports InternetWeek

Business Wire, July 10, 1998

MANHASSET, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 10, 1998--Ingram Micro Inc. (NYSE: IM), the $16.5-billion computer-products distributor, is planning to take its extranet and Internet commerce strategy to a new level by hosting "and at least partially funding" branded transaction sites on behalf of its computer-reseller customers, according to an exclusive story posted online today by InternetWeek (http://www.internetwk.com).

CMP Media's IP networking and computing newspaper reports that the effort is aimed at keeping otherwise fickle resellers, who aggressively shop multiple distributors for the best price, in the Ingram fold by making it easier for them to conduct business in a low-cost Internet environment. Coupled with other market-leading initiatives, the strategy elevates Ingram to the ranks of bellwether E-commerce players Cisco Systems and Dell Computer.

"Key to the strategy is a packaged Internet electronic-commerce application," writes Editor at Large John Evan Frook.

Ingram is expected to announce next Tuesday, July 14, a deal to license Open Market Inc.'s Transact server and database software for use by value-added resellers (VARs). The licensing deal will enable resellers to offer their end-user customers real-time inventory, sales-tax calculation, transaction processing, shipping and personalization on their own branded site.

"Our Open Market strategy includes both an end-to-end turnkey solution, and also breaking certain portions of the Transact solution out and putting them into reseller environments where the reseller already has some Web-site activity," David Carlson, Ingram senior vice president and chief technology officer, told InternetWeek.

Ingram will provide VARs with Internet commerce services from its own hosted intranet application, but all interface with end users will present the VAR's identity.

Expanding on today's Web summary, at http://www.internetwk.com, Frook's full report will appear in InternetWeek's July 13 issue.

InternetWeek provides news, reviews, case studies and business analysis to 215,000 information-technology buyers focused on the Internet, corporate networks, intranets and extranets. The newspaper's award-winning coverage focuses on electronic commerce, intranet applications, clients and servers, bandwidth developments, security management and business news. It was lauded for editorial excellence in the Neal Awards program of American Business Press and received an award for design excellence from the Society of Publication Designers.

InternetWeek's Web site is at http://www.internetwk.com.

CMP Media Inc. (Nasdaq: CMPX) is the only high-tech media company providing essential information and marketing services to the full technology spectrum--the builders, sellers and users of technology worldwide. With its portfolio of leading newspapers, magazines, custom publishing, Internet products and conferences, CMP Media (http://www.cmp.com) is uniquely positioned to offer marketers comprehensive, integrated solutions tailored to meet their individual needs. Online editions of the company's print publications, which include EE Times, InformationWeek, Computer Reseller News and Windows Magazine, along with products and services created exclusively for the Internet, can be found on CMPnet at http://www.CMPnet.com.

CONTACT: CMP Media Inc., Manhasset

Barry J. Zusman

516/562-7040

bzusman@cmp.com

or Steve Rubel

516/562-7434

srubel@cmp.com