Quote.com Launches "The Investors On-Ramp"; Company Is First Financial Services Web Site to Offer Education in Online Trading

Business Wire, Oct 8, 1998

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 8, 1998--Quote.com Inc., the leading Internet provider of financial market information for individual investors and the financial services industry, Thursday announced the launch of The Quote.com Investors On-Ramp.

Available on Quote.com's Web site (www.quote.com), the Investors On-Ramp is designed to educate investors on the process of financial management on the Internet -- a first among financial services Web sites. The Investors On-Ramp was developed in partnership with Gomez Advisors, an authority in online financial services, and is sponsored by Discover Brokerage, a leading online brokerage.

The Investors On-Ramp guides individual investors through the process of investing online, including opening an account, conducting research, executing a trade and analyzing a portfolio.

"The advantages of Internet-based investing are clear -- accessibility, speed and quantity of information and cost," said Chris Cooper, president and chief executive officer of Quote.com.

"However, potential investors are seeking to increase their comfort level with technology and the overall investing process before conducting an actual online trade. The Investors On-Ramp provides all the necessary educational tools to assist in the process."

In addition to the Investors On-Ramp, Quote.com also offers a link to Gomez Advisors' "The Reluctant Investor" on its Web site. These columns -- written by Gomez Advisors' analysts -- cover a broad range of business and investment issues, including e-commerce, Internet investing and retirement planning, as well as market commentary.

"More than 15 million people want to manage their investments on the Internet, but to take the next step, many of these people are looking for some guidance. Our partnership with Gomez Advisors, with sponsorship from Discover Brokerage, allows us to offer aspiring investors the tools they need to understand Internet investing," Cooper said.

About Quote.com

Quote.com, founded in 1993, delivers customized solutions for companies that provide stock quotes, detailed market data on equities, options, commodity futures, mutual funds, bonds, real-time business news, market analysis, fundamental financial (balance sheet) data, and company profiles.

Quote.com provides state-of-the-art integration for gathering, tracking and analyzing investment information for serious investors.

The company serves more than 300,000 registered users at its www.quote.com site, and millions of users through its network of affiliates and partners across the Internet. Key alliances include Charles Schwab, PIMCO, Waterhouse Securities, Atlanta Internet Bank and Sprint.

Quote.com is a privately-held company that is venture funded by Sequoia Capital Corp. of Menlo Park, Calif.; Highland Capital Partners of Boston; Shawmut Capital of Boston; and BARRA Inc., of Berkeley, Calif. Quote.com is based in Mountain View, and its services can be accessed via the World Wide Web at http://www.quote.com, by sending a blank e-mail to info@quote.com or by calling 650/930-1000.

About Gomez Advisors

Gomez Advisors is an independent authority on the Internet delivery of consumer products and services. The company's publicly available quarterly Scorecards help consumers make more informed decisions about their electronic commerce service providers in industries such as brokerage, banking and travel.

The company's research helps businesses build electronic relationships with new and existing customers. Gomez Advisors' mission is to define the elements of quality in the Internet delivery of services, and to help e-commerce firms better serve online consumers.

About Discover Brokerage

Discover Brokerage Direct is a leader in discount brokerage and was named best overall online brokerage service by Barron's (1996, 1997 and 1998) and SmartMoney (1998).

Discover Brokerage Direct is a Morgan Stanley Dean Witter & Co. (NYSE:MWD) company that offers customers three ways to invest: with a registered representative, using a touch-tone telephone or over the Internet. The company has headquarters in San Francisco.

Morgan Stanley Dean Witter is a global financial services firm and a market leader in securities, asset management and credit and transaction services. The company has offices in New York, London, Tokyo, Hong Kong and other principal financial centers around the world and has 411 securities branch offices throughout the United States.