FedEx Delivers This Season's Hottest Gifts; eToys.com, Ashford.com, hpshopping.com and L.L. Bean rely on FedEx

Business Wire, Dec 13, 2000

Business Editors & Consumer Writers

MEMPHIS, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 13, 2000

One thing is certain about this season's most popular holiday gifts: It's very likely Santa Claus had help from FedEx.

If your home is receiving one or more of the "hottest" gifts from some of the nation's largest e-tailers and cataloguers, here's what you might expect under the tree:

-- Toys: Razor Scooters, Tekno and Poo-Chi virtual pets, Jewel Girl Barbie

-- Luxury items: Diamond earrings, Cartier watches, Dooney & Bourke leather
goods, Oakley sunglasses

-- Electronics: Digital cameras, e-scanners, e-printers, and personal computers


-- Outdoor gear: Duffle bags, packs, shoes and outerwear.

"FedEx will be making sure all of these gifts arrive on time by providing a complete range of shipping solutions," said Dave Edmonds, senior vice president, FedEx World Wide Sales. "Everyone, whether shipping or receiving, can depend on FedEx reliability thanks to our extensive air, ground and information networks that include FedEx Express and FedEx Ground, as well as our new residential-ground service, FedEx Home Delivery."

Scores of the nation's best-known retailers, including eToys.com, Ashford.com, hpshopping.com and L.L. Bean, are working with FedEx Express and FedEx Ground this year to deliver the season's most popular gifts.

Just For Fun: eToys.com

Scooters have shown up on sidewalks everywhere this year, and they're not just for kids anymore. According to Ted Augustine, senior vice president and chief logistics officer for Los Angeles-based eToys Inc., they're also at the top of eToys.com's "hottest toys" list for 2000.

"We'll be depending on FedEx for all of our overnight and second-day deliveries, not only for our shipments of Razor Scooters by Razor, but for our full range of toys and other children's products, including books, videos, software, music, video games and hobby products," Augustine said.

eToys.com spends all year gearing up for the holiday season, and that includes keeping an eye out for "toy trends" and making its own list of what's hot. Topping the list, aside from scooters, are two self-propelled ersatz canines--Tekno the Robot Puppy by Manley Toy Quest and Poo-Chi by Tiger--plus Jewel Girl Barbie by Mattel, Championship Challenge by LEGO, Intellitable by Fisher Price, and Top It by Hasbro.

By December 20, eToys.com expects to be shipping more than 31,000 packages daily by FedEx Express from its fulfillment centers in Ontario and Commerce, Calif., and Blairs, Va.

"Because eToys.com is an Internet-only retailer, the reliability of our shipping partners is of utmost importance. It just doesn't happen without that connection to our customers. In light of the experience we've already had, we believe our confidence in FedEx is well-placed," Augustine said.

FedEx Express is the exclusive air express shipper for eToys.com.

Reliably Luxurious: Ashford.com

Houston-based upscale e-tailer Ashford.com already has handled record customer traffic to start the 2000 holiday shipping season, according to CEO Kenny Kurtzman, and to him that means luxury gifts will be in high demand throughout the holidays.

"We've already had many large holiday purchases, including a four-carat diamond," Kurtzman said. "Among our other top sellers thus far include diamond stud earrings, Cartier watches, Lisa Jenks jewelry, Dooney & Bourke leather, Oakley sunglasses, Calvin Klein fragrances and Kosta Boda crystal."

Since going public in September 1999, Ashford.com has expanded to offer a vast selection of diamonds and more than 20,000 styles of new and vintage watches, jewelry, fragrances, leather accessories, ties, scarves, sunglasses, writing instruments, home and lifestyle products and corporate gifts from more than 400 leading brands. Kurtzman said it's an on-line shopping experience offering unsurpassed products and service, thanks in part to the relationship with FedEx Express, which provides overnight delivery.

And just how confident is Kurtzman about FedEx reliability?

"This year, I will send a grower's bunch of 25 roses to any customer who does not receive a qualifying order the next day," he said. For full details about the service guarantee, including terms, conditions and restrictions, visit the Ashford.com web site at http:www.ashford.com/program/roses/default.asp. Throughout the year, Ashford.com also offers 24/7 customer service, free overnight shipping, free gift packaging, extended warranties, 60-day money-back guarantees on all watches and a 30-day money-back guarantee on all other merchandise.

High-tech at home: hpshopping.com

Launched in 1998 and incorporated in May 1999 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Hewlett-Packard Company, hpshopping.com offers online customers a complete selection of HP home and home office products.

"The year 2000 will end with hpshopping.com firmly established as one of the nation's leading e-tailers," said James Morales, director of operations at hpshopping.com. "One indication is that our Thanksgiving weekend sales volume increased 250% over the same time span in 1999, and we are visited by millions of consumers every month."