@vantage-TM Partners with American Management Association; AMA's Business Books Now Available Through @vantage's Web Site

Business Wire, Feb 17, 2000

Business/High Technology Editors

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 17, 2000

@vantage: The Buyer's Advocate(SM) - a one-stop-shop Web site (www.at-vantage.com) where growing businesses can get best direct wholesale pricing on a wide selection of business products and services, as well as unbiased buying information -- announced today a partnership with the American Management Association (AMA).

AMA is the oldest and largest not-for-profit source of business management guidance and education in the world. This partnership gives @vantage customers access to valuable information from seasoned experts across every industry through the AMA's business books, published by AMACOM, the group's book subsidiary.

&uot;Our alliance with the AMA further exemplifies our commitment to serving as the Buyer's Advocate for business consumers,&uot; said Gary Shkedy, founder and chief executive officer of @vantage. &uot;Being able to provide our customers with direct access to the knowledge base of one of the most respected management associations fits perfectly with our mission.&uot;

Designed to provide pragmatic guidance for meeting today's business challenges, AMACOM books can be used as on-the-spot work tools to instruct or inspire employees at all levels. They are practical and solution-oriented, offering both classic and innovative approaches to crucial business concerns. The extensive catalog of business books is an inexpensive and effective way for managers to energize their staff, explain new business concepts and teach specific skills.

&uot;AMA and @vantage share the same goal in that we look to provide businesses with the information and tools that they need to succeed,&uot; said Hank Kennedy, president and publisher of AMACOM. &uot;We are confident the partnership will serve as an effective and successful channel of distribution for our books.&uot;

About @vantage

@vantage: The Buyer's Advocate is a New York-based Internet service company providing growing businesses without professional purchasing managers or departments a one-stop source for access to savings, selection and buying information they would not be able to obtain on their own. The site currently offers more than 30,000 office supply products, computer equipment and business services at the best direct wholesale prices. As the Buyer's Advocate, everything @vantage undertakes is done on behalf of the buyer, essentially acting as their representative in the purchasing transaction. Based on this core philosophy, the site was designed from the customer's point of view to make business purchasing easy and economical, and to provide services for all four stages of the buying cycle: needs analysis, sourcing, purchasing and reconciliation.

About the American Management Association

From its inception 75 years ago, the American Management Association has been committed to the belief that effective management is achieved through developing a combination of work skills and leadership at all levels of an organization. More than two million people a year benefit from AMA seminars, courses, conferences and other activities. The organization now has over 70,000 individual members and 10,000 corporate members worldwide. AMA-member companies employ more than 25 percent of the entire workforce in the United States. AMACOM, AMA's business book subsidiary, publishes approximately 70 titles a year.