GiftCertificates.com, Lucky Magazine Partner to Create Luckygifts.com, Lucky-Branded Retail Site for Gift Certificates

Business Wire, Nov 22, 2004

SEATTLE -- Luckygifts.com is first branded site for gift certificates from consumer magazine

GiftCertificates.com, the nation's leading purveyor of gift certificates, today announced a co-marketing partnership with Lucky, the award-winning magazine about shopping, to create an innovative, online gift certificate/card retail center that is built around the magazine's unique voice and brand.

Lucky's online center for gift certificates, www.luckygifts.com, is the first site of its kind created by a consumer publication. The goal of the site, created and managed by GiftCertificates.com, is to extend the Lucky brand into an online retail environment and to make shopping and gift-giving easier for Lucky readers.

The site will reflect the look and feel of the magazine as will the shopping experience - fun, easy and actionable. The retailers on the site have been assembled from GiftCertificates.com's merchant partners and Lucky advertisers to create an online shopping experience that expressly caters to Lucky's readership.

"It is very exciting to work closely with Lucky, the biggest shopping magazine, to extend its brand by developing a rich retail environment focused specifically on gift cards and certificates," said Kathy Gersch, executive vice president of marketing and merchandise for GiftCertificates.com.

"Our readers are shoppers and this program offers them a great shopping experience within a brand that they know and trust," said Sandy Golinkin, Vice President and Publisher of Lucky. "This new retail site not only does that, but expands the experience through innovative offerings of gift certificates and cards tailored especially for the Lucky audience."

The site translates Lucky's unique look and feel into a retail environment by featuring retailers that are particularly appealing to the magazine's core readers and target demographic, such as GAP, Saks Fifth Avenue and Sephora.

In addition, the site incorporates shopping tools and functionality that GiftCertificates.com has customized specifically for Lucky, Gersch said. The new site allows shoppers to purchase multiple gift cards from any of the participating vendors, all with one simple transaction. In addition, there is a gift with purchases over $200.

The site is equally appealing to the magazine's participating advertisers as it enables the seamless integration of an advertiser's message across both the print and online platforms, thus expanding the reach of the message and impressions, Gersch said.

Golinkin said that the new site enables Lucky readers to keep pace with the growing appeal of gift certificates and cards. Gift certificates/cards is one of the fastest growing segments of retailing. The total market for gift certificates/cards grew 22 percent to $55-billion in 2004 and is expected to surpass $65-billion in 2005, according to the Tower Group.

Moreover, awareness among consumers for gift certificates/cards is approaching 100 percent and gift certificates/cards have surpassed cash as the gift of choice among consumers, according to a 2004 report from ValueLink.

Additionally, the demographics of the magazine's readers are very much in line with those driving the growth of gift certificates in general and with users of GiftCertificates.com specifically, Gersch said.

"Lucky was the first magazine to focus on shopping and we think this branded online retail center, is going to be incredibly valuable to our readers, particularly as we get into the holiday gift-giving season," Golinkin said.

About GiftCertificates.com

GiftCertificates.com(TM) provides gift certificates and related products and services to corporations and consumers. The company's sales organization works with nearly 20,000 corporate customers in all major industries to implement customer and employee acquisition, incentive, loyalty, reward and retention programs.

The company's best-selling SuperCertificate(R) product can be redeemed at GiftCertificates.com for original merchant gift certificates, including national and local retailers such as Amazon.com, Macy's, Eddie Bauer(R) and The Sharper Image(R); and for travel services such as American Airlines(R) and Marriott(R) Hotels, Resorts & Suites; personal services including Merry Maids and TruGreen ChemLawn; and popular restaurants such as Hard Rock Cafe and The Capital Grille.

GiftCertificates.com, founded in 1997, is headquartered in Seattle and has a distribution facility in Omaha, Neb.

About Lucky

Lucky, the award-winning magazine about shopping, provides women with the best to buy in fashion, beauty, home, and more. Launched by Conde Nast in 2000, Lucky now publishes 14 regional editions and continues to attract new readers, reaching over 4 million women* monthly. For the latest news from Lucky, log on to www.luckymag.com. Source: MRI, Fall 2003 (Base: Women)