Blockbuster deal with AOL hints of video retailing future

Discount Store News, Jan 3, 2000 by Robert Scally

OrderTrust counts several on-line retailers as clients, but is seeking more clicks-and-mortar relationships like the one with Blockbuster.

"Ultimately, the more people shop on the Web the more they're going to want to shop with the brands they're comfortable with in the off-line world," Wheeler said.

OrderTrust's efforts are tied in with another Blockbuster.com vendor, Denverbased TeleTech, a provider of customer management solutions for e-commerce.

TeleTech is providing Blockbuster.com with a system for handling customer inquiries related to product availability, order processing, returns, refunds and site support using its Internet-integrated customer management solution, Cybercare.

The Cybercare system gives Blockbuster.com customers immediate assistance during any step of the on-line buying process, across multiple media, including phone, e-mail and fax.

"We want to provide our customers with the same level of customer service on the Web that they receive in our stores," Blockbuster's Archambeau said. "We believe this is critical to the success of our on-line offering."

Some of TeleTech's other customers include Ford Motor Co., United Parcel Service, AT&T, GTE Corp. and Web-based automobile sales site, Driveoff.com, an Internet car-buying site.

Other firms working on the Blockbuster.com site include Organic Online and Alliance Fulfillment.