March 16, 2009

Discovery Communications Signs Delivery Agent for Comprehensive E-Commerce Services

Filed under: Press Releases — aeverett @ 3:32 pm

Discovery Communications Signs Delivery Agent for Comprehensive E-Commerce Services

Silver Spring, Md. (March 16, 2009) – Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), the world’s number one nonfiction media company, announced today a multi-year deal to outsource its entire interactive commerce business to Delivery Agent, Inc., the leader in shopping-enabled entertainment. The agreement represents a shift in Discovery’s Commerce strategy from an internal operation to a lower risk, royalty-based model.

“Transitioning to a royalty model provides opportunity for increased profitability while significantly reducing the financial risk of holding large product inventory,” said Kelly Day, Chief Operating Officer, Discovery Commerce. “Discovery’s brand strength and legacy of creating award-winning consumer products, paired with Delivery Agent’s track record of building winning commerce solutions for the entertainment industry, makes this an ideal go-forward strategy for achieving our growth goals for Commerce.”

In exchange for royalties, Delivery Agent will handle all of Discovery’s direct-to-consumer operations, including hosting and managing the DiscoveryStore.com website, customer service, merchandising, marketing, product development and fulfillment. Launched in 2001, DiscoveryStore.com draws an average of 12 million consumers each year and features products such as fan gear for Discovery’s popular series; award-winning children’s toys; and the best of Discovery’s nonfiction specials and series on DVD.

Delivery Agent also will launch shopping websites for TLC and Animal Planet later this year. TLCStore.com and AnimalPlanetStore.com will feature home video from its most popular programming and a wider variety of show-based items.

The launch of the royalty model represents a significant milestone in Discovery Communications’ strategic realignment of its Commerce business. To excel in a dramatically changing commerce environment, since 2007 the company has executed on a plan to reduce risk and costs, streamline operations and increase profitability for its Commerce division. Since that time the company has closed its 103 Discovery Channel Store retail locations in the U.S.; refocused efforts on online commerce; expanded its product lines sold through mass-market retailers; and outsourced its retail licensing business.

“Discovery Communications has a strong history of developing superior products that leverage the affinity and loyalty consumers have for its programs and brands,” said Mike Fitzsimmons, Delivery Agent’s CEO. “We look forward to taking Discovery’s Commerce business to a new level by applying our expertise in shopping-enabled entertainment.”

About Discovery Communications

Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) is the world’s number one nonfiction media company reaching more than 1.5 billion cumulative subscribers in over 170 countries. Discovery empowers people to explore their world and satisfy their curiosity through 100-plus worldwide networks, led by Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Science Channel, Planet Green, Investigation Discovery and HD Theater, as well as leading consumer and educational products and services, and a diversified portfolio of digital media services including HowStuffWorks.com. For more information, please visit www.discoverycommunications.com.

About Delivery Agent, Inc.

Delivery Agent, Inc. (www.deliveryagent.com), named #1 Privately Held Media Company by Inc. Magazine, and #3 on the Deloitte & Touche Silicon Valley Technology Fast 50, is the leader in shopping-enabled programming and content monetization for more than 125 entertainment properties from major media companies such as ABC, CBS, NBC Universal, Twentieth Century Fox, MTV Networks, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Boston Celtics, UFC, and The Weinstein Company. Delivery Agent created the market for shopping-enabled programming by redefining how products related to entertainment are cataloged, merchandised and sold online. Since its inception in 2001, Delivery Agent has deployed its comprehensive technology platform, including e-commerce applications, video and mobile products, and interactive advertising solutions to create profitable connections among entertainment content, consumers and brands. To date, the company has developed a network of more than 90 distinct branded shopping sites for its partners and its own SeenON!™ (www.SeenON.com), the definitive online shopping destination for products seen on screen.

Press Contacts:

Discovery Commerce
Jennifer Marburg
Jennifer_Marburg@discovery.com
240.662.3225

Delivery Agent
Kim Marder
kmarder@deliveryagent.com
415.728.9602

Discovery Communications to outsource online retail operations

Filed under: In the News — aeverett @ 2:50 pm

By: Tierney Plumb

In a move to further shift its online retail operations to a more effective model, Discovery Communications has inked a multi-year deal to outsource its whole interactive commerce business to Delivery Agent Inc.

The San Francisco-based technology applications company, which creates a digital shopping environment, has an entertainment clientele that includes MTV Networks, Martha Stewart Living and NBC Universal.

“Transitioning to a royalty model provides opportunity for increased profitability while significantly reducing the financial risk of holding large product inventory,” said Kelly Day, chief operating officer of Discovery Commerce, in a statement.

The Silver Spring-based media giant (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) said its revenues reached $3.4 billion in 2008, a 10 percent increase from 2007.

In exchange for royalties, Delivery Agent will host and manage the Discoverystore.com Web site and handle all customer service, merchandising, marketing, product development and fulfillment.

Launched in 2001, Discovery Store’s site attract around 12 million consumers each year and sells fan gear related to its popular shows, children’s toys and Discovery’s nonfiction specials and series on DVD.

Delivery Agent will launch shopping Web sites for TLC and Animal Planet later this year, it said.

Since 2007 Discovery has streamlined operations and boosted profitability for its commerce division by closing its 103 Discovery Channel Store retail spots and focusing more on online commerce.

Read more: Discovery Communications to outsource online retail operations | Washington Business Journal

Discovery Communications outsources DiscoveryStore.com to Delivery Agent

Filed under: In the News — aeverett @ 2:45 pm

By: Don Davis

Almost two years after it closed 103 stores to focus on the Internet, Discovery Communications is outsourcing its e-commerce operation altogether to Delivery Agent.

Almost two years after it closed 103 stores to concentrate on its Internet channel, Discovery Communications Inc. is outsourcing its e-commerce operation altogether to Delivery Agent Inc., a third-party provider of online retailing, digital advertising and content services to entertainment companies.

Under the new agreement with Discovery, No. 183 in the Internet Retailer Top 500 Guide, Delivery Agent will provide a full range of services for DiscoveryStore.com, including web hosting, web site design, e-commerce platform management, merchandising, marketing, customer service and fulfillment. In exchange for operating DiscoveryStore.com, Delivery Agent will pay Discovery undisclosed royalty fees.

As part of the arrangement, Delivery Agent, which supplies services to companies such as NBC Universal Inc., Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc. and Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp., also will develop new e-commerce sites for other Discovery media properties, including TLC and Animal Planet. “Transitioning to a royalty model provides opportunity for increased profitability while significantly reducing the financial risk of holding large product inventory,” says Discovery Commerce chief operating officer Kelly Day.

The move to outsource its primary e-commerce site is part of a broader and ongoing cost-savings initiative for Discovery, which went public in September. In May 2007 Discovery closed its mall-based and other standalone stores in order to cut costs, boost sales and grow DiscoveryStore.com, which the company says draws an average of 12 million shoppers each year. “Since 2007 the company has executed on a plan to reduce risk and costs, streamline operations, and increase profitability for its commerce division,” Discovery says.

The move to outsource operations for DiscoveryStore.com also coincides with similar plans from Discovery to market and merchandise its own branded products through other chain retailers and to outsource its retail license business. “Discovery’s brand strength and legacy of creating award-winning consumer products, paired with Delivery Agent’s track record of building winning commerce solutions for the entertainment industry, makes this an ideal go-forward strategy for achieving our growth goals for commerce,” says Day.

Discovery, which generated Internet Retailer-estimated web sales of $53.1 million in 2007, posted sales of $3.44 billion in 2008, an increase of 9.6% from $3.14 billion in 2007. Revenue in the fourth quarter increased by 0.11% to $904 million from $903 million.

March 3, 2009

Delivery Agent, Inc. CEO to Present at 2009 Montgomery Technology Conference

Filed under: Press Releases — aeverett @ 3:45 pm

DELIVERY AGENT, INC CEO TO PRESENT AT 2009 MONTGOMERY TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE

SAN FRANCISCO, March 3, 2009 – Delivery Agent, Inc., the leader in shopping- enabled entertainment, today announced that its Chief Executive Officer, Mike Fitzsimmons, will be presenting at the 2009 Montgomery Technology Conference, to be held March 10-11 at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel in Santa Monica, California.
On Tuesday, March 10, at 3:00 p.m., Fitzsimmons will speak on the convergence of product placement, interactive advertising and e-commerce and how Delivery Agent has been successful in monetizing content for media companies while reaching a highly engaged audience for brand advertisers.

Conference Details:
2009 Montgomery Technology Conference
March 10-11, 2009
Fairmont Miramar Hotel in Santa Monica, California

An invitation-only event, the Montgomery Technology Conference will bring together a select group of private equity, public institutional and venture investors, and senior technology executives from around the world for one-on-one meetings, networking luncheons and industry-specific panel discussions as well as presentations from 150 high-growth private and public companies.

About Delivery Agent, Inc.

Delivery Agent, Inc. (www.deliveryagent.com), named #1 Privately Held Media Company by Inc. Magazine, and #3 on the Deloitte & Touche Silicon Valley Technology Fast 50, is the leader in shopping-enabled programming and content monetization for more than 125 entertainment properties from major media companies such as ABC, CBS, NBC Universal, Twentieth Century Fox, MTV Networks, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Boston Celtics, UFC, and The Weinstein Company. Delivery Agent created the market for shopping-enabled programming by redefining how products related to entertainment are cataloged, merchandised and sold online. Since its inception in 2001, Delivery Agent has deployed its comprehensive technology platform, including e-commerce applications, video and mobile products, and interactive advertising solutions to create profitable connections among entertainment content, consumers and brands. To date, the company has developed a network of more than 90 distinct branded shopping sites for its partners and its own SeenON!™ (www.SeenON.com), the definitive online shopping destination for products seen on screen.