SeenON’s parent company, Delivery Agent gives entertainment companies another way to make money, through retail. The sales could also drive more people to tune in to shows as they are airing.
April 30, 2010
Dow Jones VentureWire: Delivery Agent Snaps Up Billion Dollar Babes For Private Sales
Sites that feature limited-time sales are already part of a hot sector, but Delivery Agent Inc. believes it can take on existing players with its tie-ins to television shows and entertainment content.
The company, which provides e-commerce technology for television shows through its site SeenOn.com, is jumping into limited-time sales with the acquisition of Billion Dollar Babes, a private sample sales site that features apparel, skin care and other items. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Despite the crowded private-sales sector, with numerous competitors including Gilt Groupe Inc., Ideeli Inc. and GSI Commerce Inc.’s Rue La La, Mike Fitzsimmons, chief executive of Delivery Agent, said his company has a different approach that will be competitive.
“We know it’s an incredibly competitive space, and we know there’s a lot of noise in the market. We didn’t do this acquisition to be third in basically a two-horse race,” Fitzsimmons said, referring to Gilt Groupe and Rue La La.
San Francisco-based Delivery Agent was already building its own technology for private sales in the third quarter of last year, so it will migrate Billion Dollar Babes’ technology onto its own platform, Fitzsimmons said.
Delivery Agent acquired Billion Dollar Babes for its strong user base, management – “a quality group of young, hungry fashionistas” – and its well-known brand, Fitzsimmons said. It will keep the Billion Dollar Babes site separate for now.
In addition, Billion Dollar Babes has been known for its offline sample sales since 2001, and Delivery Agent plans to organize about a half dozen of those events each year under that brand, Fitzsimmons said.
The acquisition adds to Delivery Agent’s existing service for e-commerce connected to television shows by offering private sales that are directly tied to those shows.
“This approach is very innovative and very different and has the opportunity to be significantly larger” than Gilt Groupe and Rue La La, Fitzsimmons said. “It’s human nature that entertainment and media influence purchases, and you combine that with instant gratification and exclusivity and that’s an incredible combination.”
Delivery Agents sells products for entertainment networks such as ABC, CBS, NBC and HBO. In one example, Delivery Agent held a private sale that started right after the end of the season finale of the television show “Project Runway.” Consumers could buy designs from the winning contestants in the show.
Delivery Agent is expanding to Europe, having just opened an office in the U.K.
April 29, 2010
MediaPost News: Delivery Agent Acquires Luxury Shopping Site Billion Dollar Babes
Delivery Agent, which made its name powering online commerce and marketing initiatives for TV networks, on Thursday announced the acquisition of the invitation-only, discount luxury-shopping site Billion Dollar Babes.
paidContent.org: Delivery Agent Buys Sample Sales Site Billion Dollar Babes
Delivery Agent, which provides e-commerce solutions for entertainment companies, has purchased Billion Dollar Babes, a designer-fashions sample sale site with Hollywood ties.
DA Acquires Billion Dollar Babes & Launches First-ever Entertainment-based Private Sales Channel
Acquisition Furthers Delivery Agent’s Lead in Shopping-Enabled Entertainment
SAN FRANCISCO and LOS ANGELES, April 29, 2010 – Delivery Agent, Inc., the leader in shopping-enabled entertainment, today announced that it has acquired Billion Dollar Babes, the Hollywood-based company that pioneered multi-designer “insiders” sales events and now holds them in cities worldwide and on the Web. With the acquisition of Billion Dollar Babes, Delivery Agent is taking the private-sale phenomenon and the company’s platform offering to another level by introducing entertainment-based private sales as a new marketing channel and revenue stream for its clients in the media and entertainment and retail industries.
Delivery Agent currently powers multi-channel interactive commerce and marketing initiatives for more than 90% of the Nielsen Primetime Top 50 through exclusive contracts with the major television networks ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, The CW and cable networks and studios including Discovery Communications, A&E Television Networks, HBO and The Weinstein Company. Delivery Agent also owns and operates SeenON.com.
“We know that entertainment sells. The combination of Delivery Agent’s partnerships with top entertainment companies and Billion Dollar Babes’ deep roots in Hollywood and expertise in private sales gives us a unique advantage to create a new type of private sale that’s sure to drive tremendous growth in the category,” said Mike Fitzsimmons, Delivery Agent CEO. “With our entertainment-based private sales, consumers will get below-retail prices on fashions and other high-end goods they see featured in their favorite entertainment, and our clients will get to reach and interact in a new way with a big and growing bigger audience. Equally important, they’ll get to tap into a new marketing channel and revenue stream.”
Delivery Agent will work with existing and new clients to create limited-time private sales featuring designer fashions and accessories, consumer electronics, travel, and home furnishings tied to entertainment. Brands will participate in, and consumers will have access to, shopping events connected to hit TV shows such as Gossip Girl and Project Runway and to movies such as The Back-up Plan. The company will continue to operate “real world” private sale events and already has several planned around upcoming fashion and awards shows including LA Fashion Week, Sundance Film Festival and the MTV Music Awards.
“Our partner Delivery Agent’s acquisition of Billion Dollar Babes opens the door for us to participate in the hot new private sale space, giving us another way to monetize our content and positively impact tune-in and post-show marketing efforts,” said Lance Still, EVP Promotions and Integrated Marketing at The Weinstein Company. “Not only will private sales tied to The Weinstein Company programming be of great interest to our existing fan base, but we believe that Delivery Agent’s private-sale marketing will help us reach new audiences that have an affinity for television and fashion.”
About Delivery Agent, Inc.
Delivery Agent, Inc., 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 200 entertainment properties from major media companies including ABC, CBS, NBC Universal, Twentieth Century Fox, Discovery Communications, A&E Television Networks, HBO, MTV Networks, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Univision Communications and The Weinstein Company, as well as for sports organizations including FIFA, the Boston Celtics and UFC. Delivery Agent created the market for shopping-enabled programming by redefining how products tied to entertainment are cataloged, merchandised and sold online. With offices in San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles and London, Delivery Agent deploys its technology platform, including e-commerce applications, video and mobile products, and interactive advertising solutions to create profitable connections between entertainment content, consumers and brands. More information about Delivery Agent is available at www.deliveryagent.com.
About Billion Dollar Babes
Founded in Hollywood in 2001, Billion Dollar Babes (www.billiondollarbabes.com) pioneered the multi-designer sample sale reaching out to fashion-savvy clients in premium markets worldwide. Billion Dollar Babes quickly elevated the simple designer-fashions sale concept into a sophisticated social networking experience. Today, Billion Dollar Babes continues to offer its now legendary “real world” shopping events while also offering an online shopping experience where members have access to private designer sales at savings of up to 80% off of retail prices.
Contacts
Kim Marder
Delivery Agent
T +1(415)728-9602
press@deliveryagent.com
Darcy Provo for Delivery Agent
T +1(415)871-1731
press@deliveryagent.com
