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June 16, 2003 Comergent's Demand Chain Management Applications to Work Seamlessly with CNET Channel's Structured and Standardized Product Data. SAN FRANCISCO, June 16, 2003 - CNET Channel, a subsidiary of CNET Networks, Inc. (Nasdaq: CNET) and Comergent Technologies®, Inc., a leading provider of demand chain management software applications, today announced a partnership through which the two companies' joint customers can seamlessly integrate CNET Channel's DataSource™ with the Comergent E-Business SystemT to create a powerful and complete e-business solution. By integrating the two products, the companies' joint customers can quickly and easily build online technology product catalogs and order management systems. As part of this alliance, Comergent's E-Business System becomes the first e-business application solution provider to participate in CNET Channel's "DataSource Ready" partner program, a new program through which e-commerce applications that meet certain technical standards can seamlessly integrate DataSource's catalog of 1.5 million continuously updated technology product SKUs. By incorporating CNET Channel's rich technology product data into Comergent's robust software applications, enterprises will benefit from cost and time savings during the integration and implementation of a comprehensive e-business solution. Additionally, ongoing savings and revenue opportunities-including order error reduction, cross-selling, and upselling-are realized by offering complete and accurate product data to customers as they select and purchase items. World Wide Technology was among the first customers to integrate solutions from both Comergent and CNET Channel. "When we installed our catalog and order management system from Comergent, we didn't need to worry about translating data formats or cleaning data," said Robert Olwig, vice president of business strategy, World Wide Technology. "Instead, we simply imported 500,000 IT parts and product data from DataSource directly into the system. We had a fully operational catalog and order management system launched in record time-62 business days." "This partnership demonstrates the synergy between our two systems," said Brad Bowers, vice president of business development, CNET Channel. "We are excited about the new DataSource Ready program, which will make it easier for our current DataSource customers to take advantage of solution offered by partners such as Comergent, without any complicated integration needs." "Our customers truly benefit from this partnership since the combination of CNET Channel's extensive, highly-structured product data and Comergent's robust demand chain management applications, deliver a complete out-of-the-box catalog solution," said Tom Mescall, senior vice president of marketing and business development, Comergent. "The end result yields significant time and cost savings to enterprises with complex data needs, especially in the high tech and electronics industries." Through this partnership, CNET Channel's rich, granular, and standardized product data is imported in a stable XML format into the Comergent E-Business System where a customer can utilize data in a Comergent-powered catalog, pricing engine and order management system. Drawing on CNET Channel's product data expertise and Comergent's e-business applications proficiency, both companies will immediately begin co-marketing their solutions to existing and prospective customers. About CNET Channel About CNET Networks, Inc. About Comergent Comergent and the Comergent logo are registered trademarks of Comergent Technologies, Inc. Comergent E-Business System is a trademark of Comergent Technologies, Inc. All other products or company names mentioned are used for identification purposes only, and may be trademarks of their respective owners. # # # CNET Networks, Inc. contact: Comergent Technologies, Inc. contact: |