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MarchFirst Announces Partnership With Toysrus.Com
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 At its analyst summit in New York City today, MarchFirst, the new global Internet professional services company created by the merger of Whittman-Hart and USWeb/CKS,announced an agreement in principle with Toysrus.com to help the e-tailer strengthen its leadership position in the online toy and entertainment product categories. Pending execution of the final agreement, the companies plan to implement the first phase of improvements to Toysrus.com's Web site in time for the 2000 holiday season.In working with Toysrus.com to build a complete e-Commerce solution,MarchFirst expects to execute a phased plan that demonstrates its multi-disciplinary expertise by addressing four critical areas: business and brand strategy, operational planning, technology development, and creative development. Under the proposed agreement, MarchFirst will design the architecture and creative components of the new site. Among other initiatives, MarchFirst willhelp Toysrus.com enhance the user experience, improve order fulfillment capabilities, integrate its value chain, and refine existing systems and processes to support its business plan and brand strategy. "This proposed new partnership with Toysrus.com will showcase the unique value proposition that only MarchFirst can offer to clients," said Robert Bernard, MarchFirst President and CEO. "We intend to bring together an unrivaled range of design, strategy, marketing and technology expertise to develop a world-class e-Commerce solution designed to leverage the proven power of the Toys 'R' Us brand and its strong brick-and-mortar presence. This solution will position Toysrus.com to become a leader in the toys and entertainment online marketplace by delivering a superior customer experience." During the last few months of 1999, Toysrus.com became one of the fastest-growing Web sites on the Internet. According to Media Metrix,Toysrus.com was the fifth-most-visited e-Commerce site overall during the holiday season. In late November, Media Matrix reported, Toysrus.com became the top Web site among brick-and-mortar companies, the top online toy site and the top shopping destination site for women. "We learned valuable lessons last year," said John Barbour, CEO ofToysrus.com. "Traffic and sales were beyond anyone's expectations in the industry. Our main priority moving forward is to strengthen our infrastructure and build a robust e-Commerce solution that can support our aggressive growth plans. We believe MarchFirst will be a perfect partner for us -- it offers the depth and breadth of services that will allow us accelerate the development of our Internet business." [Updated 3/27/2000]
  
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