4th Mar 2007 08:00
Notonthehighstreet.com (www.notonthehighstreet.com), the UK basedshopping website that supports over 500 of Britain's most creativesmall businesses, today announces a major development as NewMediaSPARK plc (LSE:NMS), the quoted venture capital organisation focusedon early stage investments in the technology, media and telecomssectors, becomes a significant minority shareholder in the company. Inaddition, Tom Teichman, Chairman and Founder of NewMedia SPARK plc,who handed over the first investment cheque to lastminute.com, joinsthe board of notonthehighstreet.com with immediate effect. £ Notonthehighstreet.com launched in April 2006 selling high qualityoriginal products from 130 of Britain's best small businesses. Suchhas been its rapid success that, in less than a year, it now helpsover 500 carefully selected quality small businesses to sell over10,000 products under its unique umbrella shopping website giving anoriginal product offering and service to consumers that is notavailable on the high street. £ NewMedia SPARK's investment will enable even more small businessesto become part of the notonthehighstreet.com community and to buildnotonthehighstreet.com into a brand that is synonymous with small,creative lifestyle businesses and products. £ Founders of notonthehighstreet.com, Holly Tucker and SophieCornish, commented: "NewMedia SPARK's investment in the company is themost exciting news for us, and will make a huge commercial andcompetitive difference to the small businesses we already support andto the new ones that we look forward to joining us. This investmentwill enable us to accelerate our expansion plans and launchinternationally over the next two years, increase our productcategories as well as undergo a series of business developmentsparticularly in the areas of technology and marketing. NewMedia SPARKis a great investor for us with its unprecedented knowledge of theonline business world with a portfolio to match. We are delighted thatTom is joining our board: his long-standing experience and reputation,as well as passion and commitment to our business, is amazing." £ Tom Teichman added: "Notonthehighstreet.com is a great addition toSPARK's existing portfolio and I am looking forward to bringing ourexpertise in digital start-ups to the business. Holly and Sophie havethat contagious passion we know as 'the spark' - an undefined magicingredient that we share for notonthehighstreet.com. Together we aregoing to fully exploit and grow notonthehighstreet.com's potential tocreate something of real value in the small business and digitalworlds." £ Note to Editors: Holly Tucker, Sophie Cornish and Tom Teichman areavailable for interview. £ Notonthehighstreet.com £ Notonthehighstreet.com was an overnight success when it launchedon 3 April 2006. An extensive PR campaign drove 16,000 unique users tothe site on the first day and now thousands of unique users visit thesite daily and over 200 national and regional newspaper and magazineshave featured news and features about the site. In October 2006,notonthehighstreet.com was named a top 50 e-boutique by TheIndependent. £ Notonthehighstreet.com now brings over five hundred independentsmall UK businesses together to sell over 10,000 products under oneURL. Notonthehighstreet.com has carefully chosen each small businessfor its innovative, well-made products to inspire shoppers looking forstyle, originality and quality, but who never seem to be able to findit on the high street. Now they can browse and buy a wide range ofproducts from this unique small business marketplace using a singleon-line shopping basket. £ From lampshades to linen, bracelets to handbags, cushions to kidsclothes, scarves to stationery, notonthehighstreet.com has a greatrange of beautifully made, original products and services. Thousandsof products are available to buy from a choice of 12 categories: homeand garden, art and ceramics, baby & child, jewellery, fashion, health& beauty, stationery & office, food and drink, party & play, pets,travel & getaway and treats & flowers. £ Among the unique editorial features of notonthehighstreet.com: £ -- Each partner (small business or designer) has its own URL and 'homepage' so that shoppers can read background information about them and their latest news and events. Partners are in control of the products they put on the site and sell directly to the shopper. In effect they have their own mini website under the notonthehighstreet.com umbrella. £ -- Notonthehighstreet.com has a unique gift finder service with the ability to search by price, occasion, for a specific type of person, even making recommendations depending on their style and personality. Shoppers can also create their own wish lists for their friends and family to take a look at on the site. £ -- A very extensive features and product finder facility at notonthehighstreet.com with several categories ranging from those who know exactly what they are looking for to others who want to discover products by new talented small businesses. £ -- Editorial themed features are constantly updated: from 10 gifts under GBP 10 to the latest eco and organic shopping buys as well as seasonal and special occasion present updates. £ www.notonthehighstreet.com Copyright Business Wire 2007Related Shares:
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