Mercantec Press Release Contacts: Rachna Luthra Mercantec, Inc media@mercantec.com 630.305.3200, ext. 2111 Kristen Fundator Buzz divine 312-923-2060, ext. 37664 kristen.fundator@divineinterventures.com Seven Internet Service Companies Select Mercantec E-Commerce Solution Explosion of e-commerce among small- and medium-size businesses fuels demand for Mercantec SoftCart CHICAGO - Monday, March 20, 2000 - Mercantec Inc.®, a leading provider of Internet commerce software products and services, today announced it has recently signed licensing agreements with seven leading Internet content and service providers. The agreements enable the companies to host and distribute Mercantec's award-winning SoftCart® electronic commerce solution, providing the companies' merchant customers with a fast and easy way to create and manage online stores that generate revenue via the Internet. The demand for Mercantec's SoftCart solution is being fueled by the tremendous growth of e-commerce among small- and medium-sized businesses. Within the past year, the percentage of small businesses conducting e-commerce has jumped from 2 to 8. eMarketer estimates that 7.2 million small businesses may engage in e-commerce over the next few years.* Retailers wanting to launch or expand their business via the Web often rely on their Internet content and service providers for an effective, scalable e-commerce solution that will enable fast customization and compatibility with existing systems. In turn, the service providers are tapping Mercantec for its robust, easy-to-implement solution. LiveOnTheNet.com, Inc. is one of the companies that recently signed a licensing agreement with Mercantec. In addition to operating one of the world's leading entertainment networks, LiveOnTheNet.com manages Cornerpost.com, which provides a variety of services to Web-enable small businesses, including Internet access, website design and development, and online advertising. Now, as a result of its licensing agreement with Mercantec, LiveOnTheNet.com can offer its Cornerpost.com customers the ability to sell their products and services online. "More than 10,000 small businesses rely on our Cornerpost.com service to take full advantage of the Internet," said Roger Schneider, executive vice president of LiveOnTheNet.com. "With Mercantec's SoftCart, we can now offer our Cornerpost.com customers a tremendously powerful and easy way to conduct e-commerce. SoftCart offers an ideal combination of simplicity, functionality, and security to accommodate our customers' immediate and future needs." Mercantec's e-commerce solutions are actively used by more than 15,000 e-merchants worldwide through more than 180 service providers, reinforcing Mercantec leadership in this rapidly growing space. "Mercantec's business model is based on partnership agreements with major vendors servicing the Internet market," said Andrew Parker, CEO and president of Mercantec. "With the tremendous interest in selling online and growth of e-commerce initiatives among small- and medium-sized businesses, it is essential that application and Internet service providers can offer effective e-commerce solutions. It enables them to create new revenue streams, attract new customers, and reduce churn in a highly-competitive market. Mercantec is at the forefront of meeting these needs." In addition to LiveOnTheNet.com, the other six companies that have recently signed licensing agreements with Mercantec include: Advanced InfoTech (www.ainfotech.com), a Reston, Va.-based consulting firm that focuses on e-commerce solutions; Aspen Consulting, Inc. (www.asp.com), a Rolling Meadows, Ill.-based Internet service company that provides e-business and application hosting solutions; FullConcept.com, an innovative front-runner in the digital music industry that launched its website (www.fullconcept.com) in February 2000 to provide bands and artists of any musical genre with a wide range of professional services and cutting-edge technology; Interactive Network Systems, Inc. (www.insnet.com), a Chicago-based provider of Web hosting, broadband connections, virtual private networks, offsite data back-up, automated virus protection, security assessments, audio and video conferencing and more; Nextron (www.nextron.com), an application service provider that offers software and service solutions that enable its partners to bundle Web products and services with their existing offerings and sell them under their own brands; and Webpipe.net (www.webpipe.net), an Ogden, Utah-based provider of services for Internet access, Web hosting and design, e-commerce, Internet application development and networking. About SoftCart The winner of NewMedia magazine's 1999 Hyper Award for best Out-Of-The-Box Store, SoftCart enables merchants to quickly and easily build and maintain their online stores. Designed to be compatible with a merchant's existing business systems, SoftCart has an open, API-based architecture that accommodates the widest range of databases, Web servers and browsers, order delivery options, tax and shipping models, and payment systems. This open architecture allows a website designer or systems integrator to tie SoftCart's commerce capabilities into the merchant's website at any stage in the site's evolution - whether starting from scratch or adding commerce to an existing website. About Mercantec Established in 1995, Mercantec, Inc. is a leading provider of software products and services that enable Internet commerce. Mercantec distributes complete e-commerce solutions through leveraged channels to small- to medium-sized businesses. Among those channels are service providers, financial organizations, and Internet content providers. Mercantec's Internet commerce solutions are used by more than 15,000 merchants worldwide through more than 200 industry leading Internet service providers, such as Verio/Hiway, EarthLink, MindSpring, Sprint, Interliant and Telephonica. Among those in the financial channel are American Express and DataPro Software. For additional company or product information, visit the Mercantec Web site, www.mercantec.com, or call 630-305-3200. # # # *eMarketer, "The eBusiness Report: Transforming Information Into Intelligence." Volume II, December 1999