SportsLine has launched a new shopping channel within
its flagship site, CBS SportsLine. The new merchandise area
will be called MarketPlace on SportsLine.com. On the area,
individual retailers will pay SportsLine a "placement" or
"slotting" fee for space in the MarketPlace and the retailer
retains all responsibility for inventory, transactions,
fulfillment and customer service. SportsLine will serve as
the area's "landlord" (SportsLine). SportsLine.com's VP/e-
Commerce Dan Head, on the strategy behind the MarketPlace:
"We've become very good at converting people who are coming
in to look at content into customers who've made a purchase.
Last year, it was [offering] sporting goods, this year, what
we're doing is taking the concept one step further and
saying there are a lot of other things that these people who
come to us for content buy. We know who the customer is.
... [He's] a male, typically married, with a very high
income. ... So, the concept is create this virtual mall for
guys." Head said there was "a small launch" for the area
because "we literally just kicked off the sales in the last
couple of weeks and so we've now got about 11 retail sites
up" with more going up later this week (RadioWallStreet.com,
7/13).
