Yell.com Strengthens Business Portal Offering With NEW GroupTrade Service - 21 August 2000
Small and medium businesses using Yell.com will be able to harness their considerable joint buying power and benefit from the bulk purchasing discounts currently enjoyed by large corporations, following an alliance with e-procurement company, GroupTrade.The deal, which is part of Yell.com’s drive to become a full service SME hub, could save SMEs up to 25% on purchases ranging from computers to car contract hire. Special monthly deals will be available for Yell.com users who can access the service via the Yell.com homepage.
"We are totally committed to serving the needs of SMEs at work," said Nick Harknett, General Manager, Yell.com. "By giving SMEs the buying clout of a large organisation, this partnership is a great example of how the internet can really level the playing field for small businesses, and we will be launching a range of complementary services," he added.
Sean Corbett, Chief Executive of GroupTrade said, "We are delighted to have Yell.com as our first online partner, because of its trusted Yellow Pages heritage and established relationships with small businesses - and it is these small businesses who will really benefit from this relationship, with our in-house purchasing experts negotiating better deals and services on their behalf."
Yell.com will be complementing the new GroupTrade service with the launch later this year of a comprehensive Suppliers and Advice section. The service will offer guidance on all aspects of running a business, from finding and choosing suppliers, to advertising, law and recruitment.
The dual business and consumer portal already gives 1.7 million UK businesses a free online presence through its search database. For those small businesses wanting to be truly launched into the online world, Yell.com will create, host and maintain company websites, implement e-commerce solutions and create targeted banner campaigns. Through an alliance with Equifax and via its online Business Database, the portal can provide trade leads, mailing lists and company credit reports online.
The GroupTrade service will be available on Yell.com from September 14th 2000.
