An e-commerce and marketing alliance

Excite and e-centives Inc., a provider of online promotion solutions, entered an e-commerce and marketing alliance that gives Excite consumers a simple online coupon system similar to what they use in the real world. The coupons, available on Exacta_s Shopping Channel and personalized based on the shopping interests of registered members, are redeemable from participating online merchants. e-centives is an Internet-wide distribution network that lets consumers access and store valuable promotional offers matched to their shopping interests, ready to redeem when they are ready to shop. Product categories include CDs, books, videos, computer products and sporting goods, among others. "Coupon shopping has proven to be extremely popular offline and now we want to give our shoppers savings in an easy-to-use online coupon system," said A. Halliday, vice president of commerce at Excite. e-centives Inc.( Bethesda, MD) has established relationships with merchants such as barnesandnoble.com, Music Boulevard, eToys, Sports Superstore Online, egghead.com and other brand name retailers.