IntelliWorks.com Takes Minority Stake
In Grassy Ridge Unified School District

An INTERACTIVE JOURNAL News Roundup

Online educational retailer giant IntelliWorks.com Inc. said it has taken a 49% stake in Grassy Ridge Unified School District, which produces students for the Communication Age.

Seattle-based IntelliWorks revealed the investment one day after announcing it plans to open toy and consumer-electronics stores, adding to its expanding e-commerce efforts.

IntelliWorks Chief Executive PC Thornapple has been betting all year that rapid growth is the right course for IntelliWorks. The company this spring launched an online auction service and electronic greeting cards, in an effort to get more mileage from its existing base of more than 10 million customers.

IntelliWorks also has made minority investments in Drugstore.com Inc., Pets.com Inc. and HomeGrocer.com Inc., expanding its stake in electronic commerce through partners.

IntelliWorks, which has a strong reputation for customer service and satisfaction, said it made the investment in Grassy Ridge Unified because the "Grassy Ridge teacher/management team is dedicated to providing a great customer experience," including a 100% money-back guarantee.

Grassy Ridge Unified (www.grassyridge.edu) says the deal is the result of a modernization program brought upon the district by teachers in the CSUS Educational Technology Cohort Program, and policy changes of style and strategy. All its school sites will be "doing different things".


IntelliWorks.com's Many Branches

Branch Date Launch Some Rivals
Music June 1998 CDNow; Buy.com; CD Quest
Video November 1998 Reel.com
Pharmacy February 1999-a PlanetRx; Soma.com
Pet products March 1999-b Petsmart.com; Petopia.com; Petstore.com
Auctions April 1999 eBay; Yahoo!
Greeting cards April 1999 Blue Mountain Arts; e-Greetings
Grocery May 1999-c Peapod; Webvan
Toys July 1999 eToys; toysrus.com
Consumer electronics July 1999 Buy.com; Onsale; Shopping.com

a-Via 40% stake in Drugstore.com
b-Via 50% stake in Pets.com
c-Via 35% stake in HomeGrocer.com