Alapage.com and Extrapole : a strategic agreement

Extrapole (www.extrapole.com) and Alapage.com (www.alapage.com) are combining their complementary skills to offer customers a comprehensive mix of products and services. Extrapole brings its expertise in selling cultural goods the traditional way, while Alapage.com offers online distribution of cultural and leisure products.
This is a first for France in the cultural sector.

This well thought-out partnership, which has been under development for several months, consolidates each company’s image and position. It gives both companies greater visibility while allowing them to concentrate on their core competency.

The companies are being completely transparent about their new partnership: customers are informed on the site’s home page that Extrapole’s e-commerce service is a cooperative effort with Alapage.com. The agreement includes a number of joint services that will gradually go into effect.

• Starting today, Internet users can access Alapage.com from extrapole.com. They can place orders on the extrapole.com home page or use the Alapage.com search engine. During the first phase of implementation, the following services will be offered:

1. Extrapole will be present on the Alapage.com Web site, at first under the heading, Site’s Best Offers. Eventually, it will also appear under the heading, Selections by Extrapole’s Experts.
2. Extrapole members will be able to use their discount card on the Alapage.com site and take advantage of the same offers as those featured in the online ”cultural multimedia shops.” .

• The second phase will include the following offers:

1. In Extrapole’s stores, access terminals will allow Extrapole and Furet du Nord customers to search the Extrapole.com site using the Alapage database and to order items on the Alapage.com site for home delivery. Eventually, customers will be able to pick up their orders in Extrapole stores.
2. Extrapole and Alapage.com will jointly develop a co-branded showcase, which will allow Internet users to order a special selection of products displayed by book and record stores.
3. During the final phase of the agreement, Alapage.com will be able to assist in processing certain orders placed by Extrapole on behalf of its customers.

• Alapage.com, a pioneer in the distribution of online cultural and leisure products and services, was created in March 1996 and joined Wanadoo in July 2000. Headed by Olivier Sichel since September 2000, Alapage.com offers one of the largest selections of cultural products in France, with more than 3.5 million books, CDs, CD-ROMs, videos and DVDs.

• Extrapole was founded in 1993 by Philippe Mondan and integrated into Hachette Distribution Services in 1998. The Extrapole group today manages two brands, Extrapole and Furet du Nord (20 stores in France)