Dialog Corporation - Re eCommerce Alliance

RNS Number:0331E
Dialog Corporation PLC
19 January 2000




           Dialog and Freeserve announce eCommerce alliance

Business users given online access to OfficeShopper eCommerce service


London, England and Cary, N.C., 19th January 2000:  The Dialog
Corporation (LSE: DLG; NASDAQ: DIAL) today announced that its eCommerce
division has entered into an alliance with leading UK Internet service
provider Freeserve plc (LSE:FRE; NASDAQ:FREE), to provide a co-branded
version of Dialog's OfficeShopper over the business channel of
Freeserve's Internet portal, at www.freeserve.net.

OfficeShopper is now the exclusive supplier of office supplies and
other related goods to customers of Freeserve's Business Centre - a
dedicated central resource for small and medium sized UK companies.
Over 40,000 products, ranging from pens and paper to cleaning products,
are available from a network of over 100 suppliers around the UK.
Orders are delivered the next day, with two-hour delivery available in
major metropolitan areas.

OfficeShopper's award winning service offers a number of cutting edge
features, such as intelligent search options and the ability to build
custom catalogues tailored to a business' specific needs. Most
important to users is the ability to track, control and authorise
purchasing over the Internet, via OfficeShopper's comprehensive 'live'
budget & management reporting functions.

"Today's announcements regarding our Business Centre further cement
Freeserve's commitment to SMEs," says John Pluthero, Freeserve's Chief
Executive. "In joining forces with leading suppliers like
OfficeShopper, Freeserve has taken its commitment a step further,
offering solid business solutions to its many business customers."

"The success of Freeserve over the past year has been phenomenal, and
this must in part be due to the fact they offer added value to specific
interest groups," commented Dan Wagner, Chief Executive, The Dialog
Corporation.  "We are delighted to be helping Freeserve extend its
offering to its many thousands of business customers, and are committed
to delivering the highest levels of usability and customer service via
Freeserve's Business Centre."


NOTES TO EDITORS

About OfficeShopper

OfficeShopper (www.officeshopper.com) is a leading online provider of
business supplies in the UK. The award winning website provides buyers
with quick and easy access to over 40,000 products from over 100
suppliers around the UK.  OfficeShopper offers leading brands at
discounted prices, including office stationery, computer consumables,
office equipment, office furniture, office cleaning products and
printed stationery, with two hour delivery available in major cities.
Users can create personalised catalogues and access automatically
generated "frequent buys" lists.  Businesses are able to track, control
and authorise purchasing online by employee, department or product,
thanks to OfficeShopper's unique live budget control features.
OfficeShopper, which was the first "virtual" online provider of
business supplies in the UK, is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Dialog
Corporation plc (LSE: DLG; NASDAQ:DIAL).

Freeserve

Freeserve is the leading UK Internet service that delivers free
internet access and, as a portal to the internet, an integrated
offering of UK-focused content, e-commerce and services. At 2 January
2000, Freeserve had 1.675 million active registered accounts. Freeserve
was launched in September 1998 as a part of Dixons, the UK's leading
consumer electronics retailer. Freeserve distributes its access
software through Dixons' network of over 1,000 Dixons, Currys, PC
World, The Link and @jakarta stores.

For further information on business centre visit:
http://wwww.freeserve.net/businesscentre


For further information on Freeserve, contact:

Stephen Pang                            + 44 1442 882530
Freeserve PR Manager                    [e-mail]

Frankie Oliver / Gareth Stringer        + 44 171 580 0990
Larkspur, for Freeserve                 [e-mail]


For further information on The Dialog Corporation and OfficeShopper
contact:

Tracey Johnston                         0171 930 6900
Corporate PR Manager                    [e-mail]
                                        
Kristian Talvitie                       0171 930 6900
Head of Investor Relations              [e-mail]


Issued by:

Hogarth Partnership Ltd.                [phone]
John Olsen / Nick Lockwood              [e-mail]

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