FTD.COM, Inc. ("FTD”), a subsidiary of United Online, Inc. (Nasdaq:
UNTD), has entered into an exclusive agreement with Batesville Casket
Company, the leading provider of caskets, cremation products and funeral
home websites, to provide customized, co-branded floral websites to
licensed funeral homes in the United States and Canada.
"This program represents a unique and innovative opportunity for both
FTD and the funeral service industry. FTD will provide a nationwide
system for ordering sympathy arrangements to a market that has not
always enjoyed a consistent, quality, branded experience,” said Robert
Apatoff, President of FTD Group, Inc. "Thousands of funeral homes and
their customers can benefit from easy, online access to a full range of
beautiful arrangements designed and delivered by FTD’s nationwide
network of artisan florists, and supported by its quality customer
service.”
The new program is available exclusively to funeral homes that utilize
Batesville’s WebLink™ websites. Participating funeral homes will receive
a co-branded floral website, custom-designed and hosted by FTD, which
prominently displays the funeral home’s name and brand. Consumers can
easily access the new floral website to place orders through a link on
the existing funeral home website. Tailored for the funeral industry,
visitors can choose from a first-class assortment of FTD sympathy and
funeral arrangements and gifts including flowers, plants, sprays,
wreaths, gourmet foods, and gift baskets. Orders can be placed either
online or by calling (877) 212-3610.
"FTD is the most recognized national floral brand with an expansive
network of member florists and significant expertise serving consumers,
both online and offline. This combination of brand recognition,
expertise and broad network membership, coupled with Batesville’s
experience in funeral service, creates a compelling offering that is
unsurpassed in quality and convenience,” said Troy Brake, VP and General
Manager of Batesville Interactive.
About FTD®
FTD Group, Inc., through its operating subsidiaries including Florists’
Transworld Delivery, Inc. and FTD.COM, Inc., is a leading provider of
floral related products and services to consumers and to retail
florists, as well as to other retail locations offering floral products,
in the U.S., Canada, the U.K. and the Republic of Ireland. The business
utilizes the highly recognized FTD and Interflora brands, both supported
by the Mercury Man logo, which is displayed in over 40,000 floral shops
worldwide. The consumer businesses operate primarily through the www.ftd.com
Web site in the U.S. and Canada and the www.interflora.co.uk
Web site in the U.K. and are complemented by the florist businesses
which provide products and services to FTD's independent members. FTD
Group, Inc. is a subsidiary of United Online, Inc. (Nasdaq: UNTD). For
more information about United Online, please visit www.unitedonline.com.
About Batesville
Batesville Casket Company (www.batesville.com),
a wholly owned subsidiary of Hillenbrand, Inc. (NYSE: HI) is a leader in
the North American death care industry through the sale of funeral
services products, including burial caskets, cremation caskets,
containers and urns, selection room display fixturing, technology
solutions, and other personalization and memorialization products. For
more than 125 years, Batesville has been dedicated to helping families
honor the lives of those they love. Our history of manufacturing
excellence, product innovation, superior customer service and reliable
delivery has helped us become – and remain – a market leader.
Cautionary Information Regarding
Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of
the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform
Act of 1995, as amended. These forward-looking statements include, but
are not limited to, statements about the FTD’s proposed marketing
initiatives and product and service offerings. Such forward-looking
statements are not guarantees of future performance or results and
involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual performance and
results to differ materially from those predicted. Potential factors
that could affect the FTD's ability to perform and consequently its or
United Online’s business, financial condition and results of operations
include, without limitation, FTD’s inability or failure to implement any
or all planned marketing initiatives, to satisfy demand for the products
or services offered or to achieve expanded marketing opportunities,
efficiencies and other benefits associated with the products and
services, technological issues and other problems associated with FTD’s
or its suppliers’ products, operations, systems and technologies,
changes in consumer demand, tastes and preferences, the unavailability
of products or services, delays in the provision of products and
services, and unanticipated events and circumstances occurring after the
date hereof, as well as other factors that may cause actual performance
and results to differ materially from those predicted are described in
United Online, Inc.'s annual and quarterly reports filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (http://www.sec.gov),
including, without limitation, information under the captions
"Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results
of Operations" and "Risk Factors."
