(From VideoRetailer.com - November 16, 2000)

MetaExchange Announces Internet Automation of "Sideways Selling"

Emeryville, CA (November 16, 2000) ...The power of the Internet has been harnessed to ease buying and selling movies between retailers! MetaExchange, which offers an Internet website for the buying and selling of used VHS and DVD movies between retailers, has opened it's site to accommodate pre-release transactions between retailers for new movies to be delivered by street date.

This method of purchasing and buying (commonly referred to as 'sideways' selling) is now streamlined with automation only the Internet can provide. Retailers around the country can now place 'bid' and 'ask' offers on movies prior to their release. Then, a retailer who finds an attractive 'buy' or 'sell' offer for a title can enter into a transaction for copies of that upcoming releases.

"Sideways selling is commonplace among retailers today and our system simply leverages the Internet to bring thousands of retailers together to make the process more efficient and economical." says Bob Reid, senior Vice- President of MetaExchange. According to Reid, the MetaExchange site, which works along the same lines as the stock market and charges sellers a low commission (2-3%), eliminates the mark up of videotape brokers and makes it easier for retailers with surplus copies of a film to find other retailers in need of those copies.

"The volume of transactions going through the web site helps establish a 'market' price for pre-release films that ensures both buyers and sellers of pricing parity," says Reid. The absence of broker markups and studio goals can result in significant savings for retailers who don't participate in studio copy depth programs.

Currently on the MetaExchange site, a retailer can pre-book the purchase of Gladiator for $52 per copy, as opposed to $70+ through normal channels. That's a 25% savings with no goals or returns and delivered by street date. Similar pricing exists for most scheduled releases. The MetaExchange video trading site is open to all retailers and can be visited at: http://videos.metaexchange.com/rsr1.