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asknet Helps US Businesses Expand Global Reach With Enhanced eCommerce Platform

Provider of Localized e-Shops Reduces Market Barriers to Entry With Extensive Multi-Lingual Marketing, Sales, Customer Service, Fulfillment and Reporting Solution

asknet, a leading provider of global eCommerce solutions that increase sales and expand markets for software and digital media companies, announced today the availability of its enhanced global online sales platform and one of the industry's most extensive eCommerce performance benchmark ranking -- asknet Digital Index (ADI) -- that tracks crucial KPIs like sales per visitor and conversion rates. As a company with European roots, asknet possesses the expertise to ease market entrance for US companies looking to expand their international reach while maintaining localized services for Europe, Asia and emerging markets, including regions with right-to-left written languages.

asknet's enhanced global eCommerce platform enables businesses to access markets and grow online sales in emerging countries including Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRIC), which by some accounts could be the largest economies in the world within the next few years. The BRIC countries make up almost half of the world's current population, making them particularly attractive high-growth markets for US businesses.

"To compete, businesses must be able to open new sales channels in the eCommerce market. asknet makes that possible by removing barriers to entry, such as fluency in the customers' language, currency, payment methods and compliance," said Mark Begin, president of asknet America. "asknet offers localized e-shops throughout the world enabling software and digital media companies to increase international market share without making huge investments in building new infrastructure, gaining expertise for each new geography and developing location-specific features for an e-shop."

Currently offering 31 shop languages, 38 billing currencies, 33 payment options and 12 customer service languages, asknet continues to travel across the global eCommerce frontier. To help customers extend their global reach, asknet most recently added a fully localized cart for Russia and China. asknet now features localized customer service, translation, and billing currency in Russian rubles and WebMoney, the most common secure payment system in Russia, as well as Alipay, the number one payment method in China. Russian and Chinese billing is displayed in the e-shop so there is no exchange rate charge. In addition, registration pages are localized to conform to local standards and native speakers offering customer service are available in all time zones.

The asknet Digital Index, ADI, measures the online software business and has the most comprehensive eCommerce benchmark ranking tools to assess and compare individual performance of eCommerce market trends within asknet's client porftolio. ADI calculates sales, conversion rate, sales per visitor and Average Order Value (AOV). The data uncovers peaks and declines in real-time as well as seasonal variations, effects from promotions and activities, most relevant indicators, daily average sales and average conversion rates for digital goods.

asknet's extensive localized e-shop portfolio provides international consumers with an easy, satisfying online shopping experience, leading to higher conversions, sales and retention rates, and lower abandonment issues. Within a 72 hour timeframe, the eCommerce platform can scale to manage one domestic e-shop to over 170 secure localized e-shops in all major markets. Billing is displayed in the e-shop so there are never exchange rate charges.

For US software and digital media companies, the secure and scalable global platform offered by asknet transcends international obstacles and allows for successful marketing and selling of digital products worldwide. The proprietary Vendor Interaction Process (VIP) quickly and easily provides solutions tailored to meet each user's needs and the extensive sales and eMarketing capabilities enable flawless execution across the full range of eCommerce services, from order management and local payment options to worldwide customer service.

For more information on how asknet can accelerate your online digital media downloads internationally, please visit www.asknet.com.

About asknet
asknet is a leading provider of global eCommerce solutions that increase sales and expand markets for software and digital media companies. asknet solutions enable publishers to expand their international reach while maintaining localized services to customers in the US, Europe, Asia and new emerging markets. The asknet Digital Index (ADI), Vendor Interaction Process (VIP), and Shop Cockpit provide quick and easy solutions tailored to meet each customer's needs and enable flawless execution across the full range of eCommerce services, from order management and local payment options to multi-lingual customer service. Founded in 1995, asknet today offers localized e-shops in over 170 countries. The company is based in Germany and has headquarters in San Francisco and Tokyo. For more information about asknet, visit www.asknet.com.