eToys Announces Launch of BabyCenter Brand in UnitedKingdom; Move Marks Company's Continued...

Business Editors

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 13, 2000

eToys Inc. (Nasdaq:ETYS), the leading Internet retailer of children's products, today announced the launch of its BabyCenter brand in the United Kingdom.

BabyCenter's new U.K. Web site, available at www.babycentre.co.uk,

BabyCenter's entree into the international arena targets the $2.5 billion (1.58 billion pounds) U.K. baby market (Bounty 2000) and creates a European platform for the Internet's leading parenting site. BabyCenter.com is a wholly owned subsidiary of eToys Inc., which is based in Santa Monica, Calif.

This expansion comes on the heels of the highly successful launch late last year of eToys.co.uk, which quickly established itself as the British market leader during the recent holiday season. Similar to eToys.co.uk, BabyCentre.co.uk has been specifically designed for the U.K. audience.

"The introduction of BabyCenter in the U.K. solidifies and strengthens our position in this strategically important market," said Ruben Rodriguez, vice president of international, eToys Inc. "The U.K. is the beachhead of our European expansion plans and introducing our second site here gives us added momentum as we continue to pursue this key growth opportunity."

Based in London, BabyCentre.co.uk is led by Web site general manager Tanya Cordrey. Cordrey, a U.K. national, joins BabyCentre from BBC News, where she served as a senior strategy manager on new media, TV and radio.

"We believe that a critical success factor in launching into other countries is to ensure that the site is completely relevant to its local market," said Cordrey. "BabyCentre.co.uk has been developed in the U.K. by local experts to provide information and a supportive community designed for British parents and parents to be."

BabyCentre.co.uk also announced the appointment of a medical advisory board to assist with health content development and provide invaluable expertise on much of its parenting information. Among the advisors are Penelope Leach, author of the acclaimed "Your Baby & Child" and world-favorite source of child development information, and Professor Lesley Page, the United Kingdom's first-ever professor of midwifery.

About BabyCentre.co.uk

Based in London, BabyCentre (www.babycentre.co.uk) provides content, community and later this year commerce, for parents and parents to be. With a design that makes the volumes of information easily accessible and engaging, BabyCentre is easy to navigate even for beginners on the Web.

About BabyCenter.com

Based in San Francisco, BabyCenter (www.babycenter.com) is the leading parenting site on the Internet, with more than a million visitors. As a two-time Webby winner, BabyCenter's content site provides high-quality information from preconception to age 3, along with a vibrant community and popular baby store. The company also won the GII Award for Best Health site in 1999.

About eToys.com

Based in Santa Monica, eToys Inc. (www.etoys.com; www.etoys.co.uk; AOL keyword: eToys) is the leading Internet retailer of children's products, carrying more than 100,000 items, including both nationally advertised and specialty toys, software, videos, music, video games, books and baby-oriented products.

By combining this extensive selection, an attractive, easy-to-use Web site and excellent customer service, eToys offers consumers a unique one-stop source for children's products.