Telegraph And Boots Target Women With New Internet Service

The current trend by web publishers of targeting women online continued this week with the announcement by Hollinger Telegraph New Media and Boots of the first major UK internet service designed exclusively for women. Named handbag.com, the service is to offer UK women free web access, email, expert advice, news and online shopping services.

Generating revenue from advertising, e-commerce and sponsorship, handbag.com will offer users 18 channels, with much information drawn from Boots’ expertise, including health, fashion and beauty. Boots The Chemists will provide content covering a number of health issues and is to distribute handbag.com CDs through its 1,400 outlets.

The project’s managing director is former head of marketing at BBC Online, Dominic Riley. Commenting on the launch, Riley says: “handbag.com is not just another internet service provider. It is a complete internet service designed and built to satisfy the needs of British women. The combined strengths of Boots and the Telegraph Group will enable us to create and sustain a uniquely compelling proposition for female internet users.”

handbag.com’s core audience will be the 25-35 age range, where research shows that female usage is currently 45% and rising. The Telegraph says that it is increasingly women who are responsible for purchasing products via the internet.

The service launches on Wednesday 6 October and comes as a number of other publishing companies unveil websites targeting women. Associated New Media’s charlottestreet.com (see Associated Plans Women’s Website Launch) is due to launch some time this month and IPC is planning to develop a women’s network through its IPC Electric Project (see IPC Electric Is Unveiled).

Telegraph Group: 0171 538 5000