(ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL ) — DataCo, LLC, a provider of multi-faceted research and analytic services, today released the results of an important new study that sheds light on the sometimes-confusing world of online shopping. The study, sponsored by ValueClick’s PriceRunner.com (Nasdaq: VCLK), offered surprising results in finding that at least two major online retailers with the reputation of having the broadest selection and lowest prices fared the worst of all properties researched. The consistency of the results provide a clear indication that to make the best and most informed purchase, a shopper’s first stop when researching and buying online should be with comparison shopping engines rather than a specific retailer’s site.

With the Internet now a primary consumer medium, broadband service reaching critical mass, and consumer comfort with online shopping rapidly increasing, significant money-saving opportunities await the savvy online shopper. However, the average online consumer is not aware of the best way to capitalize on these buying opportunities, relying instead on errant perceptions that well-known discounters provide the lowest price. DataCo, LLC set about to test that premise in order to determine how the Internet could be leveraged to provide consumers with both the fastest and most effective shopping experience, as well the lowest price on the items.

The study pitted Walmart.com, Amazon, and five general-purpose comparison shopping engines – NexTag, Pricegrabber, PriceRunner, Shopping.com and Shopzilla, – against each other to determine if any consistent patterns emerged that could help consumers navigate the Internet as efficiently as possible. Nearly 50 of the most popular products were researched, and the results showed a significant amount of pricing disparity on identical items between the seven providers. At the highest level, DataCo found that the comparison shopping engines outperformed Amazon and Walmart over 95% of the time on dozens of the most popular products online. In fact, of the products surveyed that are sold by Walmart, the giant retailer failed to provide the lowest price on any of them, and Amazon only provided the lowest price on two items. For example, on one item – the popular Panasonic PV-GS250 MiniDV Digital Camcorder, Walmart listed a price of nearly $1,000 and Amazon a price of nearly $800, while PriceRunner.com offered the same product at $469 and Shopping.com offered it at $475. On another item, the Samsung SyncMaster 915N Black 19” LCD Monitor, while Walmart did undercut Amazon $378 to $429, the same monitor could be purchased for as low as $238 at Shopzilla.

According to Gary Mayer, managing director for DataCo, three main findings emerged from the study.
1. -  Confirmation that significant cost savings can be gained by knowing where and how to shop online.
2. -  For products that are sold through many stores, the smartest first stop for online shoppers is a comparison shopping engine rather than a specific retailer’s website.
3. -  While comparison shopping engines outperformed the two large retailers over 95% of the time, there were also appreciable differences in the performance between the different shopping engines.

Percentage of Products Offered at the Lowest Price

Source: DataCo, LLC

Notes: Percentages total more than 100% to account for instances when multiple providers offered the same low price. Also,Walmart.com offered only 31 of the 48 products studied.

“For year-round shopping, and especially with the upcoming holiday season, it is important that consumers question their assumptions about where to find the best deal. Indeed, in this study it is clear that comparison shopping engines should be consumers’ first stop,” said Mayer. “And for today’s time-starved consumers, another important benefit is that the shopping engines generally also provide robust product reviews and other comparison tools that empower shoppers with greater knowledge about the products they’re considering purchasing, resulting in a much more gratifying shopping experience.”

Detailed information on the findings of the study can be provided to qualified media representatives upon request.

About DataCo, LLC
DataCo, LLC partners with organizations to mine and analyze information, using predictive characteristics to proactively address and maximize customer relationships across the entire lifecycle. DataCo’s solution set provides clients key, actionable information to answer : “Who are my best prospects or customers, what most influences their satisfaction, and how can we maximize our relationship with them?” - resulting in improved performance, customer loyalty and financial returns.

About PriceRunner
PriceRunner, a division of ValueClick, Inc. (Nasdaq: VCLK), offers product and price comparisons in the categories of Clothing & Accessories; Cameras & Camcorders; Computers; Home Appliances; Home Entertainment; Kids & Family; Multimedia; Office Equipment; Software; Sports & Outdoor; Toys; Video Games and many others. PriceRunner.com is the first site in the U.S. to compare information from both online and traditional stores as well as list non-paying retailers to give users a better overview of the market. By giving the consumer an objective and informative overview, PriceRunner makes it easier for the consumer to make a smarter purchase more quickly.

About ValueClick
ValueClick, Inc. (Nasdaq: VCLK) is the single-source provider of media, technology and related services that enable advertisers, agencies and publishers to reach consumers in all major online marketing channels, through three business units, ValueClick Media, Commission Junction and Mediaplex. For more information, please visit www.valueclick.com.

* This release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, trends in online advertising spending and estimates of future online performance-based advertising. Actual results may differ materially from the results predicted, and reported results should not be considered an indication of future performance. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements are detailed under "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission made from time to time by ValueClick, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on March 31, 2005, recent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K. Other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the risk that market demand for online advertising, and performance-based online advertising in particular, will not grow as rapidly as predicted. ValueClick undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

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