MONTCLAIR, N.J., June 19, 2001 (PRIMEZONE) -- (WITH PACKAGE) Brandon Bryant, a 30-year-old lawyer at Morrison & Foerster LLP in New York, can recall the time he almost missed his return flight after a grueling business trip: "I was trying to pick up a few items for my wife and kids at the airport gift shop when I heard them make the last call for my flight." He raced to the gate and made the flight but left the gifts behind. "I have three kids under the age of six. When I travel on business, I know the kids miss me and I know my wife has a lot of extra responsibility. I usually try to pick up something for them just to show I am thinking about them when I am away," he said.
guesswhatIbroughtyou.com, a service available to business travelers, is designed to make gift shopping a little less stressful for business travelers and their families, according to Shelly Lombard, Chief Executive Officer, guesswhatIbroughtyou.com, Inc. "Business travelers can log on to the site, purchase souvenir gifts that are unique to the city or region they are visiting and have their order delivered to their hotel. Orders placed by 10 p.m. will be delivered to the hotel by 7 a.m. the next morning."
"We offer business travelers the flexibility of shopping anytime, during a break in a meeting or from their hotel rooms," Lombard said. "And because we deliver to the travelers' hotel, his gift will arrive home at the same time he does."
Lombard cited the results of a recent telephone survey of frequent business travelers done by Roper Starch Worldwide for Hyatt Hotels. "Ninety-six percent of business travelers with children aged 7 and younger said it is difficult to cope with being away from home and family. Forty percent of those travelers said their spouses bear the brunt of the stress while 16% said their children pay the biggest price," Lombard said.
Bryant agrees, "I know it's tough on my wife and kids when I travel. The kind of service guesswhatIbroughtyou.com provides is a big help to business travelers. I can identify with being on a business trip, in meetings all day and wanting to bring a little something back to my wife and kids but not having the time to shop. But I like to see the smiles on their faces when I bring gifts home, so I usually end up picking up a few overpriced stuffed animals at the airport gift shop."
Lombard said the idea for guesswhatIbroughtyou.com was inspired by her own business travel experiences. "I was a trader for a Wall Street firm. I only traveled a few times a year but whenever I did, I liked to bring something home for my husband and kids. It was a way to let them know I missed them. Eventually, it got to the point where they would greet me at the door with a hug and then ask 'What did you bring me?' I actually like to shop but with meetings all day and client dinners at night, it was hard to find the time to do it. Yet I hated to disappoint the kids."
Currently, guesswhatIbroughtyou.com is only available in New York City. The company offers delivery to any hotel in Manhattan and to selected hotels in the surrounding area. Beginning in 2001, the company plans to expand its service to eleven other major business destinations: Boston, Washington DC, Chicago, Atlanta, Miami, New Orleans, Houston, Dallas, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Seattle.
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CONTACT: guesswhatIbroughtyou.com
Shelly Lombard, CEO
(973) 233-1170
slombard@guesswhatIbroughtyou.com
www.guesswhatIbroughtyou.com