News

Info Touch, Chapters announce Internet kiosk deployment

April 9, 2004

BURNABY, B.C.-- Info Touch Technologies Corp. (CDNX: IFT) has deployed 300 Internet-enabled kiosks to 77 Chapters Inc. (TSE: CHP) book stores across Canada. The deployment, the companies said in a news release, is one of the largest Canadian retail deployments of Internet kiosks.

In a recently released survey conducted by Chapters and Info Touch, more than 5,200 Chapters customers indicated that they frequently use Chapters' cyber cafés to access chapters.caand other e-commerce sites, browse the Internet and send/receive e-mail. Customers responded to the survey between October and December 2000.

The demographic statistics from the survey indicate: 43 percent of Internet kiosk users are female; 57 percent are male; about 90 percent of cyber café users have Internet access available outside the Chapters network; 50 percent of respondents have used Chapters' cyber cafés to purchase products online; 39 percent of users have used Chapters' cyber cafés to make reservations online; 63 percent of respondents had never used an Internet-enabled kiosk before; 37 percent of users visit a Chapters store specifically to use the kiosk; 63 percent use the kiosk as part of their in-store shopping experience; and 80 percent of respondents would visit a Chapters store again to use a kiosk.

"We're very pleased with all aspects of the roll-out, particularly the feedback we've received from the survey," said Hamed Shahbazi, Info Touch chairman and CEO.

"This deployment establishes a benchmark for clicks and mortar projects in the retail sector, and demonstrates Chapters initiative to think ahead of the curve."

[Editor's note: Info Touch Technologies became Tio Networks in April 2006.]