SAN FRANCISCO and SAN BRUNO, CA - December 19, 2000 - SquareTrade, the market leader in providing online trust development and dispute resolution services for e?commerce transactions, and AuctionWatch.com, the leading provider of solutions that enable buyers and sellers to effectively leverage online commerce, announced today an agreement to offer SquareTrade's trust-building Seal Program to AuctionWatch.com's registered sellers.

"By becoming SquareTrade Seal members, AuctionWatch.com's registered sellers will be able to protect and build their business reputations online as they grow their customer base," said Rodrigo Sales, Chief Executive Officer of AuctionWatch.com. "SquareTrade's important trust-building services are an integral part of driving consumer acceptance of eCommerce solutions in the vibrant auction space."

"SquareTrade's trust-building solutions fulfill some of the largest unmet needs of C2C auctions - 'who am I buying from' and 'what recourse do I have in case of an issue'. They also dovetail with the recent FTC and Global Business Dialogue announcements about the need for online dispute resolution and trustmarks as a critical component of building consumer trust," said Steve Abernethy, Chief Executive Officer of SquareTrade. "Together, AuctionWatch.com and SquareTrade are meeting the needs of buyers and sellers throughout the entire online auction process."

"As the leading trust building service for e-commerce transactions, SquareTrade is committed to providing customers with the very best online experience possible," said Steve Abernethy, CEO of SquareTrade. "Utilizing Kana to support SquareTrade's industry-defining dispute resolution service has allowed us to provide best-in-class service delivery, scalable across diverse online marketplaces."

The SquareTrade Seal indicates a seller's commitment to a high level of customer service, superior selling practices, and to using the SquareTrade Online Dispute Resolution Service should any issues arise as the result of an online transaction. The digitally watermarked Seal establishes an online seller's customer service track record, backed by a fraud guarantee. To qualify for the Seal Program, sellers must apply and complete a process that includes identity verification, reference checks, and a commitment to using SquareTrade's leading Online Dispute Resolution process to resolve issues.

With this partnership, SquareTrade strengthens its leadership position in the online auction space, growing its distribution network for the SquareTrade trust building Seal. In early August of this year, SquareTrade announced a 2-year deal with eBay, (NASDAQ: EBAY), the world's largest personal trading community, making SquareTrade the preferred provider of Online Dispute Resolution to eBay's more than 19 million users. SquareTrade has since announced deals with other auction players including Auctiva and eOrbis.

About SquareTrade
SquareTrade is the leading innovator in the development of a trust infrastructure for e-commerce transactions. SquareTrade addresses the all-important issue of building trust in e-business relationships, one of the essential enabling factors necessary to fully realize the power of the Internet and online commerce. The digitally watermarked SquareTrade Seal establishes an online seller's customer service track record, helps build buyer confidence and serves as the first line of defense against fraud. It is backed by SquareTrade's patent-pending, web-based dispute resolution service and SquareTrade's international network of more than 250 mediators and arbitrators. Founded in 1999, SquareTrade is based in San Francisco, Calif. For more information, employment opportunities or to contact a SquareTrade representative, visit www.squaretrade.com.

About AuctionWatch.com
AuctionWatch.com (www.auctionwatch.com) With four million unique visitors a month and hundreds of thousands of registered sellers, AuctionWatch.com is widely recognized as the company of choice for businesses looking to efficiently distribute merchandise to auction and cost effectively acquire customers. In addition to its suite of powerful seller services, AuctionWatch.com offers buyers an industry-leading search capability, allowing them to conveniently locate items across hundreds of auction sites. The company also publishes daily content on the auction industry, hosts the industry's premier online appraisal service, and has the most active independent message boards of its kind. Based in San Bruno, California, AuctionWatch.com is privately held and funded by Sequoia Capital, Technology Crossover Ventures, CMGI @Ventures, meVC Draper Fisher Jurvetson Fund I (NYSE:MVC), Angel Investors LP, Bulldog Capital, Argus Capital and private investors.

Note to Editors: SquareTrade is a trademark of SquareTrade, Inc.