Associated launches personal finance site
Associated New Media launches its personal finance site This is Money.com (www.thisismoney.com) this week, with a commitment to avoiding exclusive e-commerce tie-ins which may threaten the perceived editorial independence of the site.
Paul Zwillenberg, managing director of Associated New Media , says no e-commerce deals are yet in place, but the site will seek to negotiate preferential e-commerce deals with small panels of suppliers within the personal finance sector, rather than promote single partners.
“We won’t be shoe-horning all people towards one supplier, we will look to provide a number of best options for site visitors,” comments Zwillenberg.
“This might involve us trying to feature two or three share traders in the share dealing category. We don’t intend to go for e-commerce deal exclusivity.”
The decision to pursue multi-partner e-commerce deals should also provide a point of difference with many Website launches being promoted directly by financial service companies themselves, which merely promote their own product range, says Zwillenberg. “Our interest is to provide consumers with an objective viewpoint, and provide pointers to a number of partners.”
Lee Thompson, commercial director at Associate New Media, confirms that IBM, NetPEP and Screentrade will be the initial advertisers and sponsors. The site launch comes within days of a similar personal finance site launch, Times-Money, by News International Internet Publishing.
