Global fashion ecommerce site to launch later this month

A UK based fashion ecommerce site is set to launch globally later this month, with services planned in seven different languages, including US and UK English, French, German and Swedish.

Boo.com will sell clothes to 18 to 35 year olds and will enable visitors to try out dress ideas on mannequin dolls, send email ideas to friends, build up individual style profiles, and view some items in 3D. It will also provide users with fashion hints and information.

Nearly 100 Web developers have been working on site since the start of this year and, unlike other retail sites, it can handle multiple currencies. Prices will be shown in the consumer's local currency and include local taxes, with custom duties and shipping costs all included. The site will also have a 24 hour helpdesk.

Boo.com has been funded internationally to the tune of $125 million. French organisation, the Arnault Group, is a major backer, following the decision of Bernard Arnault, chairman of LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton, the world's largest luxury goods maker, to use Group Arnault to make investments in Internet start-ups.

In Europe, Arnault has also set up an Internet investment company, Europ@web, specifically to invest in European Internet companies and European units of US Web businesses in an attempt to exploit “a major area of untapped opportunity”.

End *** Printing Services Go Live by John Geralds in Silicon Valley A US-based startup will offer its inventive technology which allows items such as business cards, letterhead and envelopes to be created on the Web simultaneously in a few simple steps. The company, liveprint.com, just closed its first round of venture capital financing, led by Flatiron Partners and has begun its second. "liveprint.com provides a truly innovative solution of what is traditionally a bricks and mortar service, marketing communications advice and designs," said Bob Greene, managing partner at Flatiron Partners. The company chose application service provider, USinternetworking, to manage its website. "In making liveprint.com the personal-publishing destination, our success will not only depend on offering premier services, but excellent, consistent response and up-time," said Rick Steele, liveprint.com's president and CEO. Steele explained that liveprint.com provides a fast way to create and distribute high-quality, marketing communications products. "We provide free access to the Internet-based tools visitors need to develop customized, polished marketing communications pieces quickly and easily," he said. After a few steps, items can be downloaded and printed at the desktop for free or printed professionally though the liveprint.com networks. Liveprint.com's idea section includes tips and articles on how to use marketing communications pieces when starting, growing or promoting a business. The company plans to target the small business market who spend an estimated $8-$12 billion dollars each year on printing. In the coming weeks, liveprint.com will offer liveStudio, a Web-based application that provides tools to design the products from scratch utilizing the users artistic talents. The site will also expand its facts, resources and tips. Newsletters, brochures and promotional items will also be rolled out. Competition will come from two-year old IPrint, which has automated the process of offering professional printing services on similar products such as business cards, envelopes and letterheads online. IPrint began building a new distribution channel for its offerings by teaming up with some of the biggest names in the small-business marketplace, OfficeMax, Sir Speedy and Kinko's. The funds raised in the next round of funding will be used to expand the company through a comprehensive marketing and brand-building campaign. end