Once it was the linchpin of Kmart Corp.’s online strategy. But today, Kmart Corp. announced that United Online Inc. has agreed to pay $8.4 million for Kmart’s BlueLight Internet access service.
Kmart once believed offering Internet access for free to consumers would drive traffic--and, it hoped, purchasing--at BlueLight.com. The service made BlueLight.com users’ default home page. It amassed millions of users, then lost most when it began to charge a monthly fee. But it insisted those who were left made the ISP profitable.
The sale, which includes both the Internet access company and e-mail service assets of BlueLight.com, is subject to federal bankruptcy court approval.
United Online offers Internet access and e-mail services through its Juno and NetZero brands.
Kmart said the sale will not affect the operation of Kmart.com. In July, BlueLight said that a special promotion had tripled its number of Internet access subscribers, resulting in about 480,000. It also said its Internet access service was proving to be effective at gathering e-mail addresses to support Kmart’s marketing efforts.
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