Worcester, Mass.—June 6, 2000— Worcester, Mass.—June 6, 2000—bulbs.com, the online light bulb supplier, said yesterday
that it has reached an agreement with Philips Lighting Co. to distribute Philips light bulbs via the Internet.

  E-commerce specifically for the commercial light bulb market, today announced that it has closed $3.5 million in total equity in its first round of venture financing. The financing will allow the year-old company to enter its next stage of growth. In 2000, bulbs.com will establish a distribution center, begin business-to-business direct marketing programs and aggressively hire key personnel.

  With more than 10,000 North American employees, New Jersey-based Philips is part of the world's largest lighting company and is responsible for marketing more than 3,000 lighting products to retail, commercial and industrial customers.

 Founded in August, Bulbs.com employs about 20. The company, with headquarters at 408 Pleasant St. above Ed Hyder's Mediterranean Market, provides its customers -- primarily businesses -- with a process for finding, ordering and paying for light bulbs via the Internet.

 Steven Rothschild, Bulbs.com's president and chief executive officer, said his company's relationship with Philips is a big plus and should result in a rapid acceleration in bulb sales. He declined to provide privately held Bulbs.com's current sales figures, however.

  Steven Goldmacher, Philips spokesman, said the deal with Bulbs.com helps Philips penetrate the rapidly growing online market for lighting.

  Also yesterday, Bulbs.com announced a partnership with Gage Marketing Support Services to provide improved delivery service to its customers. The company said the arrangement with Gage, which has multiple distribution facilities around the country, will allow Bulbs.com to provide its customers with same-day shipment of orders that are received by 1 p.m.

  "We are moving to provide next-day delivery service around the country," said Mr. Rothschild. "Our goal is to make it easier for someone to do business with us than with a wholesale light-bulb distributor located right next door."

  "Light bulbs and related products represent over a $10 billion industry in North America alone," said Steven Rothschild, president and CEO of bulbs.com. "Companies can spend ridiculous amounts of time finding and ordering a product that meets the fundamental need for light. The Internet is the perfect medium to streamline the ordering process of light bulbs. With help from our investors, bulbs.com is on the path to becoming a leader in this lucrative market."