ShopNBC, a national shopping television network, will hold a July Birthstone Ruby sale on eBay through Monday, July 16. Reaching 46 million homes, ShopNBC will drive traffic to eBay using 15-second advertising segments on "Bid Bash," the shopping network's descending auction game show that incorporates live TV-Internet converged bidding. In addition, ShopNBC will leverage its newly revamped Web site, shopnbc.com, to promote the auction to its online customers via on-site promotions and direct email marketing. eBay will feature ShopNBC and the ruby listing through a link to the ShopNBC listings on eBay's Jewelry Category Index Page.

ShopNBC is broadcast 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and is simulcast live on the Web at ShopNBC.com and on Yahoo! ShoppingVision. As of April 30, 2001, ShopNBC reached about 46 million cable and satellite households (DirecTV channel 370; Dish Network channel 228). GE Equity and NBC own approximately 40% of ValueVision, the owner and operator of ShopNBC.