from DSSResources.comPriceGrabber provides candidate comparison engine for 2004 electionsLOS ANGELES, CA, Sept. 14, 2004 -- PriceGrabber, one of the Web's most innovative and trusted comparison shopping services, in conjunction with the University of Southern California's (USC) Center for E-Government, has employed its shopping comparison technology to create a useful and unique candidate comparison tool to help voters choose between more than 100 candidates in the 2004 U.S. Presidential, Senate and Gubernatorial races. Having created similarly styled candidate comparisons for the 2000 and 2002 elections, PriceGrabber expanded its approach this year by partnering with USC's Center for E-Government director and noted professor, Gregory G. Curtin, Ph.D, JD. His team gathered non-partisan information about candidates with the goal to inform voters of their options and encourage participation in this year's elections. This comprehensive research on all presidential, senatorial and gubernatorial races in the November elections was then integrated with PriceGrabber's comparison technology resulting in an easy-to-navigate, easy-to-use service for the public to make instant and detailed side-by-side comparisons of candidates. Voters can search for candidates using a variety of criteria. Information includes candidates' stances on a number of topical issues such as abortion, gun control, the war in Iraq, capital punishment and same-sex marriage. PriceGrabber's comparison technology makes it easy to view candidates side-by-side and see clearly how they compare. "People are accustomed to using the Internet for research, and it's natural that they will look online to examine political candidates," said Gregory Curtin, director at USC's Center for E-Government. "PriceGrabber's comparison engine enables voters to rapidly identify and compare candidate positions on issues in high profile races. PriceGrabber's Election 2004 candidate comparison engine offers these decision-making details in a convenient format that makes research simple." In addition to candidates' positions on popular issues, PriceGrabber provides detailed biographical information on candidates, including age, religion, previous jobs and contact information for their campaign headquarters. Using figures reported from the Center for Responsive Politics, PriceGrabber also presents voters with a summary of how much money has been raised and spent on the campaigns along with what percentage of these funds was contributed by political action committees (PACs). "As the November election approaches, many voters will spend a good deal of time and effort researching and comparing various candidates," said Tamim Mourad, CEO of PriceGrabber.com. "Drawing upon our service for shoppers, we are excited to now provide voters with a research and comparison tool that will assist them in the important information gathering process. Our goal is to provide voters, as we do shoppers, with a comprehensive and unbiased source of accurate information, allowing for meaningful comparisons when making a final decision." PriceGrabber's candidate comparison engine can be found at http://www.pricegrabber.com/election2004.php. About PriceGrabber PriceGrabber.com is a leader in comparison shopping and is widely recognized as one of the best and most useful sites on the Internet by industry leading publications including PC World(a) and PC Magazine(b). The company's web site is the starting point for savvy shoppers who value their time, money and privacy. PriceGrabber's innovative services include BottomLinePrice calculation, Storefronts marketplace, merchant ratings and reviews, detailed product information and reviews, side-by-side product comparisons and email notification of the best prices and availability on the Internet - making PriceGrabber a valuable ally for any shopper. For merchants, manufacturers and partners, PriceGrabber provides valuable visibility to an active population of shoppers. PriceGrabber's vast database of consumer comparison shopping habits is available for companies seeking in-depth product and market analysis. The company offers price comparison in English (at www.pricegrabber.com), Spanish (at www.preciomania.com) and Portuguese (at www.precomania.com) as well as international sites in Canada and the United Kingdom. PriceGrabber is headquartered in Los Angeles, CA. PriceGrabber is a registered trademark, and PriceGrabber.com and BottomLinePrice are trademarks of PriceGrabber.com, LLC. Other trademarks or registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. (a) PC World, January 2004, "The Art of the Deal" (b) PC Magazine, April 20, 2004, "Top 100 Classics" PriceGrabber.com, Inc. Pamela S. Reese, 310-736-0030 ext. 214 pamela@pricegrabber.com |