MUSTANG PRESS RELEASE
07/26/96 PRESS RELEASE
Mustang Software, Inc. To Provide Wildcat! Webmasters Real-Time
Processing Of Credit Cards And Electronic Checks
Strategic Partnership With Automated Transaction Services Creates
Commerce-Driven Wildcat! Online Sites, Merchant Account Access.
Bakersfield, California -- July 26, 1996: Mustang Software, Inc.
(NASDAQ: MSTG) has announced a strategic partnership with Automated
Transactions Services (ATS) of Westlake Village, California to provide
electronic transaction services for businesses using the company*s
Wildcat! Interactive Net Server and Wildcat! 5 products. The agreement
will allow for real-time online processing of credit cards and
electronic checks for Wildcat! sites using a state-of-the-art
proprietary encryption system developed by ATS. Under the terms of the
arrangement, ATS will also offer steep discounts on setup and
transactional fees to Wildcat! Webmasters, and can assist those without
merchant accounts by setting up check processing immediately and helping
to apply for a merchant credit card processing account.
"The success of any commercial web site or online service depends many
factors, but the most important is the ability to generate revenue,"
states Jim Harrer, president and CEO of Mustang Software. "The
association with ATS allows us to bring a powerful commerce service
alternative to companies that choose Wildcat! as their Web platform,
with the versatility to allow any consumer to conduct secure commerce
over the net, whether using Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American
Express, or a check." It is estimated that 48% of adult Americans (over
70 million) do not have a credit card and "by accepting electronic
checks, an online service can pick up as much as 30% more business,"
states Bill Parodi, president of ATS. "It may seem strange," continues
Parodi, "but the majority of people feel more comfortable writing an
electronic check than using a credit card. We see these people as
greatly untapped market." ATS is one of two companies that currently
provide electronic commerce services, and the only provider that uses
electronic funds transfer for checking account access.
The availability of easy access to online transactional services for
credit cards and electronic checks opens the doorway to a wide audience
for profit-generating Web sites in areas including electronic
publishing, entertainment, and technical / customer support. One
tremendous advantage offered by Wildcat! is that they are not limited to
strictly a Web presence * Wildcat! also functions as a dial-in server,
allowing the two-thirds of American modem users currently without
Internet access the opportunity to participate in Web activities.
"The ability to take electronic checks from subscribers and then give
instant access opens up my market dramatically, " stated Chris Timbes,
of Mississippi-based Paragon Online. Paragon Online was one of the four
sites running the Wildcat! commerce software paired with ATS transaction
services through the system*s beta testing phase. "It allows a spur of
the moment purchase * an impulse buy * for those who don*t want to
wait," continued Timbes. "The Wildcat! - ATS pairing gives me a shot at
catching those subscribers that normally would have gotten away." ATS is
also able to offer Wildcat! sites quick processing response, with
transaction processing times ranging from 7.5 to 22 seconds from
customer initiation to completion.
For more information on Wildcat! Web and online commerce solutions,
contact Mustang Software directly at (805) 873-2500 or toll free at
(800) 999-9619.
Founded in 1986, Mustang designs, develops, markets and supports online
platform, Net server and communications software with its headquarters
located at 6200 Lake Ming Road, Bakersfield, California, 93306. Mustang
Software can be reached by calling (805) 873-2500 or (800) 999-9619; via
BBS (805) 873-2400; and through the Internet at http://www.mustang.com
(WEB) or bbs.mustang.com (Telnet).
Automated Transaction Services, Inc., developer of "Online Electronic
Banking", bases its products on the efforts of its principals, a group
of financial and computer professionals engaged in automating
transaction processing methods for Online Industry. ATS is located at
2026 Bridgegate Court, Westlake Village, California, and can be reached
at (800) 435-6981 or by fax at (805) 379-9772, and through the Internet
at http://www.versanet.com/ats (WEB) or support@atsbank.com (e-Mail).
# # #
* RM 1.31 0115 * Profound, Original, Provocative, Duh...