#1 Most Common Coupon / Promo Code Used to Save Money Ordering From the Leading Internet Online Merchants is...

National study reveals #1 most commonly used promo / discount code for many Internet online merchants is: 'PRIDE'; suggesting growing acceptance of and link towards increased buying power from the gay community.

Irvine, CA October 8, 2004 -- We all like to save money when ordering online, but too often knowing which valid promotional code to enter for added discounts is unknown. That is until now. In a study released today, the single most commonplace word used by leading national gay and mainstream online merchants -- to afford added discounts -- is the word: "Pride," which is closely linked with the LGBT community.

Prompts for these well-guarded coupon (promotional) codes are typically placed within the shopping cart or order page on a website to tender a percent-off discount for consumers' online purchases.

This study, representing a sampling of two-hundred-eighty leading gay-specific and mainstream online retail Internet companies was conducted between August 28 - September 27. The findings reveal that nearly three-quarters (62 percent) of the companies validated their online ordering with this specific promotional code, explained Mitch Goldstone, president & CEO of www.30minphotos.com and its parent company, 30 Minute Photos Etc. The national online photo service commissioned this study after surveying a spike within its online service from picture-takers across the nation using the "Pride" promo code on the order page to save 30 percent -- even though it was not widely promoted. The Pride discount provides an immediate 30 percent savings towards all online photo orders. The company has decided it is only fair to continue hosting that specific code and expects that after this study's release that other online merchants will also maintain that discount code as well. "It's only fair," explained Goldstone. Earlier this year, the company promoted "Legal" as another unique promo discount code to benefit those gay and lesbian couples marrying in San Francisco and Massachusetts.

"Because we are a gay-owned business, Carl and I just as a matter of tradition added that preeminent promo code to our database for friends to use and easily remember when ordering Kodak-quality photos from their digital cameras and camera phones. After 21-years together, and having founded the company in 1990, this led to perhaps our first argument. It was rather funny because we each asked who the other knew in Indiana, Missouri, Florida and then finally in Utah? Admittedly, we were slow catching on, but after hundreds of unique orders from across the nation using that discount code, we realized that it actually is a very standard word that people type in to see if they can gain an added discount. And it worked," explained Goldstone, who along with Carl Berman are well-known civic leaders in the community. They were featured in a national IBM diversity-themed ad campaign with the tag line: "We're not your ordinary 'mom and pop' business, we're not even your ordinary 'pop and pop' business." [http://www.commercialcloset.com/cgi-bin/iowa/portrayals.html?record=592]

The couple are closely involved with senior management and championing diversity programs within several leading "Fortune 500" companies.

Mitch Goldstone is a regular Photographic Processing Magazine columnist and is chairperson of Irvine's community services commission and board trustee of the Irvine Public Schools Foundation. As community activists, Goldstone and Carl Berman founded http://www.epiccusa.com after Sept 11, 2001 to promote commerce and bring 5,000 people to support the airlines and NYC. Other grassroots campaigns included bringing business leaders from across the nation and abroad to Athens, Greece in August through their http://www.supportthegames.org campaign. www.30minphotos.com is owned by 30 Minute Photos Etc., the nationally recognized online and retail photo center is based in Irvine, Calif.

Contact: Mitch Goldstone, President & CEO, 30 Minute Photos Etc., 949-474-7654, Web: http://www.30minphotos.com

# # #