Intuit Inc. (NASDAQ: INTU) today announced at the Internet World conference a developer outreach program for QuickBooks® Site Solutions, a tool that enables small businesses to easily create a Web site in just five steps. The program also provides access to an application programming interface (API) for QuickBooks Site Solutions, encouraging third-party developers to create enhancements for the Web site tool and then make those offerings available to thousands of QuickBooks Site Solutions customers through an online catalog of services.
Intuit's small business customers who use QuickBooks Site Solutions will be able to visit the online catalog to get industry-specific applications that will help them enhance the functionality of their Web sites. Small business owners will simply browse the online catalog, select new tools and services, and then add them into their own QuickBooks Site Solutions Web sites. For example, small business owners could potentially choose to include on their sites a product photo gallery, surveys, coupons, as well as tailored content and applications, such as a tool that allows restaurants to post menus and accept reservations via their Web sites.
According to research firm AMI/Inc., approximately 1.5 million small businesses have already deployed Web sites and another 1.2 million plan to do so in the next 12 months - a potential growth rate of 80 percent. This presents a sizeable opportunity for developers to provide products and services that meet the unique needs of small business users. Intuit already serves millions of small business customers and can provide effective access for Web developers who wish to break into the high-growth, yet hard-to-reach small business community.
Dan Nye, vice president and general manager of Intuit's Small Business Division, said, "There are many developers out there with just the tools that small businesses need to enhance their Web sites, but these developers don't have a good way to put their products into the hands of the small business owners who can use them. The online catalog that Intuit has created for QuickBooks Site Solutions solves that problem by actually bringing developers' technologies right to the doorstep of Intuit small business customers everywhere."
Intuit has already begun working with several third-party developers, including CafePress.com and Instantis, who are building add-on applications for QuickBooks Site Solutions. CafePress.com is providing a tool that will enable small businesses to sell logo-bearing merchandise, such as mugs and t-shirts, on their Web sites. Instantis is providing a small-business version of its solution that enables businesses to add forms-based interactivity to their Web sites without programming.
Developer Registration Information
Web developers who are interested in learning more about creating applications for QuickBooks Site Solutions can get information at http://developer.quickbooks.com. The online catalog of tools and services from participating third-party developers is expected to be made available to QuickBooks Site Solutions customers in December 2000. In the future, Intuit intends to provide billing options to developers who choose to charge for the tools and services they offer in the catalog.
About QuickBooks Site Solutions
QuickBooks® Site Solutions is a Web-based solution that offers small businesses a fast, easy and affordable way to build and manage a professional Web site. In five easy steps and about 10 minutes, users can customize their site to their industry and business needs without technical or design knowledge.
1 AMI/Inc. Study Benchmarking e-Trends e-Volution of Small Business, June 2000
