AOL Signs 2 More Marketing Agreements

America Online Inc. on Tuesday signed marketing agreements valued at $44 million with Amazon.com Inc. and 1-800-Flowers as part of its strategy to use its 8 million members to attract partners.

AOL will get $25 million from 1-800-Flowers, plus some of the revenue generated by the florist. Internet-based bookseller Amazon.com will pay $19 million over three years for promotion on AOL’s Web site and NetFind Internet directory. AOL also may get a portion of Seattle-based Amazon’s revenue if the bookseller’s sales exceed targets.

The moves underscore the No. 1 online company’s plan to gain partners by offering quick access to a big audience. Dulles, Va.-based AOL, to get more revenue from ads and commerce and less from subscriptions, has signed similar pacts with shopping network CUC International Inc., long-distance company Tel-Save Holdings Inc. and Sportsline USA Inc.

Analysts estimate AOL will have a loss of 26 cents a share for the year ended June 30 on revenue of $1.7 billion, with $262 million coming from ads and electronic commerce.

AOL shares rose $2.25 to close at $65.56 on the New York Stock Exchange, their highest since a record close of $70 on May 7, 1996. Amazon shares rose $3.63 to $27.63 on Nasdaq.

Amazon’s agreement makes it the only bookseller promoted on AOL’s Web site, one of the most popular on the Internet. AOL also will add technology to its NetFind directory that will link customers directly to Amazon’s Web site when they look up information about books. Internet directories are used to find information on the Internet.

1-800-Flowers already was the only florist on AOL. Under the new agreement, AOL said it will give the florist a boost through marketing and by providing billing and ordering technology.

In return, 1-800-Flowers will promote AOL to its customers and will help sign up new subscribers for the service.