Survey Says: S e x + Shopping + Geography Equals the Perfect Valentine's Day; The Romantically-Challenged have Questions, Shopzilla has Answers as the One-Stop Solution this Valentine's Day LOS ANGELES --(Business Wire)-- Jan. 27, 2005 -- Romance is a complex equation. If you are clueless when it comes to being Cupid, a new Valentine's Day study(a) by Shopzilla, the leading shopping search engine, reveals gift preferences by geography and gender that will direct your bow and arrow straight to the heart. Online shoppers can visit www.shopzilla.com, to find millions of Valentine's gifts in less than 20 milliseconds. But hurry-up, because love is in the air, and more than half of online consumers (55%) plan to start shopping tomorrow, Jan. 28 through Feb. 10. "Shopzilla is Cupid's one-stop solution for finding, comparing and buying gifts that will steal that special someone's heart and ensure that you don't end up sleeping on the couch," said Helen Malani, chief consumer shopping expert, Shopzilla, Inc. What are the Regional Differences? The Shopzilla study found that successful Valentine's Day gift giving is linked to geography and gender. Women living in the Northeast, Midwest and Southern regions think that flowers are still the most romantic gift to receive. However, women in the in the Western United States reveal that a romantic travel getaway is first and foremost. Although most women prefer to be taken to a restaurant on Valentine's Day, women from the South, in particular, like to be wined and dined, whereas women from the Northeast are more relaxed about dinner plans. The clueless can take comfort in the fact that across the board, the two most romantic gifts for women are flowers and jewelry. How the S e x e s Split? The study found that the top romantic gifts are: All Female Respondents All Male Respondents -0- *T Flowers 48% Travel Getaway 29% --------------------------------------------------------------------- Jewelry/Watches 45% Dinner 28% --------------------------------------------------------------------- Travel Getaway 40% Flowers 20% --------------------------------------------------------------------- Dinner 32% Return to special place 20% --------------------------------------------------------------------- Spa 31% Jewelry/Watches 20% --------------------------------------------------------------------- *T What Should you buy her? In case men are feeling baffled by what to get their sweethearts, Shopzilla is donning wings and playing Cupid. As not all shopping search engines are created equal, Shopzilla will help consumers find that 'just right' romantic gift item online -- at the right price -- with more than 30 million products from over 50,000 stores. Shopzilla's favorites this Valentine's Day: -- At least 50 types of Sweetheart Roses ranging from $5.99 to more than $50.00. -- Fun Gossip Interchangeable Ribbon Strap Watches that match any outfit. Price: $35.38 -- The Cultured Pearl and Diamond Ring for $239 makes a nice, "I love you", but not "I'm popping the question" statement. Shopzilla has more than 29,000 diamond rings from under $200 to more than $4,500. -- Cruises to compare and save from most major carriers. -- Spa Treats such as a Rosemary Bubble Spa Mat that turns your bathtub into a hydro spa for $89.95. -- And thousands of Valentine's Day chocolates, party supplies, teddy bears, balloons and gift baskets, even for pets! What Should you buy him? Many males secretly cited passion as a part of their Valentine's Day wish. The following gift ideas will put the "grrr" into a romantic day: -- More than 12,000 Sexy Lingerie items including a Fishnet Bra Panty Set, a Sexy Thong Bikini Dancer outfit and Woman's Peasant Girl Bustier, to name a few. -- More than 260 choices of Silk sheets from under $100 to more than $360. -- More than 50 choices of Body Paints including glow-in-the-dark body paints for $10.81. -- Jump Me Checkers for $51.25 to kick-start some intimacy. Contrary to popular belief, men take Valentine's Day more seriously than women think: -- Despite the satirized man buying a box of chocolate at the last minute on the way home from work, the survey found that 27% of guys purchase that special gift before Jan. 20. -- Men spend more. They plan to spend an average of $133.77 to show their affection, whereas women anticipate spending $103.51. -- Men tend to focus on their significant other, while women tend to buy Valentine's gifts for many others including children, parents and other relatives. (a) The study, conducted by BizRate.com, a division of Shopzilla Inc., was based on a survey with a sample of more than 2,000 online shoppers from January 13-17, 2005. Note: All site data accurate at the time of issuing this press release. About Shopzilla, Inc.: Shopzilla, formerly BizRate.com, is the most powerful and easiest-to-use shopping search site on the Web. With an index of over 30 million products from more than 50,000 stores, Shopzilla uses ShopRank, a proprietary patent-pending algorithm, to help shoppers instantly find virtually anything on sale from anyone, anywhere on the Web at the best price. Shopzilla also features powerful comparison tools and BizRate consumer reviews of stores and products, the Web's largest and most trusted consumer feedback network. Every week Shopzilla prepares millions of shoppers to make smarter, more confident purchases and send them directly to the checkout page of thousands of online merchants. Shopzilla, Inc. also operates the BizRate consumer feedback network and powers shopping search for many of the Web's largest consumer sites including AOL, Lycos, Time Warner's RoadRunner, and many others. Founded in 1996, the Los Angeles-based company is profitable and privately held. For more information, visit www.shopzilla.com, the smarter way to shop.