Lycos also made a strategic investment in Frictionless Commerce, a start-up based on more than three years of research in the MIT Media Lab. Users can write about products that they love or hate. Shoppers can also rate the usefulness of anyone's opinion, and read the opinions of people they trust. As part of the seamless community experience Lycos shoppers can chat about their products or join Clubs on Lycos. By teaming with Web Watchdog, merchants are continuously rated by actual shoppers after each purchase is made.
Shoppers register only once, complete one personal profile with one email address and one password.
When ready to buy, shoppers check out those purchases in one fast and easy transaction. Unlike other shopping sites that use a closed, proprietary architecture, Lycos enables quick connection of an existing storefront onto the Lycos transaction engine. Lycos delivers this robust merchant functionality as the result of its strategic alliances with Open Market and Internet Commerce Services. Unlike other programs, it also awards points for every purchase made anywhere with the Club Lycos MasterCard and for activities all over the Lycos Network. For instance, members can earn points by upgrading their registration information at My Lycos.