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                                                                    EXHIBIT 10.4

                        IL FORNAIO (AMERICA) CORPORATION

                        1997 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

                             Adopted March 17, 1997
                 Approved by the Stockholders on April 23, 1997
               Amended by the Board of Directors on March 8, 2000

1.      PURPOSE.

        (a) The purpose of this 1997 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the "Plan")
is to provide a means by which employees of Il Fornaio (America) Corporation, a
Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and its Affiliates, as defined in
subparagraph 1(b), which are designated as provided in subparagraph 2(b), may be
given an opportunity to purchase stock of the Company.

        (b) The word "Affiliate" as used in the Plan means any parent
corporation or subsidiary corporation of the Company, as those terms are defined
in Sections 424(e) and (f), respectively, of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986,
as amended (the "Code").

        (c) The Company, by means of the Plan, seeks to retain the services of
its employees, to secure and retain the services of new employees, and to
provide incentives for such persons to exert maximum efforts for the success of
the Company.

        (d) The Company intends that the rights to purchase stock of the Company
granted under the Plan be considered options issued under an "employee stock
purchase plan" as that term is defined in Section 423(b) of the Code.

2.      ADMINISTRATION.

        (a) The Plan shall be administered by the Board of Directors (the
"Board") of the Company unless and until the Board delegates administration to a
Committee, as provided in subparagraph 2(c). Whether or not the Board has
delegated administration, the Board shall have the final power to determine all
questions of policy and expediency that may arise in the administration of the
Plan.

        (b) The Board shall have the power, subject to, and within the
limitations of, the express provisions of the Plan:

            (i) To determine when and how rights to purchase stock of the
Company shall be granted and the provisions of each offering of such rights
(which need not be identical).

            (ii) To designate from time to time which Affiliates of the Company
shall be eligible to participate in the Plan.

            (iii) To construe and interpret the Plan and rights granted under
it, and to establish, amend and revoke rules and regulations for its
administration. The Board, in the

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exercise of this power, may correct any defect, omission or inconsistency in the
Plan, in a manner and to the extent it shall deem necessary or expedient to make
the Plan fully effective.

            (iv) To amend the Plan as provided in paragraph 13.

            (v) Generally, to exercise such powers and to perform such acts as
the Board deems necessary or expedient to promote the best interests of the
Company and its Affiliates and to carry out the intent that the Plan be treated
as an "employee stock purchase plan" within the meaning of Section 423 of the
Code.

        (c) The Board may delegate administration of the Plan to a Committee
composed of two (2) or more members of the Board (the "Committee"). If
administration is delegated to a Committee, the Committee shall have, in
connection with the administration of the Plan, the powers theretofore possessed
by the Board, subject, however, to such resolutions, not inconsistent with the
provisions of the Plan, as may be adopted from time to time by the Board. The
Board may abolish the Committee at any time and revest in the Board the
administration of the Plan.

3.      SHARES SUBJECT TO THE PLAN.

        (a) Subject to the provisions of paragraph 12 relating to adjustments
upon changes in stock, the stock that may be sold pursuant to rights granted
under the Plan shall not exceed in the aggregate five hundred thousand (500,000)
shares of the Company's common stock (the "Common Stock"). If any right granted
under the Plan shall for any reason terminate without having been exercised, the
Common Stock not purchased under such right shall again become available for the
Plan.

        (b) The stock subject to the Plan may be unissued shares or reacquired
shares, bought on the market or otherwise.

4.      GRANT OF RIGHTS; OFFERING.

        (a) The Board or the Committee may from time to time grant or provide
for the grant of rights to purchase Common Stock of the Company under the Plan
to eligible employees (an "Offering") on a date or dates (the "Offering
Date(s)") selected by the Board or the Committee. Each Offering shall be in such
form and shall contain such terms and conditions as the Board or the Committee
shall deem appropriate, which shall comply with the requirements of Section
423(b)(5) of the Code that all employees granted rights to purchase stock under
the Plan shall have the same rights and privileges. The terms and conditions of
an Offering shall be incorporated by reference into the Plan and treated as part
of the Plan. The provisions of separate Offerings need not be identical, but
each Offering shall include (through incorporation of the provisions of this
Plan by reference in the document comprising the Offering or otherwise) the
period during which the Offering shall be effective, which period shall not
exceed twenty-seven (27) months beginning with the Offering Date, and the
substance of the provisions contained in paragraphs 5 through 8, inclusive.

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        (b) If an employee has more than one right outstanding under the Plan,
unless he or she otherwise indicates in agreements or notices delivered
hereunder: (1) each agreement or notice delivered by that employee will be
deemed to apply to all of his or her rights under the Plan, and (2) a right with
a lower exercise price (or an earlier-granted right, if two rights have
identical exercise prices), will be exercised to the fullest possible extent
before a right with a higher exercise price (or a later-granted right, if two
rights have identical exercise prices) will be exercised.

5.      ELIGIBILITY.

        (a) Rights may be granted only to employees of the Company or, as the
Board or the Committee may designate as provided in subparagraph 2(b), to
employees of any Affiliate of the Company. Except as provided in subparagraph
5(b), an employee of the Company or any Affiliate shall not be eligible to be
granted rights under the Plan, unless, on the Offering Date, such employee has
been in the employ of the Company or any Affiliate for such continuous period
preceding such grant as the Board or the Committee may require, but in no event
shall the required period of continuous employment be equal to or greater than
two (2) years. In addition, unless otherwise determined by the Board or the
Committee and set forth in the terms of the applicable Offering, no employee of
the Company or any Affiliate shall be eligible to be granted rights under the
Plan, unless, on the Offering Date, such employee's customary employment with
the Company or such Affiliate is for at least twenty (20) hours per week and at
least five (5) months per calendar year.

        (b) The Board or the Committee may provide that each person who, during
the course of an Offering, first becomes an eligible employee of the Company or
designated Affiliate will, on a date or dates specified in the Offering which
coincides with the day on which such person becomes an eligible employee or
occurs thereafter, receive a right under that Offering, which right shall
thereafter be deemed to be a part of that Offering. Such right shall have the
same characteristics as any rights originally granted under that Offering, as
described herein, except that:

            (i) the date on which such right is granted shall be the "Offering
Date" of such right for all purposes, including determination of the exercise
price of such right;

            (ii) the period of the Offering with respect to such right shall
begin on its Offering Date and end coincident with the end of such Offering; and

            (iii) the Board or the Committee may provide that if such person
first becomes an eligible employee within a specified period of time before the
end of the Offering, he or she will not receive any right under that Offering.

        (c) No employee shall be eligible for the grant of any rights under the
Plan if, immediately after any such rights are granted, such employee owns stock
possessing five percent (5%) or more of the total combined voting power or value
of all classes of stock of the Company or of any Affiliate. For purposes of this
subparagraph 5(c), the rules of Section 424(d) of the Code shall apply in
determining the stock ownership of any employee, and stock which such

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employee may purchase under all outstanding rights and options shall be treated
as stock owned by such employee.

        (d) An eligible employee may be granted rights under the Plan only if
such rights, together with any other rights granted under "employee stock
purchase plans" of the Company and any Affiliates, as specified by Section
423(b)(8) of the Code, do not permit such employee's rights to purchase stock of
the Company or any Affiliate to accrue at a rate which exceeds twenty-five
thousand dollars ($25,000) of fair market value of such stock (determined at the
time such rights are granted) for each calendar year in which such rights are
outstanding at any time.

        (e) Officers of the Company and any designated Affiliate shall be
eligible to participate in Offerings under the Plan, provided, however, that the
Board may provide in an Offering that certain employees who are highly
compensated employees within the meaning of Section 423(b)(4)(D) of the Code
shall not be eligible to participate.

6.      RIGHTS; PURCHASE PRICE.

        (a) On each Offering Date, each eligible employee, pursuant to an
Offering made under the Plan, shall be granted the right to purchase up to the
number of shares of Common Stock of the Company purchasable with a percentage
designated by the Board or the Committee not exceeding fifteen percent (15%) of
such employee's Earnings (as defined in subparagraph 7(a)) during the period
which begins on the Offering Date (or such later date as the Board or the
Committee determines for a particular Offering) and ends on the date stated in
the Offering, which date shall be no later than the end of the Offering. The
Board or the Committee shall establish one or more dates during an Offering (the
"Purchase Date(s)") on which rights granted under the Plan shall be exercised
and purchases of Common Stock carried out in accordance with such Offering.

        (b) In connection with each Offering made under the Plan, the Board or
the Committee may specify a maximum number of shares that may be purchased by
any employee as well as a maximum aggregate number of shares that may be
purchased by all eligible employees pursuant to such Offering. In addition, in
connection with each Offering that contains more than one Purchase Date, the
Board or the Committee may specify a maximum aggregate number of shares which
may be purchased by all eligible employees on any given Purchase Date under the
Offering. If the aggregate purchase of shares upon exercise of rights granted
under the Offering would exceed any such maximum aggregate number, the Board or
the Committee shall make a pro rata allocation of the shares available in as
nearly a uniform manner as shall be practicable and as it shall deem to be
equitable.

        (c) The purchase price of stock acquired pursuant to rights granted
under the Plan shall be not less than the lesser of:

            (i) an amount equal to eighty-five percent (85%) of the fair market
value of the stock on the Offering Date; or

            (ii) an amount equal to eighty-five percent (85%) of the fair market
value of the stock on the Purchase Date.

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7.      PARTICIPATION; WITHDRAWAL; TERMINATION.

        (a) An eligible employee may become a participant in the Plan pursuant
to an Offering by delivering a participation agreement to the Company within the
time specified in the Offering, in such form as the Company provides. Each such
agreement shall authorize payroll deductions of up to the maximum percentage
specified by the Board or the Committee of such employee's Earnings during the
Offering. "Earnings" is defined as an employee's regular salary or wages
(including amounts thereof elected to be deferred by the employee, that would
otherwise have been paid, under any arrangement established by the Company
intended to comply with Section 401(k), Section 402(e)(3), Section 125, Section
402(h), or Section 403(b) of the Code, and also including any deferrals under a
non-qualified deferred compensation plan or arrangement established by the
Company), which shall include or exclude (as provided for each Offering) the
following items of compensation: bonuses, commissions, overtime pay, incentive
pay, profit sharing, other remuneration paid directly to the employee, the cost
of employee benefits paid for by the Company or an Affiliate, education or
tuition reimbursements, imputed income arising under any group insurance or
benefit program, traveling expenses, business and moving expense reimbursements,
income received in connection with stock options, contributions made by the
Company or an Affiliate under any employee benefit plan, and similar items of
compensation, as determined by the Board or Committee. The payroll deductions
made for each participant shall be credited to an account for such participant
under the Plan and shall be deposited with the general funds of the Company. A
participant may reduce (including to zero) or increase such payroll deductions,
and an eligible employee may begin such payroll deductions, after the beginning
of any Offering only as provided for in the Offering. A participant may make
additional payments into his or her account only if specifically provided for in
the Offering and only if the participant has not had the maximum amount withheld
during the Offering.

        (b) At any time during an Offering, a participant may terminate his or
her payroll deductions under the Plan and withdraw from the Offering by
delivering to the Company a notice of withdrawal in such form as the Company
provides. Such withdrawal may be elected at any time prior to the end of the
Offering except as provided by the Board or the Committee in the Offering. Upon
such withdrawal from the Offering by a participant, the Company shall distribute
to such participant all of his or her accumulated payroll deductions (reduced to
the extent, if any, such deductions have been used to acquire stock for the
participant) under the Offering, without interest, and such participant's
interest in that Offering shall be automatically terminated. A participant's
withdrawal from an Offering will have no effect upon such participant's
eligibility to participate in any other Offerings under the Plan but such
participant will be required to deliver a new participation agreement in order
to participate in subsequent Offerings under the Plan.

        (c) Rights granted pursuant to any Offering under the Plan shall
terminate immediately upon cessation of a participant's employment with the
Company and any designated Affiliate, for any reason, and the Company shall
distribute to such terminated employee all of his or her accumulated payroll
deductions (reduced to the extent, if any, such deductions have been used to
acquire stock for the terminated employee), under the Offering, without
interest.

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        (d) Rights granted under the Plan shall not be transferable by a
participant otherwise than by will or the laws of descent and distribution, or
by a beneficiary designation as provided in paragraph 14 and, otherwise during
his or her lifetime, shall be exercisable only by the person to whom such rights
are granted.

8.      EXERCISE.

        (a) On each Purchase Date specified in the relevant Offering, each
participant's accumulated payroll deductions and other additional payments
specifically provided for in the Offering (without any increase for interest)
will be applied to the purchase of whole shares of stock of the Company, up to
the maximum number of shares permitted pursuant to the terms of the Plan and the
applicable Offering, at the purchase price specified in the Offering. No
fractional shares shall be issued upon the exercise of rights granted under the
Plan. The amount, if any, of accumulated payroll deductions remaining in each
participant's account after the purchase of shares which is less than the amount
required to purchase one share of stock on the final Purchase Date of an
Offering shall be held in each such participant's account for the purchase of
shares under the next Offering under the Plan, unless such participant withdraws
from such next Offering, as provided in subparagraph 7(b), or is no longer
eligible to be granted rights under the Plan, as provided in paragraph 5, in
which case such amount shall be distributed to the participant after such final
Purchase Date, without interest. The amount, if any, of accumulated payroll
deductions remaining in any participant's account after the purchase of shares
which is equal to the amount required to purchase whole shares of stock on the
final Purchase Date of an Offering shall be distributed in full to the
participant after such Purchase Date, without interest.

        (b) No rights granted under the Plan may be exercised to any extent
unless the shares to be issued upon such exercise under the Plan (including
rights granted thereunder) are covered by an effective registration statement
pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") and
the Plan is in material compliance with all applicable state, foreign and other
securities and other laws applicable to the Plan. If on a Purchase Date in any
Offering hereunder the Plan is not so registered or in such compliance, no
rights granted under the Plan or any Offering shall be exercised on such
Purchase Date, and the Purchase Date shall be delayed until the Plan is subject
to such an effective registration statement and such compliance, except that the
Purchase Date shall not be delayed more than twelve (12) months and the Purchase
Date shall in no event be more than twenty-seven (27) months from the Offering
Date. If on the Purchase Date of any Offering hereunder, as delayed to the
maximum extent permissible, the Plan is not registered and in such compliance,
no rights granted under the Plan or any Offering shall be exercised and all
payroll deductions accumulated during the Offering (reduced to the extent, if
any, such deductions have been used to acquire stock) shall be distributed to
the participants, without interest.

9.      COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY.

        (a) During the terms of the rights granted under the Plan, the Company
shall keep available at all times the number of shares of stock required to
satisfy such rights.

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        (b) The Company shall seek to obtain from each federal, state, foreign
or other regulatory commission or agency having jurisdiction over the Plan such
authority as may be required to issue and sell shares of stock upon exercise of
the rights granted under the Plan. If, after reasonable efforts, the Company is
unable to obtain from any such regulatory commission or agency the authority
which counsel for the Company deems necessary for the lawful issuance and sale
of stock under the Plan, the Company shall be relieved from any liability for
failure to issue and sell stock upon exercise of such rights unless and until
such authority is obtained.

10.     USE OF PROCEEDS FROM STOCK.

        Proceeds from the sale of stock pursuant to rights granted under the
Plan shall constitute general funds of the Company.

11.     RIGHTS AS A STOCKHOLDER.

        A participant shall not be deemed to be the holder of, or to have any of
the rights of a holder with respect to, any shares subject to rights granted
under the Plan unless and until the participant's shares acquired upon exercise
of rights hereunder are recorded in the books of the Company.

12.     ADJUSTMENTS UPON CHANGES IN STOCK.

        (a) If any change is made in the stock subject to the Plan, or subject
to any rights granted under the Plan (through merger, consolidation,
reorganization, recapitalization, stock dividend, dividend in property other
than cash, stock split, liquidating dividend, combination of shares, exchange of
shares, change in corporate structure or other transaction not involving the
receipt of consideration by the Company), the Plan and outstanding rights will
be appropriately adjusted in the class(es) and maximum number of shares subject
to the Plan and the class(es) and number of shares and price per share of stock
subject to outstanding rights. Such adjustments shall be made by the Board or
the Committee, the determination of which shall be final, binding and
conclusive. (The conversion of any convertible securities of the Company shall
not be treated as a "transaction not involving the receipt of consideration by
the Company.")

        (b) In the event of: (1) a dissolution or liquidation of the Company;
(2) a merger or consolidation in which the Company is not the surviving
corporation; (3) a reverse merger in which the Company is the surviving
corporation but the shares of the Company's Common Stock outstanding immediately
preceding the merger are converted by virtue of the merger into other property,
whether in the form of securities, cash or otherwise; or (4) the acquisition by
any person, entity or group within the meaning of Section 13(d) or 14(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act") or any
comparable successor provisions (excluding any employee benefit plan, or related
trust, sponsored or maintained by the Company or any Affiliate of the Company)
of the beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under
the Exchange Act, or comparable successor rule) of securities of the Company
representing at least fifty percent (50%) of the combined voting power entitled
to vote in the election of directors, then, as determined by the Board in its
sole discretion (i) any surviving or acquiring corporation may assume
outstanding rights or substitute similar rights for those under the Plan, (ii)
such rights may continue in full force and effect, or (iii) participants'

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accumulated payroll deductions may be used to purchase Common Stock immediately
prior to the transaction described above and the participants' rights under the
ongoing Offering terminated.

13.     AMENDMENT OF THE PLAN.

        (a) The Board at any time, and from time to time, may amend the Plan.
However, except as provided in paragraph 12 relating to adjustments upon changes
in stock, no amendment shall be effective unless approved by the stockholders of
the Company within twelve (12) months before or after the adoption of the
amendment if such amendment requires stockholder approval in order for the Plan
to obtain employee stock purchase plan treatment under Section 423 of the Code
or to comply with the requirements of Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange
Act.

        (b) The Board may amend the Plan in any respect the Board deems
necessary or advisable to provide eligible employees with the maximum benefits
provided or to be provided under the provisions of the Code and the regulations
promulgated thereunder relating to employee stock purchase plans and/or to bring
the Plan and/or rights granted under it into compliance therewith.

        (c) Rights and obligations under any rights granted before amendment of
the Plan shall not be altered or impaired by any amendment of the Plan, except
with the consent of the person to whom such rights were granted, or except as
necessary to comply with any laws or governmental regulations, or except as
necessary to ensure that the Plan and/or rights granted under the Plan comply
with the requirements of Section 423 of the Code.

14.     DESIGNATION OF BENEFICIARY.

        (a) A participant may file a written designation of a beneficiary who is
to receive any shares and cash, if any, from the participant's account under the
Plan in the event of such participant's death subsequent to the end of an
Offering but prior to delivery to the participant of such shares and cash. In
addition, a participant may file a written designation of a beneficiary who is
to receive any cash from the participant's account under the Plan in the event
of such participant's death during an Offering.

        (b) Such designation of beneficiary may be changed by the participant at
any time by written notice. In the event of the death of a participant and in
the absence of a beneficiary validly designated under the Plan who is living at
the time of such participant's death, the Company shall deliver such shares
and/or cash to the executor or administrator of the estate of the participant,
or if no such executor or administrator has been appointed (to the knowledge of
the Company), the Company, in its sole discretion, may deliver such shares
and/or cash to the spouse or to any one or more dependents or relatives of the
participant, or if no spouse, dependent or relative is known to the Company,
then to such other person as the Company may designate.

15.     TERMINATION OR SUSPENSION OF THE PLAN.

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        (a) The Board in its discretion, may suspend or terminate the Plan at
any time. No rights may be granted under the Plan while the Plan is suspended or
after it is terminated.

        (b) Rights and obligations under any rights granted while the Plan is in
effect shall not be altered or impaired by suspension or termination of the
Plan, except as expressly provided in the Plan or with the consent of the person
to whom such rights were granted, or except as necessary to comply with any laws
or governmental regulation, or except as necessary to ensure that the Plan
and/or rights granted under the Plan comply with the requirements of Section 423
of the Code.

16.     EFFECTIVE DATE OF PLAN.

        The Plan shall become effective upon the Company's initial public
offering of shares of common stock (the "Effective Date"), but no rights granted
under the Plan shall be exercised unless and until the Plan has been approved by
the stockholders of the Company within twelve (12) months before or after the
date the Plan is adopted by the Board or the Committee, which date may be prior
to the Effective Date.

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                        IL FORNAIO (AMERICA) CORPORATION
                      EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN OFFERING

              Adopted by the Board of Directors on March 17, 1997
              Amended by the Board of Directors on April 23, 1997

1.      GRANT; OFFERING DATE.

        (a) The Board of Directors (the "Board") of Il Fornaio (America)
Corporation (the "Company"), pursuant to the Company's Employee Stock Purchase
Plan (the "Plan"), hereby authorizes the grant of rights to purchase shares of
the common stock of the Company ("Common Stock") to all Eligible Employees (an
"Offering"). The first Offering shall begin on the effective date of the initial
public offering of the Company's Common Stock and end on October 31, 1999 (the
"Initial Offering"). Thereafter, an Offering shall begin on November 1 every two
(2) years, beginning with calendar year 1999, and shall end on the day prior to
the second anniversary of its Offering Date. The first day of an Offering is
that Offering's "Offering Date."

        (b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, in the event that the fair
market value of a share of Common Stock on any Purchase Date during an Offering
is less than the fair market value of a share of Common Stock on the Offering
Date of the Offering, then following the purchase of Common Stock on such
Purchase Date (i) the Offering shall terminate, (ii) a new Offering shall
commence on the day following the Purchase Date and shall end on the day prior
to the second anniversary of such new Offering's Offering Date, and (iii) all
participants in the just-terminated Offering shall automatically be enrolled in
the new Offering.

        (c) Prior to the commencement of any Offering, the Board (or the
committee described in subparagraph 2(c) of the Plan, if any) may change any or
all terms of such Offering and any subsequent Offerings. The granting of rights
pursuant to each Offering hereunder shall occur on each respective Offering Date
unless, prior to such date (a) the Board (or such Committee) determines that
such Offering shall not occur, or (b) no shares remain available for issuance
under the Plan in connection with the Offering.

2.      ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEES.

        (a) All employees of the Company and each of its Affiliates (as defined
in the Plan) incorporated in the United States shall be granted rights to
purchase Common Stock under each Offering on the Offering Date of such Offering,
provided that each such employee otherwise meets the employment requirements of
subparagraph 5(a) of the Plan (an "Eligible Employee"). Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the following employees shall not be Eligible Employees or be granted
rights under an Offering: (i) any person who has not been continuously employed
by the Company for a period of at least nine (9) months, (ii) part-time or
seasonal employees whose customary employment is less than twenty (20) hours per
week or five (5) months per calendar year or (iii) 5% stockholders (including
ownership through unexercised options) described in subparagraph 5(c) of the
Plan. An Eligible Employee as of the Offering Date who does not

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commence participation in the Plan at such time may participate in the Plan
effective any November 1 or May 1 within an Offering. The exercise price for
such Eligible Employee shall be determined with reference to the Offering Date
of such Offering, and not the date such Eligible Employee actually commenced
participation.

        (b) Each person who first becomes an Eligible Employee during any
Offering and at least six (6) months prior to the final Purchase Date of the
Offering will, on the next May 1 or November 1 during that Offering, receive a
right under such Offering, which right shall thereafter be deemed to be a part
of the Offering. Such right shall have the same characteristics as any rights
originally granted under the Offering except that:

               (1) the date on which such right is granted shall be the
"Offering Date" of such right for all purposes, including determination of the
exercise price of such right; and

               (2) the Offering for such right shall begin on its Offering Date
and end coincident with the end of the ongoing Offering.

Such newly-eligible Eligible Employee who does commence participation in the
Plan at such time of initial eligibility may participate in the Plan effective
any November 1 or May 1 within an Offering. The exercise price for such Eligible
Employee shall be determined with reference to such Eligible Employee's deemed
Offering Date (in accordance with subsection (b)(1) above), and not the date
such Eligible Employee actually commenced participation.

3.      RIGHTS.

        (a) Subject to the limitations contained herein and in the Plan, on each
Offering Date each Eligible Employee shall be granted the right to purchase the
number of shares of Common Stock purchasable with up to fifteen percent (15%) of
such employee's Earnings paid during the period of such Offering beginning after
such Eligible Employee first commences participation; provided, however, that no
employee may purchase Common Stock on a particular Purchase Date that would
result in more than fifteen percent (15%) of such employee's Earnings in the
period from the Offering Date to such Purchase Date having been applied to
purchase shares under all ongoing Offerings under the Plan and all other Company
plans intended to qualify as "employee stock purchase plans" under Section 423
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"). For this
Offering, "Earnings" means the total compensation paid to an employee, including
all salary, wages (including amounts elected to be deferred by the employee,
that would otherwise have been paid, under any cash or deferred arrangement
established by the Company), overtime pay, commissions, bonuses, and other
remuneration paid directly to the employee, but excluding profit sharing, the
cost of employee benefits paid for by the Company, education or tuition
reimbursements, imputed income arising under any Company group insurance or
benefit program, traveling expenses, business and moving expense reimbursements,
income received in connection with stock options, contributions made by the
Company under any employee benefit plan, and similar items of compensation.

        (b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the maximum number of shares of
Common Stock an Eligible Employee may purchase on any Purchase Date in an
Offering shall be such number of shares as has a fair market value (determined
as of the Offering Date for such

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Offering) equal to (x) $25,000 multiplied by the number of calendar years in
which the right under such Offering has been outstanding at any time, minus (y)
the fair market value of any other shares of Common Stock (determined as of the
relevant Offering Date with respect to such shares) which, for purposes of the
limitation of Section 423(b)(8) of the Code, are attributed to any of such
calendar years in which the right is outstanding. The amount in clause (y) of
the previous sentence shall be determined in accordance with regulations
applicable under Section 423(b)(8) of the Code based on (i) the number of shares
previously purchased with respect to such calendar years pursuant to such
Offering or any other Offering under the Plan, or pursuant to any other Company
plans intended to qualify as "employee stock purchase plans" under Section 423
of the Code, and (ii) the number of shares subject to other rights outstanding
on the Offering Date for such Offering pursuant to the Plan or any other such
Company plan.

        (c) The maximum aggregate number of shares available to be purchased by
all Eligible Employees under an Offering shall be the number of shares remaining
available under the Plan on the Offering Date. If the aggregate purchase of
shares of Common Stock upon exercise of rights granted under the Offering would
exceed the maximum aggregate number of shares available, the Board shall make a
pro rata allocation of the shares available in a uniform and equitable manner.

4.      PURCHASE PRICE.

        The purchase price of the Common Stock under the Offering shall be the
lesser of eighty-five percent (85%) of the fair market value of the Common Stock
on the Offering Date or eighty-five percent (85%) of the fair market value of
the Common Stock on the Purchase Date, in each case rounded up to the nearest
whole cent per share. For the Initial Offering, the fair market value of the
Common Stock at the time when the Offering commences shall be the price per
share at which shares of Common Stock are first sold to the public in the
Company's initial public offering as specified in the final prospectus with
respect to that offering.

5.      PARTICIPATION.

        (a) Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph 5 or in the Plan, an
Eligible Employee may elect to participate in an Offering only at the beginning
of the Offering or as of the day following a Purchase Date during such Offering.
An Eligible Employee shall become a participant in an Offering by delivering an
agreement authorizing payroll deductions. Such deductions must be in whole
percentages of Earnings, with a minimum percentage of one percent (1%) and a
maximum percentage of fifteen percent (15%). A participant may not make
additional payments into his or her account. The agreement shall be made on such
enrollment form as the Company provides, and must be delivered to the Company
prior to the date participation is to be effective, unless a later time for
filing the enrollment form is set by the Company for all Eligible Employees with
respect to a given participation date. For the Initial Offering, the time for
filing an enrollment form and commencing participation for individuals who are
Eligible Employees on the Offering Date for the Initial Offering shall be
determined by the Company and communicated to such Eligible Employees.

        (b) A participant may decrease his or her participation level during the
course of a six (6)-month purchase interval one (1) time, and only by delivering
notice to the Company at least

                                        3
<PAGE>   13

ten (10) days in advance of the Purchase Date in such form as the Company
prescribes; provided that a participant may (i) reduce his or her deductions to
zero percent (0%) upon ten (10) days' prior notice by delivering a notice in
such form as the Company provides, (ii) may increase or decrease his or her
participation level at any time to become effective on the day following the
next subsequent Purchase Date or (iii) may withdraw from an Offering and receive
his or her accumulated payroll deductions from the Offering (reduced to the
extent, if any, such deductions have been used to acquire Common Stock for the
participant on any prior Purchase Dates) without interest, at any time prior to
the end of the Offering, excluding only each ten (10) day period immediately
preceding a Purchase Date, by delivering a withdrawal notice to the Company in
such form as the Company provides. A participant who has withdrawn from an
Offering shall not again participate in such Offering, but may participant in
subsequent Offerings under the Plan in accordance with the terms thereof.

6.      PURCHASES.

        Subject to the limitations contained herein, on each Purchase Date, each
participant's accumulated payroll deductions (without any increase for interest)
shall be applied to the purchase of whole shares of Common Stock, up to the
maximum number of shares permitted under the Plan and the Offering. "Purchase
Date" shall be defined as each April 30 and October 31, except that the first
Purchase Date under this Offering shall be April 30, 1998, and not October 31,
1997.

7.      NOTICES AND AGREEMENTS.

        Any notices or agreements provided for in an Offering or the Plan shall
be given in writing, in a form provided by the Company, and unless specifically
provided for in the Plan or this Offering shall be deemed effectively given upon
receipt or, in the case of notices and agreements delivered by the Company, five
(5) days after deposit in the United States mail, postage prepaid.

8.      EXERCISE CONTINGENT ON STOCKHOLDER APPROVAL.

        The rights granted under an Offering are subject to the approval of the
Plan by the stockholders as required for the Plan to obtain treatment as a
tax-qualified employee stock purchase plan under Section 423 of the Code and to
comply with the requirements of exemption from potential liability under Section
16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act")
set forth in Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act.

9.      OFFERING SUBJECT TO PLAN.

        Each Offering is subject to all the provisions of the Plan, and its
provisions are hereby made a part of the Offering, and is further subject to all
interpretations, amendments, rules and regulations which may from time to time
be promulgated and adopted pursuant to the Plan. In the event of any conflict
between the provisions of an Offering and those of the Plan (including
interpretations, amendments, rules and regulations which may from time to time
be promulgated and adopted pursuant to the Plan), the provisions of the Plan
shall control.

                                       4<PAGE>   1
                                                                     EXHIBIT 4.1

                                  EGROUPS, INC.
                             A DELAWARE CORPORATION

NUMBER <<CERTNUMBER>>                                    *<<NOOFSHARES>>* SHARES
                                                                COMMON STOCK

        This certifies that <<NAME>> is the record holder of <<NOOFSHARES>>
shares of COMMON STOCK of EGROUPS INC. transferable only on the books of said
corporation by the holder, in person, or by duly authorized attorney, upon
surrender of this certificate properly endorsed or assigned.

        This certificate and the shares represented hereby are issued and shall
be held subject to all of the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation and
the Bylaws of the corporation and any amendments thereto, a copy of which is on
file at the officer of the corporation and made part hereof as fully as though
the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws were imprinted in
full on this certificate, to all of which the holder of this certificate, by
acceptance hereof, assents.

        The corporation will furnish without charge to each stockholder who so
requests, the powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating,
optional or other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof and
the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such preferences and/or
rights.

        WITNESS, the Seal of the corporation and the signatures of its duly
authorized officers this <<Day>> day of <<Month>>, 2000.

-----------------------------------          -----------------------------------
Marjorie Sennett, Chief Financial            Michael Klein, President
Officer

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