A website posting discounts and offers at Bermuda's stores is hoping to help the Island's retailers fight back against trade lost to shopping on the Internet.

Glen Cuoco has set up www.shopbermuda.com with the Buy Bermuda campaign in mind - but wanting to keep Bermudian dollars in Bermuda with Internet shopping.

"I wanted something that would allow retailers to compete with Internet shopping," said web designer Mr. Cuoco. "We are telling everybody to buy Bermuda, but what are we really doing about it?"

His site, which is still being developed and should be fully ready by the end of the summer, lists stores for free, but charges them for advertisements and listing of flyers posting special offers.

And it is these "iFlyers" that Mr. Cuoco thinks are the key to his website's success. "I did this so that people will have a place in Bermuda to go to before shopping overseas."

Mr. Cuoco, who also has a band called Travellers, added: "People still think they can get bargains overseas - but you can get just as good bargains here. Now stores have a place to put them and place their special offers."

The iFlyers are posted under the name of the store, with say, 10 percent off televisions or 20 percent off books, and all the customer has to do is print out the flyer and take it along to get the discounts, said Mr. Cuoco. The flyers can be posted by the stores with offers updated on products as soon as they come in.

Mr. Cuoco said he has been working on the concept for over a year and has been collecting stores and service providers willing to go on the site over the past few months.

"The response has been positive and we have quite a few stores who are coming on line now," he said, but there was still some work to be done with recruiting more stores.

He says his rates are favourable and allow even small stores to have a presence on the Internet.

"I was trying to find a way for people to be here without spending a lot of money," he said.

Some of his customers include Goslings, PJ's Warehouse and Toys N' Stuff.

Mr. Cuoco also started bermudashorts.bm, which he says has received seven million hits in the past seven years and he said the new website will be linked to this popular site.

"It is initially aimed at the local market, but in time there is no reason why it will not be targeted at the tourist market as well," he said. For more information log on to www.shopbermuda.com or contact gcuocoibl.bm.