Archive

E-commerce has certainly come a long way in just a year. IPOs have come and gone, companies have merged and diverged, and previously-unthinkable alliances now dot the landscape.

Online travel services site Leisureplanet announced today that the CNN News Group has taken a $20 million (US$) equity position in the company.

Utility software provider Network Associates (Nasdaq: NETA) today announced that a version of its antivirus software development toolkit is now available to developers using the Linux operating system.

Applications service provider and Web hosting company NaviSite (Nasdaq: NAVI) announced today that it has been selected by specialty women's clothing retailer Dress Barn (Nasdaq: DBRN) to help launch its new e-commerce site. Dress Barn operates 674 brick-and-mortar stores in 43 states.

Last week, two scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) sued popular search engine Ask Jeeves, alleging that the company violated two U.S. patents that were issued to them in 1994 and 1995.

Linux vendor Stormix Technologies has announced the release of its new Debian-based Linux operating system product.

Online vitamin and nutritional supplement retailer VitaminShoppe.com (Nasdaq: VSHP) announced today that it has signed a two-year, multi-million dollar (US$) alliance with America Online (NYSE:AOL).

Content delivery service Akamai Technologies (Nasdaq: AKAM) and capital investment firm CMGI (Nasdaq: CMGI) announced today that they have reached a broad agreement to collaborate on developing technologies to deliver Internet content and applications.

NBCi (Nasdaq: NBCI), the newly-created Internet division of the NBC network, put its media synergy to work today by announcing a multi-year, multi-million dollar (US$) agreement with job search site Headhunter.net (Nasdaq: HHNT).

This week's new alliances between AOL and Wal-Mart, as well as Yahoo! and Kmart, are designed to tap into what Goldman Sachs calls "the fastest-growing demographic coming onto the Web," or the 96 million Americans who make less than $50,000 (US$) a year and have yet to become Internet users.

What an incredible week for America Online.

The one element of the online buying process in which consumers have consistently expressed a lack of trust is the delivery of goods.

E-commerce has suddenly become about the "big move." America Online nailed a deal with Wal-Mart. Yahoo! signed with K-Mart. AOL aligned with Circuit City. Microsoft formed a bond with Best Buy. It all happened in a couple of staggering days.

America Online and Wal-Mart Stores announced a wide-ranging strategic alliance today that will create a new co-branded online service and numerous cross-marketing initiatives between the two companies.

Online consumers made a spirited run on toys, electronics and books last week, as overall online sales surged up by 35 percent over the same period last year.