Articles by James Hollander

In a new twist on e-commerce relationships, online software store Beyond.com (Nasdaq: BYND) has agreed, not only to sell Symantec Corporation's (Nasdaq: SYMC) popular PC software, but to actually build and manage a separate online store for Symantec. The construction and management of the new Symantec store makes this a particularly far-reaching e-commerce reseller relationship, and might foreshadow a new role for online superstores, as site developers and consultants for other Internet-based stores...

After building their technical infrastructure and boosting brand-awareness, recent news announcements are pointing to a strong industry-wide emphasis on providing value-added services and increased customer support. Along these lines, Cyberian Outpost (Nasdaq: COOL), an Internet-based retailer of computer products reported a new, broad-based customer-oriented initiative that may raise the stakes in the intensely competitive e-commerce market...

Intel (Nasdaq: INTC), the world's leading computer chip manufacturer, is making a move to further solidify its expansion into the e-commerce arena through a new deal with Excite (Nasdaq: XCIT). The companies announced on Tuesday a multi-year agreement to jointly develop a new online shopping service that will reside on Excite's popular Internet portal site...

There was good news for online auction buyers and sellers on Monday, as eBay (Nasdaq: EBAY) announced plans for two new deals which will integrate product shipping capabilities directly into eBay's popular Internet-based auction Web site. eBay chose Mail Boxes Etc. (MBE), which is reportedly the world's largest franchisor of packing and shipping services, and iShip.com, a leading provider of multi-carrier Web-based shipping services for e-commerce, to provide eBay members with a first-of-its-kind, integrated system for e-commerce shipping...

Computer titan IBM is reportedly gearing up for an all out e-commerce initiative in which Big Blue will directly sell its entire PC product line over the Internet. According to media sources, the company will set up a new Web site in May, code-named "Project Odyssey," from which small businesses and consumers will be able to purchase IBM's products directly...

Online music, movie and software distributor Navarre (Nasdaq: NAVR) has jumped on the Linux bandwagon. On Wednesday, Navarre announced that it has entered into distribution deals with the four premier publishers of commercial versions of Linux: Caldera Systems, Red Hat Software, SuSe, Inc. and Simon & Schuster Interactive "It is Navarre's intention...

E-commerce powerhouse Yahoo! Inc. (Nasdaq: YHOO) wowed investors and industry observers with the release of its Q1 1999 earnings, which exceeded expectations with a net profit of $16.4 million (US$). The company reported net revenues totaling $86 million for the first quarter, ended March 31, 1999 -- that's nearly triple the revenues of $30.6 million reported in the comparable period of the previous year...

Silicon Graphics (NYSE: SGI) announced on Thursday that it has selected pcOrder.com, Inc. (Nasdaq: PCOR) as the primary technology and service provider for expanding SGI's business-to-business online sales initiative. The relationship, termed by the companies as a "partnership," is intended to provide Silicon Graphics' channel partners, resellers and distributors with extensive Web-based tools necessary to support their sales efforts...

If you thought that Amazon.com and CDNow were the undisputed kings of online music sales, think again. On Wednesday, BMG Entertainment and Universal Music Group announced the formation of an unprecedented e-commerce alliance to create online communities of music fans, promote artists, and sell CDs online. The joint venture, to be known as GetMusic, will consist of online music channels and an extremely well-crafted e-commerce site, getmusic.com...

MasterCard International and EC Cubed Inc., a provider of e-commerce application components, announced on Tuesday a technology alliance intended to boost MasterCard's business-to-business e-commerce software infrastructure. Kicking off the deal, the companies intend to jointly develop an Internet-based data capture system for MasterCard's Corporate Purchasing Card, which is used by organizations to monitor and control their procurement spending...

Amazon.com (Nasdaq: AMZN), one of the world's leading e-commerce companies, has announced that it will expand its operations to include an online auction service, in addition to its vast offerings of books, music and videos. Unlike other online auction sites, Amazon plans to protect its users against fraud, backing each deal with a $250 (US$) guarantee...

Shares of discount retailer CyberShop (Nasdaq: CYSP) are rocketing ahead in early trading today, after the company announced the launch of its online auction service, CyberShop Auctions. At about 10 a.m. ET, CyberShop stock was trading up 2-5/8 to 13-1/2, nearly 25 percent higher than Thursday's close CyberShop, which sells brand-name products at d...

One of the most popular, and evidently profitable, aspects of e-commerce is subscription-based adult content -- a far cry from the well-publicized business of mainstream online stores like Amazon.com and Dell, but nonetheless a growing segment of the online shopping market. These days, the shadowy adult content industry is emerging into the spotlight, boosted by reports of exploding revenues derived from Internet consumers...

GUESS?, Inc. (NYSE: GES) the famous Jeans and casual clothing manufacturer is making another foray into the world of online shopping with a trendy, too-cool-not-to-shop Web site aimed at Generation X. The newly redesigned site, www.guess.com, blends e-commerce, fashion, information and cutting-edge multimedia in an interactive environment. Definitely worth seeing...

In response to industry-wide concerns over the fate of Netscape, which has been acquired by America Online, AOL issued a statement on Wednesday, which appears to be aimed at countering industry criticism over a possible loss of Netscape's independent identity and ability to innovate Succinctly stated, Netcenter, Communicator and Mozilla will live o...

USATODAY.com, which describes itself as "the number one general interest news site on the Internet," has announced several significant electronic commerce deals with leading online commerce companies. New agreements signed within the first two months of 1999 alone will yield close to $5 million (US$) in revenue this year for USATODAY.com The new In...

High-speed ISP Concentric Network Corp. (Nasdaq: CNCX) and CyberCash, Inc. (Nasdaq: CYCH), the well-known online payment processing company, announced that they have signed an agreement to join forces to provide a new e-commerce offering for small to medium-sized companies The agreement will enable Concentric to deliver an integrated solution desig...

Online publisher CNET, Inc. (Nasdaq: CNET) announced on Tuesday that it has acquired KillerApp, Corp. in a stock deal valued at approximately $46 million (US$). KillerApp, Corp. owns and operates KillerApp.com, an e-commerce site which provides online comparison shopping services for computer and consumer electronics products CNET already operates ...

CDnow (Nasdaq: CDNWD), the leading music e-commerce company, announced a multi-year, multi-million dollar agreement with First USA, the world's largest Visa credit card issuer. The alliance makes First USA the exclusive credit card issuer on CDnow, giving First USA significant online advertising and marketing exposure throughout the store Under the...

The recent explosion in e-commerce has made it increasingly clear that a big change for brick-and-mortar retailing looms just around the corner. A new study conducted by Greenfield Online, Inc., indicates that online sales have already begun to take a bite out of offline sales, at least among Internet-savvy shoppers The big surprise, however, is th...