Business

EBay has grown faster than any other technology company in the United States over the past five years, according to a report released Wednesday by consulting firm Deloitte & Touche. In its annual Fast 500 listing of the fastest-growing high-tech firms, EBay far outpaced all others, recording ...

Today's e-tailers are laser-focused on expediting the purchasing process, so designers must justify their work in terms of usefulness first -- and aesthetics second. That is not to say interactive and multimedia Web design solutions are inherently counterproductive. "It has to do with a greater a...

Internet usage in the United States climbed to record levels in October, raising hopes for a strong holiday shopping season, two Web research firms said Tuesday. Both Jupiter Media Metrix and Nielsen//NetRatings reported record numbers of unique users surfing the Web during the month. "We are est...

From corporate formation to business licensing to taxation, lawyers have a hand in nearly every aspect of a fledging e-commerce business. For many online entrepreneurs, working with attorneys is an enormous stumbling block. However, the more you learn to think and operate like a lawyer, the bette...

Everybody knows there is a clog in the e-commerce IPO pipeline, but who knows which firms will step forward with an initial public offering after the clog clears? Market watchers say it is never too early to peer up the IPO pipeline and start to identify the firms most likely to take a run at goi...

With electronic bill payment providers looking to meet increasing consumer demand for their services, a study released by The Yankee Group found that 55 percent of customers paying bills online are choosing banks to be their middleman. By comparison, the report concluded that just over 10 percent...

Contradicting earlier findings, a report released Monday reported that U.S. consumers are not heading to online bill payment sites because of recent anthrax mail scares. The Jupiter Media Metrix study said that there has been "no noticeable increase in traffic" to the largest online billing sites...

Online banking and brokerage company E*Trade is bringing its services to the largest market in Europe, with the launch of an online investing site aimed at German consumers. A July study by Jupiter Media Metrix singled out Germany as the place to be for Internet-based financial companies, saying ...

Business-to-business (B2B) incubator Internet Capital Group said that it cut its losses in the third quarter, and predicted that some of its member companies will break even in 2002. For the quarter ended September 30th, ICG reported a net loss including charges of US$235 million, down from $263 ...

While EBay remains first and foremost an auctioneer, its fixed-price push is helping the company solidify its position as an open, online marketplace -- while at the same time positioning it for a challenge to Amazon.com in the third-party e-tail market. Forrester analyst Carrie Johnson told the ...

E-commerce will grow "whether the economic recovery is around the corner or a couple years off," according to a study released by Forrester Research. Forrester said that e-commerce will continue to thrive because most Web buyers are in high-income jobs not affected by the weak economy.

Online shoppers have stayed away from online gift registries and wish lists, despite the efforts of Internet retailers to spark interest in the loyalty programs, according to a report by Jupiter Media Metrix. The lists represent an enormous opportunity for e-tailers looking to target potential "l...

In the "real world," the opportunities for a new startup or even a small, established business to link up with some of the world's largest companies are few and far between. But on the Web, teaming up the big boys and small fry is the order of the day. Gartner analyst Robert Anderson told the E-C...

Credit card giants Visa, MasterCard and American Express said they have joined forces to form the Mobile Payment Forum. The forum will work on creating technical standards for mobile e-commerce to authenticate cardholder identities and provide a secure way for consumers to make purchases from the...

Contrary to speculation immediately following the September 11th terrorist attacks, fear of further violence is not keeping American shoppers out of stores, according to a survey released Monday by Goldman Sachs, Harris Interactive and Nielsen//NetRatings. That spells more bad news for e-tailers,...