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As industry observers scan the horizon for signs of an economic recovery in 2002, several dot-coms are boosting hopes for an e-commerce renaissance by turning a profit. Each company's strategy is different -- but whatever their strategy, profitable dot-coms have something in common: They are maki...

Unlikely bedfellows Microsoft and IBM announced their union last week within the Web Services Interoperability Organization (WS-I). But 12 or 18 months from now, when WS-I standards begin to take shape, do you think Microsoft and IBM will live happily ever after as selfless partners? Not a chance...

In a bid to increase sales -- especially in its electronics, tools and kitchen (ETK) segments -- Amazon.com has launched a long-planned wedding registry. "They really could use a boost in that area," Morningstar.com analyst David Kathman told the E-Commerce Times. "I'm still a bit skeptical about...

Greeting card sites that do not charge a fee to send a heartfelt message will fare better than pay sites this Valentine's Day, according to a new report. Jupiter Media Metrix vice president Charles Buchwalter said that some greeting card sites have turned to user fees -- but the move might not be...

In the aftermath of the dot-com shakeout, surviving e-tailers have swooped in to buy the assets of defunct companies, relaunching once-dead sites to capitalize on existing brand names or e-tail foundations. So far, anecdotal evidence seems to show that when the price is right, bringing dead dot-c...

More and more airline tickets are being sold online. Eventually, the lion's share will be sold not by third-party sites like Travelocity and Expedia but by the airlines themselves. Amid this shift, travel agents have suffered the cruelest blow. So far, only two major airlines have eliminated onli...

January saw not only the usual annual rush to tax-related Web sites, but also an unexpected jump in traffic to several Internet travel companies, according to data released by Jupiter Media Metrix. Because the travel site traffic surges came without major promotions, such as the one-day airfare s...

By the end of 2002, more than 600 million people worldwide will have access to the Web, and they will spend more than US$1 trillion shopping online, according to a study by research firm IDC. "Once people get over the security and privacy hiccups, as well as other problems that are not directly r...

Seamless integration between online and offline channels is the Holy Grail of brick-and-click retailing. But as with any worthy quest, a map is needed to point the way toward the elusive prize. "There are people saying the process needs to be totally seamless, where customers can do anything in al...

Auction giant EBay has announced it will begin integrating its Half.com fixed-price site with its main operations in coming weeks, but will not push forward right away with plans to entirely eliminate the Half.com brand. In a note to users on its site, EBay said it plans to keep the Half.com site...

To ensure long-term viability, search engine site operators need to offer a full, balanced complement of pay-to-use features, paid placements and paid advertising, analysts said. In addition, they must pull off this tricky balancing act while maintaining the trust of Web visitors. "All the indepe...

Cisco Systems inked nearly US$5 billion in sales last quarter as it met steady demand for network equipment. In Part 2 of this interview, Cisco vice president of worldwide marketing communications Jere King continues her discussion with the E-Commerce Times about how Internet advertising fits in ...

Online travel company Travelocity.com has announced an agreement with Walt Disney Parks and Resorts to offer Disney theme park tickets and on-site hotel reservations. "Disney's own vacation site does not include flights, so they can now [accommodate] people who want to book the whole package inst...

Yahoo! announced it has acquired more than 98 percent of all outstanding shares of HotJobs stock and will move quickly to fold the job board into its network of sites. Morningstar.com analyst George Nichols told the E-Commerce Times that while HotJobs will reduce Yahoo's reliance on ad revenue, q...

At a time when computer network security is a top priority for many company executives, networking kingpin Cisco Systems is enjoying a spot at center stage. A self-described "tribal elder" at the company, vice president of worldwide marketing communications Jere King, has overseen all of Cisco's a...