posted 12-04-2000 10:15 AM         

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The European Union passed a controversial law Thursday designed to boost consumer confidence in e-commerce by establishing rules about where lawsuits against Internet merchants can be filed. The Brussels I regulation allows consumers to use the local courts and consumer protection laws in their home country to sue online retailers, even if those retailers are based in another European country. (source: E-Commerce Times) http://www.ecommercetimes.com/perl/story/5635.html

- PetSmart.com has ended a plan to sell shares to the public, asking U.S. securities regulators Thursday to withdraw its offering documents because of "unfavorable market conditions."

posted 11-20-2000 05:41 PM         

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A French court on Monday ordered Yahoo to block French web users from its auction sites selling Nazi memorabilia after advocacy groups accused the California-based Net giant of banalizing the Holocaust. (source: MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.com/news/492563.asp

Internet bellwether eBay rolled out a program Monday that will allow other firms to create their own applications based on the online auctioneer's technology. The program, known as the eBay Application Program Interface (API), will initially be available to a limited number of the company's licensed partners and developers. (source: E-Commerce Times) http://www.ecommercetimes.com/news/articles2000/001120-3.shtml

Last season, Internet retailers poured millions into building brands and traffic. In these lean times the goal has shifted to achieving efficiency and profits. (source: The Standard) http://www.thestandard.com/article/display/0,1151,20198,00.html

posted 11-20-2000 10:17 AM         

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Then again, it could be that more shopaholics are hitting the Web. Jupiter Research predicts the number of people buying gifts online will jump 75% this holiday season, but it estimates that the number of heavy online shoppers will increase almost fourfold. (source: theStreet) http://www.thestreet.com/tech/internet/1167433.html

In its quest to be a universal marketplace, Amazon.com is running afoul of two of its core constituencies--the people who write as well as publish the books it sells. The two groups, which previously had tended to be devout Amazon fans, are upset that the online retailer is making it so easy for customers to buy and sell cheap secondhand copies of new books. (source: Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A12279-2000Nov13.html

posted 11-13-2000 06:07 PM         

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Two years ago, the SEC first warned the corporate world that too many companies were cooking the books, especially in the dot com sector. Now the SEC has stepped up its vigilance and asked the Financial Accounting Standards Board to look into a list of 20 issues affecting Internet businesses, including when a sale is really a sale, and how barter transactions should be recorded. (source: RedHerring) http://www.redherring.com/mag/issue86/mag-lead-86.html

A new Internet audience measurement survey suggests that on-line shoppers are AWOL so far this holiday season, causing doubts about whether the much hoped for year-end holiday blitz can save the struggling e-tail industry. (source: Upside) www.upside.com/News/3a1028c31.html

Streamline.com has joined Pets.com in becoming the latest consumer e-commerce company to fail. Streamline.com announced Monday that it would discontinue its online grocery delivery and errand service later this month. (source: theStreet) http://www.thestreet.com/tech/internet/1170159.html

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