Deal Radar 2010: BigCommerce

Not only are Americans buying more online, but they’re also buying more types of products online, including items such as health products, cosmetics, and beauty products that were once the sole domain of physical stores. Of course, products such as books and small electronics that have long been bought over the Internet remain popular. All

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Deal Radar 2010: Probus OneTouch

ProbusOneTouch is a family of Web sites that makes premium-quality products available to customers at factory direct prices. The company handles the e-commerce element as well as product sourcing, supply chain management, and warehousing and fulfillment.

Deal Radar 2010: Chegg

This year’s Deal Radar series begins with a company that is direct competition for your campus bookstore, Chegg. Chegg is an online textbook rental company whose name is a play on the well-known conundrum of which came first, the chicken or the egg. Founded in 2003 by Aayush Phumbhra, Josh Carlson, and Osman Rashid, Chegg

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Forbes Column 2009: Retailers: Embrace Web 3.0

Online specialty retail brands are building sizable businesses. Using new Web strategies can take them further. Find out how in this week’s Forbes column, Retailers: Embrace Web 3.0.

Deal Radar 2009: Sheet Music Plus

I have talked at length about the potential for Web 3.0. Today, we will look at a company that is doing well as a web 1.0 company, but can take its business a great deal further if it applied web 3.0 principles. SheetMusicPlus.com, located in Emeryville, CA, is the world’s largest online retailer of sheet

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Deal Radar 2009: Bazaarvoice

Bazaarvoice uses the strength of social commerce to help companies build their business. Social commerce employs collaborative social media tools to assist in online buying and selling; to generate user content and customer reviews; and to connect customers to one another, increasing a company’s sales and customer base.

Deal Radar 2009: Shoplet.com

Shoplet.com is an online store from which consumers and businesses can purchase office products. Shoplet was founded in 1994, when online purchasing for B2B products was almost non-existent. Founder Tony Ellison was an investment banker at Goldman Sachs who realized that it was a market with potential. 

Blue Nile Struggles Amidst Luxury Industry Collapse

MasterCard’s SpendingPulse recently reported that the 34% decline in sales of luxury items was the highest year-on-year decline of any retail category during the holiday season and that the reduction was led by falling jewelry sales. In such conditions, it is not surprising that Blue Nile (NILE) recently announced a lackluster Q4 performance.