Beth Cox

Proving that the economic downturn caused by the tech wreck has implications far beyond the United States, Toshiba Corp. in Tokyo said it will lose money this year and announced a major restructuring that will cut about 18,800 jobs around the world. Toshiba, blaming the decline in demand for semiconductors and electronics, said it would […]

For the second time in two weeks, much troubled e-commerce company buy.com Inc. has been bailed out by its founder, this time as Scott Blum stepped up with financial support to maintain the operation’s credit card agreements. Blum said on Aug. 10 that the Aliso Viejo, Calif.-based company and self-proclaimed “Internet Superstore” agreed to be […]

Travelocity.com signed a three-year marketing deal with Hollywood Media Corp. that makes the latter’s Broadway.com site the primary theater ticketing service for the online travel business. Travelocity said it will offer members traveling to New York, London, Las Vegas and Toronto the opportunity to purchase tickets through Broadway.com, which will be promoted throughout the site. […]

eBay shares were getting a boost in early trading today after Goldman Sachs raised its third quarter estimates for both revenues and earnings at the online auction giant. GS raises its estimate of revenues to $193 million from $187 million, and earnings to 11 cents a share from 10 cents. The market responded, with shares […]

E-learning company EntrePort Corp., its stock trading at 8 cents a share, took a punch while down as health products marketer Infotopia Inc. called off a complex merger and reorganization deal that was first announced last June. “After taking into consideration the time, expense and shareholder dilution that would be involved in completing the transaction […]

In a move aimed at broadening its appeal, Amazon.com launched a new Corporate Accounts program that lets business and institutional shoppers buy online using purchase orders, as well as the traditional business credit card method. In making the announcement, Amazon (it started out as a bookseller, remember?) put special emphasis on the institutional buyer from […]

Visa U.S.A. launched a joint promotion with San Francisco-based “Gen i” network operator Snowball.com aimed at reaching teenagers with a special offer for the Visa Buxx card, a prepaid re-loadable card for youngsters. The companies said the promotion will be e-mailed to millions of teens registered on Snowball’s IGN.com and ChickClick.com networks, offering a free […]

E-commerce company Global Sports Inc. issued an improved financial forecast today as it signed a deal with Kmart’s Bluelight.com that for the first time will see the company operating e-commerce businesses beyond the sporting goods arena. Bluelight.com signed a deal with Global to handle fulfillment, technology and customer service at its e-commerce site. Kmart will […]

America Online launched a spiffed up Autos Channel with new emphasis on the local nature of car sales and an easier interface, plus content from three well-known online automotive information sites — Consumer Reports, Edmunds.com and Autofusion. Dulles, Va.-based AOL, a unit of AOL Time-Warner , said the revamped channel also includes more local resources […]

There’s little doubt, this is just what Amazon.com needed: a deal with a major real-world chain that will allow for some real-world pickups and returns. The giant Seattle-based e-tailer signed a multi-year deal with the 600-store-plus Circuit City chain of electronics stores that makes in-store pickup available in November, just in time for the holiday […]

Oracle Corp. said it has acquired what it calls “a seminal patent in the area of interactive, online marketplaces” as it snapped up Chicago-based Strategic Processing Corp. The Redwood City, Calif.-based e-business giant said that with the acquisition (financial details were not disclosed) it has obtained U.S. Patent 4,799,156 entitled “Interactive Market Management System,” and […]

Sales of B2B software, the applications needed to establish online marketplaces, bolster supply chains and allow for collaboration among companies, continue to be soft, and Goldman, Sachs analysts are lowering estimates for some of the prime players in the field. “While we didn’t really expect to see much strength (in B2B software sales) given the […]