Beth Cox

America Online Inc. has begun marketing its AOL Mobile Communicator, a new two-way paging device designed for easy access to the AOL instant messaging and e-mail services. The small, 4.1-ounce devices are available online to AOL members. A built-in mini-keyboard is provided so that users can type instant messages and read, write or reply to […]

Priceline.com Founder Jay Walker just can’t seem to buy a break. Priceline’s advertising was called into question, it bailed out of the grocery business, it stock is near an all-time low, and now the Connecticut attorney general’s office is investigating its founder for possible labor law violations following layoffs at a related company. Priceline’s stock […]

Yahoo! Inc. launched a new encrypted e-mail delivery feature for users of its free e-mail service. The new “Send via SecureDelivery.com” feature offers Yahoo! Mail users the option of sending their e-mail messages through ZixIt Corp.’s trademarked SecureDelivery service. When selected, the service encrypts a sender’s e-mail message and attachments. The recipient is then sent […]

Automotive e-commerce company Autobytel.com signed a deal in which German tire maker and auto parts company Continental AG will make an equity investment in Autobytel Europe and Autobytel Sweden. Published reports pegged the value of the deal at about $15 million and said Continental will take 20 to 25 percent equity stakes in Autobytel operations […]

Gambling infrastructure company Youbet.com Inc. said it slashed 34 jobs, or 29 percent of its workforce, in a restructuring designed to conserve cash so that it can develop and expand its core horseracing business. The company, which also announced the departure of A.L. Frank, president and chief operating officer, said it intends to combine its […]

Stamps.com lost nary a moment after rival E-Stamp exited the Internet postage business, issuing a statement saying that it “continues to lead the category with 80 percent of all customers using Internet Postage.” “The software-based solution offered by Stamps.com is clearly the preferred service in the marketplace,” crowed Seth Oster, vice president of corporate communications. […]

The U.S. Department of Commerce said its measures of retail electronic commerce show that consumers are continuing to embrace the medium as online sales climbed 15.3 percent in the third quarter. The government said that not adjusted for seasonal, holiday and trading-day differences, e-tail sales came to an estimated $6.373 billion, an increase of 15.3 […]

Yahoo! Inc. said its e-commerce transaction volume on the day after Thanksgiving was more than twice what it was for the same period a year ago. The results follow last week’s launch of expanded shopping services for consumers, including Yahoo! ShoppingVision, a rich media extension of Yahoo! Shopping, and the availability of Yahoo! Shopping on […]

Its stock price having reached the negligible range, E-Stamp Corp. said today it is “phasing out” its Internet postage product line and will instead focus on its Web-based shipping and logistics solutions. The company’s stock closed Friday at 28 cents, down from a 52-week high of almost $45. After the news this morning, the stock […]

Yahoo! launched some interesting promotions for its shopping portal, including a one-day opportunity for consumers to get a free cab ride in San Francisco while shopping the Web via mobile phones. The free taxi promotion is part of the launch of Yahoo! Shopping on Web-enabled phones. The mobile commerce launch integrates the functionality of Yahoo! […]

USA Networks Inc. and Ticketmaster Online-Citysearch Inc. have agreed to combine Ticketmaster Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of USAi, with TMCS, in a stock deal valued at about $653 million. USAi said it will “contribute” Ticketmaster Corp. to TMCS and receive in exchange 52 million TMCS Class B shares. TMCS was up $1.06 in early […]

Hoping to have its auction site “tightly woven” into the e-commerce operations of others, eBay launched an Application Program Interface (API) and a developers program that allows other companies to use eBay to drive their own businesses. eBay said the initiative will first be rolled out to a select number of licensed eBay partners and […]