FlashCommerce Headlines - Daily News & Discussion of eCommerce & Small Business
FlashCommerce Daily
FlashCommerce.com Headlines
Daily News & Discussion of eCommerce & Small Business
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==================== IN THIS ISSUE =========================
Auctions
Sun Peddles Its Wares on eBay
Business
E-Transformation: The E-Biz Fast Track
Startups - Hatching Everywhere!
Compaq Small Business Resource Center
Diversity
Net Sparks Latin Venture Trend
E-Mail
Juno Sends Users WebMail
EarthLink Lures AOL "Graduates"
Global Issues
Intel Allowed in Lebanon
Legal
Arizona Democrats Can Vote Online in Primary Election
Online Tools
HotOffice Provides Online Collaboration & Communication Tools
Sites
Have an Online Chat With Tech Support
Software Vendors Launch Online Marketplaces
Freedom Software: An eCommerce SmartDirectory
SOHO
Digital Camera Reviews
Dell Ships Wireless Networking Pack
Training
New Engineering College Focused on High Tech
Web Site Tools
FreeBSD 3.3. Well Suited for Internet/Intranet Deployment.
Women
Slow Progress for Women on Company Boards
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FlashCommerce daily article update for the last 24 hours:
====================== ARTICLES ============================
Auctions
========
Sun Peddles Its Wares on eBay
Sun Microsystems is selling some of its wares through
Internet auction site eBay. In an experiment to see if it
can reach new customers, Sun began the test program to sell
a few of its servers and workstations on eBay, said
spokesman Doug van Aman. The Unix computer maker quietly
put more than two dozen brand-new servers and workstations
up on the auction block Tuesday under the seller's name of
"auctions.sun.com." "It boils down to testing the waters.
Nobody really knows who the people are out there," said van
Aman. Up for auction were 10 single processor E250
mid-range Unix servers with a starting price of $6,500,
another 10 two-processor E250 servers with a starting price
of $15,500, and six low-end Ultra 5 workstations with a
starting price of $995 -- less than 40% of the list price,.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/16/223639660.shtml?e=1
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Business
========
E-Transformation: The E-Biz Fast Track
The best models and approaches are emerging for e-business.
E-business is no longer a question of Whether, but How. In
the past six months, favored models and approaches to
E-business have emerged. Although one size doesn't fit all,
two strategies in particular have come to the fore among
billion-dollar companies, according to InformationWeek
Research's newly released E-Business Agenda Study. The most
common approach could be called immersion--the process of
gradually deploying E-business applications and initiatives
across most of a company's business units. The second
most-popular approach to E-business involves collaborating
with a partner that lives and breathes Internet business
every day--a Web-only startup.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/16/230036940.shtml?e=1
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Startups - Hatching Everywhere!
During the past couple of months, the number of new
Internet incubators has shot up dramatically. At last
count there were a dozen or so incubators that had cropped
up in places as far apart as Washington, D.C., Colorado and
Atlanta. The current trend of incubators everywhere is a
perfect illustration of the Net economy at work. In the
fast changing Internet economy, it seems the only certainty
is that if you have a smart idea, expect someone to
duplicate it in less than a month. And then raise millions
from venture capitalists!
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/16/225131590.shtml?e=1
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Compaq Small Business Resource Center
Compaq is offering an online Small Business Resource Center
that can assist you in some of those daunting tasks! You
can get tips on writing a formal business plan, creating
legal documents, as well as conducting market research. If
you are looking to perform any of these tasks in the near
future, you should probably visit the site to make your
life a tad easier ;-)
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/16/223138550.shtml?e=1
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Diversity
=========
Net Sparks Latin Venture Trend
A new investment trend is sweeping Latin America, where
venture capitalists are searching for opportunities in
young companies, much as they have been doing in Silicon
Valley. Many of these financiers like the challenge of
non-traditional investments -- organically produced hearts
of palm, for example, grown from custom-selected and
germinated seeds that generate a continuing supply of palm
stems. Yet most venture capitalists investing in companies
with a Latin American focus, like those providing seed
money to ventures in the United States, are seeking out
high technology -- particularly Internet-related companies.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/16/225400490.shtml?e=1
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E-Mail
======
Juno Sends Users WebMail
On Thursday the popular e-mail/Internet service provider
announced the Web-based mail service, which lets Juno users
send and receive mail using their "juno.com" address from
any computer with Internet access. The announcement comes
three weeks after America Online announced that its members
may access their mail directly through the AOL Web site.
Juno's WebMail service, will be free to all Juno
subscribers and will be supported by banner ads on the
WebMail page. Though the service is currently available
only through the Juno WebMail page, Juno plans to
eventually make it available on its portal site.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/16/232053550.shtml?e=1
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EarthLink Lures AOL "Graduates"
Capitalizing on the controversy over a change in privacy
policy at America Online, EarthLink, the second-biggest
Internet service provider in the U.S., is offering a free
month of service--and a $50 donation to The Electronic
Privacy Information Center--to customers who dump AOL and
move to EarthLink.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/16/224752650.shtml?e=1
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Global Issues
=============
Intel Allowed in Lebanon
Lebanon Thursday said it will allow the entry of products
from Intel, reversing a ban instituted under a law that
targets firms with ties to Israel. Finance Minister Georges
Corm Told Reuters that the decision was taken at a cabinet
session on Wednesday. Customs authorities had recently
stopped allowing all products carrying the Intel label into
the country, including urgent orders for banks and
government offices, on grounds it violated old laws banning
goods manufactured by companies with a presence in Israel.
The unexpected move was blasted by Lebanese businesses and
media as a retrograde stop that threatened Lebanon's
attempt to solve the Y2K computer bug problem and develop a
modern economy. Laws boycotting companies that to business
in Israel are on the books in most Arab nations but are
rarely enforced.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/16/224030920.shtml?e=1
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Legal
=====
Arizona Democrats Can Vote Online in Primary Election
The Arizona Democratic Party is teaming up with
Votation.com to enable Arizona voters to cast their ballots
over the Internet in the state's March 11 Democratic
presidential primary. Officials said the election will
enable young and minority voters a better opportunity to
participate in elections. The election will be held in the
usual polling places, but it will also be available to any
of the 800,000 registered Democrats in Arizona at
www.azdem.org.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/16/223835610.shtml?e=1
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Online Tools
============
HotOffice Provides Online Collaboration & Communication Tools
Working from home or any remote location can be an
isolating and frustrating experience when you can't get in
touch with your other team members--whether to share
documents, get together for a meeting, or just leave
someone a message. HotOffice offers teams tools they need
to communicate and collaborate anytime and anywhere.
HotOffice is a subscription Web-Based Groupware Service
that includes a powerful suite of communication tools and
an easily accessible central location to store all your
documents. All you need to use HotOffice is a PC with
Internet access. No additional hardware, software, or
training is necessary.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/16/221627810.shtml?e=1
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Sites
=====
Have an Online Chat With Tech Support
Is the company that sold you your computer or your software
offering you substandard technical support? You're not
alone. Third-party Web sites are looking to bridge the gap
between your technical support expectations and the actual
service that you may be getting. But many of those sites
aren't exactly what you need, either. They offer expert
advice, but to get it you have to submit your question
(usually by e-mail) and then wait until you eventually get
an answer. Now you have a new place to turn. On Monday,
PCsupport.com announced a more immediate approach to
Web-based technical support. The PC Support Center now
offers expert advice via chat, known as Live Assist
Support. The PC Support Center will also have an
e-mail-based system called Email Assist. Both services are
free.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/16/231730970.shtml?e=1
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Software Vendors Launch Online Marketplaces
Competition in business-to-business marketplaces heated up
Thursday, as SAP, Manugistics, and PeopleSoft and its
partner Commerce One each unveiled initiatives aimed at
expanding their presence in online marketplaces.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/16/230720190.shtml?e=1
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Freedom Software: An eCommerce SmartDirectory
Freedom Software is launching the SmartDirectory of
Electronic Commerce. This resource is intended to be a
comprehensive database of information on ecommerce topics,
products and services. The eCommerce SmartDirectory
features:
- Software resources related to ecommerce
- Marketing and Advertising resources
- Conferences
- Organizations
- Legal resources related to ecommerce
- SmartPages to find useful personal and business
information on the internet
- Ecommerce books
- Education and Research institutions
- Ecommerce news and information
- Jobs and careers
- Financial resources including IPO related resources
- Additional ecommerce resources
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/16/141429440.shtml?e=1
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SOHO
====
Digital Camera Reviews
Digital cameras are getting sharper, but not cheaper. PC
World zooms in on 20 of the latest models plus give tips on
the software that can give your cherished photos a
professional polish.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/16/232413140.shtml?e=1
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Dell Ships Wireless Networking Pack
Dell wants to help you network your home without wires. A
line of Dell 4800LT wireless network products is releasing
Thursday for consumers who want fast, easy, and untethered
connectivity among their desktop and notebook computers.
The package is for people who want to work on a notebook in
the living room, kitchen, or even the front yard without
severing their network connection. Dell's 4800LT products
are based on Aironet's wireless technology and follow the
IEEE 802.11b wireless networking standard. The technology
offers transfer speeds of up to 11 megabits per second at a
distance of up to 150 feet. The 4800LT PC Card product for
notebooks costs $139; a PCI card for a desktop, $179. The
company will install the networking cards in new Dimension
desktops or Inspiron notebooks, and will sell them as
stand-alone kits.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/16/231420080.shtml?e=1
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Training
========
New Engineering College Focused on High Tech
A $350 million endowment is being used to start-up a new
engineering college in Needham, Ma. that will be the new
model for high tech engineering training. The Franklin W.
Olin College of Engineering, a four-year undergraduate
school,is actively recruiting the brightest and most
creative high school students who are looking to combine a
top-tier technology education with entrepreneurial training
-- so they graduate knowing the best in computer
technology, and have the skill to apply it in the real
world.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/16/222233100.shtml?e=1
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Web Site Tools
==============
FreeBSD 3.3. Well Suited for Internet/Intranet Deployment.
How does a free Operating System (OS) become the darling of
some large and tech savvy companies? By paying attention to
the things that count most, like phenomenal security,
robust network services, and a growing array of
applications. The BSD 4.4-based FreeBSD costs nothing to
download and use. However, don't think that because it's
free, it it's not up to snuff: FreeBSD powers the sites of
some real 'Net heavy-hitters such as Hotmail, MP3.com,
Yahoo and US West. Currently, there are four flavors of
BSD, each with its own niche.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/16/230426200.shtml?e=1
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Women
=====
Slow Progress for Women on Company Boards
Women now hold 11.2 percent of all board seats in the top
Fortune 500 companies, up from 8.3 percent six years ago
when a New York research group began monitoring their
progress. Catalyst, which has been studying women in
business for years, said in a report Wednesday that 685 of
the 6,120 board seats at Fortune 500 firms are occupied by
women, suggesting some progress has been made since the
group began its annual survey. However, the survey found
that there are 271 companies out of the biggest 1,000 with
no women directors at all.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/16/225532260.shtml?e=1
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FlashCommerce Daily
FlashCommerce.com Headlines
Daily News & Discussion of eCommerce & Small Business
============================================================
Business
Third Pary Credit Card Services
Is Fear Driving The Alliance Frenzy?
Ten Rules For Next Year's Deals
Better Than Business-to-Business
E-Mail
Shoutmail Offers PC-Free E-Mail
AOL Reaches 20 Million Mark
Financial
EDS Sets Up $1.5 billion e-Business Venture Fund
Fulfillment
The Same-Day Delivery Hurdle
Healthcare
Hospitals Catching Web Fever
Legal
Online Broker To Deal In Intellectual Capital
President Clinton Wants to Make Government More Accessible via the Net
Marketing
Business Communities: An Emerging Marketing Opportunity
Online Tools
Learn by Watching
Hassle-Free and Cheap Domain Name Registration
Sites
PricewaterhouseCoopers Launches B-To-B Market
SOHO
Calling First-Time Mobile Phone Buyers
Technology
AMD Demonstrates 900-MHz Chips
Telecommunication
3Com Unveils Customized Cable Modems
Web Site Tools
Quick Cyber Shops With Impulse 4.2
Akopia Releases Tallyman Open Source eCommerce Software
============================================================
FlashCommerce daily article update for the last 24 hours:
====================== ARTICLES ============================
Business
========
Third Pary Credit Card Services
There are now a growing number of third party services that
allow Web merchants to accept credit card payments on their
Web site without the need of a merchant account. On top of
this, many of these services come complete with valuable
additional features, for example a built-in shopping cart,
24x7 customer service, and the ability to accept other
forms of online payment. Here is a list of some of the main
players in this field together with a summary of the
services (and the costs) they provide.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/17/213009660.shtml?e=1
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Is Fear Driving The Alliance Frenzy?
E-commerce has suddenly become about the "big move."
America Online nailed a deal with Wal-Mart. Yahoo! signed
with K-Mart. AOL aligned with Circuit City. Microsoft
formed a bond with Best Buy. It all happened in a couple of
staggering days. This flurry of alliance building makes one
wonder if Sears is holding secret meetings with Amazon. It
also makes one think that Toys "R" Us could have saved
itself a bundle of trouble by aligning with eToys 12 months
ago. All of the press releases and most of the news stories
describe these affiliations as opportunities for the online
and offline giants to expand their reach through
partnerships. The Web companies gain exposure in major
retail stores, and the retail monsters get credible entry
to the Internet world. Everyone wins. True enough, except
the motivation is not fueled by easy opportunity. It's
fueled by fear.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/17/205841440.shtml?e=1
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Ten Rules For Next Year's Deals
Is it too late to talk about the trends venture capitalists
will be funding next year? Here's what successful deals
next year might contain: Next year's deals won't depend on
marketing, they'll be about infrastructure. Next year's
winners will have the air of authority or experience. If
this is your first deal, make sure you have someone on
board who's been there before, preferably many times. Net
virgins need no longer apply without adult supervision.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/17/205101700.shtml?e=1
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Better Than Business-to-Business
It's all the rage. Everyone's talking about it. The media
loves it. VC folks won't listen unless you do it. Do what?
Do 'business-to-business' online. If you can believe what
you hear, only stupid money goes into business-to-consumer
these days. The smart money goes into business-to-business.
Let's fast-forward a few months to when the really, really
smart money will go to those sites that combine
business-to-business with business-to-consumer. Both at
once. A hybrid.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/17/204117580.shtml?e=1
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E-Mail
======
Shoutmail Offers PC-Free E-Mail
If you want e-mail but you don't have access to a PC,
you're out of luck, right? Not anymore. Shoutmail, a free
service that lets you send and retrieve e-mail by phone,
has extended its service. Now you can register for your own
Shoutmail account entirely over the telephone, by calling a
toll-free number (877/969-6245). Previously, registering
for a Shoutmail account required access to a standard Web
browser. To allow phone retrieval of e-mail messages,
Shoutmail translates the text of the message using an
expressionless synthesized voice. You can respond to e-mail
messages by recording a voice message (up to three minutes
long) that the e-mail recipient can listen to as streaming
RealAudio or as a downloaded .wav file.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/17/222443240.shtml?e=1
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AOL Reaches 20 Million Mark
America Online Friday announced it has signed more than 20
million members to its online service. The company said it
has added 10 million subscribers in the past two years. The
announcement comes as AOL is working to increase awareness
about its services in the offline world. Earlier this week,
the company announced plans to team with Wal-Mart for a low
cost Net access service and entered a marketing deal with
Circuit City.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/17/211703730.shtml?e=1
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Financial
=========
EDS Sets Up $1.5 billion e-Business Venture Fund
Business-to-business e-commerce is on the cusp of
exploding, and established services and consulting firms
are rushing to seed the sector with venture funding. EDS is
the latest company aiming to capture a slice of the
lucrative niche, widely perceived as the next big thing on
the Internet. The information technology services firm
today announced it is setting up a venture fund with as
much as $1.5 billion for business-to-business (B2B)
investments. The EDS-A.T. Kearney Ventures fund will focus
its investments on Internet and B2B companies over five
years, taking equity stakes in its Internet-based clients.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/17/214103320.shtml?e=1
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Fulfillment
===========
The Same-Day Delivery Hurdle
The one element of the online buying process in which
consumers have consistently expressed a lack of trust is
the delivery of goods. Reports are abounding about
e-shoppers waiting days and weeks for items, and of sites
that promised two or three-day deliveries not coming
through as promised. To effectively compete with
brick-and-mortar companies, e-tailers are going to have to
hasten the process of delivery to a consumer base that has
become accustomed to instant gratification. In fact,
Jupiter Communications reports that only seven percent of
the top 93 e-commerce sites offer same-day delivery.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/17/205626950.shtml?e=1
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Healthcare
==========
Hospitals Catching Web Fever
A recent survey by VHA, Inc., a national network of health
organizations, shows internet use is fast gaining ground in
US hospitals. Currently, more than 80% of hospital staff
and physicians are connected. Moreover, in the past year,
online access by clinical and support staff members has
more than doubled. Staff physicians showed the biggest gain
rocketing from 28% to 82%.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/17/210750390.shtml?e=1
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Legal
=====
Online Broker To Deal In Intellectual Capital
HelloBrain.com launched a website this week that will
facilitate the exchange of what it calls "intellectual
capital" and to serve as the "eBay for high-tech". The
HelloBrain.com site is intended to speed the development of
high-tech products by bringing together buyers and sellers
of intellectual capital. Users can post technical problems
to the site, and visitors who propose a solution are in
line to receive a fee for their efforts.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/17/215851040.shtml?e=1
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President Clinton Wants to Make Government More Accessible via the Net
President Clinton Friday signed two executive memorandums
designed to increase the amount of government information
available online, and examine the feasibility of online
voting. Vice President Al Gore unveiled the two memos,
dubbed the "E-Government Directive" and "E-Society
Directive." The goal of the initiatives is "to make
government as accessible as Internet commerce has made
shopping ... for everyday consumers," a Gore aide told
Newsbytes. The E-Government Directive urges federal
agencies to make better use of the Internet to disseminate
critical information. The E-Society Directive calls on the
National Science Foundation to examine the feasibility of
online voting.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/17/211116820.shtml?e=1
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Marketing
=========
Business Communities: An Emerging Marketing Opportunity
Unlike any medium before it, the Internet creates a sense
of community. You can become part of most communities, as
an individual or a representative of your business, by
simply "joining." Some communities are free. Others may
require membership or participation fees, or payment of
part of the revenue received when you sell something
through the community. Barry Silverstein tells you how to
evaluate communities for potential business participation.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/17/204319720.shtml?e=1
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Online Tools
============
Learn by Watching
They say that seeing is believing, but can seeing also be
learning? It is according to PC Show and Tell, a free,
third-party technical support site that uses animated
tutorials to show you how to use your software. Need to
learn how to attach a file to a message in Eudora Pro, or
insert a horizontal line in Word 2000? PC Show and Tell
will explain it in moving pictures rather than words.
People must be finding it useful--or at least interesting.
The site launched on October 1. As of mid-December, the
company claims to have logged 250,000 unique users and over
10 million hits. Before you can view any of the site's
"shows," you must download and install the PC Show and Tell
plug-in, which uses a combination of proprietary and Lotus
Screen Cam technology.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/17/221844010.shtml?e=1
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Hassle-Free and Cheap Domain Name Registration
TUCOWS.com's Open Shared Registration System (OpenSRS) is a
client/server application that you can download for FREE!
OpenSRS provides you with hassle free wholesale domain name
registration of .com, .net and .org with Network Solutions.
Now ISP's, Web Hosting companies and other qualified bulk
resellers have a cost-effective alternative to their
current domain name registration supplier. Apparently, the
offering to register names in the .com, .net and .org
domains will cost $13 per registration per year, less than
a fifth of the fee charged by Network Solutions and its new
competitors.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/17/214639240.shtml?e=1
============================================================
Sites
=====
PricewaterhouseCoopers Launches B-To-B Market
PricewaterhouseCoopers yesterday unveiled e.conomy, a
Web-based business-to-business marketplace designed to
deliver price discounts and help member companies exploit
the potential of e-commerce. E.conomy is a purchasing
consortium with PricewaterhouseCoopers serving as the
anchor member. It lets member companies purchase goods and
services such as office supplies, temporary staffing
services, software, and company travel at reduced prices.
So far, more than 20 initial member companies have joined.
E.conomy was launched this month in all regions of the
United States, and will expand into Canada, Europe, and
Asia-Pacific early next year.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/17/220425110.shtml?e=1
============================================================
SOHO
====
Calling First-Time Mobile Phone Buyers
Here it is--the dawning of a new millennium--and you're
still chained to that old analog cell phone, or even that
landline phone from the 1950s. It's about time to catch up
with the rest of the grown-ups. But where do you begin
picking the right digital wireless phone? And what's it
going to cost you? That depends on your needs. Will you use
it for business and travel? Are you aching for more fashion
than function? Here's what you need to know (and ask) to
buy the smartest mobile phone for your needs.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/17/220645320.shtml?e=1
============================================================
Technology
==========
AMD Demonstrates 900-MHz Chips
Advanced Micro Devices has demonstrated two different
versions of its Athlon microprocessor running at 900 MHz.
One uses the company's standard 0.18-micron process with
aluminum interconnects, while the second is produced at the
same line width, but comes from AMD's Dresden, Germany, fab
and features copper interconnects. The news comes just days
after reports that rival Intel has pushed up the release
schedule for its 750-MHz and 800-MHz Pentium III chips.
AMD's fastest chip available is the 750-MHz Athlon, and
while Intel seems to have regained the lead in the
megahertz race, industry observers have said the fastest
Pentium III devices are in very short supply.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/17/215649870.shtml?e=1
============================================================
Telecommunication
=================
3Com Unveils Customized Cable Modems
3Com unveiled three new cable modems, each with a unique
design and purpose: one for the general home user, one for
the home office or small business, and one for TV set-top
systems. All three new modems should be available during
the first or second quarter of 2000 and will have retail
prices between $200 and $300. All three modems are built on
the DOCSIS 1.1 hardware platform. DOCSIS, short for Data
Over Cable Service Interface Specification, is a cable
modem standard that ensures interoperability among
different cable services that offer Internet access. In
other words: have cable modem, will travel.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/17/220846380.shtml?e=1
============================================================
Web Site Tools
==============
Quick Cyber Shops With Impulse 4.2
If you want to set up your own online storefront and you
don't have a clue about Java or CGI scripts, take a look at
Impulse 4.2. You can get your virtual storefront up and
running in a couple of hours, maybe sooner. Impulse 4.2
helps you set up a Web site with or without commerce
capabilities using a setup wizard. There are several site
templates to choose from that can be further customized.
The good news about the templates is you don't have to
design a site from scratch. You can edit what exists. The
bad news is the templates are limiting. You can make slight
modifications using Impulse 4.2 or more significant
modifications using an HTML editor, but the company's FAQ
page suggests you know something about HTML.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/17/213306360.shtml?e=1
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Akopia Releases Tallyman Open Source eCommerce Software
The original developers of ShopSite (the currently
best-selling commercial ecommerce application) have formed
a new company, Akopia, and developed a new system, an
easy-to-use free ecommerce system called Tallyman.
Tallyman is a server-based content management and
transaction management system that runs on Linux. More
than just a shopping cart, it's an all-encompassing
ecommerce site management system. It is fully functional
and available for download today. There's a live demo at
the tallyman.com web site.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/17/132648500.shtml?e=1
FlashCommerce Daily
FlashCommerce.com Headlines
Daily News & Discussion of eCommerce & Small Business
============================================================
Since we are getting closer to the Holiday Season, I wanted to
let all of you know that the daily newsletter will probably
be getting shorter and possibly more infrequent. I haven't
set aside a formal publishing schedule, but there may be
days when the newsletter is not sent out. This will largely
depend on the amount of "earth-shattering" news that I
find and my ability to balance it along with all of my
final Christmas preparations ;-) In any event, I will send
out a newsletter as often as seems appropriate.
I wish you all a wonderful week and a not-too-frantic,
last-minute shopping season!
Warm regards,
Rochelle
--------------------Advertising Sponsor---------------------
Whether you are looking for an idea or would like to post
one of your own, visit our idea site at
http://www.IdeaStorms.com.
This is a free service with no strings attached.
Promised.
------------------------------------------------------------
==================== IN THIS ISSUE =========================
Business
Looking to Hatch a High-tech Company?
Financial
Don’t get mad. Get paid.
IRS' New Options for Tax-debt Management
Legal
Offshore Incorporation For You
Marketing
Using Electronic Press Releases to Get Publicity for Your Business
Payments
New Online Payment Options
Product
Hard Facts on the Latest Software and Hardware Gadgets
Sites
One-stop Hunting for Time-strapped Entrepreneurs
SOHO
Smart Setups for Entrepreneurs on a Budget
Make Your One-and-only A Laptop
All-in-One Peripheral for Macintoshes
============================================================
FlashCommerce daily article update for the last 24 hours:
====================== ARTICLES ============================
Business
========
Looking to Hatch a High-tech Company?
Looking to hatch a high-tech company? Sally Hahow Linder at
the National Business Incubation Association says these are
the top 10 questions to ask before choosing a high-tech
incubator.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/19/193827920.shtml?e=1
============================================================
Financial
=========
Don’t get mad. Get paid.
Strategies for collecting on delinquent accounts
If collecting old bills was the last thing you thought you
would be doing when you started your business, you are not
alone. Entrepreneurs usually start their companies without
giving much thought to how they will make sure the people
who buy their wares actually pay for them. Instead, they
assume that bills will be paid and money will roll in, said
Victoria Martin, a credit and recovery consultant for RSM
McGladrey. It's not always that easy. She offers advice on
how to get what's due.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/19/092203060.shtml?e=1
------------------------------------------------------------
IRS' New Options for Tax-debt Management
The IRS still expects all taxpayers to pay their taxes on
time each year, and it still charges interest and penalties
if you fail to do so. Nothing new there. But if you find
yourself in a real financial bind, there are a few payment
options that have recently been changed a bit to make them
more customer-friendly. For example, taxpayers now have the
right to collection due process if they face an enforced
collection action by the IRS. Specifically, if taxpayers
don't believe they owe the tax assessed, they can now
request an administrative hearing before an impartial
appeals officer within 30 days either after a lien notice
is filed or after they receive notice from the IRS
indicating it intends to place a levy on their assets.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/19/193257220.shtml?e=1
============================================================
Legal
=====
Offshore Incorporation For You
Offshore incorporation isn't just for big businesses and
the mob anymore. It may be for you. Sandy beaches, coconut
trees and umbrella drinks. Sure, there are other reasons
besides income taxes for incorporating your business
offshore, but isn't that out of the reach of most homebased
business owners? Besides, who has the time and money? As
the first Internet based company of its kind,
Start-A-Business.Com walks users through the incorporation
process with the click of a mouse. From online
incorporation and domain name registration to offshore
trusts and opportunities, Start-A-Business.Com walks users
through the process of finding the optimal incorporation
scenario by taking advantage of the global possibilities of
the Internet.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/19/191729630.shtml?e=1
============================================================
Marketing
=========
Using Electronic Press Releases to Get Publicity for Your Business
What's one of the best ways to get publicity for your
business? Promoting it with press releases. But the "old
way" of writing and distributing releases just isn't as
efficient as it used to be. Unlike their hard-copy
counterparts, electronic press releases are shorter in
length (typically four to five paragraphs, compared to one
to two typewritten pages) and less expensive to send (no
postage or envelopes necessary). Best of all, they allow
you to reach a much larger audience, since there are many
Net-exclusive journalists and publishers not mentioned in
traditional media directories.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/19/190711650.shtml?e=1
============================================================
Payments
========
New Online Payment Options
Doing business on the Net? You should not only be aware of
this new wave of payment options, but also actively
investigating how to incorporate them into your payment
scheme. Instead of inputting credit card or bank account
information or completing long forms every time they want
to make a purchase, customers simply enter their ID number.
Here are three ways to make e-commerce payments a bit
easier--for customers and for you.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/19/193432480.shtml?e=1
============================================================
Product
=======
Hard Facts on the Latest Software and Hardware Gadgets
Here's a quick overview of some of the latest software. The
reviewed software include Net.Mechanic, Norton 2000 Retail
Edition, FrontPage 2000, Premiere 5.1 (video-editing
package), Drive Image 2.0, and Browser Spinach. IF you're
interested in the latest & greatest high-tech tools and
gadgets, here are a few reviews, including the Epson
Perfection 636U flatbed scanner, the Zoom/FaxModem 56K
Dualmode, the Sharp Wizard (PDA), the EIZO FlexScan T550
(Monitor), the Panasonic KX-FPC141 Facsimile, and
eMachine's eOne PC.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/19/191118580.shtml?e=1
============================================================
Sites
=====
One-stop Hunting for Time-strapped Entrepreneurs
The Web is a cornucopia, filled with anything you might
need to grow your business--but who has the time to hunt it
down? That's the insight behind Onvia.com, a new portal
site that aims to provide one-stop hunting for
time-strapped entrepreneurs. Under one Web-based roof,
Onvia.com offers "hot deals" (keen pricing on desktop
computers or cellular plans, for instance); tips on
marketing, finance, even how to succeed; a roundup of
business services (clicks for applying for business credit
cards or Web hosting, for instance); and an easy way to
personalize all of it into a free MyOnvia page that
delivers just the info you want.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/19/191907150.shtml?e=1
============================================================
SOHO
====
Smart Setups for Entrepreneurs on a Budget
It's not often I get to go on a fantasy shopping spree. And
since you're an entrepreneur trying to launch a business on
what's likely a water-tight budget, I'm sure you can
relate. So here are some tips on how to equip your start-up
office on a $1K, $2K, and $3K budget! If you have any
additional tips, please let me know ;-)
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/19/194308170.shtml?e=1
------------------------------------------------------------
Make Your One-and-only A Laptop
Desktop replacement notebooks are the subject of this
month's opus. Not just supplemental computers that you dust
off when you go on a business trip, but real,
honest-to-goodness, move-over-minitower replacement
machines. To qualify, a laptop has to have enough oomph in
processor speed, RAM, hard-drive space and screen quality
to deserve being your one-and-only. You won't have to drop
$1,500 on a desktop system--and some of these laptops can
be had for less than $2,000. And in laptop land, the
monitor is always included!
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/19/192735740.shtml?e=1
------------------------------------------------------------
All-in-One Peripheral for Macintoshes
All-in-one fax/scanner/printer/copier peripherals
proliferate for PCs. But what do you do if your main
squeeze is a Macintosh? With the increasing interest in
iMacs, here is one new peripheral hitting the market. The
convenience of one machine handling four duties can be
found with Canon's MultiPASS C635.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/19/191502190.shtml?e=1
--------------------Advertising Sponsor---------------------
Now there's a way to help feed the hungry with just a mouse
click, thanks to The Hunger Site, http://www.thehungersite.com.
After clicking on the site's "Donate Free Food" button, a
page pops up thanking you for "donating" a certain amount of
rice, wheat, maize or other staple food to a hungry person
somewhere in the world. It costs you nothing, but, in a very
humanitarian "explicit bargain," your donation is paid for by
corporate sponsors.
------------------------------------------------------------
FlashCommerce Daily
FlashCommerce.com Headlines
Daily News & Discussion of eCommerce & Small Business
============================================================
Whether you are looking for an idea or would like to post
one of your own, visit our idea site at
http://www.IdeaStorms.com.
This is a free service with no strings attached.
Promised.
------------------------------------------------------------
==================== IN THIS ISSUE =========================
Business
Trends and Predictions For 2000
Juno Launches Free Net Access Service
Customer Service
E-Tailers Look to Retain Customers
E-Mail
V-Greetings Spice Up E-Greetings
Fulfillment
Shipping Hub Connects To Local Services
Healthcare
FDA Launches Consumer-advice Web Site
Legal
North Carolina Consumers Must Pay Taxes for Goods Purchased Online
Market Research
Europe Closing E-Commerce Gap With U.S.
Most Web Merchants to Meet Holiday Sales Forecasts
High Fees Hinder Net Growth in Latin America
Marketing
Make That Selling Point Stick
Aggregated Affiliate Programs Found On NetJane.com
Online Tools
First Vertical Meta-Search Engine for the Technology Market
Product
Make Your Own Music Videos
Supply Chain
Concur's e-Procurement Network Available to Smalll Businesses
Technology
Intel CuMine Chips Pre-announced Again
Tips
Search Engine Tips For The Millennium
Web Site Tools
PC Week Review: OpenSales Open Merchant
BizLand.com Launches Shopping & Online Transaction Suite for Small Business
============================================================
FlashCommerce daily article update for the last 24 hours:
====================== ARTICLES ============================
Business
========
Trends and Predictions For 2000
With less than two weeks left until the next century, it
seems like a good time to speculate about some e-commerce
trends and offer some predictions. One notable development
this year was the advent of free Internet access. Companies
such as the UK's Freeserve Plc, a subsidiary of electronics
retailer Dixons Plc, began giving away what American Online
and Microsoft were charging for. As a result, American
companies also began offering free Internet access to
British users. While this trend has yet to break out in the
U.S., look for Microsoft and AOL to offer some sort of free
online access to U.S. users next year. (see today's Juno
announcement ;-) Here are some of the other predictions for
2000. What are you predicting?!
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/20/225445420.shtml?e=1
------------------------------------------------------------
Juno Launches Free Net Access Service
Juno Online Services, known for its free e-mail service, is
launching a free Internet access service, which will be
offered to consumers who fill out a questionnaire and agree
to view advertisements tailored to their responses. The ads
will be displayed on a navigation banner that can be moved
around the desktop, but not removed. Juno, which had 2.9
million subscribers -- mostly to its e-mail service -- in
the third quarter, is also offering an Internet service
based on a promotional offer of $9.95 per month for 150
hours of access.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/20/204416080.shtml?e=1
============================================================
Customer Service
================
E-Tailers Look to Retain Customers
THE MAD RACE to attract this year's wave of new holiday
online shoppers is almost over, and e-tailers are turning
their attention to the next big challenge: how to keep all
the new customers they've added. Although views on
customer retention vary, most experts agree that managing
the post-sale customer relationship will be critical in
2000.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/20/074025480.shtml?e=1
============================================================
E-Mail
======
V-Greetings Spice Up E-Greetings
This year, instead of sending holiday cards through the
mail, you figured you'd save a little time and money by
sending free electronic greeting cards. Bor-ing! Who wants
to open a lame e-card of a cartoon Rudolf the red-nosed
Reindeer? But now you can liven up those e-greetings with
some help from V-Greetings (video greetings). Since I'm
already behind in my holiday greetings, this may just be an
option that I'll explore ;-)
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/20/222834600.shtml?e=1
============================================================
Fulfillment
===========
Shipping Hub Connects To Local Services
SmartShip.com upped the ante on shipping portal sites
Monday, adding capabilities that let Southern California
users arrange shipping through local couriers. The Irvine,
Calif.-based company rolled out a redesigned website that
lets users arrange and pay for shipping services online
with Golden State Overnight, UltraX, and Airnet. SmartShip
is one of a handful of companies that have developed
Internet shipping portals -- websites that serve as
information hubs for shipping services. The company doesn't
own the trucks or employ drivers; instead, it provides an
electronic connection to information about shipping
services.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/20/221615190.shtml?e=1
============================================================
Healthcare
==========
FDA Launches Consumer-advice Web Site
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration Monday launched a
consumer-advice Web site to help patients determine if they
are purchasing prescription drugs from legitimate sources.
The new service also includes instructions for Americans to
report any suspicious Internet sites, and urges that they
alert the FDA if they suffer serious side effects or
injuries from a product purchased online. It can be
difficult for consumers to tell the difference between
legitimate online drugstores and those that sell illegal
products, the FDA warned. The FDA site -
http://www.fda.gov/oc/buyonline/default.htm - advises
consumers to protect themselves.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/20/204055550.shtml?e=1
============================================================
Legal
=====
North Carolina Consumers Must Pay Taxes for Goods Purchased Online
Come January, there will be a new line on North Carolina's
1999 Individual Tax Form. Line No. 16, titled "Consumer Use
Tax," will require consumers to calculate how much they
spent for goods online and pay taxes on those goods. It's
the states first attempt to grab a piece of the e-commerce
pie. Many local city and town officials are worrying about
the loss of sales-tax revenue from items purchased online.
This year, North Carolina state and local governments lost
between $110 million and $140 million in revenue on
non-taxed goods purchased online or through catalogs,
according to Charles Collins, director of the Sales and Use
Tax Division of the state Revenue department. North
Carolina's General Assembly voted in July to add the new
line, which requires consumers to pay a 6% tax on all goods
purchased from out-of-state sources. While most states have
a consumer use tax -- it's been on the books in North
Carolina for more than 60 years -- it's never been
aggressively enforced.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/20/204213170.shtml?e=1
============================================================
Market Research
===============
Europe Closing E-Commerce Gap With U.S.
According to a report released today by Forrester Research,
Europe's Internet commerce will grow by more than 100
percent per year for the next five years and will reach
annual online trade of 1.6 trillion Euros by 2004. The
report, titled "Europe: The Sleeping Giant Awakens," shows
that the European Internet growth will be fueled by
consumer demand and rich Internet offerings. "This year, 16
million European consumers started using the Web, doubling
Internet home penetration to nearly 13 percent of the
population," said Dr. Terese Torris, director of European
Internet commerce research at Forrester. "Not surprisingly,
30 percent of new Net users can be attributed to free
access and its publicity." Torris went on to suggest that
the influx of new users and improved e-commerce offerings
will drive trade to 36 billion Euros this year.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/20/225240760.shtml?e=1
------------------------------------------------------------
Most Web Merchants to Meet Holiday Sales Forecasts
Most online merchants are on target to meet or exceed their
aggressive sales forecasts for the holiday season, but
there are some e-retailers that haven't brought in the
business they had hoped for this Christmas. A survey
released today by market research firm International Data
Corp. found that 55 percent of Web sites said sales were in
line with their holiday forecasts and 29 percent had sales
that topped their expected gains.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/20/205750190.shtml?e=1
------------------------------------------------------------
High Fees Hinder Net Growth in Latin America
Increased competition among local providers in the Latin
American market is forcing down the cost of Internet
access, meanwhile local telephone costs are high and in
some cases rising. Increased competition from local Spanish
portals will eventually fuel the emergence of free ISPs yet
the majority of telecoms in the region, for the most part
monopolies, will continue to charge per-minute access rates
and consequently discourage recreational surfing.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/20/204648190.shtml?e=1
============================================================
Marketing
=========
Make That Selling Point Stick
Charismatic communicators are able to make the abstract
meaningful, and the meaningful simple. Successful people
achieve this effect with metaphors and stories. Selling
online is no different. In presentations, it's critical to
make the complexities of your sites and services simple to
understand, and the simplicity of your points meaningful to
your advertisers. Ann Miller gives examples of metaphors,
analogies and images to drive your selling points home.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/20/224728660.shtml?e=1
------------------------------------------------------------
Aggregated Affiliate Programs Found On NetJane.com
There’s this Web site www.netJane.com, and it walks you
through how to set up CashBottons on your Web site. NetJane
has collected a number of CashButtons with some well known
Internet corporations, such as Amazon.com. CashButtons are
netJane’s sophisticated way of allowing you to participate
in what has become known on the Net as "affilliate
programs". But the catch is that most of these affiliate
programs require you to collect logo images and apply for
affilliate rights at each and every store, netJane gives
them all to you in one locations.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/20/181355990.shtml?e=1
============================================================
Online Tools
============
First Vertical Meta-Search Engine for the Technology Market
TechnologyEvaluation.com (TEC) today debuted AskTEC.com, a
vertical technology meta-search engine that provides access
not only to online content from TechnologyEvaluation.com's
analysts staff, but also to the online content created by
InformationWeek.com, CIO.com, The Industry Standard
Internet Week, Byte Magazine, NetworkComputing,com,
Ebusinessworld.com, ZDnetPCWeek and ZdnetDeveloper, as
well.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/20/230317280.shtml?e=1
============================================================
Product
=======
Make Your Own Music Videos
Is MTV moving too slowly for you? You can unleash the
director in you and create your own MP3 music videos with
Lava.com, a new Web site funded by Creative.com. To record
and distribute your own music videos, you download and
install the Lava MusicVideo Player 2.0, which takes about
5.8MB of hard disk space. Installation is simple and
snappy, and after restarting Windows you're ready to direct
the action. Lava.com lets you match psychedelic 3D visuals
to your MP3s.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/20/222358700.shtml?e=1
============================================================
Supply Chain
============
Concur's e-Procurement Network Available to Smalll Businesses
Concur Technologies made two announcements that mark its
determination to be, and be seen as, a major player in the
hot E-procurement market. The Concur Commerce Network™ will
give Concur's E-procurement customers a marketplace to
display and purchase their wares. The company claims that
its network already offers thousands of suppliers. Concur
also announced that electronic purchasing and the rest of
its Concur eWorkplace™ suite of products will be available
as an outsourced service to small and mid-sized companies.
Using Concur Procurement™, such companies will have access
to the Concur Commerce Network through Concur
eWorkplace.com™. In addition to purchasing, Concur also
offers travel and expense reporting, self-service Human
Resources and travel booking.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/20/223711190.shtml?e=1
============================================================
Technology
==========
Intel CuMine Chips Pre-announced Again
Intel today announced it is now shipping 750MHz and 800MHz
Pentium III chips. The 750MHz Pentium III chip was expected
to ship in January 2000. The 800MHz Pentium III, however,
will arrive a full two months before it was originally
expected. The 800MHz Coppermine will cost $850/1000, while
the 750MHz parts will cost $800/1000, according to Reuters.
It's still pretty hard to get hold of the 733MHz Pentium
III Coppermine parts. In a related story, here are the
first performance results for AMD's Athlon versus Intel's
Pentium III.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/20/205604600.shtml?e=1
============================================================
Tips
====
Search Engine Tips For The Millennium
Sometimes web businesses miss out on the most effective and
cheapest method of web site promotion - search engine
positioning. The 10th GVU Study says the likelihood of
searching with intent to buy is 75 percent. People are
increasingly using the web for transactions. Personal and
professional shopping are up by 10.3 and 23.7 percent. Not
only that, search engine positioning was ranked as the
number one web promotional method used by
business-to-business sites. Paul Bruemmer gives you his 10
best tips for getting listed in search engines.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/20/224925950.shtml?e=1
============================================================
Web Site Tools
==============
PC Week Review: OpenSales Open Merchant
PC Week Labs evaluated a prebeta version of perhaps the
first e-commerce application to be offered as open source
code: OpenSales Inc.'s OpenMerchant, an e-commerce
development application released under a GPL (general
public license). In tests, they found the Linux-based
OpenMerchant has great potential for creating complex
online storefronts with advanced features such as customer
tracking and object states. However, it requires advanced
familiarity with Perl and Linux-based databases such as
MySql. OpenMerchant is in use at five client sites, four of
which are also idealab start ups.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/20/220914810.shtml?e=1
------------------------------------------------------------
BizLand.com Launches Shopping & Online Transaction Suite for Small Business
BizLand.com™, a leading Internet hub for small business,
today announced a powerful suite of e-commerce tools and
services designed to help small businesses sell their
specialized products and services online. By partnering
with Open Market™, Signio™ and Heartland Payment Systems™,
Bizland.com can now offer a full suite of state of the art
e-commerce tools and services to its 200,000 registered
members. Bizland.com users can showcase their business
offerings in a catalog format and easily process
transactions online. The new e-commerce suite offers
business owners the ability to open "storefronts," develop
online catalogs, offer shopping carts and, securely and
easily accept credit cards over the Internet.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/20/070035690.shtml?e=1
FlashCommerce Daily
FlashCommerce.com Headlines
Daily News & Discussion of eCommerce & Small Business
============================================================
--------------------Advertising Sponsor---------------------
A two day conference on deploying XML to support legacy
data integration & e-commerce interoperability
Feb 23-24, 2000, Sheraton Fisherman’s Wharf, San Francisco
ACI, Inc. 312-674-4704 • http://www.acius.net
Exclusive book signing, "Building Corporate Portals with
XML" by Clive Finkelstein, conference chair, & Peter Aiken!
------------------------------------------------------------
==================== IN THIS ISSUE =========================
Advertising
Growth in Local Ads Online
Business
ICANN Adopts New Domain Name Dispute Rules and Plans to Discuss Adding New gTLDs
Want to Buy a Premium Domain Name?
Market Research
Return Policies Important to Internet Shoppers
Holiday Purchases Show 27 Percent Failure Rate
Marketing
Conjoin Launches Apps For Sharing Sales Info
Online Tools
Bringing the Telephone onto the Net
Privacy
Privacy Policies without Privacy Protection
Security
B-to-B E-commerce To Embrace PKI
============================================================
FlashCommerce daily article update for the last 24 hours:
====================== ARTICLES ============================
Advertising
===========
Growth in Local Ads Online
Jupiter Communications, according to a just released
report, expects local online ad spending to jump from a
current 14% of total online ad spending to 24% in 2003, or,
from $466 million to $2.7 billion. Web advertising has
never matched offline advertising in the amount spent
locally. Jupiter estimates that 29% of marketers buy no
local ads. Those that do, spend only a fraction of online
budgets locally. At the same time, Jupiter notes, the use
of local content is already substantial: 53% in 1998 and
58% this year.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/21/140643050.shtml?e=1
============================================================
Business
========
ICANN Adopts New Domain Name Dispute Rules and Plans to Discuss Adding New gTLDs
When ICANN meets in Cairo, Egypt, next March, the body will
discuss the addition of new generic top-level domains
(gTLDs) to the legacy root server. ICANN is ready to
discuss adding to the existing list of gTLDs, which include
the most popular .com, .net and .org domains. For years,
Internet stakeholders have weighed in with differing
opinions on how, and whether, new gTLDs -- such as .web,
.shop and .sex -- should be added to the root. ICANN is
also expected to take up issues surrounding the control of
individual nation's sovereign country code top-level
domains (ccTLDs). Since the legacy root remains in U.S.
hands, ICANN retains some de facto stewardship over the
more than 200 ccTLDs. In another release, ICANN changed its
procedures governing the resolution of domain name
disputes. ICANN selected The National Arbitration Forum to
hear cases where an individual or company believes another
has registered a name in the hopes of reselling it for a
larger fee. The new rules require that cases involving a
domain name that resembles a trademark or service mark be
resolved in a hearing. Previously, only the World
Intellectual Property Organization was allowed to handle
domain disputes. Arbitrators from the NAF will review cases
and issue awards within 45 days.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/21/224336390.shtml?e=1
------------------------------------------------------------
Want to Buy a Premium Domain Name?
Eric Wade, the man behind the $1 million sale of
Wallstreet.com, is now putting Woman.com, Airline.com,
Jeans.com, and 600 other domain names on the auction block.
The sale is being run by domainrace.com and co-promoted by
afternic.com, a three-week old service that works with
brokers and buyers to ensure the smooth sale of domain
names.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/21/141155910.shtml?e=1
============================================================
Market Research
===============
Return Policies Important to Internet Shoppers
A new survey from BizRate.com found that return policies
influence most buyers' decisions to shop at an online
retailer. Survey respondents said the most important factor
would be a 100% money-back guarantee, followed by not being
charged a re-stocking fee.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/21/224443870.shtml?e=1
------------------------------------------------------------
Holiday Purchases Show 27 Percent Failure Rate
According to a new study by Andersen Consulting, a
staggering 27 percent of attempted online sales failed
because Web sites couldn't handle the crush of holiday
orders. The study also had another surprise finding: Pure
e-tailers like Amazon.com delivered their orders when
promised 80 percent of the time, while their
brick-and-mortar competitors only delivered when promised
about 20 percent of the time. Anderson conducted the study
by ordering 480 gifts online from 100 of the biggest and
best-known e-tailers between December 3rd and December
10th. Only 350 of the orders were successfully completed.
Anderson said that crashing or the site being inaccessible
thwarted more than one quarter of the orders from being
filled.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/21/140422330.shtml?e=1
============================================================
Marketing
=========
Conjoin Launches Apps For Sharing Sales Info
Conjoin on Monday introduced Field.First, a sales force
automation suite intended to improve the communication
between sales and marketing groups and to make the sales
force more effective. The Conjoin applications expand
beyond the conventional capabilities of sales force
automation software, which is primarily for helping
salespeople track opportunities in the sales pipeline.
Field.First starts at just less than $100,000.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/21/142235840.shtml?e=1
============================================================
Online Tools
============
Bringing the Telephone onto the Net
For most people, the Internet and a telephone are mutually
exclusive -- they're using one or the other, but not both
at the same time. A number of companies are trying to
change that, integrating the phone itself into online Web
services. They are aided by technologies that treat voices
as bits of data that can be shipped over the Internet,
incorporated into online messages or interpreted as
commands. Excite@Home, which operates one of the Web's most
popular sites, said it would let users add voices to their
e-mail, online advertisements and chat-group messages for
free. In addition, users can conduct conference calls with
online presentations for a fee. And, onebox.com of San
Mateo and Vstream of Colorado joined forces with Amazon.com
and Blue Mountain Arts, respectively, to let people tag
what amounts to a voice-mail message onto an electronic
greeting card.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/21/141810660.shtml?e=1
============================================================
Privacy
=======
Privacy Policies without Privacy Protection
The Electronic Privacy Information Center has issued a
report which finds that America's much-touted policy of
self regulation does little to protect consumers' online
privacy. Apparently, none of the top 100 shopping Web sites
adequately protect consumer privacy. With electronic
privacy negotiations between the U.S. and EU deteriorating
ever further in an acrimonious deadlock, the report
couldn't have come at a better time.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/21/141332300.shtml?e=1
============================================================
Security
========
B-to-B E-commerce To Embrace PKI
Worldwide revenue from private key infrastrucutre (PKI)
products will soar to $1.3 billion by 2003 from $122.7
million in 1998, market researcher International Data Corp.
said Tuesday. Business-to-business e-commerce will fuel the
growth because of its need for authentication, scale, and
real-time key exchange in the public domain.
Certificate-based commerce will begin to reach consumers in
2001, IDC said.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/21/142439500.shtml?e=1
FlashCommerce Daily
FlashCommerce.com Headlines
Daily News & Discussion of eCommerce & Small Business
============================================================
Today's newsletter will be the last one published this week
I will post a few new stories next week. However, on a much
more limited schedule.
For those of you celebrating Christmas:
A Very Safe, Joyous and Merry Christmas!
For those of you celebrating Kwanzaa:
Enjoy the Seven Days of Kwanzaa, beginning with "Unity",
then "Self-Determination" and "Responsibility",
"Cooperation", "Purpose" Shared, and "Creativity".
And finally, "Faith" to face the year ahead will all
that you can be! Happy Kwanzaa!
For those of you curious about the couple behind the site,
Feel free to stop by http://flashcommerce.com/r?l=holiday
to see a photo of us!
Geoff and I want to sincerely thank all of you for your
continuing support of FlashCommerce and your generous
contributions to the FlashCommerce community. Once again,
have a joyous holiday season!
Rochelle and Geoff
P.S. If we do not connect before the New Millenium,
Have a Wonderful New Year's Celebration!
--------------------Advertising Sponsor---------------------
VoDSL, Gain the Competitive Edge by Streamlining Multimedia
Services Over DSL; Voice and Video
A two day conference to learn from industry leaders who are
implementing and integrating this emerging technology.
Sponsored by: Jetstream Communications & Efficient Networks
March 22-23, 2000, The Sheraton Crescent Hotel, Phoenix, AZ
ACI, Inc. 312-674-4704 • http://www.acius.net
------------------------------------------------------------
==================== IN THIS ISSUE =========================
Advertising
How to Turn Your Work into Free Advertising
Business
Last-Minute Holiday Shopping
Visa Seeking Start-ups
Commentary
Merry Chirstmas
E-Mail
Customer Relationship Management May Be the Key to Success in eCommerce
Financial
Banking Tools and Resources for Small Businesses
Fulfillment
The Delivery Dilemma
Cost Projection Tool for International eCommerce Shipping
Market Research
B2B Explosion Expected In 2000
Companies and Customers Increasingly Turning to E-Billing
Online Tools
Holiday Extravaganza
Save Time with Eight Free Online Tools
Payments
Fraud-Check Launches eCommerce Fraud Utility
Sites
The Web Bartender
SOHO
Is Your PC Too Slow? Try These Tricks
Microsoft Clearly Threatened by Linux
Telecommunication
Internet Call Waiting Services
============================================================
FlashCommerce daily article update for the last 24 hours:
====================== ARTICLES ============================
Advertising
===========
How to Turn Your Work into Free Advertising
Is your business plumbing, concrete work, garage doors,
painting, or one that provides a service at homes,
apartments and businesses? If so, here are simple ways to
promote your business at and around the work site. While
some of these tips only apply to the "real world", many of
them can also be used to leverage your business in the
online "virtual world". If you have any additional tips,
let us know!
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/22/200405760.shtml?e=1
============================================================
Business
========
Last-Minute Holiday Shopping
Now it's too late. Or is it? Is there anywhere left to do
some last-minute gift-shopping? Here are a bunch of places
on the Web where you can still, at this late date, purchase
presents for your loved ones. Naturally, you'll want the
rush delivery at this point in time ;-)
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/22/203118310.shtml?e=1
------------------------------------------------------------
Visa Seeking Start-ups
Credit-card giant Visa has launched a national search for
three start-up companies to take part in a new business
incubation program. The Visa Startup 2000 program will
provide the lucky three with $25,000 each for
business-related expenses, up to $10,000 in products and
services from companies like Compaq and [Office Depot], and
a year's worth of personal counseling from the Kauffman
Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership and the Service Corps
of Retired Executives. Entrants must be U.S. citizens age
18 or older. Companies must have 20 or fewer employees,
have been in business less than two years, and be able to
submit a business plan. Deadline is Dec. 31. Information
and applications: 1-800-209-7611 or
http://www.visa.com/startup2000.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/22/200106070.shtml?e=1
============================================================
Commentary
==========
Merry Chirstmas
Merry Christmas!
We Wish All of You a Safe and Joyous Christmas Celebration!
Geoff and Rochelle
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/22/204456500.shtml?e=1
============================================================
E-Mail
======
Customer Relationship Management May Be the Key to Success in eCommerce
Intelligent e-mail response technology may be a cottage
industry, but it's becoming increasingly apparent that it
may play a significant role in determining the winners and
losers in the e-commerce grab for market share. Already,
some of the biggest names in corporate America have
retained a service called EchoMail that uses pattern
recognition techniques to decode, route and in many cases
answer customer e-mail.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/22/194528190.shtml?e=1
============================================================
Financial
=========
Banking Tools and Resources for Small Businesses
Over the years banks have created many tools and resources
to meet the diverse needs of small business operators. The
Canadian Bankers Association (CBA) is launching a new
website that brings valuable information about all those
products and services together. Small business operators
can visit the Serving the Needs of Small Business section
of the CBA's website at http://
www.cba.ca/eng/small_business/small_biz_index.htm to learn
about tools and resources offered by the banks, see the
latest research on the small business marketplace and learn
about the types of products and services available for
small businesses.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/22/200658450.shtml?e=1
============================================================
Fulfillment
===========
The Delivery Dilemma
With Christmas just days away, a number of e-commerce sites
are now displaying disclaimers stating that they cannot
guarantee deliveries before the holiday, further fueling
debate over whether e-commerce is ultimately capable of
giving brick-and-mortar retailing a legitimate long-term
challenge. For its part, UPS has set today as the last day
it will accept packages for Next Day Air, and will not
deliver on Christmas Day, a pre-set holiday for all
employees. Approximately 4.3 million packages are expected
to move through the company today, which doubles its
average volume of business. Ultimately, this limitation on
e-commerce seems to lock out the last-minute shopper and
raises the question of whether holiday season frustrations
will drive shoppers back into the arms of traditional
retailers.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/22/202513660.shtml?e=1
------------------------------------------------------------
Cost Projection Tool for International eCommerce Shipping
DHL Airways, Inc. has announced plans to introduce a
service that will enable shippers to determine, in advance
of shipping internationally, additive charges imposed by
foreign customs authorities. The service, to be provided
through an alliance with Syntra Technologies, will be
particularly useful for companies involved in international
e-commerce. Currently, government-imposed duties, tariffs,
taxes and other additive charges associated with
international shipping cannot be quoted until a shipment
has been delivered. According to a recent report by
Forrester Research, 85 percent of the retail, Internet and
manufacturing companies interviewed for the study that have
an online presence cannot fill orders internationally
because of the complexity of shipping across borders
including the inability to price total delivery costs.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/22/201416470.shtml?e=1
============================================================
Market Research
===============
B2B Explosion Expected In 2000
A new study released this week by The Boston Consulting
Group shows that 25 percent of all business-to-business
purchases will be made online by 2003. The figures, which
are based on an expected growth rate of 33 percent per year
from 1998 to 2003, indicate that the online market will be
worth as much as $2.8 trillion (US$) in transaction value.
Both standard Internet transactions and Electronic Data
Interchange deals over private networks can be expected to
explode, BCG says, but the Internet will eclipse the
private network deals in the next five years. In 1998, U.S.
business-to-business e-commerce reached $671 billion, with
$92 billion generated by Internet-based transactions and
nearly six times as much coming from EDI, the firm said. By
2003, that picture will be reversed, with the Internet
accounting for $2 trillion in business-to-business sales
and $780 billion coming from private network purchases.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/22/202321730.shtml?e=1
------------------------------------------------------------
Companies and Customers Increasingly Turning to E-Billing
According to the study by Killen & Associates, by year-end
2002, billers will use electronic bill presentment (EBP) to
send 27 percent of the bills they issue. The report,
entitled "Utilities: EBPP Opportunities and Threats,"
examines the ways in which utilities can compete for share
in new and existing markets using electronic bill
presentment and payment (EBPP) services.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/22/194730820.shtml?e=1
============================================================
Online Tools
============
Holiday Extravaganza
If you're looking for a list of online resources to help
you with those final Chirstmas preparations, visit this
Holiday Extravaganza where you'll find everything from
holiday recipes to holiday downloads! If you know of other
sites to add to the list, please feel free, let us know!
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/22/203549140.shtml?e=1
------------------------------------------------------------
Save Time with Eight Free Online Tools
As most online marketers know, time is the most precious
commodity in the world, and you just can't buy more of it.
But you can "steal" a few hours each week! This article
reviews eight super-cool tools you can get on the web for
free. With these tools streamlining your time- consuming
tasks, you'll literally steal a few hours every single
week!
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/22/201021420.shtml?e=1
============================================================
Payments
========
Fraud-Check Launches eCommerce Fraud Utility
Five percent or more of the e-commerce transactions over
the Internet are made with stolen credit cards, and a new
financial services company aims to do something about the
problem. Fraud-Check, Inc. announced the launch of its new
transaction patterning and unique modelling product to
protect merchants from electronic shoplifters. Fraud-Check
serves as a protective barrier between the shoplifter and
the e-commerce merchant. As a transaction is made online --
at the same time the information goes to the credit card
company for authorization -- the transaction is checked
against Fraud-Check's proprietary (patent pending) process
of patterning and modelling. By comparing against dozens of
factors in the company's multi-faceted, marketing neutral
negative database, Fraud-Check can give the merchant the
information needed to assess the risk and take appropriate
action. Here is a related story discussing how merchants
can reduce the chances of e-fraud.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/22/201710600.shtml?e=1
============================================================
Sites
=====
The Web Bartender
You're hosting a New Year's party, or playing bartender at
a friend's party. Someone comes up and asks you for a Jack
and Coke. That's easy. But what if the next person asks you
to mix up a Raging Bull? Fortunately, NetGuide has the
answer. They've got the best places to go online for
alcoholic and non-alcoholic drink recipes, and even some
hangover help in case you over-indulge. Remember, don't
drink and surf!
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/22/202905780.shtml?e=1
============================================================
SOHO
====
Is Your PC Too Slow? Try These Tricks
Here's a stupid question: After you load a bunch of
programs, does your PC crash frequently or act sluggish and
out of sorts? My PC used to do that too, even with 128MB of
RAM. Then I discovered the Wonderful World of Memory
Tricks, and life was worth living again. So here are a
handful of utilities--including some freebies--that can
work wonders for your system.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/22/203928070.shtml?e=1
------------------------------------------------------------
Microsoft Clearly Threatened by Linux
Here's a move that indicates to me that Microsoft is
clearly threatened by the increasing adoption of Linux
operating systems...Microsoft has begun providing on-line
instructions on how to remove the Linux operating system
from your computer, and then install the Windows NT 4.0 or
the Windows 2000 operating system!
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/22/193921670.shtml?e=1
============================================================
Telecommunication
=================
Internet Call Waiting Services
"Internet call waiting" services -- available from a small
but growing number of Internet service providers and local
phone companies -- represent one of the first ways for
average consumers to take advantage of the much-ballyhooed
convergence of voice and data services. They also are a
boon to infrequent Web users who don't want to shell out
for a second phone line or high-speed service.
http://flashcommerce.com/articles/99/12/22/195016170.shtml?e=1