Cyber Monday Racks Up Impressive Gains

Cyber Monday sales are estimated as up by 30%. The question remains whether shoppers will continue to spend for the holiday season or if they spent all their money early responding to sales and other promotions. See Cyber Monday Racks Up Impressive Gains.

How to spot the web’s top 3 biggest scams

Facebook flim-flam? Twitter trap? Reverse Nigerian prince? All of these are scams to be aware of. See How to spot the web’s top 3 biggest scams.

E-Commerce Rings Up Boffo Black Friday

While some shoppers camped out overnight to get Black Friday deals, others stayed home and shopped online. One estimate is that sales were up 20% over last year's same day sales. E-Commerce merchants hope that Cyber Monday will treat them equally well. See E-Commerce Rings Up Boffo Black Friday.

Feds: Cyber Criminals Hijacked 4 Million Computers

Here is a twist on how to make money at cyber-crime. A group of Eastern European's installed malware on over 4 million computers. The malware redirected the infected computers to sites where the criminals were getting paid to display advertising. The malware also allowed the group to replace ads on popular sites with their own ads. The malware also prevented infected computers from down-loading anti-virus software. See Feds: Cyber Criminals Hijacked 4 Million Computers.

Defamatory Blog Postings: Anonymity and the Law

Blog postings can be outrageous and even defamatory. Hiding behind Internet anonymity, these bloggers have attracted attention by being extreme. But could a court order an anonymous blogger revealed? Recent cases struggle to assess "whether the public interest favoring disclosure outweighs the legitimate interests of freedom of expression and right to privacy of the persons sought to be identified." See Defamatory Blog Postings: Anonymity and the Law.

Google Reveals the Whys and Wherefores Behind Targeted Ads

Google plans to let users know why they see the advertisements they do in their Google searches and Gmail. Called "Why These Ads," the tool reveals that ads are personalized to the user based on a user's recent searches, geographic location, and other factors. Google will also release an Ads Preference Manager that lets users "make changes to improve the site's ad targeting or to block unwanted ads." See Google Reveals the Whys and Wherefores Behind Targeted Ads.

Online Ad Scams, Part 1: Tip for a Tiny Belly and Other Snake Oil

What's the scam? Diet and weight loss ads promise great results. Clicking on the ad takes you to a fake news site praising the product. Links from that site will take you to the "manufacturer's" site offering a free sample if you pay for shipping and handling. Give up your credit card information and you will likly be charged large sums every month for "as long as the scammer can get away with it." Few customers actually read the fine print on the sites that tells them they will be charged. See Online Ad Scams, Part 1: Tip for a Tiny Belly and Other Snake Oil.

Facebook's Latest Work: One Too Many Facelifts?

Facebook changed the all important News Feed this week, angering many users. Commentators are wondering if Facebook's habit of forcing change on it's users will create a backlash. Will Google+ seem like a reasonable alternative? See Facebook's Latest Work: One Too Many Facelifts?

Shipping Shock: Why Ready-to-Buy Customers Bail

Sites that inflate prices to cover free shipping may be missing out on sales. Shopping comparison sites will reveal these higher prices. Shipping costs influence purchasing decisions, with 50% of customers reporting that they have abandoned carts when the shipping costs seemed to high. See Shipping Shock: Why Ready-to-Buy Customers Bail.

Juror Caught Adding Defendant as a Facebook Friend

Social media can get you in trouble in a number of ways. Jurors are instructed in Texas that they should not use Facebook and Twitter during trials. One juror wasn't listening. See Juror Caught Adding Defendant as a Facebook Friend.

The E-Shopping Fun Factor

How will the "entertainment factor" affect the e-commerce marketplace? Shoppers who ignore traditional advertising may be drawn in by infotainment like live shows that interact with customers or show that "entertain and inform, and also to create a sense of loyalty and excitement among consumers." Shoppers may share their experience to other online users by "word of mouse." See The E-Shopping Fun Factor.

The Rise of We-Commerce

We-Commerce is the marriage of shopping and social networking. Sites like ShopSocially and Kaboodle let shoppers create profiles and tell their friends about recent purchases. These sites become "consumer-to-consumer" marketing sites. See The Rise of We-Commerce.

Summer Break

E-Commerce Update is on summer break. See you in August!

Ethical Quandary for Social Sites

Social media sites like Flickr, YouTube, and Facebook are being used by political activists as a way to share information. How can those site stay neutral in political disputes and still maintain their policies? See Ethical Quandary for Social Sites.

When the Marketing Reach of Social Media Backfires

Social media creates new risks for business. A fustrated employee or celebrity spokesmen can send out a tweet that spreads quickly and embarasses the employer. The "amplified affect" of social media can spread such messages quickly as they are retweeted. See When the Marketing Reach of Social Media Backfires.

Amazon Pressured on Sales Tax

It should come as no surprise that a states facing huge budget deficits are trying to squeeze money out of Amazon by forcing them to collect state sales taxes. Amazon refuses to collect those taxes in states where they don't have a nexus, such as offices or another physical presence. Some states argue that Amazon's relationship with affiliates in those states is enough to compel them to collect taxes. See Amazon Pressured on Sales Tax.

The Footprints of Web Feet

Would you want to make your personal browsing history public? Start-ups like Dscover.me and Voyurl.com let you share where you have been on the web. See The Footprints of Web Feet.

In Social Media Postings, a Trove for Investigators

Your social media postings can make - or break - your alibi. Who knew that gangs are using Twitter? See In Social Media Postings, a Trove for Investigators.

The Dirty Little Secrets of Search

J.C. Penny cheats its way to the top of Google's search results by using link farms . . . and gets caught! See The Dirty Little Secrets of Search.

Web Words That Lure the Readers

Why would a new site publish an article that was two sentences long? If the topic is a "trending search term" (a popular search that day), then the site will caputure some traffic. This article explores The Huffington Post's use of this questionable search engine optimization technique. See
Web Words That Lure the Readers.

Seeking to Weed Out Drivel, Google Adjusts Search Engine

Google is adjusting its search algorithm to keep out "content farms." These sites generate articles based on current search trends, trying to lure searches to their pages. Many say the articles have little value and their inclusion in search results makes the results less useful. See
Seeking to Weed Out Drivel, Google Adjusts Search Engine.

The Internet, Social Media and Mubarak's Dangerous Game

The role of the Internet and social media in Egypt's unrest is the subject of this opinion piece. Protest organizer's collaberated using these tools to coordinate protests. The Egyptian government shut off all Internet and mobile phone service in an effort to disrupt the protests. See The Internet, Social Media and Mubarak's Dangerous Game.

The Work of Art in the Age of Google

Google's Art Project lets you search and view works of art and virtually tour museums. See The Work of Art in the Age of Google.

EBay Says Big Growth Is Not Over

Will eBay's effort to remake itself from an auction site to an "outlet mall" lead to more growth? Competition from Amazon and even little Etsy.com have slowed revenue gains. See EBay Says Big Growth Is Not Over.

Restaurants Reach Out to Customers With Social Media

Today's smartphones allow diners to "flag their presence at a specific spot, and to notify friends of their location." Buffalo Wild Wings, a restaurant chain, sends reward coupons and issues fun challenges to customers who have checked in at their restaurant with their phones. See Restaurants Reach Out to Customers With Social Media.

Adjusting Sales Strategies for E-Commerce 2011

An E-Commerce Times expert suggest sales strategies for 2011 should include ensuring consistent branding, serving m-commerce customers better, and combining data sources. A key statistic from this article, "In 2009, Forrester found that 42 percent of all retail purchases, worth $917 billion, were influenced by the Web in some way." See Adjusting Sales Strategies for E-Commerce 2011.

What Your Facebook Profile May Be Telling ID Thieves

What can thieves learn about you from Facebook? Clues to your password? Your travel plans? If your profile is public, you may be putting yourself at risk for identity theft or the old-fashioned kind of theft. This article gives some good tips on protecting your information online. At the very least, delete your birthday from your profile. See What Your Facebook Profile May Be Telling ID Thieves.

Online Sales Rose 15% This Holiday, Beating In-Store Growth, Report Says

With an estimated 15% increase in sales, online shopping revenues posted a big increase this holiday season. Some experts cite the bad weather that kept shoppers at their keyboards and out of the malls. While online sales remain a small fraction of overall retail sales, the 15% increase topped the 3.3% increase expected for in-store sales. See Online Sales Rose 15% This Holiday, Beating In-Store Growth, Report Says.