E-Commerce Times
http://www.ecommercetimes.com
E-Commerce Times: the E-Business and Technology Super Siteen-usCopyright 20092009-11-07T04:56:08-08:00ECT News NetworkECT News NetworkE-Commerce Times: the E-Business and Technology Super Sitehourly12009-11-07T04:56:08-08:00E-Commerce Timeshttp://www.ecommercetimes.com/images/rss/ect_100x36.jpg
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'Tis the Season for Safe Holiday Shopping
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/rsstory/68592.html
While recent reports don't predict a major recovery for retailers this holiday season, the outlook for e-commerce sites is slightly more optimistic: 2009 will post an 18 percent increase in online holiday shopping over last year. For many consumers, though, the convenience of online shopping comes with a hefty price: their identity.Steve Bachenheimer2009-11-07T04:00:00-08:00ID Security
While recent reports don't predict a major recovery for retailers this holiday season, the outlook for e-commerce sites is slightly more optimistic: 2009 will post an 18 percent increase in online holiday shopping over last year. For many consumers, though, the convenience of online shopping comes with a hefty price: their identity. Holidays are when the majority of online identity theft problems occur. The number of identity theft victims is likely to rise this year. There is little doubt that fraudsters can -- and will -- prey on online shoppers.
]]>2009-11-07T04:00:00-08:002009-11-06T15:42:35-08:00Windows 7 Flies Off the Shelves
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/rsstory/68585.html
Sales of Microsoft's Windows 7 boxed software over the first three days of its release have vastly surpassed those of its predecessor, Vista, for the same time period, according new figures from the NPD Group. Specifically, NPD's weekly tracking service is reporting that Windows 7 software sales in the U.S. were 234 percent higher for those three days, compared with Vista's sales.Erika Morphy2009-11-06T11:14:50-08:00Trends
Sales of Microsoft's Windows 7 boxed software over the first three days of its release have vastly surpassed those of its predecessor, Vista, for the same time period, according new figures from the NPD Group. Specifically, NPD's weekly tracking service is reporting that Windows 7 software sales in the U.S. were 234 percent higher for those three days, compared with Vista's sales. Windows 7 revenue, however, was not as high for that initial period, amounting to only about 82 percent over revenue earned by Vista.
]]>2009-11-06T11:14:50-08:002009-11-06T11:16:29-08:00Southwest Doesn't Fool Around
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/rsstory/68575.html
This week, I headed southwest as I continued making the rounds of travel-planning Web sites for the E-Commerce Times. My first impression of Southwest Airlines' Web site was that its online presence faithfully reflected its corporate persona: It looked to be a roll-up-your sleeves, no nonsense outfit.Erika Morphy2009-11-06T04:00:00-08:00E-Commerce
This week, I headed southwest as I continued making the rounds of travel-planning Web sites for the E-Commerce Times. My first impression of Southwest Airlines' Web site was that its online presence faithfully reflected its corporate persona: It looked to be a roll-up-your sleeves, no nonsense outfit. The top half of the page was devoted to promoting a new destination for the airline -- Milwaukee. Book now, the item urged -- and frankly, I was tempted, as the image beckoning to me was one of the most enticing Wisconsin views I've ever seen.
]]>2009-11-06T04:00:00-08:002009-11-06T22:32:52-08:00CRM for Financial Services, Part 1: Unmet Potential
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/rsstory/68572.html
The chastening effect of the recession has many financial services firms taking a cautious view of future CRM investments. One reason is that these firms are husbanding their resources. Another is a growing awareness that investments in CRM by the financial sector have not been all that successful.John K. Higgins2009-11-06T04:00:00-08:00Financial Services
The chastening effect of the recession has many financial services firms taking a cautious view of future CRM investments. One reason is that these firms are husbanding their resources. Another is a growing awareness that investments in CRM by the financial sector have not been all that successful. The first wave of CRM programs had the positive effect of providing more efficient ways of implementing marketing programs through automation, indicates a study by the Aite Group. However, the report questions the true effectiveness of CRM programs.
]]>2009-11-06T04:00:00-08:002009-11-06T09:23:34-08:00Cisco Forecast Suggests Tempered Optimism for Tech Sector
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/rsstory/68582.html
Cisco Systems doesn't want Wall Street to interpret its forecast for its first quarterly revenue growth in a year as evidence that the U.S. and other economies are roaring back. A slow improvement in orders is under way, but the pace is still slow and the recovery is fragile, executives told analysts Wednesday.Jordan Robertson2009-11-06T09:21:45-08:00Wall Street
Cisco Systems doesn't want Wall Street to interpret its forecast for its first quarterly revenue growth in a year as evidence that the U.S. and other economies are roaring back. A slow improvement in orders is under way, but the pace is still slow and the recovery is fragile, executives told analysts Wednesday. "There's still uncertainty in the economy on a global basis," said Cisco CFO Frank Calderoni. "It's not completely back to normal levels, and with that kind of uncertainty, you really have to take things quarter by quarter."
]]>2009-11-06T09:21:45-08:002009-11-06T09:23:36-08:00Record-Shattering Opening Expected for Video War Game
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/rsstory/68583.html
This holiday season's biggest entertainment blockbuster likely will be a sequel to a popular franchise, with jarring depictions of war and an intricate story of good versus evil. It could easily rake in more than last year's record $155 million opening weekend for "The Dark Knight." But this blockbuster is not a movie. It is "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2," a video game.Barbara Ortutay2009-11-06T09:42:54-08:00Gaming
This holiday season's biggest entertainment blockbuster likely will be a sequel to a popular franchise, with jarring depictions of war and an intricate story of good versus evil. It could easily rake in more than last year's record $155 million opening weekend for "The Dark Knight." But this blockbuster is not a movie. It is "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2," a video game that Activision Blizzard is releasing Tuesday. Fans worldwide are expected to spend at least half a billion dollars on the game in the first week.
]]>2009-11-06T09:42:54-08:002009-11-06T09:50:50-08:00Commerce Search Puts Google Inside Retailers' Catalogs
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/rsstory/68567.html
Google has introduced a search engine for online retailers. Priced at $50,000 annually, the Software as a Service offering is aimed at high-end e-commerce operations that want to provide customers looking for a particular product on their site with more accurate search results. Search is arguably one of the weakest features on most retailers' sites.Erika Morphy2009-11-05T12:26:23-08:00E-Commerce
Google has introduced a search engine for online retailers. Priced at $50,000 annually, the Software as a Service offering is aimed at high-end e-commerce operations that want to provide customers looking for a particular product on their site with more accurate search results. Search is arguably one of the weakest features on most retailers' sites. A common complaint is that filters are very weak, with most vertical engines unable to parse out the difference between, for example, "digital" cameras and "high resolution" cameras.
]]>2009-11-05T12:26:23-08:002009-11-06T09:21:03-08:00Headed for the Clouds - Cisco, EMC and VMware Launch VCE Coalition
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/rsstory/68564.html
By and large, IT favors grand pronouncements and overheated rhetoric, and the industry abounds with "unprecedented" efforts firmly rooted in precedent and "unique" solutions fashioned from the commonest clay. Is that the case with Cisco, EMC and VMware's new Virtual Computing Environment coalition? Decidedly not.Charles King2009-11-05T04:00:00-08:00Virtualization
By and large, IT favors grand pronouncements and overheated rhetoric, and the industry abounds with "unprecedented" efforts firmly rooted in precedent and "unique" solutions fashioned from the commonest clay. Is that the case with Cisco, EMC and VMware's new Virtual Computing Environment coalition? Decidedly not. VCE should help drive sales of the members' various technologies and make real their vision of private cloud computing, which allows enterprises to seamlessly blend internal IT resources with those from external service providers behind the firewall.
]]>2009-11-05T04:00:00-08:002009-11-06T04:11:36-08:008 Habits of Successful Customer Feedback Managers
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/rsstory/68563.html
Customer relationships are damaged when companies hear too late about customer concerns or issues to do anything to repair them. Even worse, many crucial concerns aren't being heard by the right people at an organization. For example, are managers aware of which customers are unhappy? Did an employee treat a customer unfairly? What are the specific factors that caused a customer to leave?Kyle LaMalfa2009-11-05T04:00:00-08:00Customer Loyalty
Customer relationships are damaged when companies hear too late about customer concerns or issues to do anything to repair them. Even worse, many crucial concerns aren't being heard by the right people at an organization. For example, are managers aware of which customers are unhappy? Did an employee treat a customer unfairly? What are the specific factors that caused a customer to leave? Which of your organization's services matter most to customers, by priority?
]]>2009-11-05T04:00:00-08:002009-11-04T15:12:51-08:00EU Drafts New Bill of Rights for Internet Users
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/rsstory/68568.html
EU lawmakers and governments agreed on new rights for Internet users Thursday, aiming to protect them from arbitrary crackdowns on those who illegally download music and movies on the Internet. EU Telecoms Commissioner Viviane Reding said a deal was reached after EU governments agreed to EU parliament demands to balance measures against illegal downloaders with a broader set of rights for telecom users.Constant Brand2009-11-05T08:41:22-08:00Law
EU lawmakers and governments agreed on new rights for Internet users Thursday, aiming to protect them from arbitrary crackdowns on those who illegally download music and movies on the Internet. EU Telecoms Commissioner Viviane Reding said a deal was reached after EU governments agreed to EU parliament demands to balance measures against illegal downloaders with a broader set of rights for telecom users. The reforms were two years in the making. They also include new privacy controls, consumer rights and increased competition for Internet and phone services.
]]>2009-11-05T08:41:22-08:002009-11-05T08:45:20-08:00Pre-integration is the Ticket With Cisco-EMC Cloud Venture
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/rsstory/68562.html
Cisco is broadening its footprint with a major move into the cloud computing space. The company has formed a far-reaching partnership with EMC -- a joint venture in which VMware, a majority owned subsidiary of EMC, will also play a large role. Called "Acadia," the new entity is marketing vBlock infrastructure packages, aka "vBlocks."Erika Morphy2009-11-04T13:12:34-08:00Virtualization
Cisco is broadening its footprint with a major move into the cloud computing space. The company has formed a far-reaching partnership with EMC -- a joint venture in which VMware, a majority owned subsidiary of EMC, will also play a large role. Intel's Xeon processors and other data center technology are also a significant component to this offering; the company will join the JV as a minority investor. Called "Acadia," the new entity is marketing vBlock infrastructure packages, aka "vBlocks."
]]>2009-11-04T13:12:34-08:002009-11-04T13:12:23-08:00AT&T Sees Red Over Verizon's Map Slap
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/rsstory/68561.html
AT&T Wireless has filed suit against Verizon over the latter's latest ad campaign. That campaign, which claims Verizon has five times more U.S. 3G wireless network coverage than AT&T, shows two maps of the United States side by side, one with each company's coverage. The map purporting to show AT&T's 3G coverage has large areas of white space, implying a lack of overall coverage in those areas, AT&T said.Richard Adhikari2009-11-04T12:30:56-08:00Wireless
AT&T Wireless has filed suit against Verizon over the latter's latest ad campaign. That campaign, which claims Verizon has five times more U.S. 3G wireless network coverage than AT&T, shows two maps of the United States side by side, one with each company's coverage. The map purporting to show AT&T's 3G coverage has large areas of white space, implying a lack of overall coverage in those areas, AT&T said. The ad is misleading, the plaintiff claims, and it seeks a temporary restraining order against Verizon -- for starters.
]]>2009-11-04T12:30:56-08:002009-11-05T18:21:11-08:00
While recent reports don't predict a major recovery for retailers this holiday season, the outlook for e-commerce sites is slightly more optimistic: 2009 will post an 18 percent increase in online holiday shopping over last year. For many consumers, though, the convenience of online shopping comes with a hefty price: their identity. Holidays are when the majority of online identity theft problems occur. The number of identity theft victims is likely to rise this year. There is little doubt that fraudsters can -- and will -- prey on online shoppers.
]]>
Sales of Microsoft's Windows 7 boxed software over the first three days of its release have vastly surpassed those of its predecessor, Vista, for the same time period, according new figures from the NPD Group. Specifically, NPD's weekly tracking service is reporting that Windows 7 software sales in the U.S. were 234 percent higher for those three days, compared with Vista's sales. Windows 7 revenue, however, was not as high for that initial period, amounting to only about 82 percent over revenue earned by Vista.
]]>
This week, I headed southwest as I continued making the rounds of travel-planning Web sites for the E-Commerce Times. My first impression of Southwest Airlines' Web site was that its online presence faithfully reflected its corporate persona: It looked to be a roll-up-your sleeves, no nonsense outfit. The top half of the page was devoted to promoting a new destination for the airline -- Milwaukee. Book now, the item urged -- and frankly, I was tempted, as the image beckoning to me was one of the most enticing Wisconsin views I've ever seen.
]]>
The chastening effect of the recession has many financial services firms taking a cautious view of future CRM investments. One reason is that these firms are husbanding their resources. Another is a growing awareness that investments in CRM by the financial sector have not been all that successful. The first wave of CRM programs had the positive effect of providing more efficient ways of implementing marketing programs through automation, indicates a study by the Aite Group. However, the report questions the true effectiveness of CRM programs.
]]>
Cisco Systems doesn't want Wall Street to interpret its forecast for its first quarterly revenue growth in a year as evidence that the U.S. and other economies are roaring back. A slow improvement in orders is under way, but the pace is still slow and the recovery is fragile, executives told analysts Wednesday. "There's still uncertainty in the economy on a global basis," said Cisco CFO Frank Calderoni. "It's not completely back to normal levels, and with that kind of uncertainty, you really have to take things quarter by quarter."
]]>
This holiday season's biggest entertainment blockbuster likely will be a sequel to a popular franchise, with jarring depictions of war and an intricate story of good versus evil. It could easily rake in more than last year's record $155 million opening weekend for "The Dark Knight." But this blockbuster is not a movie. It is "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2," a video game that Activision Blizzard is releasing Tuesday. Fans worldwide are expected to spend at least half a billion dollars on the game in the first week.
]]>
Google has introduced a search engine for online retailers. Priced at $50,000 annually, the Software as a Service offering is aimed at high-end e-commerce operations that want to provide customers looking for a particular product on their site with more accurate search results. Search is arguably one of the weakest features on most retailers' sites. A common complaint is that filters are very weak, with most vertical engines unable to parse out the difference between, for example, "digital" cameras and "high resolution" cameras.
]]>
By and large, IT favors grand pronouncements and overheated rhetoric, and the industry abounds with "unprecedented" efforts firmly rooted in precedent and "unique" solutions fashioned from the commonest clay. Is that the case with Cisco, EMC and VMware's new Virtual Computing Environment coalition? Decidedly not. VCE should help drive sales of the members' various technologies and make real their vision of private cloud computing, which allows enterprises to seamlessly blend internal IT resources with those from external service providers behind the firewall.
]]>
Customer relationships are damaged when companies hear too late about customer concerns or issues to do anything to repair them. Even worse, many crucial concerns aren't being heard by the right people at an organization. For example, are managers aware of which customers are unhappy? Did an employee treat a customer unfairly? What are the specific factors that caused a customer to leave? Which of your organization's services matter most to customers, by priority?
]]>
EU lawmakers and governments agreed on new rights for Internet users Thursday, aiming to protect them from arbitrary crackdowns on those who illegally download music and movies on the Internet. EU Telecoms Commissioner Viviane Reding said a deal was reached after EU governments agreed to EU parliament demands to balance measures against illegal downloaders with a broader set of rights for telecom users. The reforms were two years in the making. They also include new privacy controls, consumer rights and increased competition for Internet and phone services.
]]>
Cisco is broadening its footprint with a major move into the cloud computing space. The company has formed a far-reaching partnership with EMC -- a joint venture in which VMware, a majority owned subsidiary of EMC, will also play a large role. Intel's Xeon processors and other data center technology are also a significant component to this offering; the company will join the JV as a minority investor. Called "Acadia," the new entity is marketing vBlock infrastructure packages, aka "vBlocks."
]]>
AT&T Wireless has filed suit against Verizon over the latter's latest ad campaign. That campaign, which claims Verizon has five times more U.S. 3G wireless network coverage than AT&T, shows two maps of the United States side by side, one with each company's coverage. The map purporting to show AT&T's 3G coverage has large areas of white space, implying a lack of overall coverage in those areas, AT&T said. The ad is misleading, the plaintiff claims, and it seeks a temporary restraining order against Verizon -- for starters.
]]>