online

Numbers

Are You “Always Addressable”?

Beth Callaghan in Numbers on April 24 at 11:04 am PT

A recently completed study from Forrester Research says a lot about the persistence of your online habits.

Millions of Americans Dial Up Travel Plans From the Phone

Tricia Duryee in Commerce on April 17 at 2:43 pm PT

While total spending on online travel continues to grow, it is the mobile travel market that has everyone excited.

Internet-Only Bonobos Gets Cash and Rack Space From Nordstrom

Tricia Duryee in Commerce on April 12 at 8:54 am PT

Bonobos, the New York-based online clothing brand, says it has closed $16.4 million in new funding from Nordstrom and that it will start selling its pants at the high-end department store.

To Mitt: Here’s Your Digital Etch A Sketch

Lauren Goode in Commerce on March 23 at 10:29 am PT

Why race to buy a plastic Etch A Sketch when you can download an app or make a Kinect-a-Sketch?

News Byte

Textbook Renter Chegg Raises $25 Million

Peter Kafka in Media on March 9 at 3:50 pm PT

Chegg, the on- and off-line textbook rental service, has raised $25 million in an inside round. A PR rep for the company says the money will be used for the “growth of the business and is lead by existing investors.” Chegg says insiders aren’t selling shares in conjunction with the raise.

News Byte

Big Fish Scoops Up Mobile Casino-Game Maker Self Aware Games

Lauren Goode in News on March 6 at 8:02 am PT

Casual-gaming company Big Fish has acquired mobile social game developer Self Aware Games, makers of Card Ave: Casino, and its parent company, Social Concepts, in a cash-equity deal of an undisclosed amount. The acquisition comes as more gaming companies are exploring opportunities in gambling-themed games and U.S. states weigh the legalization of Internet gambling. Seattle-based Big Fish, which has more than 2,500 games in its catalog and 45 million game downloads per month, saw revenue north of $180 million in 2011, the company said.

News Byte

Kodak Selling Online Photo Business to Shutterfly for $23 Million

Lauren Goode in News on March 1 at 2:15 pm PT

On the heels of filing for bankruptcy and saying it would stop making cameras, Eastman Kodak said today it would sell its Kodak Gallery online photo services business to Shutterfly for $23.8 million. Users’ photos will be transferred to Shutterfly’s site.

Boku Takes “Pay Any Way You Want” Approach With Mobile Payments

Lauren Goode in Commerce on February 23 at 7:30 am PT

Online payments start-up Boku is taking payments offline and into stores with a MasterCard sticker for smartphones.

News Byte

Citi: Positive Trends Ahead for E-Commerce

Lauren Goode in News on February 17 at 11:50 am PT

According to a brief from comScore, total U.S. online spending in January — including retail and travel — grew 13 percent year over year to $23 billion, compared to 11 percent in December. Both months were pointing slightly downward from fourth-quarter online spending, which saw 14 percent year-over-year growth, but Citi analyst Mark Mahaney said in a note that he sees overall positive trends ahead in e-commerce, with the possibility of seeing pre-recession 20 percent growth rates. Key segments contributing to January’s overall growth included online sales of computer software, jewelry and watches, and home electronics.

My So-Called Social Super Bowl

Lauren Goode in Social on February 6 at 4:19 pm PT

Last night, I took a rare break from social media and opted for a real-time, real-life Super Bowl instead. And somehow … I saw the same game everyone else did.