shipping

Lot18 Sours on Flash Sales, Lays Off 25 as It Shifts to Wine Subscriptions

Tricia Duryee in Commerce on January 7 at 8:25 am PT

The online wine seller hopes the two moves will bring it to profitability.

Instant Gratification

People have become accustomed to this idea of instant gratification, where you just type something on your phone and the next thing you know, you have what you need.

– TaskRabbit spokesperson Johnny Brackett, talking to the New York Times about retailers’ attempts to offer same-day shipping.

Some Last-Minute Online Shoppers Can Still Put Gifts Under the Tree

Tricia Duryee in Commerce on December 21, 2012 at 5:32 pm PT

There are a number of ways to still get deliveries sent to your home if you don’t feel like fighting the crowds at the mall.

A Look Inside the Blue Nile Jewelry Factory During the Busiest Time of Year (Video)

Tricia Duryee in Commerce on December 18, 2012 at 11:11 am PT

Diamonds galore! Online retailer Blue Nile is absolutely buzzing as thousands of couples get engaged for the holidays.

Online Shopping Season Peaked Last Week, but It’s Not Over Yet

Tricia Duryee in Commerce on December 17, 2012 at 2:49 pm PT

For consumers who want to receive orders in time for Christmas, the deadline is this week on many e-commerce sites.

Tasty: FoodyDirect Gets $3M, as Former Goldman Tech Banker Turns Entrepreneur

Kara Swisher in Commerce on December 17, 2012 at 11:01 am PT

Can you make lox, bagels and a schmear digital?

The Prime Reason Why Amazon’s Sales May Be Falling Behind This Holiday

Tricia Duryee in Commerce on December 13, 2012 at 6:30 am PT

Amazon’s peak spending days may occur even closer to Christmas this year, as more customers sign-up for its free two-day shipping program.

As Facebook Gears Up for E-Commerce Holidays, Social Gifting Start-Ups Buckle Down

Mike Isaac in Social on November 15, 2012 at 7:00 am PT

Facebook is set to unveil an update to its Gifts feature, and all of the social gifting start-up competition is aflutter.

Groupon’s Not Trying to Become Amazon, but Andrew Mason Says Products Are Key

Tricia Duryee in Commerce on November 9, 2012 at 4:38 pm PT

For the past two quarters, Groupon’s primary growth driver has been in selling physical products — not coupons.

News Byte

Amazon Uncorks New Wine Category

Tricia Duryee in Commerce on November 8, 2012 at 7:25 am PT

Amazon is officially entering the wine business, making more than a thousand wines available starting today. While Amazon’s wine store emphasizes search and editorial content, the trick with selling wine online is dealing with all the individual state requirements. In Amazon’s case, wine will be delivered direct from the winery to a dozen states and the District of Columbia. Shipping costs $9.99 for one to six bottles.