As REDgroup Retail, the owner of Angus & Robertson and Borders stores announced this week that it had gone into administration, Guy Rundle writes about the wider implications of the death of the bookshop.
E commerce
Retailers and the loophole that wasn’t there
The retail lobby against the internet has successfully seeded the idea that there is a GST “loophole.” But no such loophole exists and and if they think it does, they’re in a lot of trouble.
Free shipping: how two words transformed e-commerce
Eliminating shipping costs levelled the playing field between online and brick and mortar companies this year. Advertising agencies will now need to play catch in order to capture the masses moving online.
Rakuten: the biggest e-commerce site you’ve never heard of
In Japan, online shopping site Amazon is a small player — the big name is a local site called Rakuten. With plans to go global, can they knock Amazon from pole position in the West, too?
The e-store that cashes in on inconvenience
Alice.com — still in beta — promises to help customers make “sure you never run out of bathroom tissue.” It uses calendars and reminders to help tell you what to buy — way before it becomes a must.
eBay faces wrath, ACCC investigation over PayPal move
eBay Australia isn’t making friends by requiring its sellers to use eBay-owned PayPal to receive their money, writes Stilgherrian
eBay to customers: we’ll handle your money, it’s for your “protection”
As eBay sticks its hand in the pockets of sellers, questions need to be asked about how to regulate the global online auction giant, writes Stilgherrian.
