From the category archives:

E-Commerce

E-Commerce

Debit Card Overdrafts: More Term Substitution

by Jerry Ellig on March 10, 2010 • Comments

A major bank prohibits debit card overdrafts in response to regulations that were only supposed to make consumers aware of overdraft fees.

Competition and patience

by Jerry Brito on February 22, 2010 • Comments

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Market processes–especially those surrounding new technology and distribution channels–can be less than instantaneous, but they have a way of ultimately conforming to economic reality.

Is Italy the next China?

by Massimiliano Trovato on February 1, 2010 • Comments

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Under the current proposal in Itay, websites like YouTube or Vimeo that stream video over the internet would be required to seek a Government license and to prevent users from uploading illegal content through their infrastructure.

There’s no reason an NYT paywall won’t work

by Jerry Brito on January 22, 2010 • Comments

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Contra the digerati, there’s no economic reason the NYT could not segment its customers and erect a paywall.

Argument for an e-mail and twitter tax?

by Jerry Ellig on December 16, 2009 • Comments

Could dramatic increases in myopia (nearsightedness) be used as an excuse to tax e-mail and social networking?

Online wine sales: Retailers matter

by Jerry Ellig on December 9, 2009 • Comments

If you’re thinking of laying in a nice California red for the holidays, you might have to pay more if your state only allows wineries to ship directly to consumers.

The Opera Ain’t Over til E-Commerce Sings

by Jerry Ellig on November 18, 2009 • Comments

If you really want to understand this year’s retail sales picture, wait for statistics about the online shopping that happens the Monday after Thanksgiving.

Regulatory Whack-a-Mole

by Jerry Ellig on November 11, 2009 • Comments

If the terms of a transaction aren’t comprehensively regulated, watch for unintended consequences when the government just regulates some of the terms.

A tisket, a tasket, no Internet casket

by Jerry Ellig on October 27, 2009 • Comments

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If you want to order a casket online as a Halloween prop, better check your state’s laws first.

No wine from Amazon for now

by Jerry Ellig on October 27, 2009 • Comments

State regulations have apparently killed Amazon’s plans to facilitate direct-to-consumer wine sales.