It seems everyone expected some news on GBuy service – the system testing was scheduled for this week, but Google announced Google Checkout launch instead.

Well, I do not think there are many online users that are impressed with the new service. All it does – it saves your credit card data and you will not enter the details each time you shop online at certain stores. You should really be an active online shopper to be annoyed with entering your credit card data each time you buy items or services online.

Google also combined new service with AdWords: a complete solution for searching customers via Google and processing the sales. Probably, this service primarily is targeted at online outlets owners – online merchants – Google places a little icon on the ads of stores offering Google Checkout. The service is free.

Check Google Checkout

[tags]Google Checkout, adwords, e-commerce, online business, gbuy[/tags]

MySpace is a new generation social networking site that should give a new impulse to online business model development. It is sort of a buzzword, the place is no doubt popular with teenagers and youth. The site is one of the most trafficked in the USA (over 70 million a month).

It is also a popular way for online marketers to promote their services and products to target groups. But recently this technique is more and more abused. MySpace promotion is kind of spamming members (many people create hundreds of accounts, use automatic friend adders and other ways with the sole purpose to send out bulletins with their adv to thousands of MySpace members).

Forbes calls MySpace (as well as some other social networking sites) a bubble. A business model that is not likely to last or at least there is no evident proof that their model is long lasting. It works in a few simple steps: survive, call yourself Web 2.0 and attract attention, get venture capital and sell your business to a bigger market player (MySpace successfully completed all stages, now there are a few more websites that would be happy to do the same).

Another new breed of websites is shareable content providers – PhotoBucket, YouTube and thousands of their clones.

Web 2.0 term annoys more and more people. Some companies that proudly called them Web 2.0 get closed (read more on some Web 2.0 failures on TechCrunch.com). It proves that it is not enough to call yourself Web 2.0 company. You need much more to succeed online (as well as in offline world).

[tags]forbes, web 2.0, myspace, youtube, blogger, classmates, photobucket, affiliate marketing, online business[/tags]

InternetRetailer.com has published its annual (third) Edition of the Top 500 Guide. The guide includes US outlets only. A printed 260-page book includes detailed information on top online stores in miscellaneous sectors. Information provided for every retailer:

• 2005 Internet sales
• Monthly web traffic
• Monthly unique visitors
• 16 sectors
• Average conversion rate
• Management
• Performance consistency
• Etc.

It is valuable information for small- mid-sized online retailers to see how their bigger competitors do, what it takes and how to improve general operation.

An advantage of the guide presentation is a sample listing that gives you a clear idea what to expect from the publication.

Another nice feature is an online list of all included online retailers added to the guide. If you do not want to spend money on the guide you can at least browse the websites of top online retailers and see their design and development techniques, make analysis of their marketing campaigns.

The guide price is $59.00, discounts apply if you order more than one copy. You can order your copy here

[tags]online retailers, top stores, top 500, amazon, wal-mart, figleaves[/tags]