This is awesome - Walmart is test delivering groceries, and using Chicago as the first market.  Peapod (another company BIC) lookout? 

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/23/us-walmart-idUSTRE73M1QX20110423

By the way, if you've been to the UK, you know Tesco has been doing this very successfully for years.  

Don't say I didn't warn you.  VAT is coming to ecommerce, c/o Illinois Senator Dick Durbin:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-31921_3-20052999-281.html

BestBuy, Walgreens, HSN, Play.com, Kroger, McDonalds, TripAdvisor, many more ecommerce data breach!  

Please note that both Epsilon and Silverpop, two of the world's largest email marketing services, suffered a major compromise recently and almost all of their customer data has been exposed to spammers, hackers, and the like.  Most ecommerce outlets are not taking this seriously and there will be major legal implications for some!

Inform yourself:

http://www.spamfighter.com/Data-Breach-Leads-to-Theft-of-E-mail-ids-TripAdvisor-15992-News.htm

http://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/view/17050/spammers-targeting-kroger-customers-in-the-us/

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2011/04/epsilon-cutsomer-files-email-addresses-breached-including-best-buy-jpmorgan-chase-us-bank-capital-on.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/faster-forward/post/epsilon-breach-affects-several-companies/2011/04/04/AFMLT2bC_blog.html

Here's my thoughts on the whole thing: 

http://www.builtinchicago.org/profiles/blogs/crippling-chicagos?xg_source=activity

See Governor Quinn's press release about the new tax legislation.

Nexus technically applies to any company that has employees, facilities or revenue generated in Illinois -- whether it's incorporated in IL or not.  You'll want to consult your lawyer and/or accountant immediately if you're not sure.

Does this affect companies incorporated in Illinois, physically in Illinois, or both?

Amazingly short sighted - I reached out to have this blocked very early on and nobody would listen. "Affiliate marketing" means Amway and Mary Kay to politicians who can't work their Blackberries:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-il-internettaxes,0,3781769.story

Follow up on the JCP story from earlier in the week - now Overstock is in Google's crosshairs.  Something tells me there's quite a few more to come.  

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704520504576162753779521700.html?mod=WSJ_WSJ_News_BlogsModule

I'm pretty sure both JCP and Overstock are Commission Junction partners, by the way. 

Tons of Sears people on this Ning -- you should all know your new CEO is all about the intertubes:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-0224-sears-ceo-20110223,0,1564678.story

Where Ultimate Electronics once was, now we get click-and-mortar Hhgregg.   

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-0217-hh-gregg-20110217,0,6467194.story

Borders liquidating 200 stores, will focus solely on ecommerce only.  B+N Retail is doing pretty terrible too

http://money.cnn.com/2011/02/17/news/companies/borders_store_closing_sale/ 

Side note: What used to be Borders in Uptown is one of my favorite buildings in the city. Awesome aesthetics

ASCI rates all sectors of commerce (including retail and ecommerce) down in satisfaction for Q1.

http://www.theacsi.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=241&Itemid=264

However, individual ecommerce outlets (specifically in electronics and media) are WAY up

A Warning for Illinois - Amazon pulling out of Texas over back taxes

http://www.dailytech.com/Amazon+to+Cease+Operations+in+Texas+over+Tax+Collection+State+Gov+Looks+to+Change+Retailers+Mind/article20901.htm

Beware the lures of linkfarming for ecommerce... What happened to JC Penny 

http://www.thespec.com/news/world/article/484704--the-dirty-little-secrets-of-search

Ecommerce Q4 2010 up 11% YoY from 2009, at least according to ComScore

http://comscore.com/Press_Events/Press_Releases/2011/2/comScore_Reports_Record-Breaking_43.4_Billion_in_Q4_2010_U.S._Retail_E-Commerce_Spending

I'm sure everyone saw this:

http://seewhy.com/blog/2011/02/04/cart-abandoners-spend-155-more/

For electronics the rule of thumb is actually upwards of 90% once you filter out the bots.  Stalker ads are the future?

Ultimate Electronics closing down all stores (46).  Clicks-and-Mortar continues to own the Midwest (TigerDirect, hhgregg, Microcenter, Frys)

http://www.stltoday.com/business/local/article_1cb54e84-32f1-11e0-a055-00127992bc8b.html