Stories by Bernhard Warner

That Was CDnow, This Is Then

You know you're in trouble when your accountant says you're running out of cash. That's the predicament CDnow finds itself in now that Arthur Andersen, the firm's independent public accountant, has revealed that the retailer has just enough cash to operate through Sept. 30, 2000. Beyond that, it's anybody's guess.

Sears Has AOL

Sears, Roebuck, and Co., the retailer that was born 114 years ago as a catalog, is turning to America Online to jumpstart its online business. The two companies announced Tuesday a multi-year, multimillion-dollar marketing alliance in which AOL will customize a version of its ISP service specifically for Sears customers.

An $80 Million Buffet for Food.com

In a rarity for Internet investments, a covey of mainstream food and media companies, including McDonald's, Kraft Foods and TV Guide, are pouring $80 million into Food.com, the company announced Thursday.

Boo.com Trims its Bottom Line

In the first sign of trouble for the e-commerce site, Boo.com laid off some 70 employees Tuesday. The layoffs, which comprised editorial and customer relations staffers in its New York and European offices, comes less than three months after the international fashion boutique's launch.

ActiveUSA's Small-Town Play

In an effort to reach small-town folks, ActiveUSA has acquired rival LeagueLink, forming a site where amateur athletes and weekend warriors can register for local sporting events such as softball leagues or marathons. La Jolla, Calif.-based ActiveUSA would not disclose the exact price tag of the LeagueLink deal, which was announced this week - but company officials put the investment at about $15 million.

A Whole New Ball Game

Eighteen months ago John Elway didn't even own a personal computer. Now the retired National Football League star is chairman and founder of MVP.com, an e-commerce startup backed by VC powerhouse Benchmark Capital.

Disney buys into Toysmart.com

Disney has acquired a majority stake in Toysmart.com, thrusting the entertainment giant headlong into the wide open $US1.1 billion educational-toys market.

Undeterred, AOL names head of broadband

America Online may have been cut out of the latest round of the cable broadband wars, but it doesn't intend to be on the sidelines for long. The largest Internet access provider has quietly stepped up its broadband initiative, hiring MCA Television veteran Robert Harris to oversee the development of broadband programming.

Reebok on the run

Why would Reebok International, which last year suffered a 13.6 per cent drop in US footwear sales, try to stop online retailers from selling its products?

AOL, Sun shed light on e-commerce plan

Executives from America Online and Sun Microsystems made the first of a string of "meet and greets" with press and analysts here Tuesday to explain just how they plan to pull off their newly christened e-commerce sales initiative.

Footing it online

Nike has been quietly making plans to launch an online store to sell its footwear and apparel. Niketown.com, as the site will probably be called, could be open as soon as next month, said sources close to the project.

Tune in, log on, kick off, fumble

Is Internet programming ready for prime time? That's the question that Walt Disney officials sought to resolve Monday night, when their much ballyhooed "enhanced television" aired online during the Fiesta Bowl broadcast on ABC.