E-commerce

Amazon drone lift-off is a mixed blessing for UK

27 Jul 2016

The online retailer got permission from the British government to test drone deliveries, while the U.S. is more cautious. Industrial use of drones could do wonders for Amazon’s spiralling costs. But safety issues and job automation mean there may be losers too.

Profit upgrade puts Zalando back in fashion

19 Jul 2016

The German online fashion retailer has calmed worries about competition from Amazon by raising full-year operating profit margin guidance by around a quarter and forecasting strong revenue growth. While shares are up by a fifth in a day, valuations can grow richer still.

Alibaba highlights hurdles in Russia’s pivot east

12 Jul 2016

Moscow wants closer economic ties with China, rather than dealing with an unfriendly West. But Russia's poor business climate makes life hard for Chinese companies, although they are used to draconian rules at home. Even e-commerce giant Alibaba has only made modest inroads.

British retail sleepwalks into Amazon-ageddon

8 Jul 2016

Real-world stores are burdened with poor demand, too much property and thinning profit. The U.S. tech giant, meanwhile, is hiring 1,000 UK staff and pushing into fashion and groceries. The UK's economic problems could be a decisive moment in the online land grab.