Inside these posts: Online retailing

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Kindle surge makes it Amazon’s best-seller

Amazon.com Inc.  said its third-generation Kindle is the best-selling product in its history, taking the title from the book “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” though the online retail giant didn’t disclose the number of units sold.

The company said that on its peak day, Nov. 29, also known as Cyber Monday, customers ordered more than 13.7 million items, up 44 percent from its peak day a year earlier, when customers ordered more than 9.5 million items. Get the full story »

Amazon hurt by rivals’ free shipping, deals

Amazon.com shares tumbled as much as 4 percent Monday on concerns that offers of free shipping by Wal-Mart Stores Inc and other retailers could challenge the online company’s results. Get the full story »

Amazon to buy Diapers.com owner for $500M

Expanding its online retail empire, Amazon.com Inc. said Monday that it is buying Quidsi, the owner of Diapers.com and Soap.com, for $500 million in cash.

AmEx to buy Itasca anti-fraud firm for $150M

American Express said Thursday it was paying $150 million to acquire Accertify Inc., an Itasca-based firm that specializes in fighting online fraud.

Founded in 2007 by Jeff Liesendahl and other veterans of Orbitz, Accertify provides airlines and other online merchants with an extra layer of security to help them combat identity theft and credit-card fraud.

The firm’s customers include Delta, JetBlue and Southwest Airlines and Sony, 1-800 Flowers, Barnes & Noble, Urban Outfitters, Electronic Arts, StubHub, Tickets.com, Autotrader and Zipcar. Get the full story »

Sears drops offensive mousepad from online store

From CBS2 Chicago | Mousepads with controversial messages like “My kid had sex with your honor student” do not fall outside the guidelines of Sears’ online marketplace, but the company is pulling them anyway after complaints from at least one shopper.

Deal expands MasterCard’s online presence in Europe

MasterCard Inc. will buy U.K. payment services company DataCash Group Plc for $520 million in cash to expand its online commerce business and take market share abroad.

The world’s second-largest credit and debit card payment processing network said it is paying  a 54 percent premium to DataCash’s Wednesday closing price. DataCash’s shares rose to a 10-year high. Get the full story »