Wednesday Internet Digest

E-commerce:
o 22% of online audience shop more online as a result of higher gas prices (7% much more, 15% somewhat; survey Retail Forward)
o Sales US: week as of Oct 2, 2005: +21% to $1.56 bn; 05Q3: +20.4% to $18.2 bn; 05 YTD: +23.6% to $54.87 bn (comScore)
o Holiday sales US: 43% of audience plans online shopping (was 38.3%), total on/off line retail sales expected at $435.3 bn (+5%) (survey NRF/BIGresearch)

Search technology:
o Blinkx.tv includes Akimbo’s content
o Autonomy creates a conceptual index (1 bn items) using ‘Intelligent Data Operating Layer’ (IDOL), creates categories using ‘Automatic Query Guidance’ (AQG)
o Planned intro of Convera’s private label search engine (‘Excalibur’ technology)
o Intro of IT.com (vertical search)

Sponsored search:
o Click fraud: intro ‘Click Forensics 3.5’ by Optimal iQ; Clicklab intros ‘Click Fraud Audit’ service
o Pay-per-call: alliance of Infospace (local search) with Jambo (PPC solution)