Amazon.com

While dozens of e-commerce firms have recently sprung up to capitalize on India's growing internet use, they have a problem. Indians are not yet comfortable with shopping on the web, while many of them remain unwilling to use credit cards online. Therefore the Indian retailers have gone to great lengths to gain customers. Customers may pay in cash on delivery, and the company fields delivery squads to ensure shipments get to customers quickly.

Ever since Amazon launched its toy store and opened it to third-party sellers in July 2006 after Toys"R"Us exited the platform, it's restricted third-party sales in its toys and games category to preapproved sellers during the holiday shopping season. Third-party sellers on Amazon received their notices this week.

Now that California and Amazon have called a truce of sorts in their tax fight, what will become of the 10,000 affiliates caught in the middle that were unceremoniously booted from online marketing affiliate programs? Chances are they should be making a comeback.

Groupon has begun offering discounts on products sold over the web in the U.K., thrusting the internet-coupon company into closer competition with the likes of Amazon and eBay.

Best Buy, the electronics retailer whose business has been eroded by smartphone-carrying shoppers and price comparison websites, is fighting back by launching its own rival to online marketplaces such as Amazon’s.

SACRAMENTO, CA (BRAIN)—It looks as though Amazon has bought itself another year before the online retailer has to start collecting sales tax from Californians. According to the LA Times, the company would return the favor by dropping its battle to overturn the state's new law requiring tax collection. Amazon had refused to collect the taxes and poured millions into fighting the new law. According to the LA Times, Amazon wouldn't have to start collecting until September 2012 under this deal.

Amazon cut a tentative deal with legislative leaders that would allow it to postpone collecting sales taxes from Californians for another year. The company in turn would drop its battle to overturn the state's new law that required it and many other out-of-state online retailers to collect the taxes.

Word on the street is that Amazon is testing out something new in Seattle and it's not the Kindle tablet. We're talking about lockers at 7-Eleven mini-marts that will let online shoppers pick up their packages while they grab a hot dog instead of waiting for the UPS man at home.

For days our inboxes have been filled with tips and screenshots about Amazon.com’s redesign, which offers a cleaned up homepage without the old site’s iconic blue and orange navigation. Instead, the new site features a much bigger search bar, bigger buttons, and less clutter — all changes that practically scream “tablet-optimized!”

E-commerce powerhouses Amazon.com, Walmart.com and eBay.com remain as the top e-retailers in the STORES Favorite 50. The fifth annual ranking of the industry’s top online retailers reflects the views of retailers’ toughest and most important judges — consumers.