Publications

September 1999 (Revised April 2000)
Case

drugstore.com

By: Richard L. Nolan

On a clear day in August 1999 in the new headquarters of drugstore.com, against a backdrop of the Blue Angels flying in formation over Lake Washington practicing for their hydroplane Seafare Cup performance, Peter Neupert was pleased with his company's IPO performance.... View Details

Keywords: Business Growth and Maturation; Internet and the Web; Problems and Challenges; Business Startups; Retail Industry

11 Sep 2012
First Look

First Look: September 11

The Time for Hope," HBS No. 310-070. Purchase this case:http://hbr.org/search/313010-PDF-ENG CSN Stores William A. Sahlman and Neil TolaneyHarvard Business School Case 812-044 In March 2011, CSN Stores is a collection of nearly 200 View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

April 2000 (Revised November 2003)
Case

H. E. Butt Grocery Company: The New Digital Strategy (A)

By: F. Warren McFarlan and Melissa Dailey

Shows how the company's IT priorities have moved from primary supply chain restructuring to e-commerce. Shows the new organization structure created by the company. View Details

Keywords: Internet and the Web; Organizational Structure; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Supply Chain; Technology Adoption; Information Technology; Retail Industry

Find at Harvard

30 Jan 2018
First Look

January 30, 2018

Abstract—The article discusses the notion of advertising as a profession in relation to the impact of digital analytics and data-driven marketing. Topics include the history of internet marketing, the investments of the content-driven... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

2007
Working Paper

Why Do Intermediaries Divert Search?

By: Andrei Hagiu and Bruno Jullien

We analyze the incentives to divert search for an information intermediary who enables buyers (consumers) to search affiliated sellers (stores). We identify two original motives for diverting search (i.e. inducing consumers to search more than they would like): i)... View Details

Keywords: Demand and Consumers; Motivation and Incentives; Internet and the Web; Digital Platforms; Distribution Channels; Business Strategy; Retail Industry

Read Now

June 2001 (Revised July 2001)
Case

Amazon.com in the Year 2000

By: Krishna G. Palepu and Jeremy Cott

An analyst's critique of Amazon's prospectus from the perspective of its bond holders. View Details

Keywords: Bonds; Accounting Audits; Financial Reporting; Governing and Advisory Boards; Internet and the Web; Forecasting and Prediction; Retail Industry

09 Apr 2019
First Look

New Research and Ideas, April 9, 2019

company. Purchase this case:https://hbsp.harvard.edu/product/719456-PDF-ENG Harvard Business School Case 518-038 Index In December 2017, Marc Freed-Finnegan and Jonathan Wall, the co-founders of retail technology company Index, had to... View Details

Keywords: Dina Gerdeman

2009
Working Paper

Why Do Intermediaries Divert Search? - Companion Paper

By: Andrei Hagiu and Bruno Jullien

This companion paper contains several extensions of the model presented in our main paper - Hagiu and Jullien (2009). View Details

Keywords: Market Intermediation; Search; Two Sided Markets; Platform Design; Demand and Consumers; Motivation and Incentives; Internet and the Web; Digital Platforms; Distribution Channels; Business Strategy; Retail Industry

Read Now

June 1998 (Revised August 2000)
Case

Microsoft CarPoint

By: Jeffrey F. Rayport

CarPoint.com was Microsoft's Web-based entry into on-line automobile retailing. While it could not, in fact, "sell" or deliver any cars, it could shift much of consumer search, comparison, and decision-making, including pricing, the traditional car dealer to the Web.... View Details

Keywords: Internet and the Web; Service Operations; Market Entry and Exit; Consumer Behavior; Retail Industry; Retail Industry

19 Oct 2009
Research & Ideas

Why Are Web Sites So Confusing?

Do you sometimes get the feeling that Internet portals, search pages, social networks, e-commerce, and other Web sites are not necessarily designed in order to maximize user convenience and benefits? We do, too. Why—you might ask? For a... View Details

Keywords: by Andrei Hagiu & Bruno Jullien

04 Feb 2014
First Look

First Look: February 4

organization, selling 46 products, including pouched milk, cheese, butter, ice cream, and infant food through a million retailers across the country as well as being the market leader in almost all the categories in which it operates.... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthlorne

July 2000 (Revised October 2000)
Case

Petstore.com

By: Thomas R. Eisenmann

Petstore.com is one of four contenders for leadership in the highly competitive online pet supply business. Petstore.com faces decisions regarding potential merger partners and how to brand its service within the website managed by its ultimate merger partner,... View Details

Keywords: Competition; Internet and the Web; Mergers and Acquisitions; Partners and Partnerships; Internet and the Web; Brands and Branding; Marketing Strategy; Retail Industry

30 May 2017
First Look

First Look at New Research and Ideas, May 30

These findings challenge previous recommendations for optimal advice-seeking behavior. Harvard Business School Case 617-059 Flashion: Art vs. Science in Fashion Retailing Kate Wilson, retail analytics... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

November 2012
Teaching Note

Groupon (TN)

By: Sunil Gupta, Ray Weaver and Yien Hao Lock

On November 4, 2011, Groupon, a marketing services company that promoted local businesses by selling deeply discounted vouchers for their products and services, completed its initial public offering that valued the company at $17 billion. Within a year Groupon's share... View Details

Keywords: Social Networking; Media; Technology; Strategy; Business Growth and Maturation; Marketing Strategy; Marketing; Internet and the Web; Social Media; Retail Industry; Retail Industry; Retail Industry; North America; United States

04 May 2020
Research & Ideas

Predictions, Prophets, and Restarting Your Business

period—and so did in-store sales as well as sales of jigsaw puzzles and walkie-talkies. It’s not clear what we learn from panic buying. So let’s look at what was happening online before the virus of 2020. Ecommerce has been part of the View Details

Keywords: by Frank V. Cespedes

08 Apr 2014
First Look

First Look: April 8

surplus and welfare, sometimes to such an extent that the existence of the intermediary can be harmful. Specifically, lower consumer surplus and welfare result from inflated retail prices, over-investment in providing benefits to buyers,... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

February 2000 (Revised August 2000)
Case

Priceline WebHouse Club

By: Thomas R. Eisenmann and Jon K Rust

Priceline empowered consumers to "name their own price" for airline tickets and hotel rooms; then it shopped these offers to marketers. Priceline's founder Jay Walker described the resulting transactions as a new ecosystem, that helped consumers realize lower prices... View Details

Keywords: Business Model; Strategy; Disruptive Innovation; Internet and the Web; Entrepreneurship; Retail Industry