Q&As

For many folks, tis the season to give to charitable causes. This month, we look at the Web sites of several well known animal nonprofits, to see what they’re doing online.

Sixty-three percent of U.S. households — 69.1 million homes — own a pet, and 45% own more than one, according to a survey by the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association.

American Airlines is out with a new sweepstakes that awards winners with frequent-flier miles and gift cards.

Five days before Christmas, and chances are your local shopping center looks like the Battle of Verdun, only with less parking. What would you give to be able to find out, without setting foot in that seething mass of frazzled parents, crying kids and overworked sales clerks, whether that set of barbells your Aunt Fanny had her eye on was available, and maybe even on sale? NearbyNow wants to give you that chance to search products at your local mall in comfort.

About seven years ago, the Lazy E-L ranch in Roscoe, MT decided it wanted to try marketing directly to red meat lovers. It formed the Montana Legend Co., which markets angus beef online and through catalogs.

Terrence Smalley, a longtime online marketing executive, has formed Outonthenet.com, a loyalty-marketing firm catering to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) market.

My pointed observation from reviewing hundreds of self-penned sales letters from small business owners is this: A majority of these otherwise by and large hard-working and conscientious people don’t put nearly enough time and effort into the job.

MerchantCircle has launched Web IdentityManager, a software package designed to help local business owners manage their online reputation by aggregating company listings, reviews and online ratings from local search sites.

The Federal Trade Commission will not begin taking action against telemarketers running afoul of call abandonment provisions in the Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR) starting Jan. 2.

Valassis Communications Inc. will acquire Advo Inc. for $33 per share, or roughly $1.2 billion in cash. As part of the purchase agreement, both companies have agreed to dismiss all pending litigation.