Short Cuts
“Buy It Now” Stays on eBay
A federal judge refused to stop eBay from using an online feature that lets shoppers buy items at a fixed price with one click. The U.S. Supreme court last year found that eBay had infringed on a patent held by MercExchange but left any injunction to the lower court. But the U.S. district court judge found that MercExchange had not been irreparably harmed, since it made money through licensing its patent or suing infringers. A jury trial in 2003 found that eBay had infringed on the patent and fined the company $35 million, later reduced to $25 million.
Venture Capital Flows to iCrossing
Digital marketing agency iCrossing raised $62 million in funding from a group led by investment firm Goldman Sachs. ICrossing said the capital will be used “to support acquisitions and an organic growth strategy.” In the last year, the company bought U.K. search and social agency Spannerworks, Sharp Analytics and pay-per-click agency NewGate Internet.
