CrossTalk

| MCM staff

XML is a hot favorite for e-commerce transactions, but universal usage standards remain elusiveA pianist can rely on hours of practice and his own neural

LEAP, CLICK, SHIP

| MCM staff

In his popular book The Fifth Discipline, business management guru Peter Senge describes what he calls the “Parable of the Boiled Frog.” If you drop a

Patagonia, Holiday 1999

| Melissa Dowling

As a cataloger/retailer/wholesaler/Web marketer, Patagonia is indeed a multichannel powerhouse. And, judges said, the outdoor gear and apparel marketer’s

Deluxe assortment

| Barbara Arnn

How does the expansion of Internet-based sales alter the picture of payment processing?It’s a money-colored thing Remember when you were a kid and you

Patagonia, Holiday 1999

| Moira Cotlier

At first glance, all the judges agreed, Patagonia’s cover image of two rock climbers scaling an enormous, icy rock face is “stunning,” “dramatic,” and

Rack & Roll

| Rama Ramaswami

What’s trendy, up-to-the-minute, and to die for? A distribution center that’s equipped to the max for e-commerce, of course. Take a tour of SubmitOrder.com’s

talking heads

| MCM staff

“Has the recent downturn in Internet stocks affected your business?”I don’t believe we’ve been affected at all, to tell the truth. We see no signs of

Patagonia, Holiday 1999

| Sherry Chiger

If your idea of winter sports is running from your heated car to your heated house, any old jacket will do. But if you prefer, say, skiing Alaska’s Chugach

a hero’s task

| MCM staff

At least once in your life, you will be charged with setting up a sizable direct-to-customer fulfillment operation in a short time. If you’re in the dot-com