Facebook tries out third-party Marketplace deals from eBay, an automated news aggregator and veteran executive Andrew Bosworth in the leading role of its new consumer hardware department. Plus, in light of sinking stock prices, analysts say long-term investors should be very optimistic, and there may be enormous potential for Asia-Pacific growth. Read More...

There was no joy in grocery retail Mudville Friday — not with the announcement that Amazon/Whole Foods is all but a done deal — and to celebrate, Amazon is lowering prices at Whole Foods. It’s a tough road for grocery retailers, Skava VP and head of innovation Dave Barrowman told Karen Webster in this week's Topic TBD, but not an insurmountable one. So, how can grocery of the past take on the Amazon machine of the future? We have it all right here.  Read More...

The Middle East has been slow to embrace eCommerce, but that could be on the brink of changing: A new online marketplace called Noon is poised to debut this fall. It will welcome third-party sellers, creating an unprecedented opportunity for merchants in the region, where only 15 percent of domestic merchants currently have an online presence. But Noon will have to overcome some barriers first, including Amazon, which recently bought the region’s largest eCommerce platform, Souq.com. Read More...