The Steiners have discontinued their blog
Summary: albertabrightalberta announced the retirement of "EcommerceBytes" after 27 years, expressing gratitude for the community's support and the impact they've had on ecommerce. bennotbill lamented the loss, expressing concern over online selling sites lacking accountability without the blog's oversight. therogue-trader and others expressed disappointment over the inaccessibility of the site's past articles, with some speculating on the settlement terms and hoping the Steiners enjoy their retirement.
Although I didn't follow them consistently, I did read regularly and IMO, they provided an informative service.
I wish them a happy and long retirement!
From the Editor
Dear Readers,
After 27 years, David and I will stop publishing EcommerceBytes. We are so grateful to have been part of your selling journey and are proud that we gave a voice to sellers who pioneered ecommerce.
Some of my favorite parts of covering the industry were the opportunities to meet face-to-face with sellers, collectors, advertisers, service providers, and marketplace executives at ecommerce conferences, including eBay Live, Internet Retailer, ShopTalk, and eTail.
The annual Sellers Choice Awards (a brainchild of David's) was another favorite. So many of you took the time to share details about your experiences on marketplaces, which we documented in sections called "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly."
And I was just reminiscing with a friend about the series of articles we published by a retired reporter who found themselves working at an Amazon fulfillment center as part of its Camperforce. "Amazon Confidential: Confessions of a Warehouse Worker" documented their travails as they put in long days in the warehouse while living in their RV alongside many other senior campers.
That's the tip of the iceberg, but it highlights the power of people coming together and sharing their experiences to make selling online a better experience for everyone.
EcommerceBytes.com has more information and information for contacting us if you have questions, and you can find me on LinkedIn.
Wishing you continued success in your marketplace sales,
Ina Steiner
Company Information
Steiner Associates LLC makes diligent efforts to obtain accurate and timely information. However, Steiner Associates LLC disclaims any liability to any party for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions in EcommerceBytes NewsFlash, whether or not such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident or any other cause.
Copyright © 2026 Steiner Associates, LLC, All rights reserved.
Our mailing address is:
Steiner Associates, LLC
PO Box 668
Natick, MA 01760
therogue-trader
·1 month agoAre their old articles still accessible or have they pulled it all down?
albertabrightalberta
OP1 month agoThis is the saddest part.
All the informative information from 27 years of posts is no longer accessible.
I read the full settlement (from August 4) and didn't see any stipulation requiring them to remove any content with site closure but nothing is there. :(
valueaddedresource
·1 month agoI think it's unlikely that closing the site down was a condition of the settlement considering how hard the Steiners fought for and won the stipulation that there would be no non-disclosure agreement, gag order or any limitation whatsoever on them speaking publicly about the case, their experience or the terms of the settlement.
The fact they continued publishing for about a month and a half after the settlement was finalized also makes this pretty unlikely, in my opinion.
Like you, I'm sad to see 27 years worth of their hard work and valuable ecommerce industry coverage no longer accessible. ☹️
That being said, if this is simply the Steiners wanting to enjoy their retirement - good for them and I sincerely hope the best for whatever comes next for them.
albertabrightalberta
OP1 month ago@valueaddedresource
I totally agree with everything you said. I also wish them a happy retirement.
But the fact that they included both Ina's and David's contact information as well as their mailing address implies that they aren't fully divorcing themselves from their "online baby."
bennotbill
·1 month ago · EditedOld links to news or blogs just bring up the closing down page.
As said it's a shame they haven't posted a link to any archive of old posts.
bennotbill
·1 month agoIt's bad news for all users of online selling sites.
Because I think that in their way EcommerceBytes kept them more honest than they would have been.
I wouldn't be surprised if some sites are already thinking, now what can we slip in unnoticed.
bennotbill
·1 month agoIt's a shame they couldn't pass the baton on to some other like minded individuals.
tsme35
·1 month agoNow I have to find another site to keep me updated on USPS rate increases, they kept me on my toes