EcommerceBytes
EcommerceBytes, the publishing brand of Steiner Associates LLC, is an independent online trade publication delivering ecommerce news, newsletters, and community tools to SMB sellers and service providers on eBay, Amazon, Etsy, and adjacent marketplaces.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1999
- HeadquartersNatick, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What EcommerceBytes does
EcommerceBytes is the online publishing brand of Steiner Associates LLC, a privately held Massachusetts LLC founded in 1988 that pivoted from video production into internet publishing in 1999. The publication serves independent online sellers and merchants operating on marketplaces such as eBay, Amazon, and Etsy, along with the third-party service providers that sell tools to those sellers. Its core product is a news website at ecommercebytes.com supplemented by a twice-monthly email newsletter (EcommerceBytes-Update, launched November 6, 1999) and a daily newsflash newsletter (launched January 22, 2001). Underlying technology is a web-based publishing platform with email newsletter distribution, blog management, a classified advertising system, and the AB Verify comment-verification system, with no disclosed API or SDK layer. Surrounding community products include the Ecommerce EKG systems-status board, the EveryPlaceISell merchant directory, Service Ratings Charts, forums, and three editorial blogs. The company was renamed from AuctionBytes to EcommerceBytes in 2011 to reflect broader marketplace coverage.
The business model is diversified but small-scale: $25/year self-serve classified advertising for sellers, Google-mediated display advertising, Amazon Services LLC Associates Program affiliate fees, and paid placements in the EveryPlaceISell directory. Newsletters are free, and there is no subscription paywall. Distribution is multi-channel across email, RSS, Twitter/X, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google News, and conference coverage of major ecommerce industry events (IRCE, Shop.org, Etail East). Monetization is tied to SMB advertisers and programmatic ad yield rather than enterprise contracts, with no institutional funding, no parent company, and a headcount in the 1–10 band. The publication became a notable industry story itself as the target of a 2019 cyberstalking campaign by former eBay employees, leading to criminal convictions in 2022 and a civil RICO suit filed by Steiner Associates LLC against eBay in July 2021.
EcommerceBytes firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- EcommerceBytes
- Legal name
- Steiner Associates LLC
- Website
- https://ecommercebytes.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- EcommerceBytes, the publishing brand of Steiner Associates LLC, is an independent online trade publication delivering ecommerce news, newsletters, and community tools to SMB sellers and service providers on eBay, Amazon, Etsy, and adjacent marketplaces.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
EcommerceBytes industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Ecommerce Trade Publication
- NAICS
- Book Retailers and News Dealers (4592), Book Retailers and News Dealers (45921), Web Search Portals and All Other Information Services (51929)
- SIC
- Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Newsletters & Email-Based News Publishers (B2B/B2C) (MPAJADAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Web Directories & Link Indexes (BPAMAAAK)
Keywords
Where EcommerceBytes is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Natick
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
EcommerceBytes business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations
Revenue model
- Email Newsletters: Twice-monthly EcommerceBytes-Update newsletter containing website reviews and techniques on buying and selling online. Daily EcommerceBytes Newsflash newsletter with online-auction news and industry announcements.
- Classified Advertising: Classified section where sellers can promote auctions, websites or individual items for sale for $25/year. Sellers have access to their ads and can change them anytime. Feeds are sent to Froogle, and links are included in newsletters on a rotational basis.
- Display Advertising: The website uses third-party advertising companies including Google to serve ads. These companies may use information about visits to serve advertisements about goods and services of interest to visitors.
- Affiliate Advertising: Steiner Associates LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
- Seller Directory Services: EveryPlaceISell directory service allows sellers to advertise their ecommerce businesses in directories, classifieds, guides, and certain other services.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Classified Ad Listing - $25/year |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels12 records
EcommerceBytes product offering
Product offeringCore offering
EcommerceBytes is an independent online trade publication covering the ecommerce and online-merchant industry. It publishes twice-monthly (EcommerceBytes-Update) and daily (EcommerceBytes Newsflash) email newsletters, news articles, blogs, forums, comparison tools, paid classified listings ($25/year), and a seller directory (EveryPlaceISell) serving online sellers operating on marketplaces such as eBay, Amazon, and Etsy.
Product overview
EcommerceBytes is a publishing platform providing news, information, and resources for ecommerce and online merchants. The core offerings include the EcommerceBytes-Update (twice-monthly newsletter), EcommerceBytes Newsflash (daily newsletter), EcommerceBytes Service Ratings (comparison charts), EcommerceBytes Forums (community discussions), EcommerceBytes Classifieds (paid advertising at $25/year), EcommerceBytes Blogs (EcommerceBytes Blog, AuctionBytes Blog, Letters to the Editor), Ecommerce EKG (systems status board), EveryPlaceISell (merchant directory), AB Verify (comment verification system), and EcommerceBytes Bookshelf (books). The platform also covers ecommerce industry conferences including IRCE, Shop.org, and other marketing events.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- EcommerceBytes-Update: Twice-monthly email newsletter containing website reviews and techniques on buying and selling online.
- EcommerceBytes Newsflash
- AuctionBytes Blog
- EKG (Ecommerce EKG)
- EveryPlaceISell
- AB Verify
Products and services
- EcommerceBytes-Update Newsletter Twice-monthly email newsletter containing website reviews and techniques on buying and selling online, targeted at ecommerce merchants and online sellers.
- EcommerceBytes Newsflash Daily email newsletter delivering online-auction news and ecommerce industry announcements to subscribers.
- EcommerceBytes Classifieds Paid classified advertisement section where ecommerce sellers and service providers promote auctions, websites, or items for $25/year; ads appear on the site, are rotated on the front page, and included in the Newsflash newsletter.
- EcommerceBytes Service Ratings Comparison charts of online auction sites, storefronts, auction-management and sniping software, consignment services, and online-payment services designed to help online sellers evaluate third-party tools.
- Ecommerce EKG Global systems announcement board where online merchants report and view technical issues occurring on marketplaces and other ecommerce industry websites.
- EveryPlaceISell Directory of online merchants that helps shoppers locate and track their favorite sellers across multiple sales channels.
- EcommerceBytes Bookshelf Collection of books about online auctions and eBay available for purchase through the EcommerceBytes platform.
Companies that use EcommerceBytes
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
EcommerceBytes technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
EcommerceBytes partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- Amazon Services LLC Associates ProgramminorSteiner Associates LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
- Network Advertising Initiative (NAI)minorGoogle, a member of NAI, uses DoubleClick cookies to serve ads based on visitor activity across websites. Users can opt out of DoubleClick cookie usage through Google's ad and content network privacy policy.
- Froogle (Google Shopping)minorClassified ad listings include feeds sent to Froogle (Google Shopping), providing additional exposure for classified advertisers' listings.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights3 records
EcommerceBytes competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Practical Ecommerce: Independent trade publication covering ecommerce strategy, marketplaces, and technology for online merchants—the closest direct peer to EcommerceBytes' news + resources format.
- Modern Retail: Digital media outlet covering ecommerce, marketplaces, and DTC brands with newsletters and analysis aimed at sellers and retail operators—a comparable SMB-seller audience.
- eCommerce Times: Ecommerce-focused online news site publishing daily news and analysis for online merchants and technology buyers, overlapping with EcommerceBytes' news + newsletter model.
- MultiChannel Merchant: Long-running trade publication focused on multichannel and ecommerce merchants, including marketplace selling—directly comparable in editorial scope to EcommerceBytes.
Broad incumbents
- Retail Dive: Daily publication for retail and ecommerce executives covering marketplace news, policy, and operations with newsletters—larger scale but overlapping merchant audience.
- Digital Commerce 360 (Internet Retailer): Long-running B2B ecommerce media brand (Internet Retailer, B2B ecommerce, Retail Tech) covering the same SMB-to-enterprise seller audience with research, events, and a much larger staff.
Emerging players
- StoreYa Blog: Blog/resource hub from an ecommerce tools vendor targeting online sellers with marketplace news and tutorials; partial overlap in audience and content.
- SaleHoo: Supplier-directory and seller education platform serving eBay, Amazon, and Shopify sellers with content, research, and tools—adjacent in audience but tool-led rather than media-led.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
EcommerceBytes social profiles
Digital presenceEcommerceBytes financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
EcommerceBytes leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
EcommerceBytes funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
EcommerceBytes M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about EcommerceBytes
What does EcommerceBytes do?
EcommerceBytes is an independent online trade publication covering the ecommerce and online-merchant industry. It publishes twice-monthly (EcommerceBytes-Update) and daily (EcommerceBytes Newsflash) email newsletters, news articles, blogs, forums, comparison tools, paid classified listings ($25/year), and a seller directory (EveryPlaceISell) serving online sellers operating on marketplaces such as eBay, Amazon, and Etsy.
Is EcommerceBytes a public or private company?
EcommerceBytes is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was EcommerceBytes founded?
EcommerceBytes was founded in 1999. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is EcommerceBytes based?
EcommerceBytes is headquartered in Natick, United States, in the North America region.
How does EcommerceBytes make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Email Newsletters are the primary driver. The others are classified Advertising, display Advertising, affiliate Advertising and seller Directory Services.
Who are EcommerceBytes's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Practical Ecommerce, Modern Retail, eCommerce Times and MultiChannel Merchant. Broad incumbents are Retail Dive and Digital Commerce 360 (Internet Retailer). Emerging players are StoreYa Blog and SaleHoo.
Does EcommerceBytes have an API?
No public API is recorded for EcommerceBytes.
What industry is EcommerceBytes in?
EcommerceBytes's product category is Ecommerce Trade Publication. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJADAJ, Newsletters & Email-Based News Publishers (B2B/B2C), with a secondary code of BPAMAAAK, Web Directories & Link Indexes. Its NAICS code is 4592 and its SIC code is 7311.