Art Technology Group Inc. (Nasdaq: ARTG) specializes in e-commerce for premier brands around the world. The company offers software and platform-independent optimization services for companies looking for avenues to maximize their online business.

The company today announced that popular footwear retailer DSW Inc. (NYSE: DSW) used ATG’s Commerce Suite to power its recently launched online store at DSW.com to drive brand awareness and boost online presence in the growing Internet age.

Before the company constructed its new Website, DSW used its existing site to provide customers with general information about the retailer, as well as a “store locator” option. According to the press release, when DSW realized the need for an upgraded site, it chose ATG’s solution because of its advanced personalization capabilities, easy to use features, and positive reputation as a solid platform.

Jon Ricker, executive vice president and chief administrative officer of DSW, said the new site not only

Sohu.com, Inc. (SOHU), is a leading online brand in China. Services provided by the company include news, search, e-mail, games and wireless messaging. The company offers services through one of the most comprehensive matrices of Chinese language web properties and proprietary search engines.

Although Sohu faces fierce competition from different fields including brand advertising, online games, wireless value-added services, and search, the company manages to be a main player in almost each field. Sohu has a well-known brand and rich website resources to leverage the great opportunities for online business in China.

Internet penetration is accelerating [in China], which is very positive for Sohu. Overall, we think the current stock price is undervalued. Therefore, we are maintaining a Buy rating on SOHU shares. Due to the current market malaise we are reducing our target price to $65.

Read the full analyst report on SOHU.

Barron’s analyst Tiernan Ray says SELL Blue Nile.

Track his picks at:

http://trackthepros.com/

IN TIME, SHARES OF ONLINE JEWELER Blue Nile should turn from a lump of coal into a gem. Just don’t expect the magical transformation to happen anytime soon.

a. After a 50% decline in Blue Nile’s shares in the last 12 months, there could still be substantial downside as the contours of the U.S. economic downturn continue to come to light.

b. As consumers file for unemployment compensation in rising numbers, see their home values continue to retreat, and put up with lower lines of credit, they’re increasingly ratcheting down their purchases of discretionary items such as the baubles that Blue Nile sells.

c. the stock trades at an eye-popping 33 times next year’s expected earnings per share, even after its collapse.

d. To make matters worse, there’s new competition for investors’ attention.  Zales,

I have read this in multiple places but am on the lookout for ‘contagion’ plays from the mortgage fallout. This is an interesting one titled “Will Mortgage Collapse Hurt Web Ads?”

Some interesting points:

- Financial advertisers account for more than a third of all web advertising, and as the plunging share prices of investment banks clearly demonstrate, the mortgage crisis is affecting a lot more than the mortgage sector.
- Half of the top 10 were mortgage or credit-related marketers