A federal judge in Seattle has temporarily barred barnesandnoble.com from using a feature that greatly simplifies the process of making online purchases as she weighs whether the site copies technology from rival Amazon.com.
Amazon’s lawsuit, filed in October, contends that in May 1998, barnesandnoble.com “meticulously copied Amazon.com’s 1-Click process, dubbed it ‘Express Lane,’ and introduced it on their barnesandnoble.com Web site.”
Amazon.com’s 1-Click feature stores billing and shipping information so return customers don’t have to re-enter the data each time they buy–an annoyance for online shoppers.
In a statement yesterday, barnesandnoble.com said it was disappointed with the injunction and believed their technology would be upheld upon appeal.
The New York bookseller said it had been planning to unveil a new, upgraded online purchase feature–“a significant improvement over “Express Lane”– after the holiday season, but given the court’s decision, intends to launch its “Express Checkout” service within the next several days.
U.S. District Court Judge Marsha J. Pechman’s preliminary injunction was issued late Wednesday.
Amazon.com opened its virtual doors in July 1995 with Barnes & Noble venturing online in May 1997.
Network
