Streamline.com Calls It Quits as E-Commerce News Gets Worse

Streamline.com (SLNE Quote) became the latest consumer e-commerce company to fail Monday, announcing it would discontinue its online grocery delivery and errand service later this month.

The Westwood, Mass.-based company, best known for leasing refrigerators for its customers, issued an announcement that should be very familiar to anyone who followed last week's demise of Pets.com (IPET Quote). In fact, the two ought to team up on a template for all the other e-tailers that will still need to write their own farewell press releases:

Streamlined E-commerce firm's shares approaching zero

First, announce that the company is "winding down," which sounds much better than "going belly-up." Then, devote a few words to the exhaustive -- but fruitless -- search for strategic alternatives, including the quest for more money, partnerships or a buyer. Blame the capital markets and their hatred of business-to-consumer Internet companies. Talk about selling off assets, if there are any. Toss in a quote from the CEO again blaming the capital markets. Thank customers. Say goodnight.

Same Old Same Old

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