Microsoft has shelved a plan that could have seen it launch an ecommerce 'marketplace' to rival Amazon and eBay.
According to reports, including the Wall Street Journal, the software giant even held discussions with tech firms and retailers about the platform that would have included a single shopping cart.
Other interesting aspects of the plan, code-named 'Project Brazil' were understood to be the broad range of shipping options and the possibility that it might have subsidised prices using a portion of advertising income merchants had spent on its Bing search engine. That would be similar to the way many large retailers already arrange deals with suppliers to promote or discount certain product lines.
The plan would have eventually seen the Microsoft marketplace be included with software packages on new computers, Xbox videogame consoles, smartphones and windows-powered tablets, sources told the newspaper.
A spokeswoman for Microsoft told the WSJ: 'Project Brazil was an incubation to enable a more direct commerce model between customers, brands and merchants. We remain committed to finding new and differentiated ways to enable a richer, more task-oriented approach to ecommerce and online advertising.'
The company apparently declined to give details on when and why the project was cancelled.
Although it is not clear where Microsoft's plans now lie it is clear the firm has its eye on fast rising ecommerce sales which are expected to increase to $1.3 trillion this year after hitting $1 trillion for the first time in 2012, according to eMarketer research.
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