Wal-Mart, Amazon.Com Settle

Tue., April 6, 1999

From Staff

Amazon.com and Wal-Mart Stores are settling a lawsuit charging that the online bookseller hired computer system managers away from Wal-Mart to steal the retailer’s trade secrets.

The suit, filed last fall, had charged that Amazon.com targeted the employees as well as Wal-Mart’s software vendors to learn more about the retailer’s information systems, which include data on sales, inventory and consumer buying habits.

In the settlement announced Monday, Amazon.com agreed to reassign some of the former Wal-Mart employees to jobs that don’t mirror the positions they held at Wal-Mart. Amazon.com also said it would return Wal-Mart information brought by the former employees.

An Amazon.com spokesman, Bill Curry, said the information referred to “old papers” brought by Richard Dalzell, hired by Amazon.com as chief technology officer. He declined to be more specific.

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.

Wal-Mart, Amazon.Com Settle

Jesse Tinsley

Jim Meehan

Molly Quinn

Rob Curley

Updated: Russia conducts massive nuclear drills as Putin visits China

Updated: Boeing, UPS and the FAA face investigators after deadly MD-11 crash

Updated: NATO is starting to consider Hormuz mission to protect ships