Salesforce.com to Acquire Demandware for $2.8 Billion - The New York Times

See Salesforce buys Demandware for $2.8B, taking a big step into e-commerce (TechCrunch) for more details

"The Demandware deal also involves a bit of one-upmanship, helping Mr. Benioff stick it to its long-time rival Oracle and its boss, Larry Ellison. Oracle has been caught somewhat flat-footed by the rise of cloud software, and Salesforce is aiming for a substantial edge in retailing software.

The purchase price is an aggressive bet on growth. If Demandware doesn’t deliver over several years, Salesforce will have wasted a chunk of its cash. Yet Mr. Benioff has made such bets before – and won.

What’s more, many fast-growing, cash-burning, privately held cloud firms have recently fallen in value. That could whet Mr. Benioff’s appetite for acquisitions even further."

Salesforce.com to Acquire Demandware for $2.8 Billion - The New York Times