Web commerce isn't so much about technology as it is about selling. That may sound obvious, but while vendors are trying to get you to focus on buying their e-commerce solutions to solve all your problems, most online marketers would be better off focusing their energy on the design of the selling environment. Products are important, but there's no substitute for carefully planned site navigation, a fully thought-out ordering and fulfillment process, procedures to ensure customer satisfaction, and fanatical quality assurance.

If you're trying to sell online, you've got a lot to consider. How does traditional merchandising work on the Web? Should you use credit cards or 800-numbers? Does it matter if you call your purchasing form a shopping basket or a shopping cart? (Some online merchants think it does.)