Do you own a small business, but feel that you could be doing more? You could gain and sustain new clients, and attractively present your product in the exciting world of e-commerce. With the right knowledge and tools, you can make sure that your business's web presence will leave an indelible mark on potential customers. It doesn't matter how small your business is, with the implementation of an adequate e-commerce structure, you will surely succeed in your endeavors.

We here at the Slack-Jawed Dimwits™ Corporation believe in providing the best information to the small business owner. For years, we have provided other authoritative portals such as "HTML Basics for Slack-Jawed Dimwits™" and "Small Business Management for Slack-Jawed Dimwits™".

If you don't know anything about e-commerce, this is a good place to start. Not an HTML expert? No problem. Not an e-marketing wiz? We've got you covered. Just follow the three simple steps at the left, and you're ready to enter the world of online business!

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The world of e-Commerce can be boggling to newcomers. These resources will provide you with the vocabulary needed to understand what the options are when it comes to creating an online presence, as well as a general overview of e-commerce and e-business.

Example Business Sites: Here are some great example web sites to get you thinking about your own: Gately's Department store hosted through Yahoo!, the SFMOMA also through Yahoo!, and Held's Discount Knives at eBay Stores.

• So what is this e-commerce that I keep hearing about? Most generally, "e-commerce", or "electronic commerce" is the creating, managing and extending of commercial relationships online
• Some terrific online resources like InternetTermsDictionary and NetLingo compile definitions of the most common terms used when talking about the Internet and e-Commerce.
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• The United States Small Business Administration is dedicated to promoting the growth of small businesses across the country. They offer a good impartial resource for information on e-commerce.
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• Many technical books offer terrific general overviews of e-commerce. One of these, Microsoft's Small Business Solutions: E-Commerce, is a great place to start. See Part I to find general e-commerce information. Also look at other books for small businesses from Microsoft Press.
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• You can find other print resources at various online booksellers such as Amazon.com or Barnes and Noble
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• Don't be fooled by the name - Dummies.com is a terrific resource for business owners with all levels of experience. See their book, E-Commerce for Dummies for a comprehensive guide.
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Whether you're looking for a simple pre-packaged web site solution, or you want to building a web site on your own, these resources provide exactly what you need. If you don't have the time to learn how to create a web site on your own, take a look at the All-In-One section. If you're adventurous and want to build your own site from the ground up, see the Do-It-Yourself section.

Remember that its important to compare services and prices across several different service providers before you commit to a hosting solution.

• Yahoo! Small Business - provides many levels of service for all kinds of web sites, from designing yourself to using a pre-made web site template.
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• Microsoft's bCentral - Similar service to Yahoo!, but integrated with Microsoft's server products.
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• e-Business Express - A complete web site creation resource which includes extensive marketing and promotion tools.
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• eBay Stores - Offers complete online store packages that integrate easily with eBay auctions.
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• Online resources such as Lycos's WebMonkey and Builder.com offer tutorials and examples on web site creation.
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• O'Reilly offers a variety of technical publications ranging from general educational guides such as Learning Web Design, 2nd Edition to advanced web programming books.
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• The W3C offers many HTML Tutorials. From their web site: "The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) develops interoperable technologies (specifications, guidelines, software, and tools) to lead the Web to its full potential."
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• halfdot offers many web hosting options, and also provides web site design assistance.
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• Alethia Hosting is another affordable web host, offering basic services and strong support.
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Once you get your web site up and running, then you need to attract customers. These resources will help you find -- and keep -- customers through your online presence. Also, don't forget that the many of the resources in the implementation section also offer online marketing tools.

• The Small Business Administration also has some nice tips and links for e-marketing.
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• Microsoft's Small Business Solutions: E-Commerce, also offers a section entitled "Create an Identity and Attract Customers" where you can read about "branding" which involves the creation of an immediately recognizable identity for your company, product, service or website.
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• eMarketer offers some online research and market analysis tools.
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