E-commerce technology has come a long way from the bare-bones Web sites that were common a decade ago. Today one of the biggest challenges entrepreneurs face is how to choose from so many e-commerce
Fortunately, it's possible to narrow your choices and figure out what works best for your business by considering a few key issues. Unless you're a technical whiz or expect to launch the next Amazon.com, it's better to start with a simple and inexpensive online store that can grow with your business. Before you get started, ask yourself these important questions:
Who will run your site?
Although some businesses operate and maintain their own Web sites, this can be an expensive and difficult process. You'll need to invest in hardware, a dedicated Internet connection, and software, along with a Webmaster and programmers to maintain your site. This is an expensive process, and you can't cut corners — customers won't tolerate a buggy, unreliable online store.