"Free" E-Commerce Platforms
Issue 37, August 15, 2000

In this issue I'm taking a careful look at "free" e-commerce. Of course, none of these are really "free" when you add the need for a Merchant Credit Card Account, but they offer great value. Last month I reviewed FreeMerchant. This month I'm examining BigStep and eCongo. Each of these e-commerce platforms offers some excellent features, and each has its weaknesses. So this month I'm also providing a comparison between each of the four products, and my own bottom-line comments comparing and contrasting them, then making my own recommendations. At the end of the month, we'll be providing about 100 more links to e-commerce articles, reviews, case studies, and resources.

September is a busy time for serious retailers as you get ready for the holiday season. I trust that the time you invest now in preparing your online store to sell will be richly repaid by record sales this fall and winter as you delight your customers.

God bless you,
Dr. Ralph F. Wilson, Editor

P.S. With this issue, we begin our fourth year of Web Commerce Today. E-commerce has come a long way in three years. Lots of changes and improvements. I've had to pedal hard to keep up -- and to help you to keep up, but it's been worth it. Thanks for your support and encouragement.

Product Review: BigStep.com

BigStep offers the lowest cost way of any free e-commerce platform available for merchants to be able to accept credit cards with their own Merchant Account. But despite strong site-building, catalog, and communication features, there are some significant weaknesses. Read the Review

Product Review: eCongo.com

eCongo was the first to offer "free" e-commerce. They offer easy set-up and strong order management, but also have some serious gaps in what they offer merchants. Read the Review.

"Free" E-Commerce Comparisons and Recommendations

In this section you'll see the various "free" offerings compared and contrasted, as well as hear my recommendations. See the Comparison Chart and then Read my Recommendations. Both of these items require a subscription to Web Commerce Today.

New Ecommerce and Web Marketing Articles

Each month our team of link editors scours dozens of online periodicals and resources to find key information on e-commerce and Web marketing. With so much new literature available to you, how do you find what you need quickly and painlessly? Here's a selective and searchable database of article and resource links to help your research and keep you up-to-date in the field. (Links gathered in a given month are usually available during the second week of the following month.)