Summary

Online stores and "e-commerce" are viable additions to Web sites of all sizes, not just to large corporations or major online retailers. Indeed, the relatively simple example here for the Center Park school masks a fairly complex process, in that it allows visitors to browse items for sale, add them to a shopping cart, and then be presented with a total charge for all selected items. Again, however, the key issue to remember is that this functionality is not overly technically complicated; however, the underlying business processes and procedures necessary to make the online store a success can become quite complicated and burdensome for those who administer the site. Ensuring proper inventory and taking care of online billing are tasks outside the scope of this book, and require serious reflection on how an organization functions (well outside the "technicalities" of a Web site). However, presenting the visitor with a collection of items, allowing them to browse and select, and then presenting her with a total charge is achieving powerful functionality!