RE: E-Commerce

Hi,

> 2) A 'shopping cart' software application to allow shoppers 
> to collect purchases prior to checking out

You don't _have_ to use software per say, but you would need some type
of system to track users and "remember" what items they want to
purchase. Some carts are actually installed software applications
written in a compliable language like C++, where others are web based
applications written in some type of scripting language like ColdFusion
or ASP -- not software.

> 3) A checkout procedure (form) to collect the information 
> necessary to calculate and process payment

I would generally consider this part of the shopping cart. I mean
technically all you're doing with the 'cart' is storing data for use in
the check out form. I would view any shopping cart system without a
checkout interface as incomplete.

> 4) A gateway service to process debit requests

Again, this is not required. You could simply have the all or part of
the order emailed to you. You could then process the order manually with
a terminal or software supplied to you by your merchant account
provider. You loose some built-in security and fraud protection in the
process, however there are ways to regain both on the back end.

My point is not to argue the above examples as wrong, but to say that
there are alternatives depending on your needs.

Mike

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