Chapter 3. Architecting Your Online Storefront

In This Chapter

• The difference between website development and e-commerce site development

• The three Cs of e-commerce

• The elements of a unique selling position

Long before carpenters assemble the framework, the plumbers lay the pipes, the electricians run the wires, and the dry-wallers and painters finish the job, the architect designed the plans for a retail storefront. It's the same for an online store. In this case, however, the programmers and graphic designers build the store, and you must first architect your e-commerce site.

Architecting your e-commerce site is the first step of customization (and improving the performance of your Yahoo! store), and it happens long before you put mouse to pad and program your storefront. In this chapter, we discuss the basic elements that should be designed into your e-commerce website; in the next chapter, we show you how to "storyboard" your website pages.