eCommerce Development: Business to Consumer (Microsoft Mastering) [Paperback]

Microsoft Corporation (Author)

Book Description

Series: Microsoft Mastering | Publication Date: August 1, 1999

"Microsoft Mastering: Ecommerce Development" provides practical, hands-on instruction for creating Web-based commerce applications using Microsoft's Site Server 3.0 Commerce Edition and pipeline technologies. More than a tutorial, the Microsoft Mastering learning system features a variety of tools and building blocks to help developers create working solutions. Instructional modules -- available both in print and online -- step learners through each part of the development process and explain how to add or extend functionality. Students then apply their new knowledge and skills through guided lab exercises. By the end of the course, they've created a simple e-commerce site and basic order-processing pipelines. With its combination of text-based instruction, interactive lessons, narrated demos, hands-on labs, and reusable code, Microsoft Mastering Ecommerce Development delivers the training developers need -- how and when they need it.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

People love the speed and convenience of shopping on the Web, but they're notoriously quick to avoid a site (or break off a transaction mid-sale) if they're expected to deal with an ugly or unintuitive interface. Mastering eCommerce Development: Business to Consumer documents the store-building capabilities of Microsoft Site Server 3 Commerce Edition.

This book is a tutorial rather than a reference. Assuming only knowledge of basic HTML and Active Server Pages (ASP) concepts, the authors walk you through Site Server's features, alternately documenting them and inviting the reader to gain familiarity with them through exercises. The exercises are carefully designed to make the reader do various things; many of them use files on the companion CD-ROM (fully half of this book comprises printed versions of ASP files on the CD-ROM).

This regimented approach to the software exposes the reader to as much of Site Server as possible, but leaves it up to the reader (and reference books) to find solutions to real-life problems. The authors pay some attention to structuring Web pages around business goals, such as getting shoppers to buy more expensive items than the ones they originally pick out, a strategy known as "upselling." You'll find Mastering eCommerce Development: Business to Consumer most useful when you know what you want to do with Site Server and want concise instructions that will solve your problem. --David Wall

Topics covered: Site Foundation Wizard, product catalog design, shopping carts, order processing, order status, and cookie monitoring.

Product Details

• Paperback: 394 pages
• Publisher: Microsoft Press (August 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0735608911
• ISBN-13: 978-0735608917
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,699,286 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Should Be Titled "Step-By-Step", December 10, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Michigan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: eCommerce Development: Business to Consumer (Microsoft Mastering) (Paperback)

As a computer professional I was disappointed with the book. Each chapter is basically a series of instructions for using the Site Server Commerce edition. There are practically no illustrations or screen shots related to the steps which makes it a little hard to follow, and certainly version specific. If you are looking for step by step instructions on how to get through the Site Server Commerce edition wizards then this book is for you. If you are looking for a book where you will actually learn Site Server Commerce edition you might want to try another book. I certainly didn't feel like I had Mastered Site Server Commerce edition after reading the book.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Just Okay, January 5, 2000

By 

Brad Boyd - See all my reviews

This review is from: eCommerce Development: Business to Consumer (Microsoft Mastering) (Paperback)

A mediocre mix of eCommerce discussion and Site Server. Being from the 'Mastering' series, I expected a little more (along the lines of the VB6 Mastering title). I agree that this book is a step by step guide on 'how-to.' It doesn't explain any advanced topics as you would expect a book with the word "Mastering..." in it to do.

It does have the code examples (on CD, no less!) going for it. I would classify this as a "beginners" book more than anything. If you have a foundational knowledge of site server, I wouldn't recommend this book...but if you own ever other ecommerce book out there, hey, why not?

I wouldn't question any other readers comments, but IMHO, I wouldn't try to take an MCP exam after just this book...

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Horrible, January 31, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: eCommerce Development: Business to Consumer (Microsoft Mastering) (Paperback)

The book itself is half full of PRINTED OUT code. Who uses 150-plus pages of printed out code? What a waste! The rest of the book is half-wit drivel. Microsoft must have churned this book out in all of about 2 hours.

I found the Mastering ECommerce, by Micro-Modeling to be much more helpful and informative. If using Microsoft for ecommerce is your bag I would suggest that book instead.