Update, Feb 2005: Since I wrote above article a year ago I have not changed my mind on basic comparison between Frontpage and Composer: they are both viable web page composing programs “for amateur” with major difference that Composer is completely free while Frontpage must be purchased….there are no “legal” free copies of Frontpage. Composer versions 7+ are every bit as easy to use and as advanced in features as Frontpage 2003 or XP.

However, if you are a “professional” web designer or you are seriously designing a Web Site for Professional or Business purposes you cannot use anything less than Frontpage, In Design (from Adobe) or Dreamweaver from Maccromedia. Composer simply creates too many problems in basic html language to do anything more than make a nice “personal” web site with. Some of changes created by Composer, which make it unsatisfactory for commercial web site development, are initial tagging as “composer created” prior to Head and “meta tags” portion; and in fact changes to meta tags. Both of these features make Composer unacceptable for all commercial applications; i.e., web sites designed to be listed in search engines.

Because of above, all of web sites listed earlier in this article have been re-designed with Frontpage and I am embarking on a program as I write to compare both Dreamweaver MX and In Design and then switch from Frontpage to whichever of those programs proves to be best for my needs. Things change with time so stay tuned to this article for updates on that story.

I’ll write a completely new article – leaving this one intact – once I complete my test drives of In Design and Dreamweaver. And I need to make that move because as much better as Frontpage is for “professional” web site development over Composer, so Dreamweaver and In Design over Frontpage! Frontpage is, after all, a Microsoft creation with all proprietary MS B.S. that that involves. Try viewing a Composer-designed web site in IE. Likewise, try viewing a Frontpage-designed web site in Netscape, Opera or Firefox? Same story – proprietary stuff from MS actually contaminates Frontpage designs just as much as Composer messes up designs when viewed in IE! It all goes back to Bill Gates “version” of both HTML and Java script languages versus “standard” versions.

The example above using music CDs is a simple way of explaining concept of drop shipping, however practically speaking you will probably find that CDs are not best product to sell online. That’s because you will be in competition against companies like Columbia House that can afford to sell 10 CDs for a penny. They make their money back in end, but only because they are able to purchase CDs at an extreme discount. Whereas you are buying CDs for $9.99, they might be paying only $2 per copy.

The same limitation applies to other “commodity” items like electronics, video games, and software. There are lots of competitors out there that can purchase same items for less money, so you should try to think of niche products or value-added services that differentiate your website from others.

There are quite a few dubious organizations out there that claim to have lists of Wholesalers that will sell to home-based market. Unfortunately most of them are not legitimate. Worldwidebrands.com has an eBook that covers most of what you need to know about drop shipping called, "Starting Your Internet Business RIGHT" and it can be downloaded for free Here.

In conclusion, drop shipping should probably be considered as a start-up activity. Your goal is to test different marketing programs against each other, get your website ranked on search engines, and build your business volume up. Once you get your site established and have a healthy volume of traffic flowing through your site, you should be able to gauge profitability of establishing an account with a full-blown distribution company. After all, drop-shipping alternative is an inexpensive way to get started in your business, but it is not most profitable way to purchase goods once you have a full-volume business developed.