System and methods for assembly of a web site for an online store by a seller

A method on at least one server to create a web site for an online store of a user communicating with the at least one server over a communication network, the method comprising:

• receiving a selection from the user in a user session of one or more predefined web site building blocks presented to the user for use in assembling the web site;
• during the user session, providing access for the user to a warehouse of predefined products for incorporation into the web site, wherein the warehouse is accessible by the at least one server and the predefined products correspond to products to be provided by one or more predefined merchants other than the user, and wherein the access comprises providing a single web page for the user's viewing product images and product information for two or more products corresponding to the predefined products;
• receiving from the user the selection of one or more of the predefined products for use in the web site;
• receiving from the user a selection from a set of two or more transaction models presented to the user to define an active transaction model for operation of the online store, wherein the set of transaction models comprises a customer-to-merchant model with product delivery by one of the predefined merchants;
• and
• generating, by the at least one server, one or more web site files for the online store using the selected web site building blocks and the selected predefined products, wherein the generated web site files are configured to perform transactions with customers of the online store using the active transaction model.

A system for assembly of a web site for an online store by a seller, the system comprising:

• (i) at least one server comprising a site building module and a store building module, wherein:
• the site building module is configured to assemble the web site using predefined web site building blocks selected by the seller;
• and
• the store building module is configured to:
• permit selection by the seller from a warehouse of predefined products for incorporation into the web site, each predefined product to be provided by a respective predefined merchant other than the seller and to include product data stored prior to an initial visit to the at least one server by the seller, and
• permit selection by the seller of an active transaction model from two or more transaction models, at least one of the transaction models to specify customer order fulfillment by product delivery from the respective predefined merchant directly to the customer;
• and
• (ii) at least one database coupled for access by the at least one server during assembly of the web site by the seller, wherein the at least one database is configured to store the predefined web site building blocks and the warehouse.

A method for assembly in a user session by a user of a web site for an online store, the method comprising:

• accessing a warehouse of predefined products to select from for use in the assembly of the web site, each of the predefined products to be provided by a respective predefined merchant other than the user, wherein the access includes online viewing of images for each of the predefined products;
• selecting from two or more transaction models presented to the user to define an active transaction model for operation of the online store;
• displaying a live view of a prior published version of the online store;
• displaying a design view of the online store, the design view including the predefined products selected by the user, and the live and design views accessible for side-by-side viewing by the user in the same user session;
• and
• requesting generation of one or more web site files by at least one server for the online store that incorporate the selected predefined products and that are configured to perform transactions with customers of the online store using the active transaction model.