METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR IMPLEMENTING INTERNET STOREFRONTS TO PROVIDE INTEGRATED FUNCTIONS

A rapidly deployable, integrated online sales system consisting of a core storefront application that executes on a conventional web database server, a guided buying and sales configuration module for selling products and services, a content management module, a recommendation system for making recommendations during a shopping session, an advertising management system, a profiling system for customizing customer interactions based on the site visitor's demonstrated interests, and reporting system that provides an analysis of a user's behavior to create the valuable reports. The various components of the desired system are first assembled as a pre-integrated prototype system on a source computer that can be rapidly recreated using pre-written operating system installation scripts which execute during the deployment process, prompting the installer to provide data values used to modify the content of pre-written configuration template files to accommodate the special needs of each individual installation.