1. A method of conducting electronic commerce, comprising: configuring a web service that operates as an intermediary between an independent web site and a plurality of vendors; the web service operating to consolidate product information from the plurality of vendors in a standardized format; the web service further operating to provide a portion of the standardized product information to the independent web site; and facilitating compensation for the independent web site taking a consumer order of a product purchased from a vendor selected from the plurality of vendors.