Rating: 
Summary: The best book on web site design and operation
Review: As a business journalist, I've read lots of web-related books, but McGarvey's is superior to all of them because he has the right perspective (balance of hands-on expertise and an understanding of where most people are at) and provides the nuts-and-bolts details many guides overlook. Plus, useful reports from those in the trenches of e-commerce.
Rating: 
Summary: A Great Skim
Review: Before sitting down to write this review we realized a snack would be nice, so after a creamy skim yogurt and a cold drink, we were ready to dive in. What has this got to do with Robert McGarvey's book How to Dotcom? Everything-because that skim yogurt was exactly what this book was like.McGarvey's slightly filling low-calorie read begins, flows and ends logically. He covers all the expected aspects of "dotcomming" with little waylaying, getting right to the fruit on the bottom. It is not unreasonable to expect to get this book, get the point, and get on your way to a website in a matter of hours. But if you are looking for in depth internet discussion and information, it will not be found under the lid of this book, which, quite frankly, was okay with us. A few points were particularly appreciated. The design was quite excellent, highlighting the important information in sassy side quotes, and the "how to" chapters were broken up with "how we did" chapters, neatly preventing information overload and inspiring action to follow in the profiled entrepreneur's footsteps. If we were to bestow one gripe upon this book it would be some of the Cheap Tricks chapters. A few of the segments included achievements of folks who had certainly not taken the cheap route; in fact, one entrepreneur had used $75,000 to start up his fledging business. Folks who stayed in the range of $500 to $1,000 all-inclusive would have been more like it. Get this book. Whether your budget is $100 or $100,000 you will not be remiss in helping your bottom line with this tasty and appealing piece of the dotcom pie. --LiteratePlanet.com
Rating:
Summary: A Great Choice for e-Business Beginners!
Review: If Bob McGarvey's name seems familiar to you, it's probably because you've seen his work in one of the many of the top-tier business magazines for which he writes, including SELLING POWER and ENTREPRENEUR. In fact, he's one the savviest, most knowledable writers around on the subjects of sales, marketing, and technology. There are lots of reasons why "How to Dotcom" belongs on your bookshelf, but let me just touch on the two most important: First, McGarvey knows what he's talking about. He is a meticulous researcher who works a little harder and digs a little deeper than other writers covering similar topics. The second reason you ought to buy this book is that it's well written. Believe me, writing about technology in a way that is engaging and entertaining is no small achievement. And even the best content is of limited value if you can't work you way through the book. McGarvey's writing style hits exactly the right tone...not too breezy but certainly not too ponderous. Bottom line: If you find the idea of e-business tempting but you're not sure how to get started, you will not go wrong if you begin your research with "How to Dotcom."
Rating: 
Summary: Dot.com Your Way to Wealth
Review: It's the fast track to money. Dot.com your business and, shazaam, you're on the road to millions, maybe billions. Look at Yahoo, eBay, and Priceline. Except it's not that easy, not easy at all. For every dot.com business that flourishes, hundreds--maybe thousands--go bust. What does it take to build a dot.com that will succeed? Read the book and you'll know because in its pages are a recipe for success, roadmaps that pinpoint the hazards, and dozens of interviews with dot.com builders who have actually cashed in. Robert McGarvey has covered the Web since 1995, for magazines ranging from Entrepreneur to Upside. He leverages all he's learned into this book, which is a book about business and success and life.
Rating:
Summary: Basic, Essential, and Informative
Review: McGarvey provides most (but not all) of "everything you need to know to start a successful dotcom." Specifically, he provides: * Money saving site-building tools and tricks * Advice from Guy Kawasaki (CEO of garage.com) on obtaining funds * Interviews of Mark Lorimer (Autobytel), Andrea Reisman (Petopia), Peter Neupert (drugstore.com), Rick Braddock (Priceline), "and other Net achievers" * Q&As with builders of low-cost sites * Tips for increasing traffic with free content * "Must-know" e-commerce bookmarks This book is filled with lots of good stuff, presented with a "Snap! Crackle! and Pop!" prose style. McGarvey carefully organizes his material within 39 chapters, followed by a Glossary. Sophisticated readers may find at least some of the content simplistic, if not obvious (eg Chapter 2, "The Commandments: 10 Reasons You Should Be Online") and, as I'm certain McGarvey already realizes, not all of the material is directly relevant to each reader's immediate needs and interests. Read the book. Then re-read it. Pick and choose. Point is, for less than the cost of a meal in a decent restaurant, McGarvey provides a wealth of information, insightful comments, excellent suggestions, and all manner of real-world examples of what works...and what doesn't. If you need some no-nonsense advice about registering a domain name, getting funded, picking a host, attracting visitors, getting publicity, involving search engines, offering credit card payment options, using e-mail lists, etc., McGarvey can really help you.
Rating:
Summary: Basic, Essential, and Informative
Review: McGarvey provides most (but not all) of "everything you need to know to start a successful dotcom." Specifically, he provides: • Money saving site-building tools and tricks • Advice from Guy Kawasaki (CEO of garage.com) on obtaining funds • Interviews of Mark Lorimer (Autobytel), Andrea Reisman (Petopia), Peter Neupert (drugstore.com), Rick Braddock (Priceline), "and other Net achievers" • Q&As with builders of low-cost sites • Tips for increasing traffic with free content • "Must-know" e-commerce bookmarks This book is filled with lots of good stuff, presented with a "Snap! Crackle! and Pop!" prose style. McGarvey carefully organizes his material within 39 chapters, followed by a Glossary. Sophisticated readers may find at least some of the content simplistic, if not obvious (eg Chapter 2, "The Commandments: 10 Reasons You Should Be Online") and, as I'm certain McGarvey already realizes, not all of the material is directly relevant to each reader's immediate needs and interests. Read the book. Then re-read it. Pick and choose. Point is, for less than the cost of a meal in a decent restaurant, McGarvey provides a wealth of information, insightful comments, excellent suggestions, and all manner of real-world examples of what works...and what doesn't. If you need some no-nonsense advice about registering a domain name, getting funded, picking a host, attracting visitors, getting publicity, involving search engines, offering credit card payment options, using e-mail lists, etc., McGarvey can really help you.
Rating:
Summary: Covers everything from shopping bots to registering a domain
Review: Robert McGarvey's How To Dotcom: A Step-By-Step Guide To E-Commerce is a complete instructional course covering ever aspect of doing business on the Internet. Readers will learn money saving website building tools and tricks; advice for obtaining financing; informative interviews with successful Internet entrepreneurs; tips for increasing website traffic with free content; and invaluable e-commerce bookmarks. Hot Dotcom covers everything from shopping bots to registering a domain name to credit cards to email lists, and more. If you are contemplating buying and selling on the Internet, begin with a thoroughly reading of How to Dotcom.
Rating:
Summary: Finding daylight in the dot.com maze
Review: Robert McGarvey's book really "spoke" to me, and at just the right time. I'm interested in a dot.com venture myself but wary and downright confused, thanks to all the conflicting stories in the press of folk making millions overnight while others crash and burn. This book is down-to-earth, realistic and written in a refreshingly blunt and digestible way. It is well-organized, answers many of the questions I had, and has given me a lot of food for thought. This guy knows his stuff.
Rating:
Summary: Finding daylight in the dot.com maze
Review: Robert McGarvey's book really "spoke" to me, and at just the right time. I'm interested in a dot.com venture myself but wary and downright confused, thanks to all the conflicting stories in the press of folk making millions overnight while others crash and burn. This book is down-to-earth, realistic and written in a refreshingly blunt and digestible way. It is well-organized, answers many of the questions I had, and has given me a lot of food for thought. This guy knows his stuff.
Rating:
Summary: Covers everything from shopping bots to registering a domain
Review: Robert McGarvey's How To Dotcom: A Step-By-Step Guide To E-Commerce is a complete instructional course covering ever aspect of doing business on the Internet. Readers will learn money saving website building tools and tricks; advice for obtaining financing; informative interviews with successful Internet entrepreneurs; tips for increasing website traffic with free content; and invaluable e-commerce bookmarks. Hot Dotcom covers everything from shopping bots to registering a domain name to credit cards to email lists, and more. If you are contemplating buying and selling on the Internet, begin with a thoroughly reading of How to Dotcom.
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