Spun Gold

Entrepreneur, April, 2001 by ROBERT McGARVEY

ANOTHER YEAR, ANOTHER EDITION OF ENTREPRENEUR'S TOP 100 WEB SITES. PUNDITS MAY BE PREACHING DOOM AND GLOOM FOR WEB BUSINESSES. BUT, AS THESE SITES PROVE, THE NET IS STILL ALIVE AND KICKING. THIS YEAR, MORE SITES OPERATED BY NON-US. COMPANIES ARE GRABBING SPOTS ON THE LIST (SUCH AS IRELAND'S YAC.COM AND HONG KONG'S ALIBABA.COM). WHEN YOU CHECK OUT THESE SITES, YOU'LL ALSO SEE THAT THE WEB KEEPS GETTING BETTER AND STRONGER. OUR PICKS WILL MAKE YOU MONEY, SAVE YOU TIME AND HELP YOU RUN YOUR BUSINESS SMARTER START BOOK. MARKING THESE SITES ... AND WATCH YOU BUSINESS GROW.

3RD ANNUAL 100 TOP WEB SITES

FINDIT

With so much stuff available on the Web, it takes a best-of-breed search tool to find what you need, now.

* Google (www.google.com): The absolute smartest search engine. It catalogs more than 1 billion Web pages and searches for what you seek in scant seconds.

* Northern Light (www.northernlight.com): Some materials is free; some will cost you; but this site promises fast, intelligent searching.

* GenieKnows.com: A meta-search tool, GenieKnows simultaneously submits you query to more than 20 search engines and directories. It's fast and comprehensive. Try here when other search tools don't deliver what you need.

* Electronic Library (www.elibrary.com): Still the best site for accessing magazine and newspaper archives. A 30-day trial is free; thereafter, it's $9.95 per month for all the articles you can download.

* WorldPages.com: Need a phone number? Go here. It even includes resources for finding numbers in dozens of foreign countries.

TRANSMIT IT

Sending a letter, transmitting a fax, shipping a package, getting voice mail--you can do it all smarter, and often faster, by stopping at one of these Web sites:

* j2 (www.j2.com): Want a free fax number? Go here. A voice-mail option is available for free. Upgrades let you pick your area code.

* SmartShip (www.smartship.com): Compare shipping costs from Air-borne Express, FodEx, UPS and the U.S. Postal Service. Smart tools for tracking packages and finding drop-off locations are also available.

* NowDocs (www.nowdocs.com): If you need a document delivered right now--cross town or around the globe--find solutions here.

* Getspeed.com: It's sometimes hard to know whether high-speed Net access is offered in your city. Log on here, enter your ZIP, address and part of your phone number, and Getspeed tells you whether DSL or cable access can be had locally. If it can, Getspeed offers information on providers and costs. You can also get information on satellite Internet technology, which is available pretty much everywhere.

DALE RUTTER

GO SHOPPING

If you never pay full price for anything, then you probably already know the best discounts can be had on the Web, on everything from office supplies to computers and cars. Try these sites on for size:

* mySimon (www.mysimon.com): A shopping bot worth a look, this intelligent agent prowls the Net for the best prices on gear.

* BizRate.com: Read customer-satisfaction verdicts on more than 1,400 online merchants, and you'll know who does e-commerce right (and who doesn't).

* Gomez (www.gomez.com): Provides ratings of e-tailers in numerous categories, from airlines to computers.

* AuctionWatch.com: Monitor current bids and what's for sale at key auction sites by clicking in here.

* InsWeb (www.insweb.com): Shop for insurance at this pioneering site. Find small-group health, life and even auto insurance.

* Autobytel.com: One of the Web's first sites still ranks among the best for researching and buying cars and trucks.

* Amazon.com: From bestselling books and auctions to wireless phones, nobody does e-commerce better. Shop here if only to see world-class e-tailing in action.

* LowerMyBills.com: The place to go when looking for better telephone, electricity and credit card deals.

COMPETITIVE INTELLIGENCE

Get the goods on competitors, check backgrounds of new hires and buy credit reports on customers using the Web. Some of this info is free, but much of it will cost you. Either way, this is where to find what you need to grow your business, hire the right people and make sure you get paid.

* KnowX.com: This savvy engine ferrets through public records and, for $1 to $5 inmost cases, reports on bankruptcies, liens, judgments and the like against both individuals and businesses.

* Hoover's Online (www.hoovers.com): The best content is available for a fee, but there's ample free stuff to be found by anyone who surfs in. Research competitors, track stock market performance and keep tabs on IPOs.

* CreditFYI (www.creditfyi.com): At this site, $14.95 buys you a credit report on a small business, and much of the information comes from Experian.

* TrueCredit (www.truecredit.com): Buy a look at your own credit report here for $7.95.

* Thomas Register of American Manufacturers (www.thomasregister.com): The sourcebook on U.S. and Canadian companies. The print edition costs $129, but pretty much all the content here can be read for free.