Web servers are specialized servers for delivering Internet content to end users. Modern web sites are much different now than they were ten years ago when they were just catching on. In the beginning, web sites were mostly "presence" sites, existing to keep a presence because competitors already had or were building a presence of their own.

As time went on, these sites progressed from presence sites to brochure sites. This was some of an improvement as the site existed as a sort of an online brochure. Still, though convenient because online brochures could be edited as need be, there was something missing.

As time went on and as people began to feel more comfortable with the Internet and with using the Internet for shopping, business began to develop online shopping websites. These sites operate with ssl security which encrypts data sent over the internet. This is a reasonable safeguard for making online purchases.