It used to be that customers shopped pretty near to where they lived. But today’s Internet has made it possible for anyone to sell almost anything from practically anywhere.

While there are still some challenges to keep in mind with e-commerce – like taxes, shipping and privacy – most companies have come a long way to ensuring their online experience is relatively painless for businesses and their customers.

Joanna Krotz at the Microsoft Small Business Center offers up “8 rules to live by” for entrepreneurs who think they’re ready to sell their wares online:

1. Set up a hassle-free infrastructure: Companies like Microsoft have made it easier than ever for small businesses to set up an e-commerce site with products like Microsoft Office Live Small Business, a set of Internet-based tools that helps you do everything from creating product catalogues and shopping carts to calculating taxes and processing credit cards.

2. Functionality: Just like a bricks-and-mortar store, your aim is to present your product as clearly and effectively as possible. Keep your online shopping experience as simple and intuitive as possible and make sure your site has clearly marked navigation. Test out your site with people who have never used it and see how they react – a button or link that you think is obvious may not be to others.

3. Target your offerings: Online, store and catalogue customers all shop a bit differently. Do your homework, conduct focus groups and make sure you understand customer preferences. Never assume.

4. Keep it simple: Just because a website can be as big as you want doesn’t mean it should be. Graphic-intensive sites make loading up a site slow and too many pages and sections increase the chance customers will get lost and give up.

5. Content counts: You’ve likely already discovered there’s a right and wrong way to sell your product in the real world. The same goes for online selling too. Make sure product descriptions are crisp, photos are high quality and directions on how to buy and ship are clear. Consider hiring a professional copywriter and photographer. If the presentation looks or sounds amateur, prospective customers will assume what you’re selling is too.

6. Build trust: Online scams are rampant. Reassure visitors to your site that you’re the real deal and consider going through TRUSTe or Better Business Bureau Online’s screening and approval process.

For more of Joanna’s tips, click here: And this downloadable brochure offers extensive help on how to get started selling online.