Proper implementation requires deliberate attention to seven technology life cycle stages:

1.Awareness Training: Provides an understanding of what the technology is, a general sense of what it can do for a business, and how to begin implementation.

2.Business Analysis: It is easy to jump immediately from "awareness" to the details of "requirements analysis", but doing so is a mistake. To assure maximum value from EC, there must be a thorough understanding of how the new technology can help the business.

3.Requirements Analysis: Yields an understanding of what kind of EC functionality is needed to meet business requirements. As an example: business need = keep customers informed of changing product availability and price. Requirement = web based catalogue.

4.Design: Sets out specifics, e.g. Who are my potential vendors? By when do I need different parts of the system up and running? What will the system cost?

5.Implementation: The system becomes real. New technology comes in the door. Training is conducted. New business process begins to function. And so on.

6.Integration and Validation: Make sure the systems performs per its specifications.