Direct Asks

No question — Amazon.com. I know, it's a no-brainer, but they deserve the accolades. The site is well designed, easy to use, their product lines have expanded and it's very searchable. Their prices are great. And they don't abuse my privacy. — Deb Goldstein, president, IDG List Services

GEMM.com. If you love music and want to find the impossible, this is the place to look. The site claims to have 26 million records and CDs available for purchase. I've rarely been disappointed when trying to find that old '70s record that was lost when we moved. — Grant Johnson, CEO, Johnson Direct

My favorite is Skype.com. They offer voice and video services over the Internet. They've really managed to take full advantage of the Web's possibilities. You can now talk to and see anyone who's hooked up to the Internet at no cost. — Håkan Axelsson, managing director, BizPeople