A

BSTRACT

While it is now possible to buy almost anything from the Internet, the fact remains that 

most people would sooner buy a car or a computer from a real bricks and mortar shop, 

where  they  can  physically  see  what  they  are  about  to  buy.  Similarly,  selection  of  a 

plumber, electrician or GP is generally made on the basis of proximity and availability. 

Business  directories  such  as the myriad of Yellow/Golden Pages companies around the 

world  are  still  popular  in  book  form.  Websites  such  as 

www.goldenpages.ie

, 

www.yell.co.uk

  and 

www.gelbeseiten.de

  have,  however,  also  become  increasingly 

popular  in  recent  years,  offering  as  they  do  many  functional  enhancements  over  their 

respective paper equivalents.  

The aim of this project is to further enhance the functionality of such a website, giving 

the user access to a much richer store of information not only about the businesses, but 

precise details of the products and services that they offer. Such a service should bridge 

the  gap  between  geographically  oriented  business  directories  and  the  huge  online 

marketplaces such as ebay.com. It will allow users to compare and contrast the products 

and  services  offered  by  all  of  the  vendors  in  a  specific  geographical  area  or,  to  put  it 

another way, one will be able to find the computer shop selling the cheapest Dell laptops 

in the Fermoy, Co. Cork area. 

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