a method of operating an e - commerce shopping system includes providing a network host computer hosting a plurality of websites from vendors selling products and / or services . the network host computer receives an information request from a customer who wishes to shop online in the e - commerce shopping system . a community search , via a community search engine hosted on the network host computer , is ran for matching the information request of the customer with identified goods and / or services . the customer is directed to at least one of the websites containing the requested information existing within the e - commerce shopping system .