Moving on,, and again thanks to all for input.....
Is offering ecommerce a necessity?
How many ecom webs do you host per server?
i have not had good experiences with miva- too heavy for average mom and pop do it yourselfers, for advanced xml types the interface with crystal reports is not smooth either.

i have been looking at Tallyman offered by rackspace seems easy, one time setup fee?

candor appreciated :)

It depends on how much demand there is. I suggest that if you are interested in offering e-commerce stuff, start off by making different plans (one without, one with) and charge more. Give it about 2 or 3 months and see what the response/demand is like before deciding whether to pursue it or not.

I only say this because I know that in certain parts of the state or country, demand will slightly differ depending on the spread, knowledge, etc.