Many small businesses view the Internet as a place to level the playing field against larger competitors. Yet less than 5% of U.S.-based small businesses currently have an e-commerce Web site.

If the cost or complexity has stalled your online plans, here’s good news: Bigstep.com offers free e-business Web sites to small businesses. The do-it-yourself site offers six integrated services: site building and hosting, storefront/catalog creation, commerce tools for online credit-card orders, marketing services and reporting capabilities.

The company profits from sponsorships and optional services.

Writer: Kimberly Stanséll, Los Angeles, is the author of "Bootstrapper’s Success Secrets: 151 Tactics for Building Your Business on a Shoestring Budget," Career Press.