I love the web. The web should allow anyone to access any experience that they need without the need for native install or content walled garden.
UK Amazon Marketplace sellers can now easily link to a searchable, indexed list of their products. Just append your Seller ID (e.g., A30C94ZTNLBKQM) to http://www.kinlan.co.uk/amazon/uk/SellerID. Currently, this only supports up to 20 products and is UK-specific, but US support is coming soon.
I believe retailers need to embrace open APIs to their product catalogs and ordering systems to reach a wider audience. While I agree with Robert Scoble's view on the transformative potential of developer APIs in retail, I'm concerned about the slow pace of change. Costly per-call charges for APIs like eBay's hinder experimentation and development, especially for independent developers like myself. It's also difficult to find retailers who openly offer APIs. Amazon's free access model is a good example of how APIs can drive revenue. Are there any UK retailers offering cool, accessible web services?