To develop an understanding of the factors that may impact on international e-business and e-marketing, this research examines the top 100 e-commerce Web sites in a sample of nine countries of diverse cultures and at different stages of national development, to determine the extent to which the forces of localization and globalization are influencing consumers' preference and choices in ranking e-commerce Web sites in these countries. Preliminary results show evidence of variation among these ranking lists, presumably because of regional cultural preferences, local demands, and language differences. There is also evidence of some common characteristics among these lists because of the globalizing influence of the Internet. The implications of these findings for international e-marketing are discussed.