Internet trading started in India on 1st April 2000 with 79 members seeking permission to do so. Geojit Securities was the first to go online. On 1st February 2000, the National Stock Exchange (NSE) opened up the internet-based trading system for its members, the first stock exchange in India to do so. However, after two years of trading, only a dozen brokers continue offering online service. The SEBI Committee on Internet-based Securities Trading and Services has allowed the net to be used as an Order Routing System (ORS) through registered stockbrokers on behalf of their clients for execution of transactions. This paper aims at understanding the needs of the customers, comparing it with the offerings of the websites, identifying the gaps, and offering possible solutions for filling up the gaps. It is revealed that: Online traders took buying decisions on their own. A few backed it up by analysts' recommendations. Those who took decisions independently claimed to go through the websites, did fundamental and technical analysis, watched the trends, and then finally made a decision. No one solely followed brokers' recommendations blindly. Well-educated people in their 30s and 40s, who were highly informed and also knew how to tap sources of information, took decisions on their own and did not depend upon the broker. They were self-directed traders. The major perceived benefit of online system was its convenience. The broker's reliability followed by the execution speed was the key to logging on to a website. An analysis of the Indian sites indicated that they were mainly promotional and provisional in nature. Provisional information about stock quotes, database searches, research reports, etc. were provided in the site empowering the user to take independent decisions. Promotional activities in the form of facilities locator, educational forums, web designs, demos, etc. had lured many to visit their sites but whether this had converted into online clients could not be confirmed from the results of this study. Indian websites offered a basic plain package with lot of scope remaining for value addition. Excluding the technical and legal aspects over which the e-finance service providers did not have much control, certain value additions could be done on the existing websites. Moreover, the Indian investors having access to the foreign websites were quite well versed with what was being offered by the American counterparts and hence they were highly demanding customers. The following services could make Indian sites more attractive to customers: Interactive counselling Customer care centre Investment tips Warning systems Extended hours trade Account management Inter-organizational alliances.