I'm about to open my own small business and would like to launch a website with the possibility of adding an online store later. Should I invest in something like coffeecup or xara or just use yahoo web design or godaddy since they offer easy e-commerce options? Is an option like Mal's e-commerce or kickstartkcart a better alternative to yahoo and godaddy?
As you may know a domain name is just a name, not a real website. If you are going to create your website: 1- Buy a domain name. A domain name is a name you want to call your website (ex: www.yahoo.com). To get a domain name, you have to pay an annual fee to a registrar for the right to use that name. 2- Buy a web hosting service to provide your online space and enable you to get your website online at your purchased domain name.

There is no general rule or best way to build a functioning website, they are all bother on type of website you want and objective of building your website.
In my opinion whether you use coffeecup or xara or just use yahoo web design or godaddy you can always add ecommerce later. For example coffecup has web design software and shopping cart software too, you can be the software and learn how to use them to build a functioning website and you can add ecommerce to it now or later.

To best way is to keep it updated frequently.