We are a small company about to engage the services of an independent,
free-lance marketing and eCommerce expert.  We are about to reveal to
him our plans and procedures for some of our eCommerce programs on the
Internet.

Since eCommerce concepts are pretty easy to set up (as opposed to
brick + mortar versions of the same thing) what is to stop this
marketing/tech guy from taking our ideas and later setting up the same
concepts on his own sites?

How do we protect our ideas and concepts? Even if they are not
proprietary but are original business ideas that he learned from us?

Hi zmaster,

Companies typically address this issue by requiring consultants and
employees to sign non-disclosure agreements.

Wikipedia provides an introduction to non-disclosure agreements.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-disclosure_agreement

The BitLaw website on technology law has a description and sample.  It
notes that an important possible element of such an agreement controls
not just disclosure, but also other ways the recipient might use the
information.
http://www.bitlaw.com/forms/nda.html

Of course, having your consultant sign such an agreement does not
guarantee that he will not steal your ideas.  It only helps you with
your subsequent lawsuit against him if he does.

Standard disclaimer:  Google Answers does not provide professional legal advice.

I hope this information is helpful.  If you need any more information
about this, please ask for a clarification.

Regards,

--efn