Exhibit 5.1
                               Akerman Senterfitt
                     One Southeast Third Avenue, 28th Floor
                              Miami, FL 33131-1714

                               September 17, 2004

E Com Ventures, Inc.
251 International Parkway
Sunrise, Florida 33325

Ladies and Gentlemen:

      We have acted as counsel to E Com  Ventures,  Inc., a Florida  corporation
(the  "Company"),  in  connection  with  the  preparation  and  filing  with the
Securities and Exchange Commission of a Registration  Statement on Form S-8 (the
"Registration  Statement"),  under the  Securities  Act of 1933, as amended (the
"Securities  Act"). Such  Registration  Statement relates to the registration by
the Company of (1) the issuance of up to 723,408 options (the  "Options")  which
may be granted under the Company 2000 Stock Option Plan, as amended  (the"Plan")
to purchase a like number of shares of the  Company's  Company's  common  stock,
$.01 par value per share (the  "Common  Stock") and (2) up to 723,408  shares of
Common Stock (the  "Shares")  issuable upon exercise of a like number of options
granted or to be granted under the Plan.

      In  connection  with  the  Registration   Statement,   we  have  examined,
considered and relied upon copies of the following documents:  (1) the Company's
Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation  and Bylaws, as amended,  (2) the
Plan, and (3) such other documents and instruments that we have deemed necessary
for the expression of the opinions  contained  herein. In our examination of the
aforesaid documents,  we have assumed,  without independent  investigation,  the
genuineness of all  signatures,  the legal capacity of all  individuals who have
executed any of the documents, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us
as originals  and the  conformity  to the original  documents of all copies.  In
rendering  this opinion,  we advise you that members of this Firm are members of
the Bar of the State of Florida, and we express no opinion herein concerning the
applicability  or  effect  of any laws of any  other  jurisdiction,  except  the
securities  laws of the United  States of America  referred  to herein,  and the
general  corporation  laws of the State of  Florida.  Based  upon the  foregoing
examination, we are of the opinion that:

      When the  Registration  Statement  becomes  effective under the Securities
Act,  and when the Options are issued and  distributed  in  accordance  with and
pursuant to the Plan,  the Options will be validly  issued;  and when the Shares
are issued  against  delivery of adequate  consideration  therefor in accordance
with and pursuant to the terms of the Plan,  the Shares will be validly  issued,
fully paid and nonassessable.

      We hereby  consent  to the  filing of this  opinion  as an  exhibit to the
Registration  Statement. In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we
are included  within the  category of persons  whose  consent is required  under
Section  7 of the  Securities  Act  or the  rules  and  regulations  promulgated
thereunder.

                                                        Sincerely,

                                                        AKERMAN SENTERFITT
                                                        /s/ Akerman Senterfitt