So you want to sell online but you’re not sure where to begin or what you need to get started. E-Commerce sounds like a scary word but it’s not.

With some careful planning and research anyone can setup an E-Commerce site.
You can end up paying anywhere from zero dollars to thousands of dollars to get started. It all depends on your needs and requirements.

Don’t worry though, even If you’re on a low budget, you have some great options. Before you build your e-commerce website do a little research to decide on a few things first.

So what all do you need to get started?

There are 5 main things you must have to get an online shop up and running.

1. Domain Name: This is the first thing you need. Make sure you choose a domain name that reflects your business name well or something catchy and easy to remember. Most hosting plans come include a domain name.
2. Hosting Account: You’ll also need a place where you can store all the information, files, images, customer information etc that are used for your website.

   A hosting account is a server or computer that stores your files and serves them on the internet to your users.

   The things to look for in a hosting account are how much space and bandwidth do they provide. Most hosts offer unlimited space these days. Some hosting accounts also offer free shopping cart systems that can be setup with a click of a button.

   Another thing to look for is if they offer SSL certificates. See below to learn what this is. Some hosts offer free shared SSL and also the option to buy your own.

   Bluehost offers unlimited space and bandwidth, free shopping carts and shared SSL.

3. Merchant Account: A merchant account is used to receive payments from the customers online.   Some merchant accounts also allow you to process payments by phone as well.   Paypal, Authorize.net, Google Checkout, Amazon are all good merchant account options.
4. Shopping Cart: A shopping cart is the framework or the interface by which customers can place their orders. These are the pages you see online when you purchase things. The pages include the products, your buy buttons, checkout and all that is needed to process and integrate your shopping cart.

   There are many shopping carts out there, which makes it difficult to choose one. Read the article on How to Choose a Free Shopping Cart.

5. Shared or Private SSL: Finally you need a way to make your payment pages and personal information pages secure (HTTPS). Notice when you buy online you are taken to a secure page to enter you payment information.

   The address displayed in your browser’s url is proceeded by https instead of http. An SSL certificate allows you to serve secure pages (payment pages) over HTTPS instead of HTTP. This encrypts the data as it’s sent through the internet for processing and secures the entered information.

   Without the SSL your customers won’t trust you and will not buy from you. Make sure your payment system is secure.

   Learning how to build an E-Commerce site can be very complicated or very simple depending on what you need. If you’re not sure and are stuck you can always hire a pro to setup your store for you from start to finish. Make sure you setup a system that you can easily maintain yourself once it’s all setup.

   Visit our Web Design page to see our rates for an E-Commerce site. If you are in need of something more unique don’t hesitate to contact us and ask for a quote.

Growing Your Business – How To Accept Credit Cards on a Website

In the fast paced age of the internet, not accepting credit cards can be a death blow to a growing business trying to make a name for itself on the web. Customers are unwilling to send checks online when they can move on to the next merchant and pay by credit card. It is imperative that businesses that wish to grow and thrive learn how to accept credit cards online.

Decide on an Account Type

The first step is determining if your business will be using its own merchant account or using a third party merchant account. Each type has its own advantages and disadvantages.

To get your own account, your business will need to open a merchant account at a bank. Each country has its own requirements and restrictions. Your bank can give you more information about opening a merchant account. Using your own account adds a degree of professionalism to your website, but can come with a hefty start up cost, and the liability of accepting your own credit card transactions.

Third party merchants are a better choice for smaller businesses that lack the capital and infrastructure to handle their own transactions. A third party merchant handles all the back-end involved in processing credit card payments, but for a higher transaction fee.

Choosing a Merchant

If you’re setting up your own merchant account, you’ll be handling all credit card transactions yourself, and your local bank can walk you through the proper steps. If you choose to use a third party merchant, you’ll want to pick a company with a proven track record, good administration, and reliability. Here are a few of the more well known merchants.

Paypal: One of the forefathers of internet commerce, Paypal is both reliable and easy to use. Personal accounts cannot accept credit card payments, but Premier and Business accounts can, and per transaction, it’s cheaper than most other 3rd party merchants.

Amazon Store: The web store at Amazon gives the seller access to the customers from the Amazon search engine. They use a per month charge, but are reputable and recognizable.

Google Checkout: With prices comparable to Paypal, Google Checkout allows merchants to sell goods, both real and digital, as well as services and subscriptions.

CCBill: A powerhouse in the internet merchant market, CCBill offers security, reliability and professional support, but you pay for those features with a heftier revenue percentage.

CCNow: A 3rd party merchant for physical goods. They charge a retail margin of about 5% with small fees for extra services.

Setting up Your Shop

Most of the third party merchants offer pre-made forms that you can customize to fit the theme and layout of your website. Some merchants, like Amazon, allow you to create your entire site within the boundary of their main merchant site, saving you money on hosting services for your company.

Whether you choose a 3rd party merchant, or you decide to set up your own merchant account, it’s important that you use the most secure options available. More and more consumers are venturing online for their shopping needs. Customer trust is a valuable commodity, and any business looking to participate in e-commerce must learn how to accept credit cards online in a safe and secure way.