Ecommerce Problems?  We have Ecommerce Solutions. In today's marketplace, if you're selling, you had better be selling online. We can provide you with an online store complete with searchable content, administrative interfaces, shopping cart systems and much more.  Afraid to sell online because you don't know how to run a website? Don't worry. We will set up your store so that you can add or remove items, add descriptions, set prices, add discounts just to name a few features. Our programmers will interface directly with your merchant accounts. You will be able to run your store from an administrative interface which requires absolutely no knowledge of any web language or programs. Just login through your web browser and start running your store.

Digital Download Stores - Do you sell digital content?   Music, Audio Books, Software, Photography, Video -  Often it's difficult to find a good distribution solution for non tangible items.   No worries, we can build you a store which will allow purchasers to shop just like they might on any normal e-store; however, our system will allow for quick easy downloads of your product after the purchase.  The downloads will be tracked, generated, removed and it's all automated. Let the business run itself while you work on creating your product.

Custom Builds - We can build your store from the ground up.  In this way we can code every feature and options that you could possibly want.  Do you have a unique industry that needs specialized functionality or tracking?  This might be your best bet.

Open Source Builds - Looking to save money?  Of course you are.  Often an online vendor does not need specialized features and "fluff".  These businesses simply need a quality ecommerce store that works.  If this applies to you, we can probably use an open source solution to create your online store.  Online Store scripts such as OS Commerce, Zen Cart and CRE loaded can often be employed to get a store up and running quickly and for thousands less. 

These basic elements are the foundation of accepting online orders via credit card:

1. A credit card merchant account with a bank
2. A method by which to collect orders and credit card information (order forms or shopping cart system)
3. Secure Socket Layer (SSL) Encryption - to provide your customers a secure method to transmit their credit card and ordering information to you

What is a Credit Card Merchant Account?

A credit card merchant account allows your business to accept credit cards for payment of goods and services.  A customer provides his or her credit card number when you make a sale.  You submit the credit card number, expiration date and amount of the sale to your merchant account provider (typically a bank).  Within 3-5 days the funds are electronically deposited into your business bank account.

How do I Obtain a Merchant Account?

Most banks and financial institutions offer merchant account services.  Check with your current bank and ask for an application.  There are also companies that specialize in providing merchant account services in addition to the lease and sale of credit card terminals, processing software, etc.  These companies are listed in abundance in the phone book or via a search on the web for "merchant account providers".  Fees can vary greatly amongst merchant account providers, so you will want to do some comparison shopping before choosing a merchant account provider. We will be happy to help set you up with account if you would like.

What is Real Time Credit Card Processing?

Real-time credit card processing allows your web order pages to immediately submit your customer's credit card information via the Internet to your merchant account bank for authorization.  Real-time authorization is useful if you anticipate a large volume of online transactions or wish to provide your customer with immediate access to your product or service. 

Example: Selling a piece of software that a customer can download immediately after their credit card has been authorized in 'Real time'. 

Real-time credit card processing functionality can involve additional costs beyond standard processing which include: additional service fees from your merchant account provider bank, additional software requirements for real-time processing, customized ordering pages created for your web site and/or web server payment gateway software configuration and setup. 

Some careful research and planning is recommended before launching a Real-time payment system on your web site to determine the total costs and your expected return on investment.

How Do I Collect Orders?

The most common methods are using a simple online order form, or a shopping cart system with an order form.  Once your customer completes your online order form the order can be delivered to you via email, saved to a text file or saved to a database file on your web site for you to retrieve.  Upon receipt of your customer's order you can submit their credit card and payment information to your merchant account provider and deliver your product or service.

When Should I Use a Simple Online Order Form?

If you have a small number of items available to purchase (less than one or two dozen unique products or services). If are looking for an inexpensive solution or have a limited Internet budget If you are a novice or immediate web designer and want to start with a simple, easy to build order system

When Should I Use a Shopping Cart System?

If you have a larger number of items available for sale (more than a dozen)
If you wish to automatically total a customer's order including shipping, tax.