E-commerce: Getting Started
Are you thinking about how to expand your business and increase revenue by selling your products and services online? The truth is that e-commerce is more accessible and affordable than ever. Having the right information and expert advise will dramatically improve your success and keep costs under control.
There are several key aspects to starting an e-commerce website. We take care of the details for you - so don't worry. However, a basic understanding of these key components can allow us to help you make an informed decision.
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The Shopping Cart
The 'shopping cart' is the program that allows customers to view items, add items to their cart, and to make payment. If you have ever bought a product online you will have used a 'shopping cart'... even if you didn't know it.
The software that powers the customer’s online shopping experience is also integrated with an administrative end that allows you to fill and track customers orders, manage inventory, and access other functions of the shopping cart system
At Plaztic Web Technologies we are a big fan of osCommerce. For the majority of clients osCommerce is an excellent e-commerce choice that can be fully customized to meet your specific needs.
Learn more about osCommerce Features | Available osCommerce Services
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Domain Hosting
The “domain host” is the company that will provide the web server on which your website and e-commerce shopping cart will run. Each shopping cart system has specific requirements in order for it to operate. Once we know what shopping cart you will be using we can recommend a domain host that meets the system requirements.
In choosing a domain host it is important to select a company that has experience with the server side technologies that will be required to power your e-commerce site. You can expect to pay $25.00 to $50.00 a month for domain hosting services.
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Web Server Certificate
In order to securely accept credit card numbers over the Internet you will require a “Signed Web Server Certificate”. This is an electronic type of file that is installed on your domain hosting company’s server. The web server certificate serves in the process of encrypting (i.e. scrambling) information sent from a web browser to the domain hosting server.
There are several companies which are licensed to sell and distribute these certificates. Prices range from approximately $200.00 to $275.00 (CAN.) per year. Web certificates need to be renewed annually. You domain hosting company may also charge a one time installation fee for the web certificate. Your hosting company may charge a monthly fee, in addition to your regular domain hosting fee, for running secure web pages. Please check with your host for pricing.
The application process can take several weeks to complete so it’s important that you leave yourself enough time when applying in preparation of a specific launch date.
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Merchant/Gateway Account
If you require 'real-time' credit card processing directly through your website you will require a merchant/gateway account. This type of account is available from one of several certified companies and banks.
We recommend using Moneris. They provide merchant account services directly to you as the e-commerce website owner. Moneris is fully supported by osCommerce.
If you have an existing merchant account that you use for 'in-store' credit card transactions - you may opt to manually do website credit card orders through your 'in-store' system.