Ecommerce | Ecommerce News

Ecommerce Solutions - A Simple Feature That Will Increase Exposure and Potential Profits!

2008-08-06T23:33:00.003-07:00

Ecommerce solutions are a fast way to get your business up and running and making a profit. They are popular way of shortening the learning curve of creating an ecommerce site to allow more time for concentrating on growing a successful online business.

A great feature of a ecommerce package is the ability to integrate with third party services like auction and shopping comparison sites.

All you need to do is just point and click!

No need to worry about whether your site will be compatible with these services. No html knowledge required so you can avoid having to learn a new skill or hire others to program it onto your site.

Can you imagine how much time you'll save?

Maybe days, weeks or even months if you decided to learn yourself with no previous background experience. That means you have all that time to concentrate on building your business ... the part where the profits are!

And how about the increased sources of traffic?

Integration with third party websites means more surfers find your products which means more exposure for your business since you are able to reach thousands more potential customers.

And the more people that know about your website the better chance you have at increasing your customer base and profits!

Just think about the marketing costs of reaching that many people if you were to use pay per click advertising or other forms of paid advertising. The monthly fee charged for ecommerce packages can be covered with just one sale depending on the product you are selling and then you've basically got your marketing for free.

Start a successful ecommerce business quickly and smoothly avoiding large financial sacrifices with an eshop package.

Compare different sized ecommerce packages here

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dale_James

Ecommerce Packages - The Benefits of Marketing Tools As Part of Your Ecommerce Package!

2008-08-06T23:33:00.002-07:00

There are so many ecommerce packages to choose from but not all of those available provide helpful marketing tools as standard.

As you've probably discovered traffic is the lifeblood of your business. If you don't have a constant stream of traffic to your website then you have no business.

That's where the benefit of having marketing tools as part of your ecommerce package comes in!

Email marketing and newsletters keeps your website in your existing customers minds. Keeping in contact with them regularly about new products, special offers and upcoming sales will keep them interested in what you have to offer. This low cost marketing technique can improve your sales due to the continuous exposure.

Don't forget how easy it is to keep control of your business by having your website admin and marketing tools under the same roof. Not only does it save time but it also eliminates the need to worry about extra monthly costs for services such as autoresponders ... it's all included in the package!

There are also on page marketing features of some ecommerce packages that you can incorporate into your website. Product recommendation features allow you to suggest other products to visitors related to what they are already interested in. Since you are exposing the visitor to more choice it can increase the potential of a sale.

And how about cross selling features which allow you to highlight complimentary products. For example, maybe the visitor didn't think to buy shoe polish with their shoes but suggesting it can increase the number of sales which increases the overall success of your ecommerce website!

Start a successful ecommerce business quickly and smoothly avoiding large financial outlays with an eshop package.

Compare different sized Ecommerce packages here

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dale_James

Safe and Secure Online Payments With SSL Certificates

2008-08-06T23:33:00.001-07:00

The seamless world of the Internet has broken open the physical barriers that existed across regions on the Globe. Today, therefore, you could be sitting in Munich and buying goodies from Seoul. Very convenient, and thrilling. But, when you pay for your goodies and swipe you're Credit Card, are you sure, you are paying only for what you paid for? Chances are your Credit Card Information traverses through alien territory into the wrong pair of hands. The result, the next morning, you will find your Bank account eroded or emptied? Not a situation that most of us can afford or enjoy.

How do we then transact on the Internet and yet safeguard our hard earned monies from those Electronic pirates? The answer is relatively simple. Every time you choose to buy product or services through web-sites, before entering your Credit Card and other personal information look for information on whether the payment gateway is secured.

Payment gateways are secured through SSL or Secured Socket Layer. When you enter your personal and or Credit Card information into a secure site, an encrypted public key is created. This is termed as a handshake to authenticate safe transaction. The unique encryption method which gets established in the process will have a unique session key. This process protects theft of valuable data and only the transaction that you intend to complete is processed.

SSL certification has been found to be very reliable across, Internet users and also among the customers. These certificates are issued by a reliable and trusted authority, the Certificate Authority. The web-site through which you are attempting to transact business carries signs of the agency which has issued the SSL certificates. "VeriSign, SSLGenie, Thawte" are prominent certifying agencies, across domains. There are other similar agencies too, which offer these SSL certifications. When you click on the sign, the details of the certifying agency are displayed.

When you click on such secured domains, your system generates a SSL handshake which is accessed by the web-site server. The unique encryption method employed then allows a secure transaction to go through.

Why all this bother?

When you are transacting valuable business or even sending across precious data, it is necessary to route them through secure servers which have the seal of security such as an SSL certificate. In the absence of this Security, it would compare with sending a snail mail in a transparent envelope.

For E-Commerce and other Web-site owners, the ssl certification acts as a stamp of credibility and assurance of safety to their valuable customers.

For the Service Providers and other Vendors/Merchants in the Internet world, exhibiting their site security sign - a reputed one at that, not only assures the customer that the information he parts with will be securely handled, but also separates them from the crowd. Informed customers would always prefer to transact their business through secure sites and this will automatically bring in more business to Websites secured through ssl certificates from well known providers.

Article Source - http://www.livechatgenie.com/ - LivehelpGenie is online chat software by which you can decrease your investment and shorten you sales cycle. This is not enough we also provide customer support tool that must help you in converting your website visitors into clients.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Maya_Gupta

Cashing In - More Retailers Move to Online Trading

2008-08-06T23:33:00.000-07:00

According to the IMRG, the industry body for global e-retailing, the online shopping market has grown more than 14-fold over the last eight years. One of the fastest-growing online retail sectors is electrical goods, which sold £204m of items in November 2007 alone. However, according to the IMRG report, all retail sectors, from food and drink to travel, have seen an increase in internet trading. The upsurge in internet shopping is partly down to its sheer convenience; the fact the customer can make their purchases from home, at any time of the day or night.

In order to cash in on this growing trend and sell your products online, you must first set up a website. To do this you need to buy a domain name and some web space to house your website. You should decide whether to host the site yourself, which requires a certain amount of technical knowledge, or whether to find a third party to host it for you. For smaller companies, third party hosting is usually the best solution, since it allows you to concentrate on your business without having to worry about maintaining your servers.

Once you've bought a domain name, depending on your budget restraints and website needs, there are now a number of options available to you to set up your store. A bespoke solution can cost anything from a few hundred pounds to a few thousand pounds, depending whether you develop your site in-house or use third party specialists to do the work for you.

Next, you must decide how you'd like your online shop to look. You may wish to employ a web designer to create the site for you, or you might prefer to use a piece of software called a shopping cart, which will enable you to create an online shop front yourself. Shopping carts are generally simple to use and allow you to do everything with your store, from designing the look and feel, to handling stock and shopping transactions.

However there are many solution providers who provide competitive hosting or template driven shopping cart package solutions that provide you with a cheaper means of setting up your site and accepting payment These solutions vary widely in terms of flexibility, service and cost; in fact some shopping cart software is free.

Most retails are now coming to realize the huge benefits of being able to sell online, so don't get left behind - join the e-Commerce world and start making money with an online shop front now.

Disclaimer:
This article has been written for information and interest purposes only. The information contained within this article is the opinion of the author only, and should not be construed as advice or used to make financial decisions. Expert financial advice should always be sought and any links contained within this article are included for information purposes only.

Matthew Pressman writes for a wide variety of commercial clients. This article is intended for information purposes only and readers should seek additional information before taking any actions based on its content.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Matthew_Pressman

Ecommerce Hosting And Security Concerns

2008-03-15T03:58:00.000-07:00

Today's standards are comprised of twelve main regulations, each divided into numerous sub-regulations. These range from technology guidelines to carefully defined administrative practices. One of the technology regulations involves the encryption of information during its storage and transmittal. A firm must also maintain control over both physical and digital access to the information.

PCI standards should be followed by any company that processes, transmits or stores credit card information. For smaller companies, this is not the easiest thing in the world to accomplish. To assist them, there are many PCI-compliant ecommerce solutions available to them and range from online shopping cart software to ecommerce hosting. These options insure PCI compliance and take the burden off of the sellers and allow them to focus more on making sales.

Ecommerce hosting ratings can be found at opinion sites throughout the Web. However, an opinion from an unknown is no guarantee of satisfaction; you need solid references as well. You will be doing business with them for a long time. Is your hosting provider PCI-compliant? Are they trustworthy? Do they have a good reputation? Demand and check references.

While security is certainly a major factor to consider when looking at ecommerce hosting, you should also check out the other benefits ecommerce solutions have to offer. Hosting firms often pair up with their clients to offer online shopping cart software too. It is extremely helpful if your hosting provider has software expertise, since this can often result in better technical support for you. In the end, that means your site will be down less often and your customers will find their shopping experience a more comfortable one.

Starting an ecommerce business that makes money is not simple. It is easy to obsess over the interesting side of things, choosing what you will sell and how you will advertise. However, far more important to most people is the understanding their information is secure from prying eyes. Similarly, you have obligations enabling continued use of credit cards.

E-Commerce Solutions India

2008-03-11T00:54:00.000-07:00

The business world is changing and it is redefining itself at a phenomenal pace. In past couple of years, internet has brought new revolution and reframed every area of business. Presently internet is considered as one of the major source of income and acting as a main platform in providing many tools, where an individual or any big or small organization can sell or buy information, product or service. Today with the help of these tools one can easily perform business transactions online without any hassle. E-commerce refers to these tools and forms of business activities that are conducted through internet. Thus ecommerce can be defined as internet facilitated commerce, that's further helps in promoting and distributing products. As the name suggests, it can also be defined as conducting of commerce in goods or business transactions over internet.

Today we are living in a technology driven world and online marketing has affected our living standards. The language of e-commerce is new and gaining its popularity day by day. As per current studies, many mid-size and business firms who use to reach their potential customers all the way through physical avenues like retail stores are now seriously considering to reduce their expenses in comparison to their revenue. In such altering business scenario, e-commerce is becoming innovative means to promote their goods/services.

Moreover as the living standards are changing, these days' customers don't want to waste their time & move from store to store to purchase any product. Ecommerce solutions have enabled to give rise mobile technology and plastic money. Talking about the best advantage of ecommerce solutions, this technology has actually facilitated people to have virtual and online look of various product or services with just one click. If we look at the present scenario then we can easily say that ecommerce not only talks about online stores but more on the subject of money. Many banks are at the present are offering their clients friendly features to access their bank accounts through internet. No doubt this new technology is becoming the new mantra of increasing your sales.

In past few years the boom of e-commerce business and e-commerce business solution providers have grown so tremendously that now no one can give thought to run business effectively without help of e-commerce business solution provider. Ecommerce also help in providing better traffic for your e-commerce storefront and online ordering system. It is expected that expanding Internet Service Provider market will further make easy for e-commerce growth and by the year 2008 e-commerce business solutions may reach to $98 billion.

However, searching ideal e-commerce solution for your business can sometimes be too complex process, and so you need to have an e-commerce solution that not just enables visitors to visit your website, but make every buying and paying procedure hassle-free. Another important aspect of an ecommerce solution is speed of processing. In addition to this, it must feature a secure server which uses encryption to maintain your target customers' individual information and credit card numbers. Your ecommerce solution must provide your potential customers a sense of security so that they can have assurance while placing an online order.

Today internet represents the largest target bazaar and potential for new customers has improved than ever and e-commerce solution will help you earn profits beyond your hope.

China's Online Shopping May Be Booming In The Next Few Years

2008-03-11T00:52:00.000-07:00

Data from China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC) shows that till June 2004 Chinese online user has reached 87 million, of which, 7.3% has experience of online shopping.

CNNIC also expects that the percentage will reach 58% in the next 2005 year.

Two factors may limit China’s e-business growth.

1. The low investment on the Internet infrastructure and related soft environment.

2. The shortage of online products

RSS For Rookies

2008-03-10T00:55:00.001-07:00

RSS stands for Rich Site Summary, or for Really Simple Syndication. Both mean the same thing, so don't let it confuse you. An RSS is something a website (or a blog) offers to readers provide a "news feed" of their information. It's available for everyone to add to their own "news reader" for free and gets displayed on your desktop or in your web browser.

It works almost like a stock ticker, delivering exactly the information that you have anonymously "subscribed" to, eliminating the need to go out and check your favorite outlets for new information, because they're already delivered to your computer.

Who needs RSS?

Well, everyone need it. It's so much more efficient than going to get it, or getting endless email newsletters. Having the paper delivered to your home makes more sense than driving to the store every day, doesn't it? In the same vein, let's say that you want only the latest news about only certain subjects, and routinely go out and check several websites to see what's new. Using RSS, those individual websites will deliver that news right to your desktop, suitable for reading, clicking, printing, or ignoring.

How can you use RSS?

There seems to be no single definitive answer, because there are so many ways to use it. I'll tell you about the easiest way to get RSS feeds that I know of, but by no means is that the only way. That is; on your homepage of your web browser.

First, you need an RSS newsreader, (a.k.a. "aggregator"). The good news though is that you may already have one. Since millions of people have Yahoo, MSN, Hotmail or Google accounts, I'll walk you through adding a news feed to your MSN home page. Go to http://www.my.msn.com and sign in. If you don't already have a hotmail account, go ahead and create one. If you'd prefer, you can go to http://my.yahoo.com and do the same) It only takes a minute go get a new account.

After signing in to My MSN, you'll see quite an array of news, weather, sports, ads, stock quotes, local information etc. Think of this as your canvas, and you're free to arrange or remove the information how you see fit. Each of these sections you see can me easily moved or deleted. To move them, just click and drag from the top right of each subject area. To remove them, click the minus (-) sign in the top left of the subject area. Feel free to delete them all, since you can always add them back later.

Now go to top left of the screen, right above the "Welcome" area you'll see "Add content" below your name. When you go there, you get four choices (Tabs) for adding content. The default tab that comes up is "Search". and from here you have four options and each is clearly defined. If you know the exact web address (URL) for a company's newsfeed, you can enter it right here. The other three tabs might be worth exploring too, since they let you browse by company names and subjects. Then you just click a box for all you want.

After signing in to My Yahoo, you'll notice that there are already several news feeds from Reuters listed there, with "Top stories", "world News", "Politics" and "Business". Above those stories, you'll see a big yellow box in the center explaining how you can "Add Content". Click the link to "add content" and you'll come up with a search box allowing you to "find content" about a given subject. Type in a search phrase, and you'll be presented with search results that all have an "Add" button next to them. Hit the "Add" button by the ones you want, and then hit the "Finished" button at the top right, and you're done. You just added that RSS news feed to your My Yahoo page. Scroll down at the My Yahoo main page, and you'll see those news headlines you added at the bottom of your list. To rearrange the order of your news feeds, just hit the small "edit" button at the top right of each news section. To remove a news feed, just hit the X like you would to close any window.

Customizing your own news feeds

Now suppose you don't need to "find" a news feed on a subject, because you already know you want to add a particular one. Well that's easy too. Al you have to do is identify what the "RSS feed URL" is for the information you want to add. Most blogs or news organizations show you these now on their websites.

Look for a small orange box on the website that says XML or the words "RSS Feed" or "News feed" and click on it. In the case of large organizations, like CNN for example, you'll be taken to a page with a nice set of instructions, and a whole list of RSS news feed URL's that you can manually copy and paste into your news reader.

Sometimes though, you'll be taken to a page that looks like gibberish code. Don't let that scare you like it did me the first time I saw it! When that happens, you are actually looking right at the feed itself, and all you have to do is copy and paste what's in the address bar of your web browser, right into your news reader. That's called "knowing the specific URL of the feed" on MSN, and ""Add RSS by URL" in Yahoo.

In My Yahoo, to manually add a news feed, go to the "add content" area, and choose the link to the right of the Find button that says "Add RSS by URL". Once you paste your URL in that window and hit "add" the news headlines should show up there. If they don't, then you may have copied the URL wrong, or added a space at the end. Then just hit the "Add to My Yahoo" button and you're done! In MSN, you'll paste the URL of the news feed right into the search box, then check the box when it shows the result.

Delivering exactly what you want and only when you want is how the internet is supposed to work. Things are only getting better.

RSS For Rookies

2008-03-10T00:55:00.000-07:00

Information Technology and Textile Industry

2008-03-10T00:53:00.000-07:00

Today, Information technology (IT) plays a vital role in the field of textile industry. Any manufacturing unit employs four Ms that is, Men, Material, Machine and of course Money. To get organizational success, managers need to focus on synchronizing all these factors and developing synergies with in and outside organizational operations. With the increased competition, companies are taking support of IT to enhance its Supply Chain Management (SCM) and using it as a competitive edge. In short, many textile companies are leveraging the technological power to adding value to their business.

Supply Chain Management includes: sourcing, procuring, converting, and all the logistic activities. It seeks to increase the transaction speed by exchanging data in real-time, reduce inventory, and increased sales volume by fulfilling customer requirements more efficiently and effectively.

Why Textile Industries Need IT Support?

Lack of information on demand and supply aspects
Most of the decisions a manager takes are related to demand and supply issues. But unfortunately very few are able to get it, as a result decisions taken carries risk and uncertainty. Excess inventory is one of the most common problems faced by managers which further results in long cycle-time, outdated stock, poor sale, low rates, and reduction in order visibility and finally leads to customer dissatisfaction.

Long procurement time
In a traditional textile industry, procurement process takes a much longer time. So, the retailers need to forecast demand and identify consumption trends at a much earlier stage. Lack of clarity about future can either result in early stock out, delay or overstock.

Supply chain in-competency
With the urge for getting global, apparel and textiles are facing hurdles of inefficiency in carrying out various processes involved right from designing, developing samples, getting approval, manufacturing, dispatching to payment procedures. The total time taken can get extended to one year or even longer. If we calculate, production actually accounts for just ten to twenty percent of the total time. Rest of the time is taken for the information processing from one end to the other.

The trajectory of development of Information Technology has intersected every application in textile industry. From enhancing performance of textile manufacturing and tighter process control, IT has inserted intelligence at every node of textile supply chain.

Step into the global trade
It is a fact that a company going global is opened with lot of opportunities as well as threats in terms of competition, changing trends, and other environmental changes. It necessitates managing every kind of information efficiently and at much faster speed.

Interaction of Information Technology with Textile Supply Chain

Sharing of Information
Proper flow of information among supply chain member is very crucial. Such flow of information can influence the performance of overall supply chain operations. It includes data about customers and their demand, inventory status, production and promotion plan, shipment schedules, payment details, etc. Bar coding and Electronic data interchange are the two information technology tools which can facilitate information integration. Bar coding facilitates recording of detailed data by converting it to electronic form and can be easily shared among members through EDI system. EDI with its high efficiency is able to replace the traditional ways of transmission like telephone, mail and even fax. EDI enables managers to analyze and apply it in their business decisions. It also helps in expediting order cycle that reduces investment in inventory. EDI based network enables Company to maintain quick response and closure relations with suppliers and customers, who are geographically dispersed. Manufacturers and retailers can share even new designs developed through CAD/CAM.

Supports planning and execution operations
Planning and coordination are very important issues in supply chain management. The next step after sharing information is planning which includes joint design and implementation for product introduction, demand forecasting and replenishment. Supply chain members decide their roles and responsibility which is coordinated through the IT system.

Various software tools like MRP, MRP-II, APSS facilitates planning and coordination between different functional areas within the organization.

Material Requirements Planning (MRP): It helps in managing manufacturing processes based on production planning and inventory control system. Proper implementation of MRP ensures availability of material for production and product for consumption at right time optimizes the level of inventory and helps in scheduling various activities. MRP system uses computer databases to store lead times and order quantity. MRP includes mainly three steps: first assessing the requirement of how many units of components is required to produce a final product; here it applies logic to implement Bill of Material (BOM) explosions. Second step includes deducting the stock in hand from gross to find out net requirement. Finally, scheduling manufacturing activities such that finished goods are available when required, assuming the lead time.

Manufacturing Resource Planning (MRPII) system is a logical extension of MRP system which covers the entire manufacturing function. This typically includes machine loading, scheduling, feedback and Software extension programmes in addition to material requirement planning. It provides the mechanism to evaluate the feasibility of a production schedule under a given set of constraints.

A textile company which has multipoint manufacturing and engaged in global business necessitates something more than MRP and MRP-II like Distribution Requirement Planning (DRP), it has ability to solve both capacity and material constraints and quickly propagates the effects of problems in both backward and forward direction throughout the supply chain.

The Advance Planning and Scheduling (APSS) system includes both material focus of MRP and rapid response scheduling power of MRP-II.

Coordination of logistics flows
Workflow coordination can include activities such as procurement, order execution, implementing changes, design optimization, and financial exchanges which results in cost and time efficiency. The results are cost-effective, speedy and reliable supply chain operations.

IT contributes towards the maximizing the value of textile supply chain through integrating supply chain operations within and outside the organization and collaborating the acts of vendors and customers based on shared forecasts. Internet adds to IT contribution towards supply chain management through coordination, integration and even automation of critical business processes. New system of the supply chain game emerges as a result of business innovation fuelled by the Internet.

Many supplying companies maintain demand data by style, size, fabric and color to replenish inventory at retail outlet. Level of replenishing is predetermined by both parties after reviewing history of sales by product and buying behavior of the community. New Business Models:

Data mining and data warehousing

Data mining is the process of analyzing data from different viewpoints and summarizing it into useful information that can be used as a basis of monitoring and control, enabling companies to focus on the most important aspects of their business. It allows users to analyze data from many different dimensions, categorize it, and summarize the relationships identified. In short it is the process of finding correlations or relationship among dozens of fields in large relational databases. Data warehousing is the repository of data and can be defined as a process of centralized data management and retrieval. Centralization of data maximizes user access and analysis.

E-commerce
E-commerce can be B2B (Business To Business) and B2C (Business To Customer). B2C commerce is the direct selling to consumers through Internet. While B2B marketplace can be defined as neutral Internet-based intermediaries that focus on specific business processes, host electronic marketplaces, and use various market-making mechanisms to mediate transactions among businesses. B2B appears to be more prospective than B2C.

E-retailing
The textile-retail giants are adding an Internet shopping-component to their offering. It has affected their distribution and warehousing infrastructure. As a result of going online, retailers have changed their supply chain strategy. High volume products with stable demand are stocked in local stores, while low-volume products are stocked centrally for online purchasing.

Companies prefer a direct route to consumers by closely scrutinizing individual customer's tastes, preferences, habits, and buying patterns. Instead of waiting for consumers to visit their stores, retailers simply send them e-mails with offers. Internet has facilitated quick response system. With the use of web-enabled technology it is possible to have automatic customer replenishment system.

Flash Shopping Carts Make E-Commerce a Breeze

2008-02-26T04:07:00.001-08:00

If you have started or plan on starting your own e-commerce website you may have found your one stumbling block to success. This is allowing your customers to shop and check out without making them go through a time consuming registration process or building a shopping cart. If you are not a computer genius this is a task that could make what seemed like your paved road to success suddenly fill with roadblocks. The great news is that there is something that is relatively new to the Internet called flash shopping carts that could solve your problems. We all know how great flash is and now this technology has been used to create the ultimate e-commerce shopping experience.

What are Flash Shopping Carts?

We have all been to those websites in the past where we have to use an antiquated shopping cart that takes more time to use than the products that we are shopping for are really worth. Your customers are looking for a simple shopping experience, and as an e-commerce business owner you also want something that is low maintenance. Flash shopping carts will change the face of e-commerce from here on out. These are simple shopping carts that do everything that the old shopping carts did, but they do them quickly with no need to reload pages or ask for a total. Instead, everything is here before your customers so they can get in, shop, and get out.

What Flash Shopping Carts Can Do

Wondering exactly what a Flash shopping cart can do? In essence it can do just about anything that you want it to do. With these shopping carts you can allow your customers to shop for unlimited products that are listed in unlimited categories. The carts use auto scrollbars, allow for easy drag and drop capabilities, and they are able to calculate shipping and item numbers, total products, subtotals, and they look just as professional as the shopping cart that you are currently using. In fact, you may very well find that a Flash cart looks better, is easy to use, and is even more accurate than the shopping cart that you have been using for years. Your customers will likely enjoy this type of shopping cart much more!

Benefits to the E-Commerce Business Owner

Wondering how the Flash shopping carts can benefit you, the business owner? The nice thing about these shopping carts is that there is no complicated code to learn or anything like that. All you have to do is drag the shopping cart that you want to use to your website and you can begin to use it. In addition, you have full control over the display, the fonts, colors, and overall appearance. You won't have to make monthly payments or anything like that. Instead, you can make one initial purchase and the Flash shopping cart is yours-free and clear. Running an e-commerce website has never been this easy and because you don't have to learn any difficult code you don't have to be a computer whiz to make it work for you!

3 Steps Of Ecommerce Web Site Development

2008-02-26T04:04:00.000-08:00

When it comes to ecommerce web site development the ultimate goal of the web site is to lead customers to buy products from your site. There are three steps for affordable web design with your ecommerce web site:

Step 1: Design Your Web Site
One must at the very beginning decide on the amount that is to be spent on getting the web site designed. Only after this is done should one start to choose a Web site designing firm. Thus the affordability analysis should be also taken into consideration while making the final decision. Regardless of the price of the web site design you are paying for, it is advisable to look at all possible options before making a decision and choosing a company. Good web site design is when there will be an obvious return on investment, over a set term.

Designing an ecommerce web site is quite different than designing other types of web sites. Most stores use an online catalog type of format organized by category. You will need crystal clear pictures of each item you're selling, as well as a detailed description to tell customers everything they need to know. An ecommerce web site must not only present the merchandise effectively, it must provide a safe and easy way for customers to order.

Step 2: Set up Your Store
Your customers will browse at your web site, select some items, and then pay for them. When you set up an e-commerce shopping cart, you're providing a way for your customers to bring their purchases to the cash register. The program you choose will allow you to enter your products in the database and allow shoppers to choose products when they click on "Add to cart" or something similar.

There are elements for a installing ecommerce web site:

* Domain. Domain names are very essential aspects of any web site business. These may have been the most overlooked areas but the impact that they can bring about to any business is so immense. It is for this reason that the name you choose should be carefully studied and analyzed before they are purchased and used.

* Web hosting. After you have determined that your future web site host is a reliable, well established company, let's look at their offer's technical details and understand what they stand for. There are many factors that determine a good and reliable hosting company such as: Reliability, Bandwidth, File Storage Space, Reputation, Statistics, Control Panel, Support, Backups, Range Of Services, Cost, and more.

* Ecommerce script/ software. Store owners can set up their online stores using ecommerce script/ software with either free or paid ecommerce script/ software. For small stores, it has all the features you need for an online store. For example: OScommerce, Zen Cart, PHP Auction, Cube Cart, Open Realty, Miva Merchant, etc.

* Payment processor gateway. When customers arrive at the checkout counter, you need a way for their payments to be transferred from their credit card accounts to your bank account. The method you choose may depend on your sales volume. There are popular payment processor companies: PayPal, 2CheckOut, Authorize.net and WorldPay.

Step 3: Promote Your Web Site To Worldwide
Here are some ways you can get web traffic to your web site. A new website might get 10 - 20 vistor's daily. If your web site is good and improved frequently it will give you up to 100 - 200 vistor's daily. Some websites will have up to more 1,000 vistors daily. Then its essential you promote your product or service. Some ways have proven as the most efficient in generating traffic to your web site: Pay Per Click, Article Submission, Press Release, Link Exchange, Directories Submission, and more.

Congratulations, it's a... Website?

2008-02-25T03:13:00.001-08:00

As my wife and I prepare for the birth of our second child, my one-track mind has wandered to the similarities and differences between a child and a website. That may seem a little out there, but bear with me as we take a look.

First, let's look at the similarities between a child and a website.

Change the diaper often

Just like with a baby, you can't let the crap build up. You'll need to watch a number of things. Make sure that your front page doesn't get cluttered. Likely you'll have some section begin growing in ways you didn't anticipate. As soon as you notice it, start planning for the section to be bigger. It's a lot easier to make changes needed early on than it is to make them later.

If your website is already up and running, check your site right now.. If the front page or any other section is cluttered, make a quick list of five things you think could help improve it. Out of those five things, pick the one that would give you the most bang for your time spent. Sometime within the next 24 hours, get that item on the list done.

Middle of the night feedings

If you're anything like I am, there will times you make some major change to the site. That night, you'll lie awake in bed wondering if what you did is going to break, if people will like the change or if anyone will even notice it. Rather than lie awake all night, get up and check on it. Take five or ten minutes to see how it's going. Most likely it will be fine, and you can go back to bed and not worry.

Of course, not everything is the same. Here are some differences.

Not everyone thinks your website is cute

While hopefully every will complement your baby, not everyone will do so with your website. There will be constructive criticism, but there will also be haters. People emailing or calling you to tell you that your website is the worst they've ever seen. Don't let it stress you out.

Try making a list of all the criticisms you get, whether you think right then they're valid or not. Email the person back (or just talk to them) and tell them you appreciate the feedback and will keep it mind while you look at updating the website. Then set the list aside. A week or more later, take it back out and take a look at the list. It may be that some points are valid, it may be that some are not. It will be much easier to evaluate when the stinging criticism isn't fresh on your mind.

The website can survive without you

While you should make updates, your website can survive without you. Take a break! Especially when your website is first launched. At that point, it's likely that you've spent over a month preparing and agonizing over the website. There's certainly stress as the launch date approaches. Once the website is up and going, take a week or two off. It will help your stress level go down fairly quickly.

And this advice isn't just limited to when your website first launches. I suggest taking a break after every major update, or just any time you get stressed about the website. Go outside, do something you enjoy.

Your stress level may be high after your happy bundle of HTML arrives, but try not to worry too much. You will need to take care of it and maintain it, but it's not the end of the world when something happens. It's not a baby, it's just a website.

Deciding What Type of Illustrations to Use on Your Website

2008-02-25T03:11:00.000-08:00

Every website needs illustrations. It's a long-known fact that they break up long sections of text and help make them more interesting. So how do you determine what to use to illustrate your site?

Let's look at the three biggest possibilities for illustrating your website.

Stock photographs

Perhaps you work out of your home or in some environment where photos wouldn't be appropriate or professional. Or maybe you even do contract work in a classified environment. There are plenty of situations in which stock photography is perfectly acceptable.

Maybe your website is about something you can't readily obtain photos of yourself. Say, outer space. In that extreme case, it's millions of dollars cheaper to use some stock or public domain photos than to get them yourself.

If you need some stock images, visit iStockphoto today. They have very affordable images, with most of them costing just $1 apiece. I use them any time I need stock images for a client's site.

Custom photographs

If you have plenty of custom photos or the ability to take them, you won't need to use stock photos. However, if the pictures are not of professional quality, it might be time to hire a professional photographer for an hour or two.

If you can't afford a professional, grab someone whose hobby is photography. A hobbiest who keeps up on the latest trends in photography is still better than having stock photos, and much better than unprofessional custom pictures.

Artwork

This type of illustration is appropriate for websites of artists, musicians, comic books, and abstract concepts. If you are an artist, you will obviously want your artwork on your website instead of traditional photos. If you are printing a comic book, you will want plenty of artwork so that visitors get the feel for how they'll like the artwork of your comic.

If artwork is the direction you want to go but you're not an artist, there are plenty of websites out there. Just type in "stock artwork" in your favorite search engine for a list of places to go to purchase artwork. Also, the previously mentioned iStockphoto has some artwork as well. When you're searching their site, select "Illustrations" from the drop down box.

Other types of illustrations include charts and graphs, flash animation, screen-captures and computer-generated images.

It's entirely possible your site will end up needing some combination of the different types. If so, make sure the images complement one another. They shouldn't look out of place next to each other They should have a similar look and feel.

The Promise of E-commerce - A Decade of Deterrents Defeated

2008-02-23T04:29:00.001-08:00

More small business retailers are coming online to compete with the big players. Has a decline of in-store profits caused this latest trend? Research of increasing online spending? Social proof? Or could it be a new generation of e-commerce hosting solutions?

Although the internet has been a hub of activity for the last ten years there are thousands of retail stores - perhaps tens of thousands in your own community - who have not yet ventured into e-commerce or an e-commerce hosting solution.

Yet the last four years have seen massive growth in online spending, increasing annually by approximately 20%. Current estimates place e-commerce at $200 billion for all of 2007, just within our American borders.

Given the huge potential, what could be holding all those retailers back from becoming successful e-tailers - especially when an e-commerce hosting solution is both affordable and manageable?

As an internet consultant working closely with authors, service providers, merchandisers, and retailers for the last ten years, my perspective is that it all comes down to two core deterrents. Knowledge-belief or money-time.

Lack of Knowledge or Belief in the Internet Economy

Until just recently, as retail stores noticed a decrease in annual profit, the majority of small business owners had limited awareness and interest in the increase of online spending.

Subsequent meetings with retail stores netted similar responses of disbelief to our call to action: "Your business income could increase by 10-100% by offering your products for sale online."

"My customers," they'd state, "aren't using the internet that way."

In reality, it was the shop owner who wasn't using the internet 'that way'. Their customers were most certainly shopping online, at competitor's websites. Research in ecommerce over the last four years supports and proves the fact.

It's hard to argue with that mentality and lack of awareness. After all a retail store should know their customer far better than a pair of web consultants. We'd thank them for the time, leave our card, and move on - knowing they'd be calling some time in the near future.

That time has come to pass.

In the last month (January, 2008), eighty percent of the shop owners we'd spoken with just a month before, picked up our business card and called. Eighty percent in thirty days - they're now ready to learn more about taking their business online.

What Changed 80% of Retail Store Owners Opinions on E-commerce?

In all cases combating the lack of knowledge and changing beliefs transpired as a result of research, a decline in annual retail profit, and social proof.

In some cases the retail store owners began new conversations with their customers. They found that their customers were actually shopping for, or researching products, online. Products that might have been purchased in the retail store were now being purchased from another merchant, online.

Other retail store owners talked to 'the business next door' - in some cases their competition - who had owned an e-commerce capable website for the past year or more. Retailers turned e-tailers - who were doing well and happily sending out packages to new customers secured from their websites.

Still others had engaged in or investigated on their own, media research (newspaper, television) on the state of the economy and e-commerce. The numbers alone convinced them it was time to make the move towards e-tailing.

Expect to see an increase in small business websites in 2008 as a result of defeating the deterrents of e-commerce.

Most eCommerce Websites Are Becoming Successful, But Is Yours?

2008-02-23T04:26:00.000-08:00

Online shopping is the latest trend among customers. Why would you still go to the shop personally when you can do shopping from the comforts of your own home? Because of the rising popularity of online shopping, more and more business persons are setting up their own ecommerce websites to meet the needs of customers and of course, earn big money online.

There is a very bright future for ecommerce websites. As long as there are needs that should be met, there will be customers. For ecommerce website owners, earning money online can be so easy. If people need your products and services, your website will stay alive as long as you want.

Online Competition For Ecommerce Websites

Because of the increasing numbers of online shoppers, there is a need for more ecommerce websites. The problem, however, is that there seem to be several ecommerce websites now. A lot of business persons have answered the call to sell something online. This makes online competition very tough.

Just think about this, if you sell health and beauty products online, there are hundred more several websites like yours. They also offer the same products and services. If there is one customer looking for a health product, he has a hundred choices to choose from. So how can you increase your website's chance of getting that customer?

Plan Ahead And Market Your Ecommerce Website

This is one thing that most ecommerce website owners do not completely understand. Most of them think that once they have set up their websites, they don't have to do anything anymore. They will just sit and wait for sales. This may be true ages ago, but with the tough competition now, if you don't do anything, you won't get any sales.

Ecommerce websites need two things to consider. First is planning and the second is marketing. Before setting up the website, there must be a thorough planning first. In planning, you must consider the target market, budget, design and other factors that will affect the overall performance of the website.

Second is website marketing. After you have set up your website, you need to work on a marketing campaign. Through marketing, you can make your website more popular and visible to your target market. There are several web marketing options which you can use. The choice of the web marketing option depends on the need of your website.

Remember not to stop working on your website after the set up. If you stop working on it, the sales will also stop. Continually market your website for continuous sales.

Ecommerce Terminology

2008-02-21T02:59:00.002-08:00

ECommerce is an expression used for any type of trade that is done across the Internet. Ecommerce trade has many subsets involved, like online shopping from retail websites, auctions, trading goods online and business services between companies. ECommerce has become the most important facet of Internet in the present scenario.

How Ecommerce Helps?

Ecommerce allows us to exchange goods and services, surpassing the barriers of time and distance. It involves several transactions, usually the transfer of money in exchange of goods or services online.

The uses of Ecommerce are divided into the following categories:

1. E-tailing or online retail selling on the stores, which are better known as virtual malls.

2. Easy to gather demographic data on the internet.

3. Electronic Data exchange in the form of email and fax.

4. Business-to-business(B2B) and Business-to- Consumer(B2C) buying and selling

5. The security of industry communications and dealings.

1. E-tailing or Virtual Stores.

A virtual store is a major achievement of ecommerce technology. It is a place with 24 hours availability for shopping with a sophisticated interactive interface. The onset of virtual stores has made Internet a billion dollar source of revenue. The online business of virtual stores has skyrocketed in the past 4 years and continues to grow at amazing pace. The figures reveal that, at the start of e-tailing or virtual shopping malls in 1997, Dell Computers reported orders worth million dollars a day!

2. Market Research.

With the advent of ecommerce, it has become easy to search and collect information about business prospects and the consumer. This is done mainly with the help of registration forms, questionnaires and order filling forms. This demographic data collection is very useful from the point of view of the various companies involved in online business.

3. Electronic Data Interchange (EDI).

Electronic Data Interchange is used for the exchange of business information in the form of electronic catalogs and electronic payment systems. To be accurate, EDI is considered as a standard form of electronic documents that are exchanged between companies. Lately, there are most advanced versions of electronic data exchange in the form of XML and ebXML, which are set to replace EDI.

4. E-Mail and Fax.

Ecommerce is also accomplished with the help of other electronic forms of communication like e-mail and fax. Companies attempting to use e-mail and fax for unsolicited ads use these features. The promising use of phone calls over the Internet is also a result of ecommerce. In addition, the trend of sending email newsletters to subscribers is also growing.

5. B2B and B2C Online trade.

The power of the Web has been revealed and the companies selling products and services online have discovered that the internet provides not only a 24-hour-a-day platform for them but also the most promising way to reach out to their customers.

6. Safety of personal information.

Ecommerce has developed safe ways to transfer important information in the form of encrypted messages. It also includes verifying all the legal business transactions, giving access to different resources, coding the information and thereby ensuring the privacy of the data. Secure Sockets Layer or the SSL is the most widely used ecommerce security technologies today.

What is a Shopping cart?.

A Shopping cart is a system that allows the users to purchase goods and or services, track the orders and tie together all features of ecommerce into one organized structure. Setting up Ecommerce Store

It can be difficult to set up an online Ecommerce store if you are unaware of the basic facts. A well-organized research and understanding is essential to implement an e-business plan.

1. While there are many types of software that are available, an efficient and cost-effective solution proves to be the most beneficial. Shopping cart software’s are available at a price starting from $79.95 per month or even more. There are free ecommerce development solutions also available on the net. Take into consideration the number of credit card processors and shipping services the shopping cart software supports.

2. The next step, you need a means of accepting online payments. Cost of setting up a payment system for your website is a crucial factor. If you are looking for a cheap payment system, then Pay pal is the best option. If in case, you have your own merchant account set up, then setting up an ecommerce account will be cheaper for you.

3. Lastly, you will need a promotion strategy to drive the traffic to your site. You will require advertising and search engine-marketing program, to increase your presence on the internet. Ecommerce is surely a very rewarding enterprise, but one cannot make money overnight. It requires a lot of study, hard work and sensible decisions on facts learned from researching ecommerce. In this field, you cannot simply rely on your gut feeling!

Ecommerce: The Positive Negative

2008-02-21T02:59:00.001-08:00

There are so many positives in opening an ecommerce business online. For instance your business can be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and it can be open on holidays even when you are personally enjoying the festivities. Ecommerce is typically much less expensive to start than a brick and mortar counterpart. In many ways it may seem like a no-brainer to rush headlong into an ecommerce store.

However, some of the negatives should also be considered. For instance, your website may be geared to a worldwide audience, but when you launch the site it is simply a little known commodity on the edge of cyberspace. It’s tough to have a grand opening online because it can take awhile for consumers to find you.

So much rests on the rankings of site engines to help ecommerce stores get up and running.

One of the things that consumers like about ecommerce shopping is also one of the things that business owners find most challenging – no personal contact with buyer. Your automated ecommerce solution helps maximize productivity while minimizing direct interaction with customers.

Some sense of contact can be initiated through autoresponders that provide helpful tips and/or instructions to assist the buyer with their new purchase or in understanding your business a little bit better.

Online businesses have discovered ways to present the possibility of consumer input…

1) Business Blog (Bblog) - This allows you to post personal items about the product, yourself and your ecommerce store. For certain customers this provides a personal touch they may still desire. It also allows you some level of personal interaction with consumers.

2) Forum – This allows business owners to read up on what customers are saying about the product. Questions can be answered and elements of the personal touch can be clearly seen.

3) Feedback Form – Allow consumers the opportunity to provide feedback (both good and bad) that will be automatically posted on your website. This can help other customers make a decision because the feedback did not originate with a member of your ecommerce team. When the feedback is bad make sure to respond and if the product truly is not a solid performer make sure to remove it from your lineup of available products. Even unhappy consumers can appreciate your willingness to do the right thing.

Most consumers are happy they don’t have to talk to a sales associate. As a business owner you should also be thrilled that this knowledge provides you with an opportunity to reach out to disenfranchised consumers with a product they need in an environment they are comfortable with. Just make sure your do your best to optimize your website so search engines can rank your site in the best possible way.

Scott Lindsay is a web developer and entrepreneur. He is the founder of HighPowerSites and many other web projects.

3 Steps Of Ecommerce Web Site Development

2008-02-20T02:48:00.001-08:00

The Promise of E-commerce - A Decade of Deterrents Defeated

2008-02-20T02:38:00.000-08:00

Ecommerce Threats & Solutions

2008-02-19T01:48:00.000-08:00

eCommerce has forever revolutionized the way business is done. Retail has now a long way from the days of physical transactions that were time consuming and prone to errors.

However, eCommerce has unavoidably invited its share of trouble makers. As much as eCommerce simplifies transactions, it is occasionally plagued by serious concerns that jeopardize its security as a medium of exchanging money and information.

Major threats to present day eCommerce include

Breach of Security:

Money Thefts

eCommerce services are about transactions, and transactions are very largely driven by money. This attracts hackers, crackers and everyone with the knowledge of exploiting loopholes in a system. Once a kink in the armor is discovered, they feed the system(and users) with numerous bits of dubious information to extract confidential data(phishing). This is particularly dangerous as the data extracted may be that of credit card numbers, security passwords, transaction details etc.

Also, Payment gateways are vulnerable to interception by unethical users. Cleverly crafted strategies can sift a part or the entire amount being transferred from the user to the online vendor.

Identity thefts

Hackers often gain access to sensitive information like user accounts, user details, addresses, confidential personal information etc. It is a significant threat in view of the privileges one can avail with a false identity.

For instance, one can effortlessly login to an online shopping mart under a stolen identity and make purchases worth thousands of dollars. He/she can then have the order delivered to an address other than the one listed on the records. One can easily see how those orders could be received by the impostor without arousing suspicion. While the fraudsters gains, the original account holder continues to pay the price until the offender is nabbed.

Threats to the system

Viruses, worms, Trojans are very deceptive methods of stealing information. Unless a sound virus-protection strategy is used by the eCommere Solutions firm, these malicious agents can compromise the credibility of all eCommerce web solution services. Often planted by individuals for reasons known best to them alone, viruses breed within the systems and multiply at astonishing speeds. Unchecked, they can potentially cripple the entire system.

Solutions

There is but one solution to all issues that at times dent the security of eCommerce services. Strict vigil on malicious intruders.

Easier said than done? So is every preventive measure. However, with online transactions, progress in security has been overwhelming.

Authentication

Most notable are the advances in identification and elimination of non-genuine users. Ecommerce service designers now use multi-level identification protocols like security questions, encrypted passwords(Encryption), biometrics and others to confirm the identity of their customers. These steps have found wide favor all around due to their effectiveness in weeding out unwelcome access.

Intrusion Check

The issue of tackling viruses and their like has also seen rapid development with anti-virus vendors releasing strong anti-viruses. These are developed by expert programmers who are a notch above the hackers and crackers themselves.

Firewalls are another common way of implementing security measures. These programs restrict access to and from the system to pre-checked users/access points.

Educating Users

eCommerce is run primarily by users. Thus, eCommerce service providers have also turned to educating users about safe practices that make the entire operation trouble free. Recent issues like phishing have been tackled to a good extent by informing genuine users of the perils of publishing their confidential information to unauthorized information seekers.

Ecommerce Home Business

2008-02-19T01:44:00.000-08:00

Everyday there are hundreds of thousands of people around the world making a living or adding to their existing income by running an ecommerce home business. Whist this is the case the opportunities available are ever increasing in terms of what you can do from home. Literally the surface of possibility has yet to have a scratch. Yet many people are out there searching endlessly for the perfect opportunity.

It doesn't take much looking around on the internet to find a multitude of people providing advice of how to attain financial freedom. Jim Rohn, Robert Kiyosaki, Anthony Robins and many others all have one message in common and that is - profits are more lucrative and a better use of time than income.

"To become financially independent you must turn part of your income into capital; turn capital into enterprise; turn enterprise into profit; turn profit into investment; and turn investment into financial independence". - Jim Rohn.

So what business suits you? To my way of thinking there is no other business opportunity more suitable than an ecommerce home business. The main reasons are:

No longer a technical domain

You no longer need to be an HTML programmer or techno geek to start and run your own ecommerce website. There are very affordable products in the market today like Site Build It! that offer tremendous value and make the technology component easy to understand and interact with. Literally, if you are open to learning and can use a word processor then you absolutely can create a successful ecommerce home business.

Low startup cost

It does not take much 'capital' to start an ecommerce home business. There are products in the market today that provide all the tools necessary to start a successful ecommerce home business. Compared to offline or bricks and mortar business where the costs of stock/inventory, marketing and distribution are all over heads before you start. Ecommerce has options available to you where none of this will cost you a penny.

Flexible working arrangements

When we start most of us will either have a job to go to or responsibilities at home (such as children). The key advantage to an ecommerce home business - you work on it as you can allocate time to it. You do need to work on it, no doubt about that, but the time spent on it continues to build momentum in establishing your business.

Caters for every interest

This is a key benefit. Not matter what your interest or hobby there is a market you can satisfy on the internet. The key is to identify a subject or hobby that you have a passion for - then commit to get started!

Multiple streams of income

You can monetise your website with many income generating opportunities that exist on the internet today. You can sell hard goods without buying inventory, sell services (yours or someone else's), create and sell e-goods (e-books, video or audio), make money off Google Adsense. The list literally goes on.

Like anything awareness is the key to get started. Once you know something new - you know it. If the concept of ecommerce is new to you and you are open to increasing your awareness then this home business opportunity is ready made for you.

Tips for Setting Up an Online Ecommerce Business

2008-02-18T01:17:00.000-08:00

A lot of people venture into starting up their own online store or business. Though some succeed, there are some that do not. A lot of factors contribute to the failure or success of an online business. Entrepreneurs need to have creativity, patience and sufficient knowledge of their field and should be willing to use different techniques to make their business stand out and appealing. Here are more tips.

1. Set a success timeline that is achievable and reasonable. Instant success is not applicable to online stores and businesses. There are some new entrepreneurs who expect too much and they end up getting disappointed. You would have to set goals that are realistic with a realistic timeline so that you would be able to accomplish them.

2. Allot some time for the maintenance of your website. Basically, your website is the storefront of your business. For this reason, you would need to keep it appealing and attractive and regularly updated so that your clients would make it a point to visit your website. If you do not do this, you might lose the interest of your consumers and damage your credibility. Through continuous website updates, you might even develop new and fresh marketing strategies as you work your way to success.

3. Have sufficient knowledge of your competition. Your competition would be able to always keep you alert. A lot of online businesses succeed and fail and it is vital to learn from the mistakes of others. You would also need to know who are competing for the attention and money of your consumers. The key is to make use of your perspective as a consumer to be able to best your competition.

4. More quantity with more quality. Make sure that you are able to present the most product options with superior quality to make sure that you would get a lot of repeat customers.

Ecommerce and the Reluctant Business Owner

2008-02-18T01:13:00.000-08:00

Ecommerce can be a radical departure from traditional brick and mortar business. It can be difficult for some business owners to make the move from a more traditional environment to cyberspace.

What you don't see in online ecommerce can be unsettling. Things like...

* You never see the customer.
* You may never know when a customer is online.
* You may never have to personally handle any transactions.
* You have to learn new methods of marketing because you can no longer 'talk' a customer into a purchase.
* You'll have to get used to shipping. The majority of your purchases may not even be from your region.
* The idea of marketing is similar, but is developed differently using methods that may foreign to many brick and mortar business owners.
* Web development and design can be a bit intimidating and may seem foreign.
* Managing a business electronically can be difficult for those more accustomed to a more mechanized environment.

Many new online stores look for an ecommerce package that can help them get started and manage many of the functions of an online web presence for business. It is possible many online stores would not exist today if they didn't get some outside help at startup.

Ecommerce as an extension to an established brick and mortar store may weather storms a bit more gracefully that stand alone web business startups. The primary reason this is true is that the principal business is already established and the business owner has learned to live within the boundaries of what the company already makes. The revenue from the web-based side of the business is simply a bonus in the early stages.

As with all successful ecommerce it can be a pleasant surprise to watch as the online business continues to grow. In many instances the web business will quickly outpace the original brick and mortar business.

Once sales begin coming through an ecommerce solution it can provide the motivation some business owners need to learn more about the 'mechanics' of web marketing. It is possible for a web-based business owner to take an interest in managing the details of their store and begin taking responsibility for more and more of the marketing parts of the business.

I've heard it often enough to know that there are some people who remain terrified of the computer. The reasons vary, but they all have an aversion to the computer and all argue they cannot learn how to use it.

As with everything in life it is often a matter of fearing something that is unknown. Children learn how to use the computer at a very early age and they have absolutely no fear of it. The point is we all manage what we have adapted to. It is all about deciding to learn something and then getting used to a new way of thinking about business. It can be done and it can have a great impact on an already existing business.

You, Electronic Payments And The Global Economy

2008-02-14T01:23:00.000-08:00

As markets get bigger, marketplaces get smaller, right? Today, we regularly purchase products from other countries, sometimes without knowing we are. The internet has made it extremely easy to do a day's worth of shopping in about an hour in front of your computer; which is often a lot more shopping than you would do normally, due to our busy lifestyles. Online merchants are finding it increasingly difficult to keep up with their online customers and electronic payments, which, in some cases, leads to sacrifices to their local storefronts and their community. As online merchants, we all know the wave of the future is keystroke marketing, online transactions and electronic payments.

Many of you who still maintain a storefront, often contemplate closing the doors and eliminating a lot of your overhead and focusing your time to grow your online business. While this is scrutinized on a daily basis in town board meetings and by small town folks, the fact still remains that businesses need to turn inventory, make a profit and grow. In some areas, the cost of maintaining a storefront is just getting to be too much to bear. In others, online business is more convenient and cheaper than traveling to the store and paying more. In almost every scenario, making purchases over the internet is easier, cheaper and more convenient. As online merchants, your electronic payment solution is very much the driving force keeping your virtual storefront afloat. Much like websites have added dimensional sizing charts, virtual inventory and proprietary chatrooms; online banking and the use of electronic payment companies have helped our customers overcome many of the hurdles that, in years past made it difficult and frustrating for them to grow their online business, while maintaining a storefront.

Merchant service providers are companies worldwide that offer services to both domestic and international ecommerce vendors. For many of you, your current electronic payment service provider is your local bank or credit card processor (which can be anywhere in the world); both of these options leave you, the vendor, with limited options, many times just one. If you could draw a comparison between your electronic payment options today versus the way they were at the inception you would be left with a one size all merchant account. That idea offered by payment processors did not work and still does not work. Leaving the merchant left tailoring their business to fit into the processing solution offered by the payment processor. Now the merchant has options. Your merchant service provider offers the merchant multiple solutions to fit their needs, not the needs of the credit card processor. You will have multiple payment options to choose from, as well as payment processing solutions can be tailored to fit your businesses needs. Some of the highly sought after services that merchant service providers offer are online merchant accounts, retail merchant accounts, multi-currency processing, high risk merchant accounts, multiple payment cycles, both domestic and off-shore. Some of which include credit card virtual terminals, and unlimited processing volume.

In today's marketplace, identity theft, chargebacks and online fraud are common pitfalls for both storefront owners and online merchants; our customers need to be prepared to deal with these issues and still get paid. Unfortunately, for the old guard, businesses have changed and adapted to the wave of internet crime that gets between honest vendors and their money.

Today, more and more people that process credit cards and accept checks online and over the telephone are bringing their business to merchant service providers versus going directly to their bank. These types of companies work tirelessly to achieve a custom tailored solution to the merchants online processing needs. Merchant service providers can help you process your electronic payments in US dollars, Euros and many other foreign currencies. If you are an international business and want to concentrate on foreign non-European markets or expand to European and US markets, Stradafee.com can help you process in over 125 currencies worldwide.

Online Offshore Merchant Account

2008-02-14T01:20:00.000-08:00

Why do you need an Offshore Merchant Account?

Many online businesses look for a merchant account abroad for various reasons, ex. have large volume requirements, fast business growth, cannot be approved at a standard processing bank due to new regulations poor credit, or the type of products or service that they sell. By processing through an offshore processing bank, your business may qualify for no monthly or yearly volume limits, and very lenient product type requirements, so your business will never be hindered by the strict guidelines of a domestic processing bank. Many businesses such as software, website hosting and electronics fall into the high risk category and must use a merchant account abroad. Some of the largest and most respected businesses in the world use offshore processors due to their growth and product types.

The growing need for processing abroad continues to increase. Due to US laws and regulation changes in the Untied States, banks and processors have tightened their due diligence and acceptance to merchants processing payments online. If your business is growing due to increased sales and your U.S. acquiring bank is threatening to terminate your merchant account, then you will need to start seeking and offshore merchant account. They have become a necessary aspect of the ecommerce world.

What to expect =

• Accept MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover, Switch, Solo and JCB
• Multi-Currency Credit Card Processing
• Gateway - to process your electronic payments, normally offered free by merchant service providers.
• Shopping Cart - Compatible with most leading shopping cart vendors.
• High approval rates, even if you do not have perfect credit you there should not be an issue with you obtaining a merchant account.
• Virtual Terminal - To enter MOTO orders
• Recurring billing - Ability to auto bill recurring payments.
• Check accept - Ability to accept checks online though your offshore provider,
• Online View - Ability to access your merchant account activity online 24 hours per day, 7 days a week.

Online Commerce has become an important sales source for businesses throughout the world. The internet allows an unlimited amount of customers, which makes doing business on the internet very appealing. An offshore merchant account is what you will need to grow your business. With an offshore merchant account you will not have to worry about jeopardizing your merchant account for growing your business!

Credit Card Processing Is A Wise E-Business Investment

2008-02-13T00:31:00.000-08:00

If you're in business for yourself on the internet you've probably been told that to make money you have to spend money. A more accurate way to think about it would be to make money you have to invest money -- as in investing back into your Web-based business in the form of services that will increase sales and profits.

This brings us to the decision whether or not to add credit card processing service to your e-store. It would seem to be a no-brainer. Studies have shown that e-stores processing plastic see increased traffic, repeat business, sales and profits. More than 80% of all purchases made over the Web are paid for with a credit card. In the last two months of 2007, the holiday shopping period, close to $30 billion in sales were racked up by e-retailers.

Those numbers are hard to ignore. And while there are going to be some expenses involved with the ability to accept payments online, with a little research you can make a cost-effective choice that helps you maximize the investment.

Indeed, before you even get close to making a decision on a merchant account company, spend some time cruising through a half-dozen provider Web sites. Most sites will include a list of charges and fees associated with doing business with them - and you might be surprised at the differences. Compare charges for things like transaction fees, internet processing gateway fees and statement/customer services fees, among others.

Be cautious of credit card processing companies that charge an application fee, which can vary from $100-300. The major players, as a rule, do not feel the need to levy this. These are the companies whose reputation for service and support mean they don't need to boost their bottom lines with a lot of add-on fees.

Indeed, when it comes to the costs associated with merchant account services the ability to offer discounts can be attributed to one of two factors. Some companies say they're cheaper, but make the money with hidden costs and fees. Great providers are able to come in at a lower price point because their customer retention allows them to do so, and those are the companies you'll want to talk to when you're ready to accept payments online.

And speaking of costs be wary of doing business with any concern that charges for calls to the technical support department. Good service after the sale should not have a price tag, and this applies to getting help when something's not working properly and slowing the progress of your business. Plus, unfettered access to support insures that small problems are dealt with before they have a chance to grow into big ones.

Make sure the company you sign up with is also the company that will be processing the transactions. Some use third-party processors that can slow down the amount of time it takes money to be put into your account. And improved cash flow is one more advantage of allowing card processing on your Web store.

A preferred way to sleuth out the good credit card processing companies is to get references and make some calls. A satisfied customer will tell you all you need to know, and should be more believable than what a company will say about itself.

Another good indicator is what the industry says about a provider. Companies like Apple and America Online have ratings for e-commerce providers that give unbiased third-party reviews for companies that give a Web business an avenue to accept payments online.

My Power Mall Online Based Business

2008-02-13T00:28:00.000-08:00

This fairly new program offers two kinds of malls to its visitors. First is their Personal Mall which contains millions of products from thousands of merchants. All of the products you find here will have rebates so you save a bunch of money on the products you purchase all the time. There are no sly tactics here either. The stores in your personal Power Mall all clearly state what kind of discounts you'll receive right at the top of the page.

The second kind of Mall you will have access to is what the creators of My Power Mall like to call your Business Mall. If you're looking for money in addition to the income from your day job or if you'd like your online stores to be your only source of income, that totally doable as well. Just like your Personal Mall, your Business Mall offers millions of products from thousands of stores.

But your Business Mall isn't the only way to earn some serious cash with My Power Mall. For every person that you get to sign up under you for free, you get paid. You'll also get paid a percentage for everything they sell or buy in their power malls. Then everyone they refer will also earn you money as well as money for everything they sell or buy.

What makes MPM stand out from other online business opportunities is that they will coach you through the whole process. From the instant you sign up, you'll be set up with your very own websites containing your mall. So that very same day you can start earning money from the comfort of your own home. After you've gotten your website set up and ready you will then be given the training and resources needed to promote and advertise your online business.

If you are still not sure what exactly this program does you can go check out their videos which will explain everything you need to know. You don't have to worry about My Power Mall not producing results, after all, its is an accredited business registered with the Better Business Bureau.

My Power Mall Online Based Business

2008-02-12T01:40:00.000-08:00

My Power Mall is an online based business that allows its members to make money when people visit their websites to buy 1 of millions of available products. Not only will you make money but you'll also save a bunch of money because everything you purchase from your Power Mall will be highly discounted or even sometimes free with a rebate.

This fairly new program offers two kinds of malls to its visitors. First is their Personal Mall which contains millions of products from thousands of merchants. All of the products you find here will have rebates so you save a bunch of money on the products you purchase all the time. There are no sly tactics here either. The stores in your personal Power Mall all clearly state what kind of discounts you'll receive right at the top of the page.

The second kind of Mall you will have access to is what the creators of My Power Mall like to call your Business Mall. If you're looking for money in addition to the income from your day job or if you'd like your online stores to be your only source of income, that totally doable as well. Just like your Personal Mall, your Business Mall offers millions of products from thousands of stores.

But your Business Mall isn't the only way to earn some serious cash with My Power Mall. For every person that you get to sign up under you for free, you get paid. You'll also get paid a percentage for everything they sell or buy in their power malls. Then everyone they refer will also earn you money as well as money for everything they sell or buy.

What makes MPM stand out from other online business opportunities is that they will coach you through the whole process. From the instant you sign up, you'll be set up with your very own websites containing your mall. So that very same day you can start earning money from the comfort of your own home. After you've gotten your website set up and ready you will then be given the training and resources needed to promote and advertise your online business.

If you are still not sure what exactly this program does you can go check out their videos which will explain everything you need to know. You don't have to worry about My Power Mall not producing results, after all, its is an accredited business registered with the Better Business Bureau.

Credit Card Processing Is A Wise E-Business Investment

2008-02-12T01:37:00.000-08:00

How About An E-Commerce Business?

2008-02-11T02:30:00.001-08:00

There are numerous ways to make money online. If you are the type who has always wanted to own your own store, but cannot afford the cost of starting a brick and mortar shop, an E-commerce website may be right for you. Even beginners who have never run a business before can handle these types of sites. Typically with this type of business you don't directly deal with products. That all gets handled for you by a distributor or parent company. All you have to do is set up the site, promote it, and then handle the profit from sales.

One option for E-commerce is to find distributors who will drop ship the type of goods you want to sell. After you find your distributor(s), you need to select how you want to set up your website. You can go with an all inclusive E-commerce hosting package (like Yahoo Merchant Solutions or similar system), which is nice because they give you tools for site design, catalogue building, and checkout tools. You can also design your own site, have it hosted through any web hosting solution, and incorporate checkout and catalogue tools yourself (checkout OScommerce.com for some cool open source solutions). Either way, you decide the items to list on your site. This method can be more time consuming to get up and running, but gives you more flexibility in the items you can carry.

Another form of E-commerce is where you partner with an existing company and they provide you with a "mirror" website. The downside to this type of system is that your inventory selection is typically limited to what is being carried by the parent company. If you are the busy type and are looking for something that is quick and easy to start up, this would be a good option. Everything is typically set up for you and automated, even the payment system installation. All that is left for you is to possibly tweak the site (in allowed) and promote it.

If you already have a website, a third option is affiliate advertising items for other companies. Many big name companies have affiliate programs you can join for free. You post links and banners to items and you get money for each item sold through your link. Companies like Amazon and Barnes & Noble only pay a small percentage for each sale, but have common and very popular consumer goods. Companies like Clickbank generally pay much more per sale, but tend to deal with informational products. The type goods you advertise should be determined by the nature of your website. If you already have steady traffic coming to your site and a target audience, this can be a good option for you.

Regardless of the type of E-commerce site you decide on, it will not be successful without customers. You have to become educated in what the options are for promoting your site and what fits in our budget. The advertising method that works best will depend on the type of products you are trying to sale. There is unfortunately not a one-size-fits-all method that works for all forms of E-commerce. It will most likely take some time and patience to get things set up the way you want them and to figure out what methods of promoting work best for you.

E-Commerce Web Solutions

2008-02-11T02:28:00.000-08:00

"E-commerce" also known as electronic commerce is defined as the absolute set of procedures that carry commercial or business activities over a network and further aid in performing commercial transactions electronically. This is a new concept in global business world and makes the best use of technologies like electronic data interchange to transfer information or documents electronically. Electronic transactions engage the transfer of ownership or rights to use a good or service. Moreover, this technology can be categorized into "Virtual Storefronts" on websites with online catalogs.

As per recent studies, it has been found that those businesses that attain their patrons all the way through physical avenues like retail stores are now viewing that their expenses are rising significantly in comparison to their revenue. In such a changing business scenario, currently e-commerce is becoming new way to promote their goods/services and at the same time keep on directly linked to their clients.

Today, people want to take pleasure in anything which can save time. With mobile technology and plastic money, they just do not like to waste their time in visiting store to purchase a product. In such a situation, e-commerce is the only means to provide a better solution.

Looking at the present scenario this new online concept has brought new revolution in world and acting as ideal platform to give your business a prospect to discover newer markets all around the globe. Buying and selling goods or services over the internet, has totally changed the business is conducted. Now you can in fact advertise, purchase or sell products on website, pay or accept payments on-line through credit cards and other means of payment collection online.

It is an integral part of your sales strategy. Being one of the cheapest mediums for reaching out to new markets, it also offers a best mode of doing business and expanding it further. Moreover, this technology has enabled people to buy goods and have virtual exposure of various services with a click of mouse button. Many experts think that overall e-commerce solutions will boost exponentially in coming years. Today, electronic commerce is not just about online stores, it is more about money. These days many banks are now offering their clients user-friendliness features to access their bank accounts via the web.

Glancing at the progress in computer technologies in past couple of decades has made computer networks an essential element of the economic infrastructure. The story of India is little different from other developed countries, and presently more and more companies are facilitating transactions over web.

This technology in India is in emerging stage, but the projections points out towards a major explosion in coming years. However, it is estimated that a rising Internet Service Provider (ISP) market will further facilitate e-commerce growth in India. As per McKinsey-Nasscom report, it is also expected that by the year 2008, e-commerce transactions in India may reach to $100 billion.

There has been a climb in the figure of companies' accepting and using this technology. With stock exchanges finally coming online, this technology in India has started gaining its popularity. With more development in payment and delivery system is projected to take place, the day is not far when India will become a chief competitor in the e-commerce market.

3 Steps Of Ecommerce Web Site Development

2008-02-08T01:12:00.000-08:00

How to Select the Best Ecommerce Platform

2008-02-07T00:36:00.000-08:00

Ecommerce is another name for selling products over the internet. People can operate businesses entirely via the internet now, thanks to the various ecommerce platforms that are available to make accepting payments easier. If you have been thinking of starting your own ecommerce business, you are probably wondering which ecommerce platform is the best for you. Here are seven quick tips to help you choose the right ecommerce platform.

Tip #1: Decide what kind of an ecommerce business you want to run. The product you are trying to sell will often dictate all of your software related decisions. Decide how you are going to set up your business and how extensive you want your site to be.

Tip #2: Take the software out for a test drive. Most ecommerce vendors will allow you to try out their software before you purchase it. If they don't, that is a sign to keep shopping. Sometimes the vendor will have a store model set up in which you can see how transactions are handled - and you can look through the control panel to see how easy it is to manipulate the various features of the store. Do not buy any ecommerce software that you aren't allowed to test out first.

Tip #3: Consider one of the "all in one" options. More and more the "package deals" of hosting, tools for accounting, analytics and other website tools (like email) are becoming a popular option, especially for novices who might not know how to put their ecommerce site together. If you are new to the ecommerce field, consider one of these all in one options. It is a good way to get your feet wet.

Tip #4: Ask Questions. Always ask about their tech support, what other tools are included in the software, whether or not the platforms support cross selling or up selling, searching, etc. How many pages does your customer have to wade through before they are finally able to make their purchase? (Less is better here) How many products can you display? How many templates are there and are they customizable? Can I add custom HTML pages without messing up the interface? Reputable ecommerce platform dealers are patient and will have answers to all of your questions.

Tip #5: Make sure that your software platform offers a real time shopping cart for your customers. Having a real time shopping cart will increase the rate of sales because many people will abandon the sale when they find out how much they have added to their shopping cart. Letting them know how much they have accumulated throughout their shopping experience is a better way to finalize the deal, as customers are more likely to simply check out once they have reached their budgetary limits-whereas, if they keep shopping and put too much in the cart, they will probably just cancel the sale.

Tip #6: Beware of any software that supports outside ads for your site-these outside ads are designed to entice the shopper to leave your site before they make their purchases. You want to be able to control everything the site viewer sees.

Tip #7: Make sure the platform can support a number of payment options. Not everybody uses credit cards - some will want to use PayPal, or some type of cyber cash. The more payment systems you are compatible with, the more sales you are likely to have.

It is easy to be overwhelmed when trying to figure out which ecommerce platform is right for you. Be sure to take your time and really think about what you want from your ecommerce business and then explore each platform thoroughly. With a little bit of time and exploration, you will find the one that fits your needs.

eBay Stores and e-Commerce Website Choices - Build It In-House or Hire a Professional?

2008-02-06T02:30:00.000-08:00

When you have made the decision to get your products online via eBay and/or your own eCommerce website, what is the next step?

First Question: Build it in-house or hire a professional?

Yes, you can build your companies eBay store and website with talent already existing within your organization.

Website design is taught at most high schools or community colleges these days so, chances are good that your employee pool may have budding web designer talent. Are you ready to trust your company marketing and image to that in house talent is the real question?

eBay provides numerous tools and a great deal of information for anyone to accomplish the task of getting a store up and running. The question is... does eBay provide these tips and tricks to help you as a business or to help their business? Obviously, if you are a seasoned business professional you will soon realize that a company such as eBay does nothing without a reason.

eBay Stores

Most of eBay's teaching tools and to a certain extent, eBay's entire growth strategy is based upon making the process of setting up an eBay selling account and consequently an eBay store easy for home based businesses. eBay wants mom & pop to go garage sale shopping with an eye towards making a few extra bucks for the cookie jar. To that end they want to get mom & pop up and running with an eBay store as soon as possible (and funneling fees into eBay).

Just because eBay has based a majority of their marketing focus on home based businesses does not mean that an eBay store is not a valuable asset for any established brick and mortar retailer or other "real" business concern. eBay is simply going after the largest number of potential users of their products. Unfortunately this also leads to numerous eBay store failures...

These home based eBay store owners do not have the prior background, sources or resources to take advantage of the world wide marketing giant and revenue producer now known as eBay. Therefore, while getting your company eBay store up and running may seem to be an easy in-house task for any intern, or kid just out of college with a great computer science degree... the real nuts & bolts set up and operation of an eBay store or e-commerce solution or both in tandem (the best option) is better left to professionals who work with eBay and e-commerce each and every day. If you are reading this because you are interested in moving your business more into an Internet sales based program you should consider the wisdom of hiring eBay and Internet marketing professionals to help you and your company get a head start toward those goals.

Still Thinking About Doing it yourself?

Building an online business requires ability in several completely different arenas: graphic design, programming, database development, Web design, copywriting, photography, and online marketing. This is just a short list of what is required to start from scratch or to add Internet marketing to your sales operation. If you have these skills in-house or if you plan on learning them yourself, please take this advice to heart.

Make a list of your employees' available skills as well as which skills they can learn. When you have a choice between learning a skill that will directly translate into making more money for your company or learning a skill that will let you do cool stuff on the Web, make a careful choice. Decide how much time you really want to devote to learning and doing things that really don't help you sell more products. Do you want to be an online retailer, or do you want to be a Web developer? The highest and best use of your available time & resources probably isn't learning the ins and outs of XHTML, but taking care of customers, finding new products, and promoting your business.

Making it Happen

Anything you can do yourself on a website design or to a eBay Store can be delegated or outsourced. You can hire eBay Stores Certified design professionals to design your eBay store from the ground up, create a custom logo, develop a corporate identity with unique colors and fonts, build your store product database, take product photos, write sales copy, perform search engine optimization on your site, custom-build XHTML templates that do almost anything you want them to do, and even manage your orders and perform customer service. It all depends on your budget.

After you've decided that you need help, you have lots of choices to make. The first decision is the size of your budget, which determines who you can hire. You can find prices for "building a eBay Store" that range anywhere from $300 to $5,000 and up. You can get a bargain using offshore designers (working anywhere from eastern Europe to India), college kids, or even professional designers moonlighting out of their basement. If you want a more "professional" experience, expect to pay up to $15,000 for a complete branding, marketing, and design package from top-drawer eBay store and Internet marketing firm. Both your web e-commerce site and your eBay store should present your branding and image as you expect them to. Getting the eBay image and your website image to mesh almost seamlessly is your goal, this can be quite difficult for even experienced web designers.

Using a CMS or Content Management System type of website design can significantly reduce your web design costs. There are a huge amount of new and exciting options available for web development, do not think you must use a "hand coded" html site to get your branding and image in front of the public. Some companies are even using simple blogging platforms like Wordpress or Typepad as the basis for corporate websites. These blogging platforms are very inexpensive to set up and the software is free. These CMS or Blogging platforms may also be used in conjunction with an eBay store or a with an eCommerce plug in (or both) to craft a unique Internet marketing funnel for your company.

You get what you pay for...

eBay store designs can run between $2,000 to $5,000 from a qualified eBay Stores designer. eCommerce website designs sometimes run in the tens of thousands of dollars with continual maintenance costs and webmaster fees. If your budget makes you choose between the two options, an eBay store is the more economical and faster route to success when managed correctly. Subsequently an off eBay eCommerce site can be developed for your best selling items. This allows you to use the power of eBay for marketing and SEO purposes while saving eBay fees on sales made through your own eCommerce website.

The best part of an eBay stores set up is that once it is installed as you want it, you have very few outside maintenance costs. Your company will have complete control of the products presentation (with the use of a template) and the inventory management is a simple to learn affair on eBay. Advanced tools are available to help with the management of large inventories and to help you create a listing just as you would within a word processing program or text editor.

When you get a quality eBay Stores design, sometimes the results are more than just superficial. Qualified designers improve the shopping experience, which can dramatically increase sales from your existing traffic by increasing your conversion rate. Also, many designs, when set up correctly improve the way your site looks to search-engine spiders, too! (This is the power of an eBay stores "me" page and other exclusive features and benefits of eBay stores packages).

After you determine what parts of the store building process you can do and what you can't do or would rather not do, you're ready to look for some help with the heavy lifting. First, you have to decide what type of vendor you want to work with because there's a big difference between working with a freelancer or independent consultant and working with a large design company or eBay Stores certified design specialists StoresDesigner.

eBay Stores certified design specialists - eBay Stores Designer

eBay Stores certified design specialists (certified eBay stores designers) provide the best overall experience. Your company will get the personalized attention it deserves and you will know that the design is based upon eBay marketing principles. Look at the portfolios of these certified eBay stores designers and decide which firm best represents your companies' image. Stay away from home based eBay stores designers with frilly eBay templates and flashy bouncing mouse pointers. You should be looking more for a corporate image that sells product and more importantly, cross sells more products for your company.

Look at the online stores you frequent in your daily life, think about the type of image and features you would like to emulate for your eBay store. Look at the designer's portfolios and or ask them if the features you think are most valuable are available in their design packages? Some eBay stores designers can deliver very advanced packages designed to promote more than one primary product at a time. If you are looking for growth in your Internet sales segment, these are the designers to contract with. Talk with several designers to find the one you are most comfortable with and the one who you think will represent the image of your company best with an online design. If the same designer can also develop your off eBay website e-commerce design, you should place that designer high on your list of candidates.

Having a web presence for your company which flows from eBay to your own website with the same "look and feel" is very important. Your goal should be to make your customers feel confident in your products and your company. If you (and your design company) have made an effort to create a nearly seamless shopping experience between eBay and your own e-commerce website, the confidence of the buyer will increase and your conversion rate will as well. Drawing eBay shoppers to your website from within eBay is not only possible, but very probable with a eBay store design done correctly.

Ask your prospective design firm the right questions and you will know immediately if you have made the best choice. Example Questions:

* Are you a certified eBay Stores Designer?

* Do you have examples of cross marketing designs?

* Can you create an eBay stores design which matches my existing website or can you create an e-commerce design to match your eBay stores design?

* Is SEO important for eBay?

* How important is a eBay about me page?

* Do your templates appear correct on all of the major browsers?

What kind of changes can be made to the design after your job is complete? (Can I offer a special sale item in my listing template?)

If your chosen designer is not informed in these questions you should look further. Not every eBay or Internet design firm has the necessary skills or background to help your company effectively cross-market your products. Find the right design firm which will give your firm a solid foundation from which to grow and prosper in the new world of Internet retailing.

Getting Started In E-commerce

2008-02-06T02:29:00.000-08:00

The hardest thing about starting anything new is knowing where to start. The amount of resources available on the internet for getting started in ecommerce can be a blessing and a curse. A blessing as there is help at hand and a curse due to the amount of sites that provide information and some of the 'advice' conflicts.

There is an easy way to start without the head ache. Look at your idea as a business from the start. This way you won't be unpleasantly surprised by what needs to be done to both get your idea off the ground and manage it successfully.

The starting point is an idea. Should you not necessarily know what the 'idea' for you is yet, then a great place to start is to list out the things to love to do, the subjects your are passionate about. Having a list of two to three ideas is far better than just one.

The key advantage of looking at your ecommerce idea as a business from the outset is that there are activities that you can undertake to measure and plan to verify if the idea is worth investing money in.

It does take money though to conduct the research thoroughly. Free research tools can provide part of a story. However it is far better to spend a bit of money here, than find out later the ugly side of the story. You can spend the time, greater amounts of money and effort required to get the site up and going to later find out that other side of the story and the up hill battle that may lay ahead to get a return.

There are two tools that I would recommend.

1. Wordtracker.

Wordtracker is a purpose built keyword search and research tool. As such the information available is superior than what is available on free tools. Another great aspect to Wordtracker is that they offer a free trial period, meaning you can begin researching for free to complete the majority of your research prior to having to spend any money.

2. SBI Brainstorm It!

Should you be in a position of little doubt that you are going to start an ecommerce venture I would highly recommend SBI or Site Build It! This is a full host and domain registration service that massively over delivers. An example of this over delivery is the Brainstorm It tool that comes with your subscription. It is a high quality tool, easy to use and has some fantastic user friendly features.

So to get started in e-commerce make sure you treat the process like it's your new business. I would recommend 4 first steps.

* One, get organised. Have a clear space to work in and free of distractions.
* Two, list your ideas. Have two to three ideas that you are passionate about.
* Three, research. Conduct research on your idea to attain keywords, keyword demand and supply statistics to realistically evaluate if your idea is a flyer.
* And four plan your activities to get your site or blog up and running.

3 Steps Of Ecommerce Web Site Development

2008-02-05T01:07:00.001-08:00

How to Select the Best Ecommerce Platform

2008-02-05T01:06:00.000-08:00

Get Your E-commerce Website Noticed In 2008

2008-02-04T00:06:00.001-08:00

In this article we will reveal the best places to get your products noticed online in 2008.

eBay - 15 million eBay members are actively buying and selling in the UK and over 68,000 businesses are trading there. Over $52 billion was traded on eBay globally in 2006. eBay is one of the first places that consumers looks when trying to source a product to purchase. Consider opening an eBay shop. If set-up correctly and managed, an eBay shop can result in your listings being organically visible on the top search engine organic listings. You can even give your eBay shop the same look and feel as your website.

Amazon - Together with eBay, Amazon is one of the first places that consumers visit in their efforts to source products. Online merchants can be invited by Amazon to open Pro-merchant Accounts to list their products. More than 900,000 third-party sellers now promote and sell their products on Amazon which has 45 million customers. Like eBay, if set-up correctly and managed, an Amazon listings can result in organic visibility on the top search engines.

Amazon offers volume listing tools, subscription selling rates, downloadable inventory information and more. All you need to gain access to these tools is a Pro-merchant subscription which involves contacting Amazon directly.

Google Shopping - Many people do not realise that Google has its very own shopping portal, and the best part is it is free! Google Shopping is also known as Froogle, Google Product Search or Google Base and is a place where you can easily submit products to be indexed by Google. Google Shopping is an extension of Google dedicated to helping shoppers find products quickly and easily on the web. The advantages of listing products include (taken from Google)

* Millions of people come to Google each day, and many are actively looking for the consumer or business products you are selling.
* No cost. Unlike other online shopping sites, listing your products on Product Search costs nothing.
* There is no spending account to set up and maintain, and no cost-per-click.
* Control of your product information. Google Base lets you maintain the accuracy and freshness of your product information, so your customers find the relevant, current items they are looking for.

Google shopping provides all the necessary information to get your products listed for free. This is an opportunity not to be missed for ecommerce retailers. Google shopping product listings also appear in Google's organic search listings.

Other Comparison Shopping Portals - Shopping Portals allow potential customers to browse and compare products online in terms of cost, quality and delivery from anywhere in the world. Additionally, a picture of the product is displayed along with the name and brand of the company who is selling the goods. In most cases, the selling company's brand image is displayed alongside their brand name.

Paid shopping portals operate a strategy by charging companies to be listed on their portal websites. The portals introduce a very similar system to pay per click advertising in that they charge on a cost per click basis i.e. a user clicks on a product within your listing and you are charged for that click through to your website.

Accounts and budgets for shopping portals vary in that some portals will charge you more to set up an account as opposed to others that will charge a minimum spend. Shopping portals to consider would be some of the following.

* Shopzilla
* Bizrate
* Shopping.com
* Ciao
* Price Savvy
* Next Tag
* Kelkoo
* Price Grabber
* Price Runner

Again, shopping portal listings can and do appear in the major search engines for product related searches.

Pay Per Click - Pay per click advertising is a powerful online marketing tool, as it immediately assists in the promotion of the business brand and products by placing adverts at or near the top of search engines such as Google.

On most occasions, pay per click advertising allows businesses to get adverts on page 1 on Google generally within one day of the advert being set-up. Additionally, pay per click advertising should attract the correct type of visitor to your site - one that has an interest in the products and services on offer.

Pay Per Click Advertising can take on a diverse range of formats and these can include:

* Text ad
* Image ad
* Local business ad
* Mobile text ad
* Click-to-play video ad

The top Pay Per click Companies include:

* Google AdWords
* Yahoo
* Microsoft Ad Center
* Miva

To check if you are doing all you can to promote your business online, have a look at our Internet Marketing Checklist for more ideas.

Accumulating Business With a Reliable Ecommerce Storefront

2008-02-04T00:05:00.000-08:00

The ecommerce storefront is one of the most valuable tools for the online retailer. No matter what the main product is, there is a web-store that can perfectly showcase a site's goods. There is a vast array of designs available, from the super simple to the wonderfully chic and sophisticated.

It is fairly easy to see that a site with one product does not need an overly elaborate storefront. Just the same, a site that sells many different products cannot get away with a basic, one-dimensional design either. Both need a storefront that is not only a good fit but offers adaptability as well.

Naturally, an ecommerce storefront needs to be attractive, neat and concise. The wise online retailer will experiment with a number of designs before making a final decision on a look. An attractive design on a site that sells perfumes is not likely be the best design for selling fishing poles.

The result of a storefront that is well put together can be seen in sales. Selling anything online means competing with hundreds of thousands of other websites. Online retailers need to employ all the best features and aspects they can to get noticed, attract customers and keep them coming back.

Internet shopping allows the convenience of being able to find anything and everything a person could possibly want or need within a click of a mouse. However, many online shoppers have become weary of illegitimate websites over the years. One that is ill kempt, sloppy or neglected is likely to scare off customers in droves.

Many who do online retailing opt to get a professionally designed online store. Many times these services that provide web-stores can offer not only a design, but also a package deal that helps with everything from integration to troubleshooting. This can be a blessing for the individual who is new to the world of online retailing.

At the same time, these designs are very easy to operate and require little in the way of technical savvy to maintain. The ability to customize a design means being able to adapt for the adding or removal of products. A site that is regularly updated with correct pricing and product information results in higher sales.

A package design is also a good idea for those individuals wanting or needing to sell a product online but do not have a website. Many times the software can be leased from a service provider for a nominal monthly fee. This is an excellent option for the person who only sells products on a seasonal basis.

An online storefront can be as economic as a retailer needs. Like with any brick and mortar business, the main rule of thumb is to start small and build up from there. As the cyber business takes off and begins to develop, one can appropriately expand little by little.

Because the Internet never has closing hours, many service providers include round the clock customer service along with a guarantee on their product. This guarantee can include the update of software as needed to keep up with changing technology. Keeping a site operating in a smooth and unhampered manner is the key to gaining a good reputation amongst customers.

Ecommerce Hosting And Security Concerns

2008-02-02T01:59:00.000-08:00

These days, compliance with the industry's security practices is one of the most significant concerns regarding ecommerce hosting. In the year 2004, an association of credit card providers developed the Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standards. While they were at first only recommendations for keeping consumers' personal information secure, they now have the force of contract in most merchant agreements. And since customers are more willing to deal with a company which protects their credit information, these guidelines are helpful to everyone involved.

Today's standards are comprised of twelve main regulations, each divided into numerous sub-regulations. These range from technology guidelines to carefully defined administrative practices. One of the technology regulations involves the encryption of information during its storage and transmittal. A firm must also maintain control over both physical and digital access to the information.

PCI standards should be followed by any company that processes, transmits or stores credit card information. For smaller companies, this is not the easiest thing in the world to accomplish. To assist them, there are many PCI-compliant ecommerce solutions available to them and range from online shopping cart software to ecommerce hosting. These options insure PCI compliance and take the burden off of the sellers and allow them to focus more on making sales.

Ecommerce hosting ratings can be found at opinion sites throughout the Web. However, an opinion from an unknown is no guarantee of satisfaction; you need solid references as well. You will be doing business with them for a long time. Is your hosting provider PCI-compliant? Are they trustworthy? Do they have a good reputation? Demand and check references.

While security is certainly a major factor to consider when looking at ecommerce hosting, you should also check out the other benefits ecommerce solutions have to offer. Hosting firms often pair up with their clients to offer online shopping cart software too. It is extremely helpful if your hosting provider has software expertise, since this can often result in better technical support for you. In the end, that means your site will be down less often and your customers will find their shopping experience a more comfortable one.

Starting an ecommerce business that makes money is not simple. It is easy to obsess over the interesting side of things, choosing what you will sell and how you will advertise. However, far more important to most people is the understanding their information is secure from prying eyes. Similarly, you have obligations enabling continued use of credit cards.

Ecommerce - Some Ways To Profit

2008-02-02T01:58:00.000-08:00

With the advent of Internet and the Information Technology, doing business online has become an all time favorite to almost everybody today. Almost all online businesses need some transactions to happen which are also done online. In order to carry on such transactions a wide choice of media is available to people. One such popular and widely used media for online transactions is Ecommerce. Online transactions are made possible by combining the technology involved in the internet along with the methodology of Ecommerce. It is actually believed to be the most effective tool and also a potential income generating tool. Interested in learning more about Ecommerce? Continue reading...

A facility of a 24 by 7 i.e. 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, online store is offered by ecommerce. Hence it is believed to be a blessing for most of the entrepreneurs as the customer service offered by it round the clock. Also this facility of round the clock customer service helps in providing support systems to a number of clients.

Staffing solutions, which are believed to the most expensive for any business, are made easy and inexpensive by Ecommerce as the number of people needed to work for it is less. This in turn is believed to save a lot of money for investors.

The factor of higher reach to people across the world is high when it comes to Ecommerce. A wider geographical means is made possible by Ecommerce. Because of the facility of internet, the geographical and demographical reach of ecommerce is more.

General eCommerce Issues

2008-02-01T01:29:00.000-08:00

Having recently worked on several eCommerce websites in a row, I wanted to mention a few issues that should be considered if you are planning to sell anything online. Although I have a current favorite eCommerce package, I've attempted to make these helpful hints independent of any particular software.

Pictures

Many software packages only have the built-in ability to handle one picture per item. If you want more pictures, make sure you have some sort of work-around in place.

Also, some of the more popular software packages require that each picture have the same aspect ratio. In other words, they all have to be a square or a rectangle that has the ratio of 2:3, etc.

Your best bet, if your software is like that, is to just use the defaults of your camera. A typical digital camera takes pictures in a 4:3 ratio. Just make sure you take all your pictures with your camera oriented the same way. In other words, all horizontal or all vertical.

A workaround, if you don't want to take all your pictures oriented the same way, is to add some "white space" to each picture. In your specific case, you might need to use some color other than white, so it will blend into your website well.

Your best bet is to know the limitations of your software prior to taking all the pictures. That way, you can work within its limits to achieve the best results.

Inventory Control

Are you going to have more than one of the exact same piece of merchandise in your store? If so, you will need some sort of inventory control. Your website will need to track how many of an item you have in stock. It will need to subtract stock when it is purchased, and remove the listing when the item is out of stock.

Payment

There are plenty of payment options out there. Obviously, you can take credit cards numbers directly and process those with your local bank. If that is the case, you will need a secure web server so that the credit card data is encrypted.

The alternative is to use a service like PayPal or 2CheckOut. Both let you take all the customer information except the payment info. Then you pass the user out to their site, and send them back to your own site once you've paid.

Shipping

There are several different ways that you can calculate shipping. The first, and most accurate, is exact cost by weight. Several shipping companies will let your web site communicate directly with theirs to get accurate shipping costs based on zip code and weight.

The downside to this one is that you have to keep track of how much all your products weigh. Also, if you have lightweight items, it might be somewhat irrelevant.

Another alternative is a shipping table. This can be based on either weight or cost. You determine weight or cost ranges, and base your shipping costs off that. For example, up to 5 pounds could cost $5 to ship. Then, up to 10 pounds could cost $7 to ship. Up to 15 pounds could cost $9. And so on, to whatever maximum weight or cost you want to ship.

What if someone goes over the maximum? First of all, one option is to set the maximum to some absurdly high number like 999999 pounds. Then you won't have to worry about them going over that maximum. However, there's still the possibility that their shipping will cost way more than estimated.

There's two basic options I suggest. One, you can simple send them an invoice stating that they need to pay XYZ more for shipping. Make sure this accompanies a warning on your website that orders costing (or weighing) over XYZ dollars (or pounds) may be subject to additional shipping fees.

The alternative, and my favorite, is to simply pay the extra cost yourself. Ideally, once you have to worry about a situation like that, the person has already ordered tons of merchandise from you, and would appreciate a break like that. It can definitely make a good impression.

Make sure you keep a running total of how much you've charged for shipping vs. how much you've spent. If, after six months to a year, you see that the numbers aren't quite lining up, tweak your rates.

Although there are other methods for shipping, those are the most popular two, and certainly the easiest to maintain.

Conclusion

Are these the only concerns when setting up an eCommerce site? Certainly not, but they are some of the most common. If you have any specific questions or concerns, feel free to contact me with those questions.

2008 Wholesale Business e-Commerce Goals - Hurrah?

2008-02-01T01:27:00.000-08:00

Isn't fantastic when you feel the old rush from the starting year in full effect once again? I definitely hope you feel much the same from your e-commerce business goals for what it should be an extraordinary 2008! Whether you own wholesale businesses, anything related to e-commerce online or are married to a lovely spouse and job for several years, you should already have jotted down your own realistic goals for this exciting year no matter how simple and minor the goal may seem.

But before we delve into it, you must definitely do certain things in new ways to positively change. I learned immensely from my own reparable mistakes in 2007 and I would love to have you clapping and saying Hurrah without being a fellow soldier. In order to have 2008 be a great year both in personal and business levels, you have to take a few minutes and completely analyze your 2007 performance and accomplished goals.

What went wrong, what went great, what was new and exciting, what got insane both in personal day levels to day to day business schedules, if indeed you had those. More importantly, what should not be done this year and what could definitely be improved in specific ways for both your own personal life and your businesses?

Once you have this figured out, it will be easier to view how to start producing more from today, no matter if your e-commerce business goals are in wholesale or other niche business. There is a market for everyone. A taste for you, me and a unique vision for the remaining days of this year. So it starts with the clock, so let me point and jot down a few more wholesale business valuable facts.

While 2007 was my greatest year ever, I had my share of disappointments personally and professionally. Who doesn't have at least small disappointments in a given year? But most importantly, who else wants to read or hear another billion passed story? Of course, not even myself if deciding to become a priest in a second life!

So here is what you should consider in your 2008 plans, no matter what kind of beginning you started this year. Be specific in what you want to accomplish this year! Shortly and simple, write it down.

I am already to a great start, a per month project to finish with 12 money making commercial sites (I can't wait to start directly with China!). Can you start and finish profitable businesses online in a one month basis? With good communication and a very selective planning team, yes you can!

Perhaps it might not all be for work as a goal for you, maybe you could plan a romantic getaway in earths amazing Chateau Eza in the French Riviera as a year escape from the regular prosciutto and sweet manchego cheese habit?

Becoming better with discipline and productivity for more new clientele? Better planning this weeks before new ideas start pouring in? More adventurists by finding rhythm of salsa, a better cook by reading more on Mr. Emeril recipes, better provider for the good of your own big family? With business or without business, it is the essence of having time work for you instead of having time working you!

Whatever is your goal, review everything and become more specific with every project developed for both your personal and business success. Ensure yourself of reading marketing updates and sticking to your made plans. Finally thank yourself later at night for another accomplished ending day. Are you already feeling the intensity? Wholesale business goals cannot get any easier, now get yourself to work!

Ecommerce - 4 First Steps to Make Money With Ecommerce

2008-01-31T01:21:00.000-08:00

As more and more people rely on the internet for information and eventually on buying all kind of stuffs, Ecommerce has become bigger and better. Now, there is absolutely no need for buyers to get in to their cars, get stuck in traffic, find parking space on the shopping mall, just to find out that the products they would like to buy is out of stock! If you are a businessman and is currently finding ways on how you can augment your income, going online is the best answer. Here are the first 4 steps you need to consider in order to make it big online:

1. Set up your online shopping cart. Pick a reliable online cart supplier like Paypal or Ecommerce. Make sure that your shopping cart has all the features you need like easy installation, supports multiple payment methods, calculate discounts, credit card validation, etc.

2. Properly categorize your products. Make it easy for your visitors to find the products they are looking for. Categorize them based on features, brand name, benefits, or usage.

3. Make your website easy to navigate. Customers are going online to make their shopping easier and faster. Thus, it will not help if your website is very complicated. Present all the buttons that your clients will need in your homepage. Also, make sure that your order page is few clicks away.

4. Provide great customer service. To promote customer loyalty and satisfaction, provide world class customer service. Reply to their inquiries ASAP, promptly deliver their orders, and provide after sales support. By doing this, you don't only entice your customers to do repeat business with you, but you also attract new clients. Remember, when your customers are satisfied, it is highly possible that they will refer you to their friends and family.

The Basics of Making Money With Your Ecommerce Web Site

2008-01-31T01:20:00.000-08:00

There are just four basic ways to make money from your web site. You can sell products and services. You can sell subscriptions or memberships. You can make money from advertising. And you can use your site to generate referrals and commissions.

Most businesses only use one or maybe two of the four. You can increase your direct revenue and your opportunities for cross-promotion if you consider them all.

Here's a review of what you need for each. In every case you want to deliver what your customers expect and automate as much of the process as possible.

You can make money on your site by selling things. You can sell products or services, but to make money you have to make sure you have mastered the details.

No matter what you're selling you'll need a good shopping cart software solution. Today's online shoppers expect the option to be able to pay with credit cards and with PayPal both as well as completing transactions completely online. Your shopping cart solution should calculate totals, shipping charges and sales tax automatically.

If you're selling physical products, make sure you've worked out all the fulfillment details. Make sure that you have a shipping and inventory system that will deliver great service to your customers.

Since the net is a worldwide phenomenon, you may get orders from other countries. How will you handle them?

You can also sell digital products such as e-books and Special Reports. Buyers will expect to be able to download their digital product as soon as they've completed paying.

You can sell services. Many companies are conducting classes on the web, called "webinars." You'll need to be able to take orders and send acknowledgements to those who sign up. You'll also need a reliable way to deliver your webinar.

You can make money on your site by having subscribers or members who pay you a fee. A membership or subscription fee is simply payment for privileged access.

People will pay for access to current content, to archives, to services or to other people. Determine what mix of these is best for your business. Make sure you can handle subscription payments, acknowledgements and renewals.

You can make money on your site from advertising. This used to be quite complicated. But today, with Google's AdSense program just about any site can generate advertising revenue.

You can make money on your site by using your site for referrals and commissions. On the web, these are called "affiliate programs." They can help you make money two ways.

When you send business to another site using an affiliate link, you generate a modest fee for yourself. Whenever you recommend a product or service on your site, check to see if there's an affiliate program that will pay you for the link.

Your own affiliate program can help you draw more desirable traffic to your site. You'll need software to help you keep track of the business that affiliates send your way. There are standalone packages for this, but affiliate software is also part of most sophisticated shopping cart packages.

None of these items is rocket science. So use this article as a checklist and take a look at online shopping cart software and ecommerce providers like 1AutomationWiz.com to help you automate all of these methods on your ecommerce web site.

The bottom line in increasing revenue is using as many of the above income generation methods as you can, as effectively as possible. It's another case of how the marketing magic is in the mix.

Hosted E-Commerce Solutions

2008-01-30T02:20:00.000-08:00

Any entrepreneur get to deal with many leads. However, not all the leads become clients. Part of that non-converting crowd are people who choose hosted shopping cart software. The reasons why we should like those people are numerous, but I am going to list just one of them.

Reason 1: If they didn't accept our services they can still spread the word. People have very different needs. One person could be happy with hosted shopping cart. Another would need a full-featured web store front. Some will need clustered server farm. So even if we suggested some third-party off-the shelf e-commerce solution - we still on good terms with our lead.

Reason 2: With most of third-party solutions customer may need unique design. This one is too obvious to complain about. No matter how good the solution is - people will have natural urge to tweak it to their heart's content. While a customer is able to upload inventory from Excel file and couple of images, tweaking style sheets and design may get too complicated. It is boring, too.

Reason 3: Any off-the-shelf or hosted e-commerce solution have its limitations. While being useful and user-friendly, it falls short when you really need to grow. When hosting lots of pictures, like sample or product images, or when electronically delivering your products, like eBooks or downloads, then server load and bandwidth will become issues with your hosted solution provider. You will fall back to people who can build a custom solution for your business. People who you already know.

Reason 4: There is a steep learning curve at the beginning of using any software. When you just starting everything seems unusual and complicated. Once you familiarize yourself with the software of your choice - you're the king of the hill. When you come to someone to design and develop your custom-fit business solution you already know what you want! The design and development guys spend tremendous time determining what is it that client wants. People with experience are a great gift, like a second free customer. What could be better?

Overall, the idea of hosted shopping cart or online web page creation tool or whatever else is there is very productive for consumers, solution providers and web design guys. Consumers acquire knowledge and understanding of what they want. Solution providers acquire a stream of customers. Web design guys acquire educated customers. Everybody wins!

Patience Is Key To E-Commerce Success

2008-01-30T02:19:00.000-08:00

Many people get into e-commerce expecting overnight success. After all isn't that what everyone wants? Get rich quick. The schemes are as old as time itself. And hasn't the internet made more people rich than anything else? Well yes it probably has, hard to say. It is definitely one of the most easily accessible tools for creating wealth ever invented. And out of all the schemes and ideas of creating wealth on the internet, I believe e-commerce is the easiest.

You have products your customer wants, they have cash you want. They buy you sell, old as civilization itself. Everyone immediately understands commerce, and e-commerce is no longer considered cutting edge technology. You don't have to explain to people what your site is trying to do. They get it, you are selling products, and they are buying them.

The problem is it does not happen overnight. No matter how great your product is, your idea is, your business plan is. Overnight success in e-commerce does not happen. After three plus years in my latest and my greatest online store, the one that supports me, I still only have about 4% conversion. That means only 4% of folks who click on my website buy something during that visit. And I have over 5,000 repeat customers. That is 5,000 people who trust my company. The website receives over 5,000 unique visitors monthly, over 10,000 during the busy season, and yet only 4% are going to buy something.

All of this took time. About six years to be exact. Now when I started it never was meant to be full-time. For one thing I produced all the products I sold, and that was a huge bottleneck. Working 50 plus hours in my real job meant only so many hours I could make products. It was a full three years later, when I stopped altogether. After a two month break, I purchased products instead.

It started on eBay, the easiest, cheapest place to begin your e-commerce career. Or test a new product line, or a new idea. Nothing is better at gauging demand than eBay. Once you have gotten some eBay success, then and only then should you start an online store. In my opinion a separate website store, with your own domain name is the only way to have an actual e-commerce career. After awhile eBay commissions will eat up too much profit, the whole cost of doing business on eBay is expensive. Use it for the methods I wrote of earlier in How to use eBay as a Marketing Tool. Once you do all the set up of an online store, you still have to drive traffic to it, get customers to buy, build up a reputation etc.

All of this takes time, takes patience, and takes perseverance. You can't depend on overnight success to pay your bills; this project is in addition to how ever you pay your bills now. It is a long term investment in your future. Even if your first venture fails, heck even if your first nine ventures fail, you are learning something important, something you can use in your tenth venture. By the time you have finally figured out all the ins and outs of e-commerce, you will have built something of value, which you can be proud of. Which can support you, which is selling your products when you are asleep, you are at the beach, or out for the night.

But it is not going to happen over night. You must have patience.

15 Must Have Tools When Buying A Website

2008-01-29T01:30:00.001-08:00

If you are in the market to purchase a website it is extremely critical that you do your homework before purchasing otherwise you could be in for a rude awakening once the transfer of ownership is completed. It is my experience that sellers tend to overvalue the sites that they offer for sale, while buyers tend to leap before they look.

I have been doing a lot of research on the subject lately and I thought I would share some of the information that I have found with you. Read the article below and you will find a number of tools that should help you Inspect What You Expect when buying a website.

Market Research

Market research is a fundamental area of research that you should be doing on your competitors. Do not take the seller at his/her word when the tell you the facts about their website. They will paint the best possible picture that exists without mentioning the warts. The collection below will allow you to inspect what you are buying without having to depend on the seller. It's almost like being able to complete your own "home inspection" before buying.

I have gathered these tools from around the web from multiple sources and compiled them here and on my blog.

Spyfu is a web scraping tool that will show you what a site spends on Pay Per Click adverts. A site can generate 1000 dollars a month in revenue but if it spends 900 dollars in PPC to do it then the REAL revenue figure is 100 dollars per month.

URLtrends - gather SEO data, Pagerank, links, rank trends and more.

Backlink Checker - See who is linking to a specific website. Incoming links increase pagerank..at least allegedly.

Yahoo Site Explorer - Check to see what Yahoo shows for inbound links and indexed pages.

Market Leap - Test the rankings of web pages. Great for testing competitor's sites.

WebTools - Check to make sure you aren't buying a banned domain. Critical if you ever expect to be indexed in Google or drive search engine traffic to your site.

Trademark Issues

If you're buying a fan site, celebrity site or any site with a potential trademark or copyright issue then you could be in for a rude surprise if you are served with a cease and desist from a law firm representing the trademark owner. The best time to find out what trademark issues you might face is BEFORE you pay for your site.

Trademark Electronic Search System - Use the Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS) to perform basic and advanced searches for trademarks.

Patent Electronic Business Center - Search the patent office's records for full-text and full-page image returns on your competitors' issued and published patent applications.

Research done here now will make sure you have no nasty surprises down the road. If the purchase amount is sizeable enough then you should surely consult a lawyer if you have reservations.

Hosting

Would you like to know how to see which host a specific website is using? This doesn't really matter much although it does give you a way to provide a "security" check on the seller. Some unscrupulous sellers will actually try to sell sites that don't belong to them. An easy check up to make sure they are who they say they are would be to ask them who hosts it. If they aren't the seller, chances are they won't answer correctly.

Don't rely on this as your only means of security but it's another check.

Who is Hosting This - This will show you is hosting the site currently.

Website Pulse - Website pulse will show you the speed of a web host. It shows response time, sizes and more.

Traffic

Would you like to know how much traffic a specific website is getting? Sellers will tend to flaunt their traffic count in the For Sale listings and it can sound impressive but you need to look more closely. Inspect the incoming URLs and see where the traffic is coming from. If it is paid traffic coming from "buy traffic for cheap.com" then tread carefully.

Look for trends or spikes and don't be fooled by a 3 or 6 month average. One front page Digg article can give a website a good monthly average for the year, even though these visitors are likely never coming back. Inspect the traffic month by month and even day by day.

Google Analytics - Google Analytics is one of the best tools around and a little known fact is that if the seller is using Analytics on the site you are considering, they can allow you access to their Analytics page. No secrets there.

Compete - Compete give a great overview of a site's traffic. It shows visitor info, growth, traffic counts, and you can put multiple sites in a portfolio as well.

Alexa - Alexa is the most commonly touted service there is, however it is definitely not the best choice in my opinion. There is concern out there that Alexa is heavily biased towards certain kinds of sites. Tread softly if this is the only valuation of traffic that you are offered.

SEO Analyzer - This tool will analyzes the weaknesses on a website allowing you to fix them and enjoy a resulting traffic increase.....at least that's the plan. You could use this to gauge how quickly and significantly you might improve traffic post purchase.

Statsaholic - This will show stats about a sites rankings, page views etc. I have very little experience with this but it is a popular tool.

Website Valuation Tools

You've probably seen those little widgets on blogs and websites that give a value of that site, did you notice how grossly inflated the price was? I am not aware of any service out there where you can plug a URL into it and it give you any idea at all what the site is worth.

The only way to accurately assess a sites value is using good old common sense and many of the tools that I have listed above.

I hesitate to even say this but a very rough calculation that is often used as a starting point is 12 times current revenue. This is NOT an accurate method but is widely accepted to be used as a basis for a starting point. There are so many other factors involved on website valuation that it will take another complete article to even begin to discuss tthe topic.

Conclusion

In the end the real value of the site is no different than anything else.... it is worth exactly what someone is willing to pay for it. It's no different than your house, your car, your timeshare etc...if a buyer isn't willing to pay the amount that you ask then the site isn't worth that much. Period.

7 Reasons to Accept Credit Cards Directly on Your Website And Get Paid Instantly to Paypal Account

2008-01-29T01:28:00.000-08:00

Accepting payments through credit cards online is a huge plus factor for any online merchant. Customers and potential clients, first and foremost, look for convenience and credibility when browsing websites they want to buy products or get services from. To gauge these factors, potential clients and customers look at one of the most basic components any reliable online merchant should have - an efficient and secure payment system. You can easily use Paypal to direct visitor to pay pages, so they could signup on Paypal and pay for your purchase. But... Did you know that you can easily accept credit card payments from your customers without redirecting them to Paypal pay pages that require the customer to signup for Paypal account? And you can accept direct credit card payments on your website straight to your Paypal account, so once the purchase is made with a credit card on your website, you instantly get access to the money?

When people talk of payment systems, nothing is more reliable than a PayPal account. Online merchants like you can benefit from setting up a PayPal account in order to accept credit card payments directly online. Below are the steps in setting up and accepting credit cards directly to your PayPal account:

1. Sign up with PayPal.

Register for a Business Account to get started. Signing up is easy it will walk you through the registration process.

2. Verify sign up information details to activate your account.

You will need to verify your information by clicking the link sent to the email address you provided during registration. This is done to ensure the website's security.

3. Opt for the Website Payments Standard option.

This is the basic option for most online merchants. You can look up information on the other payment options to see which best suits your website's needs.

4. Choose your shopping carts and buttons.

PayPal offers custom-designed shopping carts that are free and a variety of HTML buttons you can put on your website to facilitate the payment process. You can choose from a variety of buttons for different functions like "Buy Now," "Add to Cart," "Subscribe," "Donate," and "Buy Gift Certificate."

5. Start accepting payments online.

PayPal accounts work this way: Customers browse your site and look for products they want to purchase. When they have added all the products they want in their shopping carts, they will proceed to the checkout counter where they will be directed to a secure and encrypted PayPal page designed to match the look and feel of your own website. The credit card payment transactions are done here. After the transaction, the customer is directed back to your website.

6. BUT! There are much more convenient ways to accept direct credit card payments to your Paypal account from your customers.

This is not just a simple buy now button to place on your website.

Did you know that you can easily accept credit card payments from your customers without redirecting them to Paypal pay pages that require the customer to signup for account?

Yes, you can easily accept direct credit cards on your website without any problems. Paypal provides the US merchants with an ability to signup for Website Payments PRO merchant accounts. By having such account you can easily configure your website with a 3rd party payment script to accept credit cards directly from your customers.

What kind of benefits you will receive by providing a direct option for your customers to pay with a credit card?

Top 7 reasons to accept direct credit card payments to your PRO account:

1) You will receive money instantly to your Paypal account

2) Your customers will not be required to be redirected to Pay Pal pay pages to complete their purchase

3) You will be able to accept credit cards directly on your website.

4) Customer's shopping experience much simpler and easier

5) Your customer don't have to signup and then pay

6) By providing a direct credit card option, your product's sales page conversion rate will increase dramatically

7) You completely control all transactions and your funds appear instantly for you to use after the customer makes a purchase

One advantage of accepting credit card payments through your Pay Pal account is letting go of the things you do not really need to attend to: customer problems (they do not need an account to use your service), separate gateways, fees for setting up, application, or monthly rates, long-term contracts, and security of financial information. It can solve and manage these tricky areas for you with additional benefits of efficient monthly sales reports.

You can use your Pay Pal account as it is or choose to work with a third-party internet marketing and affiliate network to better facilitate your online financial and payment transactions. This type of network provides basic and extra business features online merchants like you may need. It provides you with an ability to place a simple buy now button on your website, so you could receive direct credit card payments from your customers to your PRO account. Aside from having facility in processing financial transactions without waiting for days and weeks, joining internet marketing and affiliate network like Click2Sell.EU can also boost your sales since you can benefit from its extensive network and stable of internet marketing tools.

Bridging the Gap - Online Research to Offline Purchases

2008-01-22T05:03:00.000-08:00

One thing that many people don’t know about big ticket items is that before people make a purchase most do a big chunk of their research online; however, with these bigger items 92% of consumers end up purchasing the product in-store through local retailers. With these items people often like to look and see what they are buying before making such a large purchase, and because of this, ecommerce has stagnated. Forrester’s data has shown that ecommerce is only expected to grow on average a little less than 1%/year from 6% in 2006 to 11% in 2012, whereas cross-channel sales will increase by about 3.5% a year from 16% in 2006 to 38% in 2012 (over twice that of ecommerce sales).

With so much expected growth one would expect that there would be a lot of competition vying for a peace of those profits. While there has been an increase in the number of local search engines, many have neglected to provide consumers with the information that they really want while they search online. Most are looking for four pieces of information before they buy: what is this product (description/SPECS)? who sells what I’m looking for? where can I find it cheapest? is it in stock? Still, with so much competition only one website can answer all four questions: Krillion. Krillion offers its consumers the information they are looking for in every part of their decision making process.

Recently, Krillion added a StockCheck feature which provides a real-time availability check for those looking to see if an item is in-stock before they head to the store; thus fitting the last piece of the puzzle for consumers looking to make their next purchase. Consumers should continue to look to Krillion in the future to see what new features they will roll out as the bridge they gap between online research and offline purchases.

Ezine Article Writers - What is in Your Wallet?

2008-01-22T05:02:00.000-08:00

If you are an online article writer and you want to see more cash in your wallet then you must be careful when writing articles to properly title them and also make sure your key words and content all match to attract the readers you want. It is also important to realize that as an online or Ezine article writer that you must make sure to keep your article view counters clicking away. After all it is a numbers game in the end, either you attract people to your site or you do not. The more people you bring in the better your chances of turning them into sales.

To calculate your article view average take the number of articles you have written and divide that by your total article views. My average article viewing is 234.6 up from 177.71 most of this however is from recent “in the news” Articles, but these events and people in the news will no longer be in the news in the next four weeks and even if extended by two-weeks this means my article view average will not go up significantly.

Most authors and myself included would like to see this at 1000 average not 234 and yes you must also realize it is a time factor as many have said. Sometimes you will notice that your old articles are not moving at all not even by 1-2 views due to being no longer in season or in the news or even on the minds of your potential readers in various times of the year.

To counter this you need to be very cognizant of your titles, content and key wording and be smart about you article submissions, think on this.

Importance of Swift Posting on Online Article Submission Websites

2008-01-18T03:49:00.000-08:00

For online article submission websites it is paramount to handle the articles in a swift manner and to post them immediately. Why? Well consider that some are time sensitive. For instance I have written 7200 online articles now and some are about current events.

For instance today I wrote five articles on the wonderful Philanthropy of Bill and Melinda Gates joining with Warren Buffet to create a foundation now worth 60 Billion in revenues to cure TB, AIDS, Malaria and help with education and a whole host of other things.

Now then, on some online submission article sites we will find that these might be stuck in queue for a week or more. But sense the news conference was today, by then it is relevant to world hunger and ridding the planet of diseases but perhaps less than the breaking news story was you see? If you do not post on a reputable online article website then you may be worrying about this also.

For instance lets say I write an article on Volcanoes in Indonesia the second a News Alert comes on the email and within 15 minutes it is written and posted, but then it sits in the queue for 5-days plus over the weekend, does not do much good really, well it does do good to help get aid to the victims and keep it in the news of course but not like it really could you see? Consider all this in 2006.

8 Steps to Make More Profit With Ecommerce

2008-01-18T03:46:00.000-08:00

E-commerce is the technique of selling your products on the Internet. Ecommerce has the capability of transforming a poor business to a successful one by using simple technology. Here are 8 steps to make more profit with Ecommerce.

1. Be intellectual in your decision while using E-commerce. You should not spend your money in getting softwares such as shopping carts specially designed for you. Instead use the available designs and modify them according to your needs. This will save a lot of money, which will add to your profit.

2. Accepting payment via credit cards online should be made only if you have a secure gateway. Use of real time payment gateways is much secure and attracts greater number of consumers.

3. The design of your web site should be attractive enough to present you as a reputable company in front of a visitor who is visiting your web site for an online purchase.

4. Make the delivery of the products purchased by an online consumer as soon as possible. This will attract a greater number of clients.

5. Make use of newsletters to keep your consumers informed about the latest products and services offered by your company.

6. Use of affiliate marketing adds more profit to your Ecommerce business. A fine affiliate can drive traffic to your website for a little payment on a transaction made.

7. Use of viral methods of advertising along with online advertising is a must.

8. Keeping your inventories minimum is always the key to profits.

Do you want to learn more about how I do it? I have just completed my brand new guide to generating massive traffic ‘Triple Your Traffic Fast'

Ecommerce Hosting For Setting Up A New Store

2008-01-11T05:50:00.002-08:00

Many companies now offer ecommerce services that effectively allow you to start a new store immediately. These services come in a wide price range, but all work in basically the same way with the same result for your customers. There are many companies that are fly-by-night operators or hoaxes, however, so make sure the company you arrange to work with has a good track record.

The first step is to find a provider; as I mentioned before, there are many ecommerce hosting services available on the Internet. Then, once you select a plan, take the time to create your own web site. Looks matter because the more attractive a web site looks, the more visits it will get. A plain and simple website that is easy on the eyes will be reviewed better by potential customers.

Furthermore, add your produce to the new online shop. Organise them properly by dividing them in categories and create proper product descriptions. A key factor is to put images to complement your products, since your customers will see both a visual representation and a description of what they are going to buy. This is really very important as well as the style and look of your new internet site.

To receive payments, set up a merchant account, which allows customers to use credit cards to purchase items. This will allow an online shopping cart to be placed on your store, making transactions easy and hassle-free. Ecommerce shopping carts usually are provided by the available ecommerce hosting services, and it is good to have more options for the consumer.

Last, but the most important is the protecting your online store from hackers, who may try to extract data or lift the credit card of your customer. If your store is protected, customers will feel assured that their personal information is protected, and that you are trustworthy. And when customers feel that they are protected they will surely come back to you.

So now you know how easily you can use ecommerce hosting service to start your own online store. At later stages when your online store becomes a favourite among customers you can install Quickbooks software to manage the funds and all the transactions. All the best for your new venture.

Creating The Perfect Ecommerce Website

2008-01-11T05:50:00.001-08:00

If you’re thinking of jumping on the bandwagon and going into business with your own ecommerce website, you’d do well to look at a few examples before you start. Finding out what a good ecommerce website looks like will help you know what to include - and what to avoid - when you start to set up one of your own. Here are some of the things you’ll find on the perfect ecommerce web site:

A good ecommerce web site sells something that people want to buy.

This is probably the most important fact of all. It’s all very well to decide that you want to set up an ecommerce web site (after all, a lot of people are doing it, and doing it very successfully, too), but first of all, make sure you know what you’re going to sell - and whether or not it’s something people will want to buy. That means doing market research, and market research can be time consuming and boring, but you’ll never create a successful ecommerce website without it.

The most successful online stores sell products that are high in demand and which fulfill a need.

Before you even think about starting an ecommerce website of your own, you’ll need to work out which group of consumers you’ll be targeting, and just what kind of thing they want to buy.

A good ecommerce website has a simple yet eye-catching design.

Never underestimate the importance of finding a great design for your ecommerce web site - but don’t over-estimate it either. While your ecommerce web site design is one of the things your customers will remember you for, if you get things right, they’ll be far more interested in what you’re selling than in how you’re selling it. Make sure your ecommerce web site is easy to use and navigate, and that your products are displayed to their best advantage.

A good ecommerce website makes it easy for customers to pay.

Have you ever found something you want to buy on an ecommerce website, and got to check out only to find that you need to make a phone call to the company in question to complete your transaction or, worse, print out an order form and send it through the mail? Frustrating, isn’t it? Your customers will think so too. Install an easy to use, straightforward payments mechanism which allows your customers to pay safely and securely using their credit or debit cards - they’ll thank you for it by coming back for more!

The perfect ecommerce website is easy to find.

Last but not least, make sure your ecommerce web site shows up on search engine listings. If it doesn’t, no one will ever find it, and you may as well not have started it at all. Search engine optimisation (the art of getting your web site listed on search engines) can be tricky and time consuming, so if you’re not sure how to do it, find someone who can - it’ll be worth every penny you spend on it!

What Is Merchant Account? How To Accept Credit Cards And Accept Credit Card Payments?

2008-01-03T02:54:00.001-08:00

If you own your business or are just starting out it is wise to get a merchant account. If you don't, then how are you going to get paid? Are you going to wait on checks to come in that may bounce or do you want to have the ability to accept credit and debit cards? Chances are you would like have all options of payment available when someone wants to purchase an item they can do so any way they like. It will be easier on you and them.

How To Accept Credit Cards?

Did you know that when you accept credit cards online, you can expect your sales to increase by an astounding 50 to 400%? You simply can't compete if you don't accept credit cards. With our free online application, you can start on your web site in less than 24 hours. In addition to accepting credit cards on your web site in real-time, you will also receive our simple-to-use, web-based credit card processing terminal so you can process transactions manually. With our versatile e commerce software, you have a complete solution.

Accept Credit Card Payments

Are you ready to accept credit card payments for your business? Accept credit card payments at industry lowest rates. If you are not accepting credit card payments you are loosing your customer to your competitors. As you know today larger number of customers prefers to pay through credit card and if you do not have the capability to accept credit card payments you are lagging behind the market rends.

A merchant account will help you to accept credit card payments by providing you with the means to have free credit-processing equipment. You can get a combined terminal and printer, a wireless unit, or a debit and electronic check processor. Auxiliary equipment, like pagers, also is available through your merchant services account. It is important to contact a merchant account provider with your business plan as well as a budget for managing the expenses of your new commercial status. An underwriter will want to see that you have thought out your expansion plan and that you are in a position to make it work.

You may think that the process of accepting credit is expensive and you will have to share your profit as transaction fee. But it is not so. There are companies that offer inexpensive merchant account services and lot of free stuff like credit card terminal, payment gateway software for your e-business etc. Just send you query form to us and we will help you set up a merchant account that is lowest in the industry. You will get free merchant account quote to compare and choose. There is no obligation in the process. If you like it - accept it. But we can guarantee you for the industry lowest rate credit card processing rates. Accept credit and debit card and pay minimum processing fee.

A Website Is More Than A Shopping Cart

2008-01-03T02:53:00.000-08:00

I had the pleasure of interviewing Christina Hills "The Shopping Cart Queen" in a live tele-seminar for Wonderful Web Women. Christina is the world expert on using the internet marketer's most popular shopping cart solution 1shoppingcart.

I asked Christina what were the most important things people should consider when setting up a shopping cart on their web site. Her answer showed why she has earned her reputation as an authority on using this software not just to set up a shopping cart but to build a strong business.

Think beyond the shopping cart

When you are considering a shopping cart for your website, you have to consider so much more at the same time. Shopping carts on websites are more than simply a way to take payments online. You have to consider the number one source of your potential income, which are your customers. Your customers are directly responsible for what you do or not make as far as income with your website.

The one thing you have to expect, no matter how great your website is, is that typically the first time a potential customer visits your website, they are not likely to make a purchase. You have to work to earn their trust. There are several ways you can do that, however, and the very first thing you have to do is "know" your customers.

Get in touch with your feminine side

Women are known for their relationship skills and for making friendships and lasting impressions, right? Having a website and catering to customers is no different! So approach your business from your feminine side! The best way you can know your customers is to implement some sort of method of capturing their email addresses and names so that you can get to "know" them, or rather, they can get to know you, by sending out emails regularly.

Now, your potential customers are not just going to give up their name and addresses. The truth is that people have become less trusting of websites and business owners, through no fault of our own, but simply because there are many people out there who take advantage of methods like these. However, if you really offer a value to your customers, they will be more than willing to give you their information in exchange for some information.

Give before you receive

That information should be helpful, informative, and tasteful. They should never be random messages, they should also never been intruding, nor should you ever sell their information to anyone. You have to offer your potential customers a real value. This could be reports, newsletters, and the like. If you offer such great value in return for visitors joining your mailing list, you will have no problem enticing them to fill in their contact details in the opt,in box you place on your web site. Then the relationship begins.

Impress them with your (targeted) knowledge

Your very first step however, should be more than the fabulous information you are going to offer through your mailing list. Your website should also be filled with informative information as well, not simply products you are trying to sell. Your customers need to get to know you, learn about you, and come to trust your expertise in your niche.

We are talking about articles here. Real articles, which are packed with helpful information that is based specifically on your niche. In other words, if you are selling designer purses, you will want to keep your articles based on designer purses, such as specific designers, hot fashions, what's in and what's not, and so on. It is important to keep on target and gain the trust of your visitors.

Invest in relationships and you invest in your business

Once your visitors come to trust you, they are that much more willing to start buying from you. Earn their trust, gain their information, and start offering great sales, products, and information via email.

When you look at your web site and shopping cart system from this angle you realize that selling is more about relationships than about having a system set up to take the money. As Christina shared, the time you take to create trust and a relationship with visitors to your web site, the more you will be rewarded in the long - run with great sales.

Building A Timeline For Your E-Commerce Venture

2008-01-03T02:51:00.000-08:00

In previous posts, patience in e-commerce was covered as necessary. However one also must recognize whether or not their e-commerce venture is headed in the right direction. It is important to set up certain goals along the path of your e-commerce journey, so you can analyze whether or not this is a venture worth continuing. Building an e-commerce business needs to follow a timeline.

To build this timeline you need to state what the ultimate goal for your business venture is. This can certainly change over time. Perhaps you started out creating and selling a product, because you enjoyed the process of creating it, a hobby that can give you some pocket money. If that is your goal, you should be able to achieve it fairly quickly using eBay, and perhaps creating a promotional website for free. Or maybe your goal is to make a thousand dollars a month working just a few hours a week. Or perhaps you want your e-commerce venture to replace your full time job. The specific goal is entirely up to you, and it can evolve.

Once your ultimate goal is set you should set a timeline for achieving it. On your timeline will be smaller goals along the way. These might include goals of number of unique visitors to your website, or when you will break even on your business. Goals of gross sales or number of orders you receive. Theses sub-goals could be anything, but they must be quantifiable, and realistic. It does no good to make outlandish unreasonable goals that are unlikely to be achieved.

As you progress down your timeline you get a sense of how things are going. Somewhere along the way you might even decide to ditch this e-commerce venture and try something else. But that decision should not come for at least one year. I firmly believe the difference between success and failure, is in the entrepreneur's mind. Success stories are often borne out of not quitting, more than anything else. To succeed at not quitting begins with a good business plan, and a realistic timeline that can track incremental improvements in your business even if the bottom line isn't showing it right away. You must be able to show some reward for effort, even if it is just getting fifty unique visitors more than last month.

Being on now my fourth e-commerce venture I can say I have followed basically the same timeline on all them. The first business I stopped after three years, and began a new one just two months later. That business now supports me, and it is a direct result of what I learned in the first business. The third business, I began shortly after quitting my corporate job, and that lasted just three months, as I lost interest, and was spending my time still building my second and most profitable business. I did not give it the year I stated above. Now I am on my fourth which is just two months old, too early to draw any conclusions. But again the fourth business is a direct result of stopping the third business. For all four businesses the timelines are basically the same.

E-Commerce Timeline Example

Zero months to six months, build and learn business. There should already be significant time put in learning about the new business that should happen before the business is launched. Learning never stops however, and from zero to six months it should continue in depth. In this stage attracting traffic to your website is ultimate; see previous posts for the eBay way to do this, and also building trust and a name for your business.

Six to twelve months, should be about building income. You are getting the traffic, now build the income. Learn why people visit your site, why they buy, what else you could do for them etc. New products are introduced, perhaps a company blog, your logo should start being recognized.

It is at the one year mark, where you can first really know if this business has a chance at meeting your ultimate goals. Overnight successes do not happen online very often and they are becoming rarer all the time. But you should now have an idea if there is indeed success to be had. Things should be heading in one direction, sales should be measurably going up, and website traffic should be also. You might choose to alter your ultimate goal, perhaps this venture isn't likely to reach it, but nevertheless is worth continuing. Or perhaps you have achieved your ultimate goal, and need to reset it.

Twelve to eighteen months, should make some profit. Things you need to spend money on to get going can take up to a year to work their way through the business. Inventory takes time to build up as do supplies, advertising is often most expensive per sale in the early going, equipment often needs to be purchased, logos designed, etc. All these things can eat up first year revenues and beyond. But going into the second year profits should be up. In fact the second year will probably show the highest percentage gain of profits over any other year the company will have. If they aren't why not? Are sales still increasing? Orders increasing? If they are then your overhead is likely too high, or your prices are too low. Find ways to lower the first and/or increase the latter.

From the eighteen month point you really have committed yourself to your e-commerce business that in itself is cause for celebration. 85% of all start-ups end before the eighteen month point. It is from here where you plan the next eighteen months. Re-define your goals, and continue onward. If your ultimate plan is to have the e-commerce site support you and you are not there yet, plan how you will get there. Time could be the only factor left, these things just take time. Continue on the course and your goal will arrive. Perhaps you are already there and now want employees to run your business, plot that on your next timeline. Or perhaps you want to double your income, or shrink your work but maintain your profit. All of these are doable, it just takes realistic planning, and here is that word again, patience.

Ecommerce: How Payment Gets From Here to There

2007-12-19T22:14:00.000-08:00

We’ve all heard the children’s song, ‘Dem Bones’.

The foot bone's connected to the leg bone,
The leg bone's connected to the knee bone,
The knee bone's connected to the thigh bone,
The thigh bone's connected to the back bone,
The back bone's connected to the neck bone,
The neck bone's connected to the head bone, Etc.

This same concept can be applied to ecommerce. For those who may not fully understand how ecommerce works let’s try this:

The Consumer’s connected to the Internet
The Internet’s connected to the Transaction Server
The Transaction Server’s connected to the Processing Network
The Processing Network’s connected to the Customer’s Bank

Now, let’s look the other side of the equation.

The Merchant’s Website’s connected to the Internet
The Internet’s connected to the Transaction Server
The Transaction Server’s connected to the Processing Network
The Processing Network’s connected to the Merchant’s Bank

Both the consumer and the merchant are connected to the ecommerce shopping cart through similar channels, but like blood pumping through a body the consumer follows the links from checkout to confirmation and the information flows through the Transaction Server, Processing Network and customer bank before it flows back through to the seller through the Transaction Server, Processing Network where the money is deposited in the merchant’s bank. This entire process only takes a few seconds.

The good news is all reputable shopping cart systems rely on encrypted technology to preserve the integrity of the online purchase. This means that a customer’s credit card information is not in danger of being confiscated and used by a third party.

This is important because the success of ecommerce relies heavily on privacy and security. A reputable shopping cart system is a must for any serious web store.

The truth is, all your client really wants to be sure of is the safety of their information, the reputation of your business and if the transaction was complete. They may never know or even care how exactly it is accomplished, but the use of a secure shopping cart, the attention to the reputation of your firm and the use of autoresponders to alert the customer to the completion of the sale will be necessary for positive ongoing client relations.

You’ve worked hard to provide a quality product at a competitive price. You’ve worked to optimize your site for search engine success and you’ve added knowledge-based articles to your site – so to use a football cliché, it would be a shame to drop the ball so close to the end zone. Make sure you have a secure shopping cart for present and future customers. They may just thank you by coming back.

Ecommerce: Landing the Merchant Account

2007-12-19T22:13:00.000-08:00

Accepting credit card orders online is a convenient way to do business, especially for the consumer. There are online businesses that do not use credit card payments, but rather invoice and accept either cashiers check or money orders. However, in most cases this billing process results in a loss of more than half of a site’s potential customers.

The reasons many businesses do not like to accept credit cards are many and include financial issues such as transaction fees, discount rates, setup, statement and application fees as well as a minimum monthly fee. Combined this can take a significant bite out of your potential profit.

If you are developing an ecommerce website you may discover some sites for ecommerce development that offer a Merchant Account at no cost. Others may charge as much as $500 for this type of account. What a Merchant Account does is allow those credit card orders to be processed.

The Merchant Account is also necessary to the implementation of many online shopping carts. The two often work together.

One of the most compelling reasons to pursue a Merchant Account is to expand the potential growth of your ecommerce website. With a credit card sale the consumer has a level of assurance that they will either receive their product or they are not held liable for the purchase by the credit card company (in many instances). However, with an invoice/pre-payment plan the consumer may be wary of providing cash for something they haven’t received. This is especially true when the customer is new.

In essence, an invoicing system might work for existing customers, but in order to grow you may need to consider obtaining a Merchant Account for ecommerce and then expanding your marketing plan to increase the demand for your product. In turn, growing demand may more than offset the fees associated with credit card transactions.

Some small businesses might make use of a PayPal account in lieu of a Merchant Account in order to send and receive online payments. Fees are required in this arrangement as well and some consumers may not like establishing their own PayPal account just to make a payment, but this option may be more palatable for some online business startups or small businesses that operate a niche corporation.

The knowledge of available tools provides a certain empowerment. Online searches can lead you to a variety of Merchant Account providers, but knowing the options may help you manage your company goals and objectives. Ecommerce is a big step and the more you know about available options the easier it becomes to define the solution.

Tips When Choosing A Dropshipper

2007-12-18T01:54:00.000-08:00

If you are own or are planning to run an internet business, dropshipping can be a low risk e-commerce solution for your product sourcing needs. Dropshipping is basically a middleman between your and your customers for your products. You can list products offered by a dropshipper on your website without buying the product and at the retail price that you choose. As soon as a customer orders the product, the dropshipper will send that product to your customer.

Drop Shipping is a great way to start an online business or sell online auction sites with no capital. It benefits retailers by allowing them to have no capital to buy inventory, meaning they can list and sell unlimited amounts of products. They also don't have to manage inventory or ship products. This saves in administrative duties and manpower, leaving the retailer time to list more products and advertise to bring in more money.

If you're intrigued by dropshipping, you should compare different companies. Here is what to look for in a good dropshipper.

• Has secure order delivery on the web
• Sends order announcements through e-mails
• Can select orders by ship dates, product number, etc.
• Can print dynamic packing slips from the internet
• Can print or display order review reports
• Provides shipping updates
• Invoices by order number or order batch
• Can invoice electronically to your accounts payable system
• Can process returns and update order status (i.e. exchanges credits, refunds)

Look for a dropshipper that offer these features, and is also certified with the BBB online. By checking that they have been in business for several years and have satisfied customers (through the BBB), you can avoid dropship scams. Another good way to find a dropshipper is to find eBay-certified companies. One such company is Doba, based in Utah. This company has received awards from eBay and has successfully provided many customers with thousands of low-cost products to sell.

The Basics of Making Money With Your Ecommerce Web Site

2007-12-18T01:51:00.000-08:00

Online Shopping Business Growth

2007-12-15T02:25:00.000-08:00

It is extremely easy to find and buy anything and everything online. The diversity of the online shopping marketplace is amazing because of its global aspect. You have endless possibilities. For the convenience of online shoppers, the number of discounts in internet stores have also been growing continuously.

As the industry of online stores continues to boom, the level of competition among the retailers also keeps getting higher. This competition makes the online shops to be very alert and updated on what the other stores are selling to make sure that it would be their prices that would be most appealing for online consumers.

There are literally thousands and thousands of online stores that continue to thrive and they all provide businesses and individuals with an electronic method of buying services and products. They provide the access to the widest variety of merchandise in the comfort of their offices or homes.

Here are some of the more popular online stores or marketplaces that truly provide great products offering and service.

1. eBay

eBay is probably the most famous online auction. Consumers are able to find all kinds of items - from books to gardening tools to appliances to clothing to baby products to electronic gadgets and even cars and real estate.

2. Amazon

This would be perhaps the second largest online store, which hosts both online stores and auctions. Although Amazon also offers the same products that eBay sells, their reputation mainly lies on the category of books and video entertainment.

3. Wal-Mart

Wal-Mart is an online store, which offers a wide range of merchandise as well. However, they also offer internet services, as well as questions regarding taxes at the start of the year. This makes Wal-Mart a great place to shop and get information.

Integrating Paypal Into Your Website

2007-12-15T02:23:00.000-08:00

If you want to sell goods on your site, you'll need to be able to provide a means of taking orders and payment from your customers. One of the easiest and most accessible ways of doing this is by using PayPal.

Millions of people worldwide now have a PayPal account, and even if they don't it's free and easy to open one. All of which means that integrating it into your website will result in being able to reach a huge potential customer base.

If you don't already have a business account registered with PayPal, now's the time to upgrade to one. Once you've done all that's required of you, it's time to investigate the two main ways to introduce it to your website.

The first one is the Buy Now buttons. These are ideal if you have a mini site and you are only selling a single product. They are quick and easy to install and you are given all the HTML you need to insert into your website.

However if you sell more than one product the limitations of the Buy Now buttons will be obvious, and you would be better off opting for the PayPal shopping cart, which again is available for you to use free of charge.

There are many benefits associated with using the shopping cart, not least of which is the opportunity to customize it with your own website colors. It also takes away a lot of the worry about how secure your site is for ordering purposes; PayPal basically takes all that on for you. Even if your site currently has the facility to take credit and debit card orders on a secure server, you should still offer PayPal as well, as it will likely attract even more customers.

The shopping cart is ideal if you have little or no computer experience, as everything is made simple for you. You don't need to know about CGI (common gateway interface) scripting, which is what prohibits many people from putting a shopping cart onto their website themselves, as they simply don't have the knowledge. In this sense PayPal acts as a programmer on your behalf, and provides the service for free - ideal if you are just starting out and having to watch the pennies.

While not as comprehensive as some merchant services, PayPal is arguably more than sufficient for most websites in their early stages, and certainly wins in the price stakes. When the money really starts rolling in, then it's time to expand your reach.

But hang onto the shopping cart at all costs, as many people are more than happy to use it

Web 2.0 - Revolution or Evolution?

2007-12-10T04:04:00.000-08:00

Although still in its infancy, the World Wide Web has become an essential if not intricate part of our daily lives. As it continues to develop and evolve, almost relentlessly, through innovation and new technologies, what impact can these changes have on e-commerce?

In the short term it's unlikely to have any noticeable effect, but for businesses that plan to be around for the long haul, it could be a case of sink or swim. Setting up a stall on the embankment of this vast torrent of progress may be fine for now, but unless businesses are prepared to dive in and go with the flow, they will quickly become overwhelmed by the sheer power of the undeniable web transformation now in evidence.

The question is what kind of technologies should e-commerce embrace and apply in order to move in the same direction as the mainstream? According to some influential developers and marketers, the answer is undoubtedly Web 2.0 technologies.

The term Web 2.0 was first expressed by O'Reilly Media back in 2004, which would suggest the conception of a second generation of web applications and services. And although some technology experts would argue that the basic components of Web 2.0 have been present since the creation of the World Wide Web, there are many who now recognize the demarcation.

To many people the definition of a Web 2.0 application appears to be somewhat ambiguous, but to the successful Internet marketer it is very clear. If your website visitors can submit content (text, images, videos), submit links to content, make comments, participate in discussions and vote one way or another, all or any of which will ultimately affect the amount of traffic that input will generate, then it's Web 2.0.

Basically, adopting a Web 2.0 formula for any website will increase traffic and get your website ranked higher in the search engines. It's a win-win situation. Some examples of Web 2.0 applications, which e-commerce website owners should seriously consider are forums, surveys, feedback forms (for testimonials, reviews etc), blogs and RSS. The main points to consider are "user participation" and "social networking". These are the buzz words associated with Web 2.0, which is made available through user-friendly browser-based applications.

The best examples of highly successful Web 2.0 websites, where almost all the content is generated by users are, "Myspace" - page rank 8, "Youtube" - page rank 8, "Wikipedia" - page rank 8 and "eBay" - page rank 9.

Earn Money Online - What's The Key?

2007-12-10T04:02:00.000-08:00

There are infinite amounts of ways to earn money online. You can use Affiliate Marketing, AdSense, E-Mail Marketing, Sell Your Own Products, Sell Advertising, The list goes on and on. So what's the key to success? Ultimately, it boils down to one thing. How to drive Traffic. If you can drive traffic to your website, then you can be successful and earn money online no matter what method you choose.

Let's talk about the ways to drive traffic for a minute. The most notable methods are; Pay-Per-Click Advertising, Posting Free Ads Online, Writing and Submitting Articles, Posting on Blogs and Forums, Search Engine Optimization, the list goes on and on. I know, I know, you already have heard all about those methods to drive traffic, and you know all about them. Well, if you truly knew all about them, you wouldn't be reading this article looking for a better way to earn money online! You would be too busy driving traffic to your site and making your daily run to the bank.

Everybody is searching for the fast and easy way to drive traffic. That's why there are so many sites on the internet that are geared to take your money. They know how to earn money online. They know how to drive traffic (although I don't approve of the product they sell). They don't produce what you want, but they find out how to offer what sounds like what you want. Here's an example, Get 10,000 guaranteed visitors to your site for $50. That SOUNDS like a good deal, but in all reality it's not. All it does is get 10,000 impressions of your website with 0.00 time spent on your site.

You earn money online through customers not impressions. How many of these impressions are going to turn into customers? NONE! How are you going to earn money online if you just paid $50 for nothing? You could have used that $50 and paid for Targeted Traffic through PPC Ads. With a little knowledge and effort on your part, that $50 could have generated actual customers. Even at $.50 per click you would have received 100 actual visitors that were interested in what your site had to offer. That would be FAR better than 10,000 perceived visitors that weren't interested in seeing your site at all.

If you want to earn money online, you are going to have to educate yourself. You could have used that $50 and bought a couple of e-books or guides to show you how to drive traffic. Guides on SEO, Writing and Submitting Articles, PPC Advertising, and Posting to Blogs and Forums, not only show you how to do these things, but explain why they're important.

If you want to earn money online, you have to learn how to Drive Targeted Traffic. It's that simple. If you're looking for short-cuts, that is the short cut. Stop wasting your time and money on scams that offer a faster, easier way. Educate yourself on the tried and true methods of driving traffic. Learn about Search Engine Optimization. Learn about free ads online. Figure out how to post on blogs and forums. Most of all, find out how these things help you make money online!

Common Problems When Online Shopping

2007-12-05T03:33:00.000-08:00

Although online shopping as many advantages, there are also problems which may occur from time to time. Ordering the wrong product, receiving the wrong item and the need to return a purchase can often be significant enough to make a potential online shopper reconsider the decision to purchase again.

Although these problems are some of the most common online shopping glitches, they do not happen frequently. However, when these problems do occur they can cause a great deal of stress and frustration for the online shopper. Will discuss some of these common problems in an attempt to help the reader make a clear decision about whether or not to purchase an item on the Internet.

Ordering the Wrong Item

When shopping in traditional brick and mortar stores, it is quite difficult to accidentally purchase the wrong item (although it as been seen) because the sales process typically involves you physically carrying the item up to the sales counter and paying for it. In online shopping, where the consumer never physically handles the item before the process is complete and the item delivered, it is certainly possible to purchase the wrong product.

Most often this occurs when the customer uses the website to make the purchase and clicks on the wrong item or when the consumer contacts customer service to make the buy and provides a different product number or code than the one for the product they really want. Other times, the consumer clicks on the correct product and provides an accurate product number but he may still make a mistake if there are size options or different colors to choose from. This problem can be rather troubling because the consumer will be disappointed when the wrong product shows up.

The Wrong Product Was Delivered.

Even when online shoppers do not make mistakes during the ordering process, it is still possible for the consumer to receive the wrong product. This often occurs when the orders are filled by hand and a mistake is made in the online retailer's warehouse. A warehouse worker may ship the wrong item completely or may ship the correct item in the wrong size or color.

Again the consumer will likely not know a mistake was made until the product arrives. Usually, the online retailer will likely take responsibility for returning the incorrect item and will ship the correct item as soon as possible. However, in some cases, this may not completely correct the problem. For example, a consumer who purchased an item for a specific event or as a gift, may not receive the replacement item in time.

Returning An Incorrect Item

In situations where the online shopper orders the wrong item as well as situations where the online retailer mistakenly ships the wrong item, there may still be a need to return something. Although this may not seem to be a big problem, it can be particularly irritating for some consumers. Online shoppers who choose to do their shopping online specifically because they work odd hours may have a great deal of difficulty returning products.

The usual process of shipping the item back to the online retailer will generally involve taking the item to a post office. Depending on the hours you work, it may be difficult to get to a post office during regular business hours and may require taking time off from work to return the product to the retailer.

Online shopping, just like anything else in life, as times where not everything goes to plan. Make sure to shop at reputable merchants who have proven customer service and your chances of being a satisfied Online customer are very good.

Safe Shopping on the Internet

2007-12-05T03:32:00.000-08:00

When it comes to shopping on the internet there a range of factors you have to consider before purchasing the product. Keep in mind that you're buying the product without actually physically visiting a store. When you physically visit the store to make your purchase you evaluate the product according to criteria. This criterion may involve product quality, utility and of course the price you pay in relation to these very important factors. After all you buy a product to perform a certain task (which is the basic utility of the product) and you pay its price more or less in relation to the quality of the product. In other words, how efficiently that product can perform the task on hand. When doing your shopping online it's important that you follow these same guidelines.

Remember through the internet you can virtually do your shopping the world over. You can just about order anything from anywhere irrespective of your location. You also have the great advantage of doing your shopping anytime you want and at the comfort of your own home. No hassle of travelling to various stores or rushing through your list and thinking about what you have to cook for your next meal or that all-important presentation at office the next day. However, as when doing your shopping in the traditional physical store it's important that you follow the basic guidelines of shopping. Perhaps more so since you don't actually physically visit the store and have to rely on your own good judgement. As such we are here to help you with safe shopping on the internet.

Terms :- Always make sure about the terms of the transaction. Legal terms and any disclaimers governing the transaction. You may think these maybe lengthy and want to get over and done with your transaction. But it is important that you know the terms of the transaction you're about to perform.

Use a Secure Web Browser :- Online vendors "encrypt" purchase information which means only the vendor and yourself can read it. Always order from online stores that offer secured transactions. These are the "trustworthy" sites. They keep your information secure and doesn't re- distribute your information to any external parties. Always avoid other site which doesn't take you to a page which will perform" a secured transaction". If you have doubts about a site, right-click anywhere on the page and select "Properties." This will let you see the real URL (Web site address) and the dialog box will reveal if the site is "not encrypted."

Records :- A confirmation email will be sent to you that confirm your order. Print these out and keep them safely for your own records and convenience.

Check your credit card and bank statements :- make sure to check these for your own safety. If there are any unauthorised payments contact your Credit Card Company or relevant bank and inform them immediately.

Check the online store's policies :- this will provide disclosures about the store's refund and return policies, and about the web site's security itself and how it uses your personal information. Make sure to take a few minutes to read them. Read the site's privacy policy to understand what personal information is being requested and how it will be used. If there isn't one posted, consider that a warning that your personal information may be sold to others without your permission.

Comparing Prices

You can compare prices too when shopping online as when you do "conventional shopping". You can do this by visiting web sites like:

Price Runner
PriceGrabber.com
Shopzilla
Smarter.com

Do you trust the merchant? You can check the merchant's reputation from whom you're hoping to make your purchase by looking at their feedback by conducting web searches. You can check with the Better Business Bureau (www.bbb.org) for a report about the merchant's marketplace record.

And finally trust you instincts or your "gut" feelings about the web site or transaction you're about to perform. If you feel it's too good to be true it probably is. Better be safe than sorry afterwards.

The Donkey In The Guise Of A Tiger

2007-12-02T07:39:00.000-08:00

Remember the fable? If so, it makes my job simpler in driving home the main point: the e-businesses that go for technology fascination alone are destined to the donkey's fate.

By the way, technology fascination means enriching the front end of your e-shops with cosmetic features using innovative e-commerce design solutions. No doubt, when you do this you might score over your competitors to the extent of visual appearance, arouse an interest in the visitors, and even drive them make a purchase of your offers.

But what if there happens to be a void between what the customer perceived and actually derived? Sure, he will be disappointed, there could be an escalation or simply, he will discard you never to return. To an extent, he could go on spreading his ill-experience to others.

The end result: you are bound to lose both the impression built by cosmetic technology and the ground to your competitors. And, the credibility, lost once, is impossible to regain.

Many conventional businesses that found the going tough, went on a technology-fascination spree in an effort to turning their fortunes around, albeit unsuccessfully. What they lacked was value-addition to their offers. And, stills, it seems that the lesson is not learnt; many e-businesses continue to be fascinated and many will be in future - only to be destined to the donkey's fate!

4 Ways to Accept Credit Cards Directly to Your PayPal Account

2007-12-02T07:38:00.000-08:00

Use Caution When Opening Merchant Account to Accept Credit Cards

2007-11-30T02:14:00.000-08:00

If you want to start accepting credit card payments online for the first time, then this article is a must read. Before obtaining a merchant account, make sure you shop around and do your research. Let the buyer beware certainly applies when choosing a merchant account provider, as there are many important aspects which need to be considered. Making a poor choice is likely to result in numerous complications and high unexpected ongoing costs.

10 tips to choosing a merchant account provider:

1. KNOW YOUR NEEDS - Do you want batch (manual) payment processing or real time processing? If you expect low volume sales then manual processing maybe a viable route. Before approaching merchant account processors know your actual or expected margins, transaction volume and internal resources. What will your hardware, software and service requirements be? You can go directly to banks or ISOs for merchant accounts, however putting together all the components to e-commerce (catalog system, credit card processing, order system, billing system, etc) can be a nightmare. This is where it sometimes it can pay to partner with a 'holistic' payment processor which may charge slightly higher rates, but can provide complete and secure payment processing merchant accounts.

2. 24 HOUR PAYMENT CUSTOMER SERVICE - Not only is it wise for you to get 24 hour technical support for your merchant account, but also of great importance is 24 hour payment support for your own paying customers. Providing 24 hour telephone payment support on your website for high volume sites could increase sales by 20-30%, especially in the early stages whilst you fine tune your site.

3. RELIABILITY & INTEGRITY- Check the merchant account providers trading history and try to get testimonials or reviews of the processor. A dishonest processor can tack on declined transaction charges in numerous ways, so it is important to work with a reputable processing company. Common complaints against merchant account providers include sudden rate increases, long term lock-in contracts, hidden fees and add-on charges, high monthly-minimums, heavy rolling chargeback reserves, high chargeback fees, and surprise monthly processing limits.

4. SPEED OF SERVICE - If it takes more than 3-4 business days to get your merchant account up and running, then start questioning the setup and capability of a processor. Likewise if approval is instant or overnight, alarm bells should also start to ring. Setting up a new merchant account should take 2-4 days to allow for a thorough risk assessment and appropriate account setup.

5. FEES - Make sure you gain full visibility of all fees (application, setup, statement, transaction, discount rate, and fraudulent transactions - chargeback's). Ask for a full disclosure of ALL merchant account fees and charges before signing anything! Also bear in mind that depending on your business setup; your merchant account processor may have to hold a reserve on your account.

6. UNDERWRITING AND RISK ASSESSMENT - Before approving a merchant account, the merchant account provider will underwrite and perform a risk assessment of your business and business model. Find out if your business will be classified as "High Risk". If you trade in a high risk industry such as adult, travel, dating, or pharmacy, then you will have to approach a high risk merchant account specialist.

7. FRAUD MANAGEMENT - Chargeback's and fraud related charges can be a very high cost for some online businesses. Make sure you protect your profits by using a processor that has a sophisticated and comprehensive fraud management system. A large variety of methods to minimize fraud should be in place on your merchant account including customer details verification, geographical location cross-checks, and known fraudster database cross-checks.

8. HIDDEN CLAUSES - Read the fine print. Read ALL of the fine print. Too many people today skim over the content of a service contract, which in the payment processing industry is very unwise. Be warned, low rates rarely equate with merchant friendly policies.

9. INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS - A card from outside of the processor's country results in what is often called a non-qualified rate, which can result in a fee of 3.50% - 6% of the sale. If you expect card payments from more than one country, try to choose a processor that has an international payment network, who also supports transactions in multiple currencies. If you wish to advertise to multiple markets, a multi-currency and multi-lingual platform is a must to maximize your revenue potential.

10. MONTHLY LIMITS - As a precaution, many merchant account providers will impose limits on your monthly revenue intake. Processing more than your limit, in some cases will also result in held funds. The length of time the funds are held depends on the risk factor and the bank with which you deal. Should you surpass the limit that the bank is willing to allow for more than three months, you may receive an immediate termination letter. Look for a merchant account that is flexible with your needs. Some merchant account providers have policies with generous limits or no limit at all.

How Do You Choose A Membership Site Manager?

2007-11-30T02:13:00.000-08:00

The kind of membership site software you should choose ultimately depends on your budget, and whether it can cater to the needs of your membership site. Broadly speaking, most membership site managers are similar, although there are some strong differences in price.

Some scripts do offer more unusual features, like viral marketing. It's a matter of weighing up whether a particular software solution can meet your needs, and your budget, the best. You may find some do everything you ask for, or it might be a case where you settle on the one that does the most important things. This requires you to have some understanding up-front on what your needs will be.

What Kind Of Membership Site Do You Want To Set Up?

In terms of choosing membership site software, you don't have to have a complete understanding of how you will present your membership site. The main question you need to answer is, do you need a content management system, or are you just offering a monthly download?

If you're just offering a monthly download, with a few links and perhaps some basic information with regards an affiliate program, or a few other pages, then a simple membership script is all you'll want. Your membership script just needs to take care of the administrative tasks of processing payments and member details, issuing passwords, controlling access to your site, providing lost passwords, keeping track of cancellations and failed payments, and managing recurring subscriptions. These simple scripts are at the low end of the market in terms of their cost.

If you're going to build up a repository of content - whether that is audio, video, articles, reports, courses, or ebooks - you'll need a way to organize that information meaningfully. This type of membership site will grow large quite quickly. If content isn't organized in a logical way, your members won't be able to find things easily. This will mean more customer service work for you, and some very frustrated members who don't appreciate the value you're giving them.

An integrated content management system is needed for larger sites. This allows you to categorize your content, and should provide a search feature. The mid to high range membership site managers usually include a content management system. The better ones also allow you to set multiple levels of membership. This is where you can designate certain content to be available for each tier of members. You might offer some free content in order to build a large list of prospects. And an introductory membership with less features and content. Then you could offer a premium membership that has everything.

Building Community

Whether you want to set up a simple or content-filled membership site, building a sense of community is crucial. Along with good content, it helps keeps your members subscribed for longer.

There are a number of ways to build community. The first, is by having a forum installed. Although forums take a little bit extra work to moderate and answer questions, they should be part of your membership site. Most membership scripts, especially those that include a content management system, include forum software.

Other ways to build community include conference calls, and web conferencing. These don't matter so much at the level of choosing a membership script, however.

Membership site software solutions offer a huge range of features. In deciding what is most important to you, it helps to write down a list of everything you need, and then divide that list into the essential and non-essential category. That way, you'll be able to see quickly whether a membership site manager has the features you really need, for a price you're willing to pay.

Fast Ecommerce - 9 Useful Techniques to Generate Income in Ecommerce

2007-11-22T01:45:00.000-08:00

Conducting ecommerce in a fast and efficient manner can bring about a lot of great things for your web based online business. Even a lot of office-based companies are joining the ecommerce bandwagon to improve their company's sales and profits. Ecommerce is a wonderful business solution because you get to market your products and transact with clients on a world wide level. Here are nine useful techniques that can help you generate income in ecommerce:

1. Enlist the help of a programmer who can maintain your site for you. Look for one who does not charge exorbitant prices but maintains a standard of quality in his work.

2. Coordinate with him from time to time to know if there are some upgrades you need to make in order to run better than your competitor.

3. Create several categories for your products so people can have a more efficient time looking for stuff they need.

4. Strive to provide adequate descriptions for your products! Describe the functions in detail, include all the features and do not forget to list the price of the item as well.

5. Include an easy to use currency converter in your site so your international buyers will have an idea of how much it will cost in their own home country.

6. Provide efficient methods of payment for all your products and services. Include shipping rates and charges on a per country or per region basis.

7. When you get purchase orders or payments, provide electronic acknowledgment emails to the buyers as proof that you are aware of the transaction.

8. Make sure that you deliver the products promptly and in good condition!

9. Offer after sales support or troubleshooting to let them know that you are still of service to them even after the transaction was completed.

Productive Ecommerce - 4 Excellent Ways to Ecommerce

2007-11-22T01:42:00.000-08:00

Today is undoubtedly the computer age. The cyberspace has dominated different fields and is winning the hearts of people who try it. Many internet surfers and individuals already have the natural tendency to rely on the internet for almost all their needs... from research, to paying bills, to shopping or to get guides. Ecommerce is indeed a way to earn money fast and easy. Online marketing has been the advent of businessmen nowadays. Whether they sell or they give services, they tap the world of online business marketing to increase sales and to generate vast amounts of traffic in no time. Many people have the notion that ecommerce is that complicated well in fact, its not. All you need to know is some basic steps to jump start in productive ecommerce.

1. It is best if you offer free shipping. We cannot deny the fact that it is a burden for anyone to pay the shipping charges. So when they order large quantities from you, then pay them off by giving out free shipment. In this way, you will gain more customers and you can easily gain their trust.

2. If you are just starting out, you can increase a little on your profit margin to have a bit investment for shipping expenses.

3. Giving out quality service is very crucial. If you want to stay in the business, you should offer your clients satisfaction. You should be able to answer to their needs and have some good interaction with them. Likewise, you can also ask for their comments and feedbacks to make sure you point out your weaknesses. It does not matter if the feedbacks are negative. This will provide great room for improvement.

4. Make an appealing web site for your business. It is best if you know how to make one yourself. You can have a crash course on HTML or you can hire a professional to do so.

Ecommerce and the Power of BeliefThe Polar Express is a delightful story that infuses the simplicity of Christmas with an element of faith. Children r

2007-11-19T00:21:00.000-08:00

The Polar Express is a delightful story that infuses the simplicity of Christmas with an element of faith. Children ride the fabled express in an effort to reclaim trust in something they no longer believe in.

A pivotal point is evident at the end of the story when a little boy says, “I believe” after steadfastly denying the existence of Santa. The magical world of childhood reopens for the boy and we are left with the very warm fuzzies the author hoped we would feel.

Whether by DVD or by book this story is shared each holiday season to the delight of children everywhere.

I think this movie and/or story should be read/seen by everyone who decides to venture into the world of ecommerce.

It is possible (and even probable) for business owners to become a bit jaded in their view of a new business venture. If they have been part of business startups in the past they can treat business and, well, business. They can lack the passion they need to infuse their startup with something more than tried, tested and proven methods.

Sometimes a business startup will only make sense in context of the heart that is evident in the personality stamp of passion.

Yes, business is about calculated risk, business models and executive foresight, but without passion the business may be more cookie cutter than maverick.

Perhaps that is one of the biggest difference between the heart of those who really “believe” in the entrepreneurial idea they are pursuing and those who simply act in response to numbers.

That’s not to say a more corporate approach can’t work, but the reason many small businesses hang in there is because the owner “believes” so much in the product or service that they will passionately pursue their belief even if it leads to a failed startup.

One approach can seem cold and calculating while the other is new territory with no map in sight. It may seem that knowing everything about what you’re doing is a better approach, but this approach takes the personal and makes it something much less.

I tend to believe that a more corporate approach only works when team building occurs. Where individuals with complimentary gifts can make the new startup personal. If this happens the team can infuse passion into the most sterile startup.

Ecommerce is an arena that is perfect for exploration and discovery. It is a place where belief thrives and prospers. Ecommerce is a place for brave people to bring the faith of a child and imagine the impossible as possible and then prove the unbelievers wrong.

Scott Lindsay is a web developer and entrepreneur. He is the founder of HighPowerSites and many other web projects

eCommerce and Efficiency

2007-11-19T00:19:00.000-08:00

Speed is everything when it comes to trade and commerce. You might have the best ice cream sundae in the world, but if it takes you an hour to make it and another hour to deliver it, you’ve lost a lot of potential customers.

In our field of editorial stock photography, the same holds true. Independent stock photographers have historically been the David attempting to battle with the Goliath. The advent of large conglomerates in our industry (I can think of five of them) has sent a chill through the world of stock photo photographers. “Will I be shouldered out into the cold?” many independents ask.

The answer might have been “Yes” if the question were asked fifteen years ago. Back then the technology to compete would have cost the average independent photography business $150,000 to $300,000. “Out of the question,” you would have said then.

Today, it’s very different. We are seeing the cost of hardware and software, and related services, dropping dramatically. The equivalent technology today is in the range of $4,000 to $10,000. A small business today, armed with the correct hardware and software, can effectively compete with the stock agency conglomerates.

YOUR ADVANTAGE

You have two areas to your advantage: speed and price.

Any traditional conglomerate is bogged down with costly dinosaur-like administration. And paradoxically, this administration adds to the price of their product. In contrast, when photobuyers deal with you, they deal directly. No middleman is involved, further reducing the per-photo fee to the buyer.

If the aggregate stock photo collections of independent individual photographers totals more than 450,000,000 photos, why don’t more photobuyers today use independent photographers rather than the large stock agencies?

Because we’re not quite there yet. Not enough photographers are knowledgeable about what’s called “eCommerce." Photobuyers are not ready to abandon traditional shopping behavior. And without a built-in network to jump aboard, independents find themselves floating aimlessly in cyberspace.

Such a network is taking shape, however, on the Internet. Daily, more and more photo researchers are finding that by using the Web, they can eliminate costly hours of searching for “just-right” images. They can also save money by buying directly from the source (you).

HAPPY CUSTOMERS

Using Amazon.com, the cyber bookseller, as an example, we can draw a parallel to this situation. Amazon.com is not a book publisher, (not yet, at least) but a go-between for booksellers and people who shop via the Internet. Amazon.com fulfills orders and receives a percentage of the revenue for its work.

But Amazon.com, given the present state of the Internet, does nothing different than what book publishers could also do themselves –- thus reducing delivery time and eliminating commissions to Amazon.com. This would make customers happy.

Search systems on the Internet now allow customers to find what they’re looking for in a matter of seconds. Common sense tells us, for example, there’s no need to go through a middleman to find a book, if you can find it on the Web directly through the publisher. This eliminates both the sales unit and the distributor entirely.

No doubt in the near future, publishers will set up their own cyber mall Internet service and supply customers with their products directly. The technology is there.

Can you see the parallel here?

In the near future, savvy photo researchers will not need the handholding from one of the conglomerates to find their photos. Using the increasing power of the Internet, the researchers will go swiftly to the source of the image (the photographer) and deal directly with the source (you) for delivery of the product.

Mitch Kezar, a Minneapolis-based photographer with a specialty in outdoors, especially hunting dogs, fishing, and winter sports, is one of the pioneers who are proving that this way of doing business is about to explode on the scene. He is already successful at it with a number of his clients. He’s currently busy expanding, scanning 12,000 hunting/fishing/outdoor images to put up for sale on the Internet.

“Our site uses a keyword searchable data base to guide buyers through. First they can review thumbnail-size images, then by clicking on them they can see a 5x7 image they can drag to a shopping basket. Which, then, of course, can be emailed or called in to my office. We then ship the buyer the slide they want FedEx, or if they want a digitized image we scan the photo at a high res and digitally fulfill the request, or send straight digital images.

"We’ve polled about 200 customers, who have shown great interest in being able to call up exactly what they’re looking for, from someone who knows the difference between a flushing dog and a retrieving dog, or a slip sinker from spinning bait.

"Our clients have lamented to us about experiences with calling large photo agencies for such niche-market images, only to find themselves wading through 300 pulled images, all of them wrong content.”

The Whole Deal About The Ecommerce

2007-11-17T05:06:00.000-08:00

The radio, TV, the media and recently the Internet have made people understand the importance of selling their ideas to the world. The most convenient yet cost effective way to sell your ideas and thus get yourself a good business or expand an already established business is ecommerce through the Internet. It involves very less investment and if done correctly offers good returns on your investment. However, just like any other business Ecommerce also has certain vulnerabilities, which you should keep in mind while considering it. Though Ecommerce development has now minimized the risk factor if one takes an active approach towards security needs and stays updated. E-commerce affects the supply of goods and services in a positive way, by distributing it in an appropriate manner, leaving additional marketing charges at bay. The immediate and direct contact that the Emerchant has with the client works in his favor, as he can serve them in a more genuine manner, giving them the required amount of attention. As the communication is facilitated, all the needs of the consumer can be taken care of, thereby a customized service for most customers can be offered.

The healthy relations that one has with their Suppliers and clients affect the business in the best possible way. If you own an 'online store' then you can always allow your associates to promote their products, in exchange they promote your services and products, thus link exchange arises. This link exchange gets you more visitors, more clients therefore more money.

The best part about the whole concept of ecommerce is that you are not restricted to a geographically localized market. There is a wide range of market you have access to globally and even a wider range of clientele at a minimum investment. The investment usually includes getting yourself a good domain name (name of your website) and a really appropriate web site design (something that goes with the look and feel of your business). In addition to these, if you wish to operate an Online Store your most important requirement should be up to date Shopping cart software. Make sure that your web operates on a good yet secure network connection.

A secure network connection is the most important requirement because the advancement in technology also brings with it an advancement of high tech crimes. The secure server presently in use is Apache. However, there are certain loopholes in its structure as well which the cyber criminals- hackers and crackers just know how to exploit. The best thing to do is use patches that are regularly launched in the cyber market, which minimize the vulnerabilities in your server or software to a very large extent. This enables it to be safer from the threats, which always try to obtain people's important information from you.

Also make sure that you get good SEO services to get yourself some good internet traffic at all times. The right kind of promotion is necessary not only in this field but also in every possible business you take up. Rest assured because these few points will help you a long way to get yourself established as a successful E-business dude or a dudette.

Effective Ecommerce Billing

2007-11-17T05:05:00.000-08:00

Over the last few years, ecommerce billing has become more sophisticated as well as user-friendlier. Thanks to an ecommerce billing system that is more user-friendly, it has really given a new shape to the modern online business. This type of online billing management system has helped manage the billing aspect of an online business. This is an excellent concept for both the online business entity as well as the billing manager who has extensive experience with ecommerce systems.

The main responsibility falls upon the shoulders of the online billing managers, whose job is to manage the overall the ecommerce billing process of the online business. This process actually involves several sequential steps such as establishing the ecommerce billing process, managing the overall billing system, maintaining a high degree liaison, formulating the policies and managing them.

All these steps may be successfully accomplished by managing the collection process, assuring the revenue, staying in touch with the customers and last but not the least; the billing team has to maintain vigorous standards. Each and every single member of the online billing management team has to have a sound grasp on the disciplines of finance and accounting, credit card cash collection postulates and risk management system.

The Billing and Payment Solution System

The payment and the billing process in for an ecommerce billing solution must be convergent and comprehensive enough to give the customer the utmost and complete satisfaction, raising their degree of loyalty and trust in regards to the billing process. There are many concerns that provide help to the organizations to launch new projects, implement new services, offers and new schemes that help the organizations to move in a positive and forward direction and at a fast pace. They earn solid and real credibility by providing a high degree of customer care and billing solutions for the online businesses, as well as maintaining superb quality working standards with a high level of security and genuineness.

"Knowledge Storm" is considered to be one of the internet's top ranking search resource that provides the facility to research of the ecommerce billing services storage related software. They can help you to find not only the technology solutions but also the needed critical information. Knowledge Storm Accounting is the perfect tool for the person searching for the accounting related technology, because of the fact that it ensures an efficient marketing and elevation system. On another level, the telecommunication industry has also started to bank on the unique concept of ecommerce billing services.

The e-biller is the strongest, fastest and the most effective tool that is used as the web-based billing solution by the telecom operators, thereby turning the billing process into a wonderful strategic marketing technique and mitigating the cost of billing.

What is e-Commerce - Advantages and Drawbacks!

2007-11-16T02:15:00.000-08:00

Electronic Commerce or e-commerce is the trade of products and services by means of the Internet or other computer networks. E-commerce follows the same basic principles as traditional commerce that is, buyers and sellers come together to swap commodities for money. But rather than conducting business in the traditional way in shopping stores or through mail order catalogs and telephone operators — in e-commerce buyers and sellers transact business over networked computers.

E-commerce offers buyers maximum convenience. They can visit the web sites of multiple vendors round the clock a day to compare prices and make purchases, without having to leave their homes or offices from around the globe. In some cases, consumers can immediately obtain a product or service, such as an electronic book, a music file, or computer software, by downloading it over the Internet.

For sellers, e-commerce offers a way to cut costs and expand their markets. They do not need to build, staff, or maintain a physical store or print and distribute mail order catalogs. Automated order tracking and billing systems cut additional labor costs, and if the product or service can be downloaded then e-commerce firms have no distribution costs involved. Because the products can be sold sell over the global Internet, sellers have the potential to market their products or services globally and are not limited by the physical location of a store. Internet technologies also permit sellers to track the interests and preferences of their customers with the customer’s permission and then use this information to build an ongoing relationship with the customer by customizing products and services to meet the customer’s needs.

E-commerce however has some drawbacks. Consumers are hesitant to buy some products online. Online furniture businesses, for example, have failed for the most part because customers want to test the comfort of an expensive item such as a sofa before they purchase it. Many people also consider shopping a social experience. For instance, they may enjoy going to a store or a shopping mall with friends or family, an experience that they cannot duplicate online. Consumers also need to be reassured that credit card transactions are secure and that their privacy is respected.

A Brief Explanation of What E-commerce is

2007-11-16T02:13:00.000-08:00

E-commerce touches all major aspects of economic life and presents a series of complex issues. It involves the integration of many elements of technology, infrastructure, business operation and public policy. All these elements need to operate together as smoothly as possible to yield the maximum benefits to its users. Most importantly, e-commerce requires new skills and forms of industrial organization; it therefore also needs to be looked at from social and political angles.

The transition of the global economy from an industrial focus to one based on knowledge and information presents numerous opportunities and challenges. This new paradigm has a significant impact on the way people lead their lives. It is enabled by the use of Information and Communications Technologies which have led to the compression of time and space.

The increasing pace of technological innovations, such as the rapid integration of the Internet and other telecommunications based activities into nearly every sphere of business has given rise to new ways of communicating, learning and conducting business. The Internet has facilitated the establishment of a “border-less” environment for communications and the electronic delivery of certain services.

Enter electronic commerce also known as e-commerce. Convergence of technologies is the major driving factor that contributes to the exponential growth of electronic commerce. Convergence goes beyond the use of technology to develop new products and services and is seen as a vehicle to improve the quality of life of society. Convergence will open new opportunities for all as everyone gains equal access to information and the global markets. Small business will be able to compete on an equal footing with big business.

But what is e-commerce?

Electronic commerce can be defined broadly as:

“The use of electronic networks to exchange information, products, services and payments for commercial and communication purposes between individuals (consumers) and businesses, between businesses themselves, between individuals themselves, within government or between the public and government and, last, between business and government ”

This definition encompasses the many kinds of business activities that are being conducted electronically, and conveys the notion that electronic commerce is much more comprehensive than simply the purchasing of goods and services electronically.

What are the benefits of e-commerce? E-commerce is transforming the global marketplace and its impact is being felt across the full range of business. E-commerce requires an open, predictable and transparent trading environment, which operates across territorial borders and jurisdictions. To foster such an environment and to realize its full economic potential necessitates international co-operation, which will be instrumental in developing the enabling conditions for its growth.

Countries have to work together to remove barriers to the free flow of electronic products and services across jurisdictions and by resolving problems that may arise due to its borderless character.

The main benefits of e-commerce are demonstrable by the following achievements:

Improved response time: Quick and cost efficient way through which to communicate and update information.

Improved competitive positioning: Electronic commerce has a potential to level the playing field for small and large entities throughout the world. Small and Medium Enterprises and public sector customers reap the benefits of e-commerce.

Ease of concluding deals and financial transactions: Click-and-pay technology is gaining popularity as a means through which to transact. Published information, communicating, buying, selling, paying and checking orders occurs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Extended markets reach and thus increased revenue potential: Geographic barriers or boundaries are removed. There is an increased number of Internet users to market products and services at lower cost and much faster.

Increased consumer convenience and choice: Consumers can easily locate hard to find goods and services, and also have a wide choice from which to make a purchase anytime, anywhere. Reduced prices: Increased competition forces organizations to produce better quality products at reduced cost.

Profitable E-Commerce -- Making Big Money With E-Commerce

2007-11-13T11:07:00.000-08:00

In today’s highly advanced mechanism of transacting business, E-commerce becomes a common media for people to do business with other people. Every business transaction that is being made is made possible thru the combined usage of the Internet technology and of the E-commerce methodology. E-commerce is seen as a highly potential tool to for one to generate more money and profitable income. If you want to learn more about this, you may want to continue reading the rest of this article material.
• E-commerce offers 24 by 7, 7 days a week, 365 days open online store. As such, it is generally advantageous for most businessmen because E-commerce is able to provide the needs of its consumers round the clock. With E-commerce’s round the clock capability, it is also able to provide support system with its clients.
• E-commerce does not need too many working staff. Staffing is one of the most strenuous and capital investment’s enemy because the money that can be used to capitalize a bigger investment is being divided by the need to pay for human resource. With E-commerce, a few people will be needed to operate the business online, which means more savings for the investors.
• E-commerce provides a wider geographical means to be in touch with you clients. Because of the capability of the Internet to supply information to all people round the world, it made it possible for E-commerce to do the same thing. E-commerce is capable of reaching out to its clients wider in geographical and demographic sense.

Lucrative Ecommerce - 6 Quick Steps to Ecommerce Success

2007-11-13T11:04:00.000-08:00

If you are interested in establishing a lucrative ecommerce enterprise, there are 6 steps to ecommerce success that you must understand and keep in mind. By paying heed to these 6 steps, you will be well on your way to lucrative ecommerce success that will last well into the future.
1. Know your product or service. In order to enjoy lucrative ecommerce success, you have to produce or provide a product or service that you know something about and that you understand.
2. Target your market. In order to enjoy ongoing lucrative ecommerce success, you must identify the market that will be most interested in your product or service. Targeted marketing is the key to ecommerce success in this day and age.
3. In order to ensure lucrative ecommerce success, you need to develop a comprehensive marketing plan. You might want to obtain professional assistance in the development of this marketing plan.
4. Additionally, in order to ensure lucrative ecommerce success you need to make sure that you create and follow a realistic budget.
5. Lucrative ecommerce success depends on your ability to seek and follow the credible advice of other people who understand ecommerce and how to make the best of online business.
6. Finally, when it comes to lucrative ecommerce, you must be flexible – you must learn from your successes and your failures.
By paying attention to these steps and pointers you will be well on your way to enjoying lasting success in the competitive world of ecommerce in the 21st century.

More Ecommerce Trends for 2007

2007-11-12T03:07:00.000-08:00

Popular VOIP companies are actively testing click to call technology on war footing so as to cash in on the enormous potential that it has in the offing. If successful, this technological innovation will redefine how buyers and sellers interact. This is one of the upcoming trends that needs to be utilized effectively.

CPA or click per action

Unlike cost per click, cost per action gives you peace of mind on click fraud where you need to pay only if a sale is made from the click. However the per rate for this upcoming option will be much higher and search engines are also hesitant to switch over to a quality game from quantity but if introduced , then this will be one of the most productive innovations since CPC.

Innovative payment processors.

Payment processors , an integral and innate part of ecommerce is another area that must be closely followed. A number of innovative options for integration into your webpage are in the offing and 2007 will mark a new turn in there usage by the common man. One such is google check out which is rapidly expanding its coverage and options. In recent times, there were innovative ideas like those introduced by the ill fated emocorp. If present developments are any indication then we can be sure about more of these in the foreseeable future.

Keeping a watch over prospective and promising trends is worth the time and effort it consume and like stock market predictions you can no doubt sure monetize your calculations and a little bit research and some rational wild guess is okay when it comes to sensing and sniffing out the upcoming trends.

Your eCommerce Website - How to Gain the Trust of Prospective Customers

2007-11-12T03:06:00.000-08:00

If you've an eCommerce website you understand perfectly the need to generate a reliable stream of traffic to your venue. Reliable and steady traffic means reliable and steady profits. Of course, there are many factors that come into play when you are dealing with developing and then maintaining a strong traffic flow to your website. Chief amongst these considerations is gaining the trust of prospective customers or clients when it comes to your eCommerce website. Through this article, you will be provided with an overview of tactics and strategies that you can employ when it comes to gaining the trust of prospective customers or clients for your eCommerce website.

Develop and Design an Appealing Site

One of the most important steps that you will need to take in order to gain the trust of prospective customers or clients is to ensure that your eCommerce website is attractive. Consumers naturally are more inclined to put their trust in an eCommerce website that is professional in its appearance. Business is lost each and every day in cyberspace due to the unprofessional appearance of some eCommerce website venues.

Testimonials can be Useful and Helpful

Another method that you can employ to instill confidence and to gain the trust of prospective customers or clients is the inclusion of testimonials from satisfied customers or clients at your eCommerce website. History oftentimes is the best indication of future performance. Therefore, by including testimonials from satisfied customers or clients at your eCommerce website, you will be taking an important and meaningful step in gaining the confidence of prospective customers or clients.

List Affiliations at Your Website

If you are part of any association or organization, you should include those affiliations at your website. For example, if your business is part of a Chamber of Commerce or some sort of recognized Internet organization or association, you would be well served by listing this information at your eCommerce website.

The Ecommerce Advantage Of The Virtual Office

2007-11-06T00:02:00.000-08:00

If you work from home or you own your own e-commerce business, chances are you work from a virtual office. A virtual office can be as grounded or as virtual as you make it. Most online businesses have only a computer, printer, scanner, and maybe a few sundry office supplies in the real world. The rest of their office, the office that everyone sees, is online, or virtual.

There are many advantages to the virtual office. Some advantages free up money, other advantages free up time, and still other advantages just make running your own e-commerce business much easier.

Now, not all virtual offices will have the same components, and not all virtual offices will be entirely virtual. However, you will find that the more your office trends toward the virtual and the less in a brick and mortar location, the lower your costs will be and the easier it will be to be successful in your online business.

Let's talk first about the biggest advantage. The virtual office frees up money. When you have a website for a store front, you have to pay for website hosting and a domain name, but you dont pay rent, insurance, and the accompanying utilities. The costs for the later are really much higher. For example, the use of email as the primary point of contact with your customers cuts out exorbitant long distance charges as well as postal and printing charges as well, something that other global businesses find very taxing on their budgets.

Another advantage to the virtual office is your ability to appear as a big time corporate presence, when in reality it might just be you working as just one individual working alone with one or two freelancers.

Numerous virtual office systems abound on the internet that allow anyone to record a voice mail greeting and program extensions, that then are direct to yourself, your freelancers, or your field people wherever they need to go.

Callers can call an 800 number, get a professional recording, several touch tone options, then be directed to the correct person. Even if that person is always yourself, you can still take advantage of the fact that you know what the person is calling about before you ever pick up the phone. Additionally, these types of virtual office programs are very inexpensive; costing at only a few dollars more per month than other traditional 800 numbers.

One of the truly hassle saving advantages to the virtual office is that you do not have to hire employees. Hiring employees requires a lot of time, effort, and money. You have to place advertisements to start the hiring process, spend time interviewing and reviewing resumes, and increase your paperwork tenfold when you hire someone on.

Learn the Basics of E-commerce

2007-11-06T00:01:00.000-08:00

To be at par and stand competitive in this evolving business industry, a business must be able to adapt itself with the evolving demands in technology. Now that people are accustomed to having their business transactions online thru electronic commerce, almost all business have made a drastic change and revamped all its resources to be able to adapt with this technology. Electronic commerce is the name of the game. To address this compelling issue, you have to come up with a competitive way to do e-commerce.

• Getting involved in e-commerce requires that you know the medium. Before actually immersing yourself and your business with e-commerce, it is wise that you make a reading about how e-commerce works. Learn how e-commerce works to your advantage.

• Learning how to develop your niche. This is one big, major step that you should take. Knowing who your targeted audience is will put you on a better edge. In this way, too, you will be given a glimpse on how you can actually better come up with products that will have an appeal to your prospective clients.

• Treat your clients with respect. You can actually show this by not sending them spam mails and similar materials. You may be forced to be sending e-mails to your clients but make sure that they are not cloned spam mail. Nobody would ever want to be receiving too many mails on their mailbox most especially irrelevant ones.

• E-commerce requires a site. A site requires a good name. Make sure that your website, your portal to your business, has a good name attached on it. The name of the site is the one that is being most remembered by your clients, therefore, make sure that it makes appeal to them.

Building E-Commerce the Right Way

2007-11-03T00:50:00.000-07:00

E-commerce is fast becoming the newest media in doing business transactions. People all over the globe have shifted to electronic commerce after having seen the potential benefits driven by this new technology. People have been widely accepting the fact that e-commerce is a better media to do business rather than the customary manual transaction that people have been accustomed to for several decades. Along with efficiency, one of the best reasons why e-commerce continues to dominate the online activities is because of its cost efficiency to both the business owners and consuming public. Now, to further the abilities of the e-commerce, the below given tips may help you out.

• When you would like to involve on e-commerce transaction, it is best that you develop first your avenue to doing transactions on net – your site. Your website is the perfect place for you to do transactions with your clients. It is therefore essential that you come up with a site that has total relevance on the products that you are dealing with or to the least, puts connection with what the company is trying to project.

• After having made a site to where you can perform the business, it is best that you make ways on how you can make it earn visibility on the Internet. There are about millions of websites swimming around on the net. Your website should compete to earn its presence and be known to be as an existing site so that people will know where to turn to.

• Choose the right product to sell and sell them good. People on net are always looking for merchandises. It is best that you determine what sort of merchandise is hitting the consuming market before you finally rest on developing those products.

Tips On How to Create a Successful E-Commerce Web Site

2007-11-03T00:48:00.000-07:00

An excellent website is not just about being attractive in terms of the imagery and layout. The 'character' of the website counts too! Yes, first impression counts, but when it comes to e-commerce websites, some things matter more than what you see on the surface.

Having a successful e-commerce website means everything to a business or organization. It can be the ultimate factor that pulls customers into your business, and can also be the factor that pushes them away from your business. What it takes to have a successful e-commerce website is to be the one that abides by the following dos and don'ts of creating an e-commerce website.

Here are the Dos in creating an e-commerce website:

1. When it comes to the page where customers make their purchases, avoid having to make them go through clicks after clicks just to purchase the items. Keep the navigation as simple as possible and make the purchasing procedure more convenient for them by creating lesser links that they need to click on. Making them click at most three times to make a purchase would be fine.

2. Always ensure that all the links that you have created can function the way they should. It would be quite embarrassing to find out that your customers cannot access to a page just because the links does not work. So test out the links to make sure all of them work before you officially publicize the website.

3. Give names to each of your links so that customers would be made clear of where the links would lead. Be more specific in naming the links. For example, if you have designed a special page only for stationeries, then name the link as 'stationeries'. In this way, the time taken for customers to navigate would be faster and the navigation process would be less complex.

4. Avoid using jargons that can be difficult to understand. Keep the language usage simple and comprehensible. This, too, can contribute to the ease in the navigation process.

5. If you were to discover that one or a few of your items are out of stock, make sure that you create a page in the website that can inform customers that the items are unavailable, before they reach the page for purchasing the item. It would be frustrating for them if they have gone through the whole purchasing process just to realize that the item is unavailable for purchase. This problem can cause your business to lose customers and their loyalty towards you. Hence, this should be carried out to avoid such complication in your business.

Here are the Don'ts of creating an e-commerce website:

1. Never make use of frames to design your e-commerce website. If your site is surrounded by frames, customers would tend to ignore your site due to their frustration in trying to navigate your site. So never rely on frames for your site to help you gain customer attention.

2. Avoid using too many enlarged pictures, which will take up too much of your page space and block some of the important links in the website. Customers would get annoyed if they are unable to find the links they are looking for because of the huge pictures that get in the way. In fact, using huge pictures will affect the loading time of your site and that definitely makes customers furious. It is great to have images to create live to your site, but it would be more desirable if you adjust the sizes to fit in the pages well.

3. Do not use splash pages as your introduction because there are always chances that viewers would skip such pages. Most customers are more in favour of proceeding directly to the website itself rather than having to spend minutes of watching just another splash introduction, especially customers who are constantly in a rush. Hence, splash pages are not necessary for an e-commerce website. What is important is that you can deliver through the overall website.

4. Whenever possible, do not request from your customers to install a software just to view the products offered. It would contribute to the hassle of purchasing the products and would just lead to more frustration from customers. So when you include your products, do not make use of complicated software that can affect the customers as well. Insert the products the easiest way possible so that all your customers would need to do is click on the product and be able to view it right away.

Hope that the following tips would help you, especially aspiring business owners out there, to build an e-commerce website that can facilitate your interaction with your customers, and can even make them come back to you for more. With an excellent e-commerce website, you can be on your way to a profitable success and to tasting the fruits of your labour.

Ecommerce and the Power of Belief

2007-11-01T00:58:00.000-07:00

The Polar Express is a delightful story that infuses the simplicity of Christmas with an element of faith. Children ride the fabled express in an effort to reclaim trust in something they no longer believe in.

A pivotal point is evident at the end of the story when a little boy says, “I believe” after steadfastly denying the existence of Santa. The magical world of childhood reopens for the boy and we are left with the very warm fuzzies the author hoped we would feel.

Whether by DVD or by book this story is shared each holiday season to the delight of children everywhere.

I think this movie and/or story should be read/seen by everyone who decides to venture into the world of ecommerce.

It is possible for business owners to become a bit jaded in their view of a new business venture. If they have been part of business startups in the past they can treat business and, well, business. They can lack the passion they need to infuse their startup with something more than tried, tested and proven methods.

Sometimes a business startup will only make sense in context of the heart that is evident in the personality stamp of passion.

Yes, business is about calculated risk, business models and executive foresight, but without passion the business may be more cookie cutter than maverick.

Perhaps that is one of the biggest difference between the heart of those who really “believe” in the entrepreneurial idea they are pursuing and those who simply act in response to numbers.

That’s not to say a more corporate approach can’t work, but the reason many small businesses hang in there is because the owner “believes” so much in the product or service that they will passionately pursue their belief even if it leads to a failed startup.

One approach can seem cold and calculating while the other is new territory with no map in sight. It may seem that knowing everything about what you’re doing is a better approach, but this approach takes the personal and makes it something much less.

I tend to believe that a more corporate approach only works when team building occurs. Where individuals with complimentary gifts can make the new startup personal. If this happens the team can infuse passion into the most sterile startup.

Ecommerce is an arena that is perfect for exploration and discovery. It is a place where belief thrives and prospers. Ecommerce is a place for brave people to bring the faith of a child and imagine the impossible as possible and then prove the unbelievers wrong.

The Whole Deal About The Ecommerce

2007-11-01T00:56:00.000-07:00

The radio, TV, the media and recently the Internet have made people understand the importance of selling their ideas to the world. The most convenient yet cost effective way to sell your ideas and thus get yourself a good business or expand an already established business is ecommerce through the Internet. It involves very less investment and if done correctly offers good returns on your investment. However, just like any other business Ecommerce also has certain vulnerabilities, which you should keep in mind while considering it. Though Ecommerce development has now minimized the risk factor if one takes an active approach towards security needs and stays updated. E-commerce affects the supply of goods and services in a positive way, by distributing it in an appropriate manner, leaving additional marketing charges at bay. The immediate and direct contact that the Emerchant has with the client works in his favor, as he can serve them in a more genuine manner, giving them the required amount of attention. As the communication is facilitated, all the needs of the consumer can be taken care of, thereby a customized service for most customers can be offered.

The healthy relations that one has with their Suppliers and clients affect the business in the best possible way. If you own an 'online store' then you can always allow your associates to promote their products, in exchange they promote your services and products, thus link exchange arises. This link exchange gets you more visitors, more clients therefore more money.

The best part about the whole concept of ecommerce is that you are not restricted to a geographically localized market. There is a wide range of market you have access to globally and even a wider range of clientele at a minimum investment. The investment usually includes getting yourself a good domain name and a really appropriate web site design. In addition to these, if you wish to operate an Online Store your most important requirement should be up to date Shopping cart software. Make sure that your web operates on a good yet secure network connection.

A secure network connection is the most important requirement because the advancement in technology also brings with it an advancement of high tech crimes. The secure server presently in use is Apache. However, there are certain loopholes in its structure as well which the cyber criminals- hackers and crackers just know how to exploit. The best thing to do is use patches that are regularly launched in the cyber market, which minimize the vulnerabilities in your server or software to a very large extent. This enables it to be safer from the threats, which always try to obtain people's important information from you.

Building Your Own Ecommerce Website

2007-10-30T03:26:00.001-07:00

Building your own ecommerce website may not be as difficult or as expensive as you think. If you're like the majority of people online, chances are that you have at least thought about building your own ecommerce website. The reason most people don't get past the actual "thinking" process is because they believe there is too much technical expertise involved or the cost of building an ecommerce website is too high. With the new technology evolving so quickly, you can find many website building programs or softwares available. You can build your own ecommerce website quite easily if you have the right building tools and know the basic steps in putting one together.

First, choose a theme or concept for your site. Think of something that you are passionated about, such as singing, music, golfing, gardening, cycling, fishing, comic books, dieting, fitness, shopping, or anything else you may have an interest in, to use as your main theme. You want to be the expert of your chosen theme. If you are passionate about your hobby or concept, then you probably know more about it than most other people. Combining your own knowledge about your chosen theme with doing research on the Internet will make you an expert in no time!

You need a domain name. Register a domain name related to your site them or concept. Make a list of possible domain names that you would like to use, then choose a domain registrar, type in the domain names that you want to use until you find one that is still available, and if nothing you want that's available, try using .net, .info instead of .com, or you can separate your domain name with a hyphen. There are hundreds of domain registrars on the internet, and most of them charge about ten dollars (or less) a year to register a domain name.

Now you need to find a software to build your own ecommerce website. There are many program you can find on the internet. Some range from a couple hundreds dollars, some let you use it for free. All these programs requires you to know some of the computer language coding and may need to download a few other softwares to create and publish the your site. This process could be a bit complicated if you don't know enough about computer. To help simplify things for the not so techie people, a brand new website building tool is being released called Site Rubix. With Site Rubix, you will be able to drag and drop the content on your ecommerce website, make your own header, add videos or screenshot then publish it right within the software. You'll save lots of time on learning the various programs needed to build your own ecommcerce website.

As for the content for your website, it may be overwhelming at first. Simply express your passion, your expertise on a subject related to your theme like you would be talking to a friend, then it will become much easier over time, and before you know it, you have a website full of interesting content.

Now think about how you can monetize your site's theme. You can promote related affiliate programs or products, insert Google Adsense, selling your own ebooks, or any number of monetization models.

If you are satisfied with the look and feel of your site, you are ready to upload it to your web host for it to "go live" on the internet.Then your site has to be indexed to different search engines. Choose a reliable web hosting for your ecommerce site, because with the free hosting service that some internet companies offer, you won't be able to use your own domain name. Hosting service is not at all expensive. You can have your site hosted for less than ten dollars per month.

To get high ranking in the search engines, you need to find the best keywords relating to your site concept. To find the best keywords (the ones with high demand and low supply), type your basic keyword (site concept) into any keyword research tool you like to use. It will generate a list of hundreds of keywords related to your site concept, with the detailed data for each keyword phrase. Pick out the best keywords that is suitable to your theme and use them as your site blueprint. You will then begin creating pages of content for your site revolving around the keywords you have chosen. Use one keyword phrase for each page you create, and be sure to insert the keyword phrase several times throughout your page. The page with the right keyword density will start to receive high search engine rankings and get targeted traffic to your website.

After you create each website, submit your page to each of the major search engines (Google, Yahoo and Windows Live). You may need to resubmit them about once a month until you get indexed. You can check if your page has been indexed by typing the URL of your page to the search engines.

It may take some time, effort and persistent on your part. When your site starts to receive traffic and generate profit, it will be all worthwhile since it's running 24 hours a day, 7 days a week bringing in income with not much over head. Building your ecommcerce website yourself, you can save time and money, have total control of your own site without having to depend on your web developer should you ever want to make changes to your site.

What is an Ecommerce Shopping Cart?

2007-10-30T03:23:00.000-07:00

Do you want to sell your products online? Are you not really sure where to start? It is more than likely that you'll need to get yourself some shopping cart software, or develop your own. This software is the backbone of any online store. It allows you to display your products online and let potential customers make purchases from you.

Most shopping cart solutions comprise of 4 parts; the actually shopping cart, a product catalogue, the checkout process and an administration panel of some form.

The Product Catalogue is, as you would expect, the part of the store that displays your products. This can range from a single hand coded HTML page displaying a few products up to a massive multi-category store containing thousands of products. Store with a large number of products normally use a dynamic solution driven by a database, this allow information about the products to be changed with simple database updates rather than making changes to every page. These are commonly written in web scripting languages such as PHP or Active Server Pages.

Without the shopping cart component of your store your customers will not be able to make a purchase and hand over the cash. This part of the solution allows your customer to add products to a virtual basket then checkout and pay at a later point. Conceptually it's the software works in exactly the same way as a shopping basket in a supermarket, the customer browses through the products on the shelves placing products they want into their basket. When they are ready to finalize the purchase they take the basket to the checkout.

Once the customer has decided that they want to purchase the products in their shopping cart then they must make a payment and hand over shipping details. This is where the checkout process comes in. This process allow you to integrate with your chosen billing gateway or provider and collect the payment detail from the customer. Most eCommerce solutions provide you with a number of options when it comes to billing integration allowing you to choose a billing solution that fits your business model.

The final part of the software is the administration panel, the panel allows store owners and selected staff to manage the running of the store and perform administrative actions when required. It can perform a multitude of actions but a number of common activities are:

* Setup The Store (payment solutions, shopping costs, etc)
* Add/Update Products
* Process Orders View Store Statistics and Reports
* Manage Customers

Most online store solutions available today incorporate all of the above features (product catalogue, shopping cart, admin panel and checkout process) into one easily installable and manageable package. More advanced solutions include facilities to integrate with numerous payment gateways, manager customer, customer self management options and much more.

An Ecommerce Storefront - Taking the Lead

2007-10-29T04:45:00.001-07:00

When selling products over the Internet, an ecommerce storefront can be one of the most useful tools of all. A storefront is a great option for the individual who does not already have his or her own website. It gives a certain level of creative freedom and helps promote a product effectively, leading to a boost in sales.

Any time an individual sells a product online, they are competing with thousands of other websites to capture a customer's attention. While simple website pages are helpful, an online storefront provides a nice clean, professional look that instills a sense of credibility. Those who opt for a storefront design are known to have better sales than those who do not.

Ecommerce storefronts often come in full packages that allow one to sell one or more products at a time. They are easy to use and meant to be compatible with a number of systems. Even those with little or no HTML experience can update information, product selections and other important details from time to time.

In general, these packages include things such as shopping cart functions, customer information management and even merchant account management. The more extensive the package, the higher quality of features can be expected. It has been found that a storefront that offers its customers more features and payment options is more likely to draw in and keep customers.

As online shopping deals largely with credit card sales, using a reputable and secure merchant server is a must. Before a purchase is made, a customer needs to feel that his or her credit card information is safe and secure. A storefront offers just that kind of assurance, secured sales and repeat customers.

An ecommerce storefront can come in many flexible templates to complement the product or products being sold. Electronics and video items can take on a fashionable and sleek design, while children's items can opt for a more festive layout. There are a number of eye-catching designs available to create just the right theme for nearly every kind of product.

Just like stores that arrange displays to increase sales, the same concept is in use with storefront software. Using certain designs and themes can actually inspire customers to make larger purchases. Many storefronts also draw customers in by being SEO friendly.

When looking to use this type of program, individuals will find themselves faced with two options. The storefront program can be licensed by a provider for full application or the software can be rented on a monthly basis. Both options force individuals to choose wisely.

For the most part, an individual should consider their level of commitment to their online business. Licensing storefront software can be quite costly, especially for a new business that is in the midst of its start up stages. However, paying on a monthly basis can also add up to quite an expense. For larger established companies, licensing the software outright can make perfect sense. New or smaller companies are more likely to benefit from renting storefront software on a monthly basis. To help make the decision easier, it is not uncommon for software providers to sometimes offer deals and specials to potential customers.

When opting for a reputable ecommerce storefront provider, individuals should not only check out the number of features available but what kind of tech support is offered as well. Updates should be readily available and most providers assist in setting up merchant accounts. When using this software effectively, it will not take long before an individual notices an increase in both sales and site traffic.

An Ecommerce Storefront - Taking the Lead

2007-10-29T04:45:00.000-07:00

Strategic Issues For A Successful E-Commerce

2007-10-29T04:36:00.001-07:00

Electronic Commerce is for the age of Information

Technology what mercantilism, the quest for gold

and the conquest of new lands were for the age of

discovery. Like the prow of a large fishing boat,

it draws towards itself all other interests and

elements of society, and it will leave new

discoveries and changes in its wake. The vast

networking of world through optic fibers,

satellites and wireless communication is creating

a new global community and a new global market, in

which most of the countries should participate. It

is strengthening, almost paradoxically, the

identity of small groups, isolated communities and

minority interests and driving them towards a less

costly social and economic activity and widening

their opportunities. And most importantly, it is

empowering small businesses to compete with

multinational corporations and enabling consumers

to search the world for exactly what they needed.

E-Commerce basically means using networks

(Internet) to carry out all the activities

involved in business management and operation:

buying and selling of products and services,

technology and partner search, dealing with

counterparts, choosing the most convenient

transportation and insurances, performing bank

transactions, paying and billing, communicating

with company salesmen, picking up orders, and any

other activities necessary for trading.

A company will be able to post a complete catalog

of it’s products and services on the Internet,

which can be continuously updated to present new

or updated products, proving a large virtual

showcase for potential clients, a means to

communicate with clients and in that way, adjusts

it’s offer to their requirements; while at the

same time it will get access to virtual markets

where it can purchase what it needs.

Through integral systems already under

development, one company will connect to other

companies located anywhere in the world, to buy

and sell, choosing the products and services which

best meets its needs from a huge network. And it’s

true that this revolution involves us all.

BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS (B2B)
B2B e-commerce means companies buying from and

selling to each other online. It automates and

streamlines the process of buying and selling the

intermediate products. It provides more reliable

updating of business data. B2B makes product

information available globally and updates it in

real time. Hence, procuring organization can take

advantage of vast amount of product information.

[3]

Now, we must know what are the entities of B2B

e-commerce & their concerns:

* Selling company: with marketing management

perspective.
* Buying company: with procurement management

perspective.
* Electronic intermediary: A third party

intermediating service provider (the scope of

service may be extended to include the order

fulfillment ).
* Deliverer: who should fulfill the JIT (Just

in Time Delivery)
* Network platform: such as the Internet,

Intranet, and Extranet.
* Protocols and communication: such as EDI

(Electronic Data Interchange) and comparison

shopping, possibly using software agents.
* Back-end information system: possibly

implemented using the intranet and Enterprise

Resource Planning (ERP) systems.

B2B e-commerce implies that both the sellers and

buyers are business corporations. It covers a

broad spectrum of applications that enable an

enterprise or business to form electronic

relationship with their distributors, re-sellers,

suppliers, and other partners. B2B applications

will offer enterprises access to the following

sorts of information :

1. Product: Specifications, prices, sales

history.
2. Customer: Sales history and forecasts.
3. Supplier: Product lines and lead times,

sales terms and conditions.
4. Product process: Capacities, commitments,

product plans.
5. Transportation: Carries, lead-times, costs.
6. Inventory: Inventory levels, carrying costs,

locations.
7. Supply chain alliance: Key contacts,

partners roles and responsibilities, schedules.
8. Competitor: Benchmarking, competitive

product offering, market share.
9. Sales and marketing: Point of sales (POS),

promotions.
10. Supply chain process and performance:

Process descriptions, performance measures,

quality, delivery time and customer satisfaction.

How to get the best

People always want to get the best shot in life.

To deliver a sound return on your investment you

must add on time delivery and flavor of some

strategies. This strategy should include proper

marketing, channel management, solid technology,

strategic partners and great products. Let us have

a look on each of them.

Just in Time delivery (JIT)

In such a case (JIT), delivery materials and parts

on time is a must. Using E-Commerce, it is highly

possible to assure JIT deliveries. Just in time

delivery can be realized by the co-coordinated

effort of delivery- service company and suppliers

inventory policy.

Quick delivery does not necessarily mean JIT

delivery, but the system for quick delivery is the

backbone of JIT delivery. For the B2B E-Commerce

environment the advance confirmation of the

delivery date at the contract stage is very

important.

Add strategies to your business

Direct Marketing

In a typical business organization, buying

decisions, especially for products over a few

thousand dollars, are made by group of

individuals. As a result, direct marketers need to

extent the reach of their programs to different

functional areas and perhaps even different levels

within a functional area.

There are multiple buyers and influences in any

organization who play a role in the buying

decision. You may know with reasonable certainty

who your primary target is, but secondary target

can be just as important to reach. You may have to

reach business buyers and influencers in three

basic management areas (functional management,

financial management and general management) and

do it at middle to upper managerial, as well as

technical levels. To do it companies need accurate

E-mail list, which they can develop by viewing

companies Websites and reviewing annual reports

and other public documents.

Relationship Marketing

Business buyers are not always ready to buy

products or services when you are ready to sell

them. Factors you cannot control, such as the

companies’ budgeting process, the need for

additional approvals, or purchasing procedures,

may have a direct impact on plans to purchase.

There may be a casual interest in the product but

not an immediate need.

The smart B2B direct marketer compensates for this

uncertainty by making sure a program of regular,

ongoing communications is in front of prospects

periodically. This can be done by direct E-mail

and by placing the information on the website.

Internet Marketing

Several potential marketing strategies can be used

in B2B E-Commerce marketing. These strategies can

be classified into the following five categories:

1. Generating and qualifying leads with the

Internet.
2. Using Internet events to promote products

and services.
3. Executing instant fulfillment on the

Internet.
4. Generating orders through the Internet.
5. Enhancing customer relationship with the

Internet.

Channel Management

The first element is coherent marketing or channel

management. The true test of a successful

E-Commerce implementation is how well it exploits

the Internet to reach, capture and retain the

right customers. Choosing which products and

services will be offered through which channel is

also a crucial decision.

E-commerce runs across multiple sales channels,

including direct, indirect and E-marketplaces. The

choice of which marketplaces to use as sales

channels is a crucial decision.

In addition to marketplaces, using indirect sales

channels is also an area for explosive sales

opportunities. Enabling your selling partners to

host your catalog, inventory and fulfillment

databases on their systems can create efficiency

that grows their business and yours. You also can

continue your direct one-to-one trading

relationship with long time strategic vendors by

“E-enabling” the entire business process from the

initial request for quote through order

fulfillment to automatic billing and payment.

These channels create a situation where the

E-Commerce sell side platform must transact across

multi-channel selling strategies --which brings us

to the next element of your strategy: technology.

Technology

Industry standard tools often allow a seller to

build and manage product catalogs and content once

and use them throughout the entire multi-channel

selling conduits. Evolving tools and capabilities

allow you to develop customer friendly web sites

and win repeat customers by building customer

loyalty. The front end for e-commerce selling is

an important piece of B2B success, connecting your

new web systems with your existing systems. The

24*7 online marketplace means your E-business has

to be continually available. IT infrastructure

must provide more performance, reliability,

security and process integration than a

bricks-and-mortar environment. In addition,

mainframes hosting the databases and ERP

(Enterprise Resource Planning) systems operating

the management systems must be seamlessly

integrated with the e-commerce engine to provide

the caliber of service customers expects and to

realize the cost efficiencies B2B E-Commerce can

provide. Choosing a flexible E-Commerce platforms

and a system integrator experienced with the

entire business process is a must for success.

Partners

Like choosing the Internet as a sales channel,

it’s also important to select the right partners,

including an integration partner who is

experienced in helping to move ahead rapidly

across the entire E-business process. we have to

accept that any move to E-Commerce is not about

incremental improvement, rather fundamental

redesign of the key business processes.

Products

With the presence on the web, we can effectively

and efficiently transact business with our clients

24*7. But so can our competitors. Survivals and

success in E-Commerce entails more than simply

building a storefront to sell online.

BUSINESS-TO-CONSUMER (B2C)

While the term E-Commerce refers to all online

transactions, B2C stands for

"Business-to-Consumer" and applies to any business

or organization that sells its products or

services to consumers over the Internet for their

own use.

In the late 90s, dotcoms— which were quickly

gaining in size and market capitalization — posed

a threat to traditional brick and mortar

businesses. In many ways, these dotcoms seemed to

be rewriting the rules of business — they had the

customers without the expenses of maintaining

physical stores, little inventory, unlimited

access to capital and little concern about actual

earnings. The idea was to get big fast and worry

about profits later. And a popular thought

automatically comes into our mind: “ Learn to swim

while the tide is out. Learn from the kinds of

customers that are out there now. It is a small

market- play with it; learn to price business in

this market, learn how to assess risk. If you can

do it well, the stakes will get higher and you

will succeed where others may not.”

What are the major challenges of B2C e-commerce

* Getting browsers to buy things — Your

E-Commerce site cannot live on traffic alone.

Getting visitors to the site is only half the

battle. Whether they buy something is what

determines if you win.

Some ways to boost the B2C conversion rate

include improving navigation, simplifying checkout

process (such as one-step checkout and easily

replaced passwords), and sending out e-mails with

special offers.
* Building customer loyalty — With so many

sites out there, how can you build a strong

relationship with customers? Here are some tips:
1. Focus on personalization: A wide array

of software packages are available to help

e-commerce sites create unique boutiques that

target specific customers.
2. Create an easy-to-use customer service

application. Providing just an e-mail address can

be frustrating to customers with questions. Live

chat or, at the very least, a phone number will

help.
3. Focus on making your site easy to use.
* Fulfillment — E-Commerce has increased the

focus on customer satisfaction and delivery

fulfillment. Companies should improve their

logistical systems in order to guarantee on-time

delivery. Providing instant gratification for

customers still isn't easy, but successful B2C

E-Commerce operations are finding that fulfillment

headaches can be eased with increased focus and

investment in supply chain and logistical

technologies.

Six Keys to B2C E-Commerce success

So, what does it really take to capture the

E-consumer and generate online insurance sales?

Based on Insurance & Technology's interviews with

both early adopters and industry analysts, there

appear to be six key success factors:

1. Strategic Goals Assessment/Customer Needs

Assessment What are your goals as a company? Who

are your customers? What are their needs? These

may sound like basic questions, but both insurers

and analysts emphasize that a company's Web

presence must reflect this information.

2. Create a Usable, Targeted and Sticky Web

Site

Usability and site performance are some of

the key factors insurers need to keep in mind when

developing their B2C E-Commerce strategies.

Insurers also need to be aware of all of their

various constituencies when developing B2C

initiatives. The Web can reach multiple audiences

and none should be overlooked. A good Web site

will communicate with consumers as well as

business partners, agents, suppliers and vendors.

Stickiness, or the success of a Web site in

attracting and keeping new and returning visitors,

is another success factor. Turning the site into

more of an information portal with real-time news

feeds with keeping content updated and

synchronized will help keep customers coming back.

3. Integration

The Internet is not a stand-alone platform

or medium. To be an effective service and

distribution channel, it must be integrated with

back-end legacy systems, agent systems, call

centers, marketing initiatives and pricing and

underwriting systems. The Internet is simply

another customer relationship channel and

integration with other customer service functions

is definitely a number-one priority.

4. Innovate with Web Applications and Real-Time

Transactions

B2C online applications range from the

relatively basic, such as updating policy

information, to the complex, such as comparative

rate quoting and electronic claims submission.

Regardless of the specific functions a company

plans to add to its Web site, they must serve the

needs of the E-consumer. This means that web sites

should have interactivity and immediate

gratification.

5. Partnerships

Although insurers need to be selective in

initiating online partnerships, such agreements

have the potential to extend market reach and add

features in a relatively low-cost manner.

According to a recent Gartner Group study, 46

percent of insurance firms active on the Web have

partnerships with banks, 30 percent have

partnerships with other insurance companies and 22

percent have partnerships with investment firms.

Partnerships with insurance portals provide

comparative quoting capabilities and may generate

business.

6. Put Tools in Place To Keep Learning

E-consumer is a moving target. Investor

should always say that they are still playing and

always capturing information from all of their

channels. They must focus on groups, used

third-party assessments and have hired user

interface specialists. "The process is iterative:

You just keep learning."

INFRASTRUCTURE INTEGRATION

In this web enabled world, customers rule. The

ability to offer mass customization has become a

practical reality. To rapidly meet these

requirements, time to deployment of new or

enhanced application is shrinking dramatically.

These applications must be built to be easy to

use, nimble, open, extensible, and available

across all platforms and all these demanding

characteristics must be achieved at minimal cost.

Replacement of legacy system application is costly

so it is seen that people started to aggregate

information from disparate sources and integrate

them for seamless information flow, the demand to

communicate with a wide variety of mobile devices,

and the shortage of skills and knowledge that are

further compounded by shrinking time-to-deployment

requirements.

These software integration technologies lower

development and deployment costs by doing the

following:

* Supplying the communication and integration

code so application developers can concentrate on

the value-added business logic;
* Providing a standard platform on which to

build, deploy, and manage distributed

applications;
* Reducing the IT skills required to deliver

difficult enterprise requirements;
* Providing rapid application development

tools to eliminate custom coding and simplify

integration; and
* Enabling the reuse of integration components

over many projects.

What is needed for Integration?

1. Requirements

Traditional requirements definition based on

the functionality desired is yielding to a

definition Based on time-to-deployment and the

ability to integrate future technologies. New

infrastructure requirements are emerging which

places more importance on the task of planning the

migration path to newer technologies.

2. Technology selection

For the best result the right technology

should always be picked up. Technology should be

such that the integrated solution fulfill the

following criteria’s: Extensibility and

reusability, Flexibility, Efficiency,

Interoperability and breadth, Cost effectiveness,

Ease of maintenance, Deployment ease and

efficiency, Ease of administration, Industry

acceptability, Enterprise integration,

Technological innovation.

Benefits of Integration

It has been surveyed that the end users are benefited in various ways after the completion of

Integration project. Benefits thus obtained are :

1. Simple and complete development platform,
2. Platform independence,
3. Network-aware development and run-time platform,
4. Technologically unified intranet, extranet and Internet,
5. Central administration of new software versions,
6. Easy access to enterprise IT resources,
7. Rich and highly functional user interface component,
8. Simple and robust security model.

SECURITY ISSUES

Security is a major issue in developing E-Commerce because this is probably the most important reason people hesitates to buy things on the Net. Buying on the Net requires your credit card number and other personal information. But broadcasting your credit card number through the ether? It sounds pretty dicey. So, it’s a challenge for companies to make their site secure and safe so that people can fully rely on them.

5.1 What does security imply

Whatever the environment, paper or electronic, securing it necessarily implies the prevention of

* Destruction of information and
* Unauthorized availability of information.

5.2 Security issues

The issues that confront us in relation to securing electronic transaction are therefore:

* Confidentiality
* Integrity
* Availability
* Authenticity/Non-reputability
* Auditability

Confidentiality:

Information should be protected from prying eyes of unauthorized internal users, external hackers and from being intercepted during transmission on communication networks by making it unintelligible to the attacker. The content should be transformed in such a way that it is not decipherable by anyone who does not know the transformation information.

Integrity:

On retrieval or receipt at the other end of a communication network the information should appear exactly as was stored are sent. It should be possible to generate an alert on any modification, addition or deletion to the original content. Integrity also precludes information “replay” i.e., a fresh copy of the data is generated or resent using the authorization features of the earlier authentic message. Suitable mechanisms are required to ensure end-to end message content and copy authentication.

Availability:

The information that is being stored or transmitted across communication networks should be available whenever required and to whatever extent as desired within pre-established time constraints. Network errors, power outages, operational errors, application software errors, hardware problems and viruses are some of the causes of unavailability of information. The mechanisms for implementation of counter measures to these threats are available but are beyond the scope of end-to-end message security for implementing Electronic Commerce.

Authenticity:

It should be possible any person or object from masquerading as some other person or object. When a message is received it should therefore be possible to verify it has indeed been sent by the person or object claiming to be the originator. Similarly, it should also be possible to ensure that the message is sent to the person or object for whom it is meant. This implies the need for reliable identification of the originator and recipient of data.

Non-reputability:

After sending / authorizing a message, the sender should not be able to, at a later date, deny having done so. Similarly the recipient of a message should not be able to deny receipt at a later date. It should, therefore be possible to bind message acknowledgements with their originations.

Security solutions

* Cryptography is the most widely used technique for implementing technology solution for the above mentioned security problems. It comprises encryption -- the process of making information unintelligible to the unauthorized reader and decryption – reserving encryption to make the information readable once again. Conventional cryptography uses a secret code or key to encrypt information. The same secret key is used by the receiver to decrypt the information.[14]

* Password is the most common mechanism used for authenticate people. Passwords are expected to be known only by the owner. The onus is on the owner to keep the password secret.

* Digital signature can be used not only to verify the authenticity of the message and the claimed identity of the sender, but also to verify the message integrity. The recipient, however, should not be able to use the received digital signature to falsely “sign” messages on behalf of the original sender. Here a message is encrypted with the sender’s private key to generate the ‘signature’. The message is then sent to the destination along with this signature. The recipient decrypts the signature using the sender’s public key, and if the result matches with the copy of the message received, the recipient can be sure that the message was sent by the claimed originator and that the message has not been modified during transmission, since only the originator is in possession of the corresponding encryption key. It is a two key cryptosystems.

* A more effective solution can be obtained by using a biometric authentication device, such as a fingerprint scanner, in the e-wallet.

* Smart card are similar to credit cards except that they have chips embedded in them. These cards can be used to store value and carry authentication information.

CONCLUSION

Changing market scenario puts pressure on business persons to adapt new and smart strategies to reach the pinnacle of success. New inventions are rapidly becoming part of IT infrastructure. But to get effective feedback we need a multi functional team approach consisting of business people who can correctly identify business requirements, technology requirements and success criteria. People can reduce the risk and time-to-deployment by considering the factors described above.

Strategic Issues For A Successful E-Commerce

2007-10-29T04:36:00.000-07:00