How to set up the ecommerce shopping cart software tools to handle your
transactions and how to do in smart, efficient and cost effective
way. by Sandro Salsi
Utilizing a ecommerce shopping cart software solution frees you of the burden of
setting up and managing your shopping car, credit card processing and sales
management functions so you can concentrate on what you do best, providing
products and services for your customers.
The cost of using professional financial management providers who can set up
your ecommerce shopping cart software pay you back 10 times over by eliminating
the worry if your cash flow is being managed correctly, if your software is
working properly and if your ecommerce income is secure and under responsible
management.
By utilizing ecommerce shopping cart software solution, the quality of service
is significantly higher than a conventional solution such as PayPal and the
worry of having your account frozen or service in some other way disrupted is
completely eliminated.
Creating a profitable web site is the dream of many of us. As you begin to
explore the technicalities of getting your web site up and running, there are a
lot of decisions to be made. Perhaps one of the most daunting areas of research
is how to handle payments online. But getting paid is the bottom line of any
business. You need a reliable and trustworthy tool for collecting payments for
your goods or services and one that will grow and change with your business and
as your web site grows. In the beginning, the questions outnumber the answers.
Of these many questions and the many more you may have, none are more
perplexing than how to set up that "ecommerce shopping cart software" on your
web site so you can accept credit cards.
Do I have to Apply to the Credit Card Companies to Accept Credit or to set up
my Ecommerce Shopping Cart Software?
The good news is that there are services that are already in business on the
web that can provide you with ecommerce shopping cart software services and
handle all of that overhead for a small fee. These services have gone through
meticulous scrutiny and have been validated as trustworthy to handle your
accounts. As you start to research these accounts, you will learn how to look
for the proper authentication so you know you are working with a reputable
service.
But here is where a bit of caution is in order. Do your homework and be a savvy
web shopper. Merchant account handlers can be very costly. Shop around for the
right deal. You want an ecommerce shopping cart software partner who has set up
your business relationship so your level of cost is directly related to how
profitable you are.
Another internet concept that is good to know well is the idea of having your
ecommerce shopping cart software "hosted". "Hosted" means that a third party is
handling the transactions, the credit card management (and fees) and the
payment authorization as we described earlier.
One alternative to having your ecommerce shopping cart software transactions
hosted of course is to set it all up yourself which itself is a daunting
challenge. A second alternative is to download a free ecommerce shopping cart
software module that can handle that part of our business for us at no cost.
Therefore, before you go into partnership with a third party hosting vendor,
you need to have peace of mind that it is the right decision for you.
Are There Some Tangible Reasons to Have My Ecommerce Shopping Cart Software
Hosted Rather Than Use Free Software or Do It Myself?
What are the reasons for using a hosting solution for our ecommerce shopping
cart software that will be reflected in our bottom line?
* Your focus is on what you do best. Your internet business, the services and
products you offer there represent what you are really good at supporting.
Let's face it, that is your real passion, not the nuts and bolts of the
infrastructure, the bookkeeping and the financial details.
* Compare the cost to the investment of your time. In general, the cost of a
hosted ecommerce shopping cart software is under $100 a month. Compare that to
the effort and risk, you will take by using unreliable software or doing it
yourself and it becomes painfully clear that this is the kind of service you
need to outsource.
* What do you do if something goes wrong? By subscribing to a reputable
business that does this kind of thing for a living, you have that assurance
that they will be there when you need them.
* You need this job done right the first time! By using a hosted ecommerce
shopping cart software service, the installation and maintenance of your
shopping cart is handled by skilled experts who are installing well tested
systems on your web site. That alone is worth the monthly cost of the service.
* One word - Security. Financial transactions must be guarded at the highest
level of security, particularly in the online world. A reputable hosting
service not only has put in place rock solid security measures, they are bonded
and responsible to see to it your accounts are managed in a secure fashion.
Should I Rely on PayPal for My Ecommerce Shopping Cart Software Solutions?
PayPal is probably the most well known service for handling online
transactions. However, there may be good reasons to think again about using
PayPal as your primary ecommerce shopping cart software service and to do some
comparison shopping when that time comes.
At the very least, consider keeping more than one ecommerce shopping cart
software option at your disposal. If for any reason your account becomes
unavailable, "frozen" or locked out because the service has problems, that can
have a dynamic impact on your business and on your customer retention as we
will discuss I a moment.
What Are the Best Ways to Enhance My Ecommerce Shopping Cart Software Presence
to Improve My Web Visitors Experience and Encourage More Business?
In addition to choosing the right ecommerce shopping cart software vendor and
keeping backup alternatives as we have discussed, putting some thought into how
your site will manage the purchase processing will pay off in completed sales
and repeat sales.
* Use a secure sign authority (SSL certificate) such as Verisign or Scanalert.
Once you have set your site up with these services, you can prominently display
your authorization which will give your business credibility as a legitimate
member of the internet business community.
* Put into place a site search function early in your web visitors experience.
Web shoppers love to use search engines and it also gives you a point of
contact to collect interest information from them which can be used later for
marketing purposes.
* Be subtle in guiding your customers to the point of purchase. So many sites
put a "buy now" button on every page which is pushy and tends to drive
customers away. Instead, draw your customer in and then when you know they are
looking at what they want, then guide them to the purchase process where your
ecommerce shopping cart software is located.
* Review your purchase process to assure that it is easy, enjoyable and fast so
the customer frustration is kept very low or eliminated. Have your site
reviewed by friends and associates so they can give you an impartial review of
how your purchase flow works for the average web customer.
* Retain input. If you harvest their information early in their visit, use that
again later when they are signing up for a purchase. Display on the screen the
information you have gathered.
* Give your customers a point of review before they confirm the final purchase.
Once they have made their product, shipping and other related choices, display
a summary page of their purchase which represents their invoice.
* Make sure the customer is sure where they are in the purchase process and how
much is left. If there is a five step process to the purchase, tell your
customer what that is as they begin and let them know where they are as they go
so they know they are on the right track and will be done soon.
* Communicate often with your customers about the purchase as it is processed.
Send a confirmation email with the invoice to supplement the place online where
they can purchase. As the purchase is processed, send frequent emails letting
them know what is happening.
There are many ways you can customize the purchase experience for your customers
so their interaction with your ecommerce shopping cart software is enjoyable
and rewarding to them. They will never know they are working with a third party
service but by combining the professionalism of your ecommerce shopping cart
software provider with your own high priority on customer service, you are
building a web site sure to be a on the book mark list for your valuable
customers.
About the Author
Since 1998 Sandro has been helping ordinary people achieve "extra-ordinary"
results in business and in life. He lives in Vancouver, BC - Canada, and he
teaches Internet Marketing strategies. Learn to supplement your income, get
free weekly tips and how-to advice by visiting
http://www.sandrosalsi.com/articles/ecommerce-shopping-cart-software.html
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