Make the Most of Your Ecommerce Web Site Design
A Home Business Article Contributed by Donna m. Brown
Will Your Ecommerce Web Site Design Support Credit Cards?
If you are thinking of creating an ecommerce web site design without the use of messy credit cards, think again. We live in an electronic society and unless you have a product that people desperately want, your sales will be seriously impeded without the option to purchase goods or services without a credit card.
When your customers decide to buy, they will be ready to buy on the spot. The act of writing a check, mailing it, waiting for it to clear and for your products to ship or your services to be rendered takes much too long for members of our instant society. Want customers to purchase a money order? Forget it! That's even more trouble and very few will make the effort if they can purchase what you offer from a more convenient source.
More Reasons to Use Credit Cards in Your Ecommerce Web Site Design
Many Internet shoppers are impulse buyers. If your ecommerce web site design is effective, you will have shoppers chomping at the bit to buy your products and services. If those buyers can get rid of that money that's burning holes in their pockets immediately, your sale is secured. If you give them time to search for a checkbook or withdraw cash to purchase a money order, they might change their minds or get distracted. Credit card processing allows a fast and secure way to make impulse purchases that will help you build business.
If your ecommerce web site design is geared toward international customers, credit card payment will be a great convenience to customers across the sea. Differences in currency of other countries can be a problem if you are not willing to accept credit cards. You might have a hard time cashing a check from overseas. Credit cards simplify overseas sales and therefore will boost your ability to sell products and services throughout the world.
How Can You Incorporate Credit Cards in Your Ecommerce Web Site Design?
There are two primary methods of accepting credit cards online. You can use your own merchant account, or use a third party merchant.
If you want to use your own merchant account, you will need to find a bank that is willing to open a merchant account for you. Requirements for different banks in different parts of the world vary significantly. Contact your favorite financial institution and find out what kind of information and applications you need to submit to open a merchant account in your area. Be sure to shop around for fees and services as the amount of fees and quality of services can vary too.
Many companies will accept credit card payments on your behalf - for a fee or a percentage. Keep in mind that you might have to pass off the cost of credit card use to your customers in exchange for convenience and excellent service.
Initially, you could end up paying more to open a business account that allows you to accept credit cards with a bank or another financial institution. Some third party processors have no set up fees at all. Remember, though, there's no such thing as a free lunch and if you don't pay in the beginning, you will wind up paying in the end.
Individual transaction fees, the amount of money you pay to a third party merchant for each sale, is much higher than it is when you have your own merchant account.
If you are short on start-up capital and unsure of your market, consider starting out with a third party merchant to test sales. If your volume is good and your sales strong, you might eventually want to open up your own merchant account. It's fast, convenient and pretty low risk.
However, if you are confident and have good financial backing, a merchant account of your own may lend an element of professionalism to your business. This might be particularly true if you are dealing in financial services or with people who understand the difference between a third party merchant and a firm footing with a financial institution that handles your many business transactions.
Whether you choose to use a third party processor or a financial institution to host your own merchant account, shop around and compare prices as well as references and track records of anyone you trust to handle your or your customers' money.
