Shopping carts, shopping carts…
There’s a truckload of options when it comes to selecting the cart your going to use for your e-commerce website. Where to start and which one to choose can be tough.
Often, people already have a merchant account for the offline business. Many times this same merchant account will offer you free software to use when you take your business online. The first place to start in this instance is with your bank. Call them and ask.
If you already have a merchant account, it’s going to make your current accounting a lot easier if you use the same system. You already know the in’s and out’s of getting your banking done, deposit times, etc. By taking an existing system online, you already have a good idea of how it will work online.
Now, that said, some systems work really well in the offline world and not so well online. Be sure and do a thorough search online and make sure that other sites have not had much difficulty with the software. This can save you HUGE headaches in the long run. If the coast is clear, really consider this option.
Paypal is another option and is probably the biggest processor online today. People are familiar with Paypal and their cart system. They trust Paypal. In turn, they will likely trust you and your company by selecting a system they probably already use. Paypal is simple to install and setup, and addition of products is a snap.
2CO. 2Checkout is my preferred payment processor. I like 2CO because they offer a bit more to my users. By that, I mean they will process almost all credit cards, and ALSO accept Paypal payments and e-checks. This allows for awesome conversions and 2CO is also an extremely well known company. Again building that level of trust with your users.
MoneyBookers. MoneyBookers is a great system to use if you plan on accepting the majority of your orders from users in lots of different countries. MoneyBookers is a ‘paid and stay paid’ system, in that once you are paid, the users cannot charge back their purchases. Protecting vendors even further. Now this is NOT a very good trust builder with must users, and is something you want to consider when building your site. People like to have a good return policy, they like to know that you are going to provide them with a quality product. So offering a good return policy regardless of what MoneyBookers policy is would be an excellent idea.
CCNOW. I don’t personally use this system, so I can’t honestly give it a good rating. I have looked at it, but have not implemented it on any of my sites. From what I see it’s got many of the same features as 2CO and might be a good option. The big difference I see is that CCNOW only pays you once a month, where 2CO pays you once a week. I don’t know about you, but I like to get paid as often as I can. Good cash flow is good business. Waiting a month for products and services you are providing to your customers now, might not be a good business plan. But for some it might, so that’s why it’s here as an option.
No matter what shopping cart system you use, make sure you select something that is secure. Third party carts can be difficult to configure and can contain security holes. Do extensive searches about a product before using it as your primary source of income on your website.
A little research can go a long way.
If you need help developing your e-commerce site, don’t hesitate to give us a call.
Chuck Crawford
559-761-0910
