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E-Commerce Basics

Start at the beginning with overviews and tutorials

E-Commerce and your Business Strategy

How does e-commerce fit with your business?

Build Your Web Site

Register a Domain Name

Find a Web Host

Web Storefront Services

Get an out-of-the-box, commerce-enabled site:

Build a commerce-enabled web presence for your small business using these low-cost, out-of-the-box services. Web storefront software should allow you to maintain your product catalog as well as enable you to process credit card transactions.

Low-cost, out-of-the-box solutions to create your e-commerce web store:

E-Commerce software solutions:

Payment

How will you receive payment on your web site?

You'll need a merchant account provider (MAP) to allow you to accept credit cards over the web and a credit card clearinghouse service that supports your MAP. It is also important to note whether your web storefront software/shopping cart software is compatible with your credit card clearing service.

Making the payment process easier for your customer:

Merchant Accounts:

A Merchant Account Provider is a bank or other institution that processes online credit card transactions, will verify the credit card, process the transaction, and deposit the results into your account.

Credit Card Clearing Services(transaction processing service or commerce engine):

A clearing service takes the credit card information from your site and transfers the information to your bank or Merchant Account Provider. Performs a similar function as a swipe terminal might in a brick-and-mortar setting.

Security Issues

Ensure that all transactions on your site are protected. Generally, security is provided by various implementations of cryptography, including encryption, digital signatures and notarization, secure protocols and digital certificates.

Taxes and E-Commerce

Market/Promote Your Web Site

Improve the chances of customers finding you online.

Marketing/Statistics on E-Commerce

Fulfillment

How will you track and fill your customers' orders?

Customer Service

Is shopping on your site a good experience for your customer?

E-Commerce News and Information

Keep up to date.

General Resources

 

To find out if CCSBDC consulting can help you call or email us, or fill out a request for services. There is no cost to you. What will it cost you not to get all the help you could?

 
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Funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration and the University of California, Merced. All opinions, conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA. The Central California Small Business Development Center is funded in part through a subcontract between the California State University, Fresno Craig School of Business and the University of California, Merced under the current cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.