It's no secret. More and more buyers are shopping online. The trend hasn't yet reached its peak nor has the number of online catalogs. More and more sellers and buyers are using the Internet to complete their transactions.
What does this mean to you as the owners of a catalog?
Online shopping means three things for catalog owners:
1) You'd better have your catalog online.
2) Your direct mail catalog should point to your online catalog.
3) Your online catalog copy must do more than just make the sale for the reader.
Let's take a closer look at each of these three items. While direct mail will remain a portion of the catalogers' incoming retail sales, for most catalogers the online sales will far outweigh the offline sales. With increasing postal prices, some catalogers are making the decisions to do less direct mail. Does this mean you should delete your direct mail? ABSOLUTELY NOT.
IT does however mean that to stay competitive you must make changes to your catalog in both content and style. Gone are the days of the general interest catalogs. Many direct mailers are now realizing that in order to obtain and retain market share their catalogs must be much more specific. No longer will catalogs similar to the Old "Sears" or "Penny's" style be effective. In fact, finding and marketing to the niches of your niche market is the best likely choice for success...online or off.
Direct mail catalogs must be must heavily point heavily to your online store. Think of your printed catalog as the attention grabber, while the online store closes the sale. That's what we're hearing more and more from major catalogers. Once a potential buyer reaches your store online, you must provide easy navigations, do lots of cross promotion, and make the checkout process easy. Fail in any one of these areas and you will lose sales.
Designing your online catalog must also include optimizing content for the search engines. Yes, your direct mail catalog will send visitors to your online site. Still you don't want to overlook those coming from the search engines.
By maintaining product descriptions that are optimized for the search engines and by omitting duplicate content where you find it, you'll get your products organically listed on the search engines without additional cost. Duplicate content can be difficult to eliminate, especially when there are several items that are the same product, yet in different sizes, colors, or models. In these instances, it is a good idea to have a catalog copywriter make suggestions on the best way to eliminate the duplication.
In summary, the internet is forever changing the world of direct mail and the catalog industry. As long as you accept those changes and make the necessary adjustments, your catalog business will thrive. Ignore and you're doomed.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
What Is Merchant Account? How To Accept Credit Cards And Accept Credit Card Payments?
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.
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.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Backing a Business with a Quality Online Storefront
For those who sell various types of merchandise over the Internet, an online storefront can be one of the most important aspects of the business. With an overwhelming number of sites to compete with, it is important that an eye catching but pleasant setup be the first thing a customer sees. It should always be well organized, easy to maneuver and easy to read.
For those who shop online on a regular basis, quality is an important factor. A site that looks disorganized with broken links or a checkout process that takes too long is the best way to lose customers forever. In order for an online shopper to be pulled into a site he or she will need to feel that they, and their sensitive information, are safe and secure.
Unlike shopping at onsite stores, customers do not have the opportunity to see or feel the merchandise for themselves. They are instead required to place trust in the site on which they have chosen to shop. Sites that offer poor descriptions and do not display merchandise in the most flattering manner are less likely to earn that trust and will therefore see little traffic.
This is why having a well-organized online storefront can mean making or breaking an online business. Even if one is selling something intangible over the Internet, it is important to be able to create something a consumer can buy into. Just like a brick and mortar store front, an online site should be tidy, well lit and free of clutter.
There are a number of things that go into creating an attractive storefront. While color schemes are extremely important, the software that keeps the storefront up and running is very important too. The main concern is always providing a pleasant shopping experience for the customer.
There are many services available that are in the business of providing online storefronts. Though many promise great deals, it is imperative to remember cheapest is not always best. Going with a service strictly based on price can result in inferior, boring storefronts that use less than reliable checkout software.
By opting to invest in a reliable setup, one can expect to make up that difference since an attractive, dependable storefront is destined to attract more customers. Plus, once an individual has a pleasant experience with a site, he or she is likely to become a repeat customer. This often leads to word of mouth recommendations that bring even more traffic.
Services that provide online storefronts will either offer their customers the chance to subscribe to their service for a certain amount of time or pay a one-time fee and use the storefront indefinitely. Those in the startup stages of business usually only subscribe to the service until their business is more established. Those who have been in business longer are more likely to pay the one time fee.
With quality storefront services, individuals have the chance to arrange their storefront in any way they see fit. Quality storefront service providers make an effort to ensure that customers can do this with ease. Otherwise, a storefront program that is difficult to maneuver means lost customers for them as well.
Many online storefront service providers offer schemes that work not only to create a pleasing format but one that accommodates the number of items sold. Those selling one to five items simply do not need the same type of space as a person selling one hundred items on their site. Both, however, should offer easy to use checkout systems that allow a variety of payment methods.
For those who shop online on a regular basis, quality is an important factor. A site that looks disorganized with broken links or a checkout process that takes too long is the best way to lose customers forever. In order for an online shopper to be pulled into a site he or she will need to feel that they, and their sensitive information, are safe and secure.
Unlike shopping at onsite stores, customers do not have the opportunity to see or feel the merchandise for themselves. They are instead required to place trust in the site on which they have chosen to shop. Sites that offer poor descriptions and do not display merchandise in the most flattering manner are less likely to earn that trust and will therefore see little traffic.
This is why having a well-organized online storefront can mean making or breaking an online business. Even if one is selling something intangible over the Internet, it is important to be able to create something a consumer can buy into. Just like a brick and mortar store front, an online site should be tidy, well lit and free of clutter.
There are a number of things that go into creating an attractive storefront. While color schemes are extremely important, the software that keeps the storefront up and running is very important too. The main concern is always providing a pleasant shopping experience for the customer.
There are many services available that are in the business of providing online storefronts. Though many promise great deals, it is imperative to remember cheapest is not always best. Going with a service strictly based on price can result in inferior, boring storefronts that use less than reliable checkout software.
By opting to invest in a reliable setup, one can expect to make up that difference since an attractive, dependable storefront is destined to attract more customers. Plus, once an individual has a pleasant experience with a site, he or she is likely to become a repeat customer. This often leads to word of mouth recommendations that bring even more traffic.
Services that provide online storefronts will either offer their customers the chance to subscribe to their service for a certain amount of time or pay a one-time fee and use the storefront indefinitely. Those in the startup stages of business usually only subscribe to the service until their business is more established. Those who have been in business longer are more likely to pay the one time fee.
With quality storefront services, individuals have the chance to arrange their storefront in any way they see fit. Quality storefront service providers make an effort to ensure that customers can do this with ease. Otherwise, a storefront program that is difficult to maneuver means lost customers for them as well.
Many online storefront service providers offer schemes that work not only to create a pleasing format but one that accommodates the number of items sold. Those selling one to five items simply do not need the same type of space as a person selling one hundred items on their site. Both, however, should offer easy to use checkout systems that allow a variety of payment methods.
Best Work At Home Opportunities
Daily I get emails from visitors to my work at home web site wanting to know what are the most popular types of work at home opportunities. In this article I am going to give the types of programs that are most popular on my site. Others may get different results, but these are the ones that I have found to be the most popular.
In my articles I always mention that research is the key to being successful in the work at home work place. You either need to use a website like mine, but not necessarily mine or be prepared to do a lot of research yourself.
Now to the nitty gritty. I have listed below the types of work from home programs that I have found most popular over the past (6) months.
1st Place - Data Entry Programs
I have found two programs, one for people who have basic computer skills up to advanced typing skills and another for people with minimal experience to expert level. Both of these are very popular.
2nd Place - Type At Home programs
I have found 3-5 good programs that fit this criteria.
3rd Place - Processing Rebates
I found one program that is very popular in this niche of the market place. I have only had it on my site for over a month and it may very well take over the number one slot in the next 6-month window. I had a doctor who resides in Germany recently tell me this " With your help I bought the program rebate processing and for my opinion it is one of the best for people who wants to work at home". Only time will tell if it will over take the number one slot.
4th Place - Online Paid Surveys
I found (6) six good companies, but two that really stand out above the rest. I wanted Survey Directory companies here that would allow people to choose whether they wanted to take surveys for cash and / or sweepstakes. In my opinion the survey directory companies are the way to go, but it's also important for a user to be able to pick and choose the money surveys as desired. You want to have control and not let them force you to take surveys that may simple give you an entry into a contest.
The above programs do not include the programs that I found for Home Based Business or Moms and Dads programs. I found many good programs to fit what I believe to be all skill sets.
If you have a computer, access to the Internet and your reading this article than you more than likely have everything that is required to work from home.
Several important things to remember are as follows:
1. Either do the research your self or use a site that has done some research.
2. Remember any good program requires that you do some work from home.
3. Put forth the time and effort to be successful.
4. Setup a separate email for you work at home work if possible.
In my articles I always mention that research is the key to being successful in the work at home work place. You either need to use a website like mine, but not necessarily mine or be prepared to do a lot of research yourself.
Now to the nitty gritty. I have listed below the types of work from home programs that I have found most popular over the past (6) months.
1st Place - Data Entry Programs
I have found two programs, one for people who have basic computer skills up to advanced typing skills and another for people with minimal experience to expert level. Both of these are very popular.
2nd Place - Type At Home programs
I have found 3-5 good programs that fit this criteria.
3rd Place - Processing Rebates
I found one program that is very popular in this niche of the market place. I have only had it on my site for over a month and it may very well take over the number one slot in the next 6-month window. I had a doctor who resides in Germany recently tell me this " With your help I bought the program rebate processing and for my opinion it is one of the best for people who wants to work at home". Only time will tell if it will over take the number one slot.
4th Place - Online Paid Surveys
I found (6) six good companies, but two that really stand out above the rest. I wanted Survey Directory companies here that would allow people to choose whether they wanted to take surveys for cash and / or sweepstakes. In my opinion the survey directory companies are the way to go, but it's also important for a user to be able to pick and choose the money surveys as desired. You want to have control and not let them force you to take surveys that may simple give you an entry into a contest.
The above programs do not include the programs that I found for Home Based Business or Moms and Dads programs. I found many good programs to fit what I believe to be all skill sets.
If you have a computer, access to the Internet and your reading this article than you more than likely have everything that is required to work from home.
Several important things to remember are as follows:
1. Either do the research your self or use a site that has done some research.
2. Remember any good program requires that you do some work from home.
3. Put forth the time and effort to be successful.
4. Setup a separate email for you work at home work if possible.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Productive E-commerce - 8 Tips to Get Started Quickly With E-commerce
Electronic commerce or Ecommerce or to some Electronic business or Internet Business is the newest avenue of people to conduct business and earn profitable money the easy way. With the massive turn of events in the online industry, many people are venturing into this avenue because of the bigger potentials to earn and profit more. Below are some of the quick tips on how to get started:
1. Choose the right kind of business venture. The decision to choose the right kind of business may involve the current passion that you have and what you like to do the most.
2. Know what people are interested about. The interest of the people will benefit your whole plan of business. The consuming public are your immediate patrons. Therefore, you need to make sure that you take into consideration what they have to say.
3. Check your resources and be smart in making an allocation. Venturing in a business requires a smart plan of allocating your resources. You need to make sure that all aspects of the business get to have equal partitioning of the company resources.
4. Create a marketing plan that fits your business venture. With the numerous types of marketing tools that we have, choose the best that answers your business need.
5. Develop a site that will serve as your portal to conduct all your business transactions. This will allow for an easy access on your company offerings.
6. Make a payment method that is comfortably accessible to all types of buyers and consumers. This will enable your business to attract more potential buyers.
7. Little by little venture into expanding your business when it begins to pick up. The expansion will allow you to benefit more and learn more about Ecommerce.
8. Lastly, stay focused and determined. These are the traits that are needed in order to attain success in Ecommerce.
1. Choose the right kind of business venture. The decision to choose the right kind of business may involve the current passion that you have and what you like to do the most.
2. Know what people are interested about. The interest of the people will benefit your whole plan of business. The consuming public are your immediate patrons. Therefore, you need to make sure that you take into consideration what they have to say.
3. Check your resources and be smart in making an allocation. Venturing in a business requires a smart plan of allocating your resources. You need to make sure that all aspects of the business get to have equal partitioning of the company resources.
4. Create a marketing plan that fits your business venture. With the numerous types of marketing tools that we have, choose the best that answers your business need.
5. Develop a site that will serve as your portal to conduct all your business transactions. This will allow for an easy access on your company offerings.
6. Make a payment method that is comfortably accessible to all types of buyers and consumers. This will enable your business to attract more potential buyers.
7. Little by little venture into expanding your business when it begins to pick up. The expansion will allow you to benefit more and learn more about Ecommerce.
8. Lastly, stay focused and determined. These are the traits that are needed in order to attain success in Ecommerce.
Online Jobs - The World Has Shrunk
Before the onset of the internet, our access to the global market was limited. We had to wait for our relatives and friends who visit other countries to get us curios and gifts. Who wouldn't mind assorted miniature bottles of rich colognes or scented creamy soaps from the perfume factory in Grasse, France? I know I wouldn't.
Well, all that was before, now what ever item you desire is just a click away. You just have to log in to the website and order the item you require and get it delivered at your doorstep, with some extra shipping charges, of course. It does not matter whether the item you have ordered is manufactured at the other end of the globe or right next door, it can be delivered to you.
As expected this advantage of internet did not limit itself to the material market, now it has grown so expensively that the job market too had developed to the realms of a global domain without barriers.
Not only can a job search be made internationally, with the rapid development of the concept of online jobs, the global job arena has become accessible to anyone anywhere in the world, the only requisite being an internet connection and a personal computer.
This means that we all can sit comfortably at home, legs propped up on our table with a coffee mug on the coaster nearby, working busily on you PC on a project provided to us by a person or company from a country a couple of timelines ahead of us. How do we get access to this project? We certainly do not have to get a visa and attend an interview in a different country in order to bag it. It is just a couple of clicks away. Online job sites are not only a safe platform for the service seekers and providers to meet, but these sites make it a steady and simple process.
It doesn't matter that the project owner lives two hours ahead of you unless it is required in the project that you need to work the same hours, otherwise it just means that you have to get the work done within a time frame no matter which hours of the day you work or if you do not work a day at all. The main requirement is that you satisfactorily complete the project according to the directives within the stipulated period mentioned.
The concept not only has shrunk the world figuratively, it provides access to talent across the world and becomes a dais for providing equal opportunity to job seekers on a global level. The color, breed, creed and all other barriers cease to exist. Online jobs are open to anyone who is willing to offer a competitive service as per the requisites of the guidelines set by the project owner.
Well, all that was before, now what ever item you desire is just a click away. You just have to log in to the website and order the item you require and get it delivered at your doorstep, with some extra shipping charges, of course. It does not matter whether the item you have ordered is manufactured at the other end of the globe or right next door, it can be delivered to you.
As expected this advantage of internet did not limit itself to the material market, now it has grown so expensively that the job market too had developed to the realms of a global domain without barriers.
Not only can a job search be made internationally, with the rapid development of the concept of online jobs, the global job arena has become accessible to anyone anywhere in the world, the only requisite being an internet connection and a personal computer.
This means that we all can sit comfortably at home, legs propped up on our table with a coffee mug on the coaster nearby, working busily on you PC on a project provided to us by a person or company from a country a couple of timelines ahead of us. How do we get access to this project? We certainly do not have to get a visa and attend an interview in a different country in order to bag it. It is just a couple of clicks away. Online job sites are not only a safe platform for the service seekers and providers to meet, but these sites make it a steady and simple process.
It doesn't matter that the project owner lives two hours ahead of you unless it is required in the project that you need to work the same hours, otherwise it just means that you have to get the work done within a time frame no matter which hours of the day you work or if you do not work a day at all. The main requirement is that you satisfactorily complete the project according to the directives within the stipulated period mentioned.
The concept not only has shrunk the world figuratively, it provides access to talent across the world and becomes a dais for providing equal opportunity to job seekers on a global level. The color, breed, creed and all other barriers cease to exist. Online jobs are open to anyone who is willing to offer a competitive service as per the requisites of the guidelines set by the project owner.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Credible Source for Incredible Result
It is human to get excited about anything new on the horizon. Naturally, e-commerce did create an excitement when it first dawned on the business scene. Many felt it an all-pervasive tool and quite a few an aid to business. The result: the former lot failed miserably, and the latter made a rich harvest. The moral of the story: technology and business practices, however great, demand market-orientation.
Can both business practices and technology be made market-oriented internally? Business Practices, yes, and Technology, no. Technology requires special knowledge and this knowledge rests with specialists. Trying to devise technology applications internally may divert your focus from the core vision: Business Practices.
Specialists are those who integrate individual business practices with e-commerce tools. This task enables an e-business to invite, offer and engage its target market on a mutually-fulfilling drive. Any mismatch between the offers on e-shop front (as perceived by visitors to your e-Shoppe) and the physical or factual delivery of the offers at rear front (as experienced by the visitors who turn out be your customers).
Can both business practices and technology be made market-oriented internally? Business Practices, yes, and Technology, no. Technology requires special knowledge and this knowledge rests with specialists. Trying to devise technology applications internally may divert your focus from the core vision: Business Practices.
Specialists are those who integrate individual business practices with e-commerce tools. This task enables an e-business to invite, offer and engage its target market on a mutually-fulfilling drive. Any mismatch between the offers on e-shop front (as perceived by visitors to your e-Shoppe) and the physical or factual delivery of the offers at rear front (as experienced by the visitors who turn out be your customers).
4 Ways to Accept Credit Cards Directly to Your PayPal Account
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.
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 PayPal Business Account to get started. Signing up is easy as PayPal 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 as well as those for PayPal are done here. After the transaction, the customer is directed back to your website.
One advantage of accepting credit card payments through your PayPal account is letting go of the things you do not really need to attend to: customer problems (they do not need a PayPal account to use your service), separate gateways, fees for setting up, application, or monthly rates, long-term contracts, and security of financial information. PayPal can solve and manage these tricky areas for you with additional benefits of efficient monthly sales reports.
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 PayPal Business Account to get started. Signing up is easy as PayPal 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 as well as those for PayPal are done here. After the transaction, the customer is directed back to your website.
One advantage of accepting credit card payments through your PayPal account is letting go of the things you do not really need to attend to: customer problems (they do not need a PayPal account to use your service), separate gateways, fees for setting up, application, or monthly rates, long-term contracts, and security of financial information. PayPal can solve and manage these tricky areas for you with additional benefits of efficient monthly sales reports.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Implications Of E-Commerce For Tax Legislation
As e-commerce develops ambiguities in the current tax code in which it may be exposed. It would not be regarded as too early to take premature steps for undertaking such a review at a time when detailed international legislation are going on to promulgate acceptable standards laws for imposition taxation in this regard. The Central Board of Revenue should take active part in promulgation of conducting research on this subject in hand and should propose any changes to tax law in the light of what emerges in development in e-business. In the meantime, Central board of Revenue will do two things:
o Make sure that e-commerce taxation requirements are fully considered when recommending amendments are made to existing laws, and
o Such changes should be made to national tax laws that are needed as unforeseen legal obstacles to the growth of e-commerce emerge to subject to tax revenue constraints.
If there is a difficulty in fitting any of our existing tax legislation to e-commerce transactions, then CBR should look at these emerging legal problems connect with its execution and administration. Uncertainty is bad for business. Taxpayers should not be left in doubt as to the applicability of a particular provision of tax laws. This is not to say that all of the existing tax legislation should be made applicable to e-commerce. However, the fact remains that e-commerce is just another way of doing business and it should normally be subject to the same tax requirements as any other method of doing business. The development of e-commerce may require some fine tuning of our tax laws in consistent in international legislative trends.
o Make sure that e-commerce taxation requirements are fully considered when recommending amendments are made to existing laws, and
o Such changes should be made to national tax laws that are needed as unforeseen legal obstacles to the growth of e-commerce emerge to subject to tax revenue constraints.
If there is a difficulty in fitting any of our existing tax legislation to e-commerce transactions, then CBR should look at these emerging legal problems connect with its execution and administration. Uncertainty is bad for business. Taxpayers should not be left in doubt as to the applicability of a particular provision of tax laws. This is not to say that all of the existing tax legislation should be made applicable to e-commerce. However, the fact remains that e-commerce is just another way of doing business and it should normally be subject to the same tax requirements as any other method of doing business. The development of e-commerce may require some fine tuning of our tax laws in consistent in international legislative trends.
Web Hosting for E-Commerce Sites
If you’re going to pursue an e-commerce site, hosting is going to be an issue. Here’s a primer on web hosting for your site.
E-commerce web hosting is the technology of storing, servicing and maintaining files for one or more web sites selling products or services online. Web site owners who pay for a web host (generally on a monthly basis) upload their web pages to a shared or dedicated web server through an ISP (internet service provider). The web host should ensure a fast and consistent connection. Experienced web entrepreneurs desire flexibility, security and high performance from an e-commerce host. An e-commerce web server also stores information, images, videos and just about any other content that can be retrieved from a web site. Security is a priority for e-commerce web servers.
E-commerce web hosting can be divided into two major components, the site and the host (where the site is stored for access on the web). Web hosts are computers that offer storage space and Internet connectivity. Web hosts make your web site work with and connect to the Internet. E-commerce, or web commerce, allows people to buy goods and services online. On the Internet, one can buy almost anything, at any time.
E-commerce web hosting must support e-commerce software. Often a web host will provide the tools that handle online transactions and sales. In other cases, the web business owner is on their own to ascertain e-commerce software. Common tools that are provided with e-commerce web hosting are shopping carts, business account services, SSLs (secure socket layers), secure transactions, web promotion applications and advertisement packages.
While choosing a web hosting company for your E-commerce business, it is helpful to decide how much data storage is required and the data transfer rates you require for your site. A web host is the physical location of a web site, so you must be confident in the connection and security of the hosting company. Doing some research to make sure that data reaches the end-user quickly and efficiently can payoff in a big way. Backup systems should be in place so that data is routed even if there is a router failure. Web hosts should be able to accommodate a client’s web traffic (measured in volume of data transfer) in peak hours as well.
Security is a major issue for E-commerce transactions. Private information needs to be kept safe from unauthorized parties. SSL, from Netscape, helps a lot with secure transactions. SSL is an encryption technology that encodes a message that a receiver decrypts by using RSA security. For integrity and authentication of messages, digital signatures, or certificates, are required. Digital signatures ensure that sensitive information is not picked up by any other party, by posing as a legitimate e-business or in any other way. A digital certificate is a document, issued by a certificate authority, which recognizes a legitimate online business. To ensure security, many web companies store confidential information on offline disks or on a separate PC. E-commerce web hosts should also maintain multiple backups of vital information. SSL uses PKI (public key infrastructure) and digital certificates to ensue privacy and authentication. Bear in mind that security can be an expensive and complex business.
In short, when selecting an e-commerce web host it is often best to look for a pre-packaged solution that allows you to create a shopping cart, an online catalog and a secure credit card transaction and storage system. Selecting an e-commerce web host with a broad range of tools and a solid reputation is an important step for just about any e-business.
E-commerce web hosting is the technology of storing, servicing and maintaining files for one or more web sites selling products or services online. Web site owners who pay for a web host (generally on a monthly basis) upload their web pages to a shared or dedicated web server through an ISP (internet service provider). The web host should ensure a fast and consistent connection. Experienced web entrepreneurs desire flexibility, security and high performance from an e-commerce host. An e-commerce web server also stores information, images, videos and just about any other content that can be retrieved from a web site. Security is a priority for e-commerce web servers.
E-commerce web hosting can be divided into two major components, the site and the host (where the site is stored for access on the web). Web hosts are computers that offer storage space and Internet connectivity. Web hosts make your web site work with and connect to the Internet. E-commerce, or web commerce, allows people to buy goods and services online. On the Internet, one can buy almost anything, at any time.
E-commerce web hosting must support e-commerce software. Often a web host will provide the tools that handle online transactions and sales. In other cases, the web business owner is on their own to ascertain e-commerce software. Common tools that are provided with e-commerce web hosting are shopping carts, business account services, SSLs (secure socket layers), secure transactions, web promotion applications and advertisement packages.
While choosing a web hosting company for your E-commerce business, it is helpful to decide how much data storage is required and the data transfer rates you require for your site. A web host is the physical location of a web site, so you must be confident in the connection and security of the hosting company. Doing some research to make sure that data reaches the end-user quickly and efficiently can payoff in a big way. Backup systems should be in place so that data is routed even if there is a router failure. Web hosts should be able to accommodate a client’s web traffic (measured in volume of data transfer) in peak hours as well.
Security is a major issue for E-commerce transactions. Private information needs to be kept safe from unauthorized parties. SSL, from Netscape, helps a lot with secure transactions. SSL is an encryption technology that encodes a message that a receiver decrypts by using RSA security. For integrity and authentication of messages, digital signatures, or certificates, are required. Digital signatures ensure that sensitive information is not picked up by any other party, by posing as a legitimate e-business or in any other way. A digital certificate is a document, issued by a certificate authority, which recognizes a legitimate online business. To ensure security, many web companies store confidential information on offline disks or on a separate PC. E-commerce web hosts should also maintain multiple backups of vital information. SSL uses PKI (public key infrastructure) and digital certificates to ensue privacy and authentication. Bear in mind that security can be an expensive and complex business.
In short, when selecting an e-commerce web host it is often best to look for a pre-packaged solution that allows you to create a shopping cart, an online catalog and a secure credit card transaction and storage system. Selecting an e-commerce web host with a broad range of tools and a solid reputation is an important step for just about any e-business.
Monday, November 05, 2007
10 Ways Your Chamber of Commerce Can Help Your Business Grow
Joining your area's Chamber of Commerce can be a smart move for your home business. Because businesses that participate in this group promote each other and work together, your own business can grow and prosper quickly. Here are just a few ways you can benefit by joining your local Chamber of Commerce:
- If you make it known that your product or service makes great client or employee gifts, you could wind up with a very nice flow of business from your fellow Chamber members.
- You may be able to line up some lunchtime sales or parties featuring your products at local businesses to help employees with gift shopping (especially at Christmas, Valentine's Day and Mother's Day).
- You may qualify for less-expensive health insurance and business insurance available to Chamber of Commerce members.
- You can find out about local events where you might set up a booth and promote your business.
- You'll meet good, reliable sources for products and services like accounting, printing, computer support, etc.
- You'll be referred to other Chamber members' contacts.
- You have a good chance of meeting local retailers who may be interested in carrying your products.
- You'll have an opportunity to do joint ventures with other local businesses, such as cooperative advertising or trunk shows.
- Your business name can be associated with improving your community, since Chambers of Commerce generally work on civic improvement, legislation favoring local businesses, and economic development.
- You may have access to mentors who can help you develop your business; or you may be able to serve as a mentor to someone else.
These are just a few of the many ways your area's Chamber of Commerce can give you access to a valuable networking and marketing system. You can find your local Chamber of Commerce in the business listings of your phone book.
- If you make it known that your product or service makes great client or employee gifts, you could wind up with a very nice flow of business from your fellow Chamber members.
- You may be able to line up some lunchtime sales or parties featuring your products at local businesses to help employees with gift shopping (especially at Christmas, Valentine's Day and Mother's Day).
- You may qualify for less-expensive health insurance and business insurance available to Chamber of Commerce members.
- You can find out about local events where you might set up a booth and promote your business.
- You'll meet good, reliable sources for products and services like accounting, printing, computer support, etc.
- You'll be referred to other Chamber members' contacts.
- You have a good chance of meeting local retailers who may be interested in carrying your products.
- You'll have an opportunity to do joint ventures with other local businesses, such as cooperative advertising or trunk shows.
- Your business name can be associated with improving your community, since Chambers of Commerce generally work on civic improvement, legislation favoring local businesses, and economic development.
- You may have access to mentors who can help you develop your business; or you may be able to serve as a mentor to someone else.
These are just a few of the many ways your area's Chamber of Commerce can give you access to a valuable networking and marketing system. You can find your local Chamber of Commerce in the business listings of your phone book.
7 Key Steps to Make More Money With E-commerce
E-commerce has helped traditional businesses to grow further by using the Internet as their marketing and selling tool to reach more clients. Today, giant businesses from different industries are taking advantage of E-commerce because it is easy to use and more profitable. In this article, you will be guided on how you can succeed in E-commerce.
1. Make sure that search engines recognize you. Your domain name must be unique and keyword rich so online users can pull up your site in just few clicks on their mouse.
2. Make it easy for online users to purchase products from your site. Accept major credits cards, charge small shipping and handling fee, and make your web site user-friendly.
3. Pay attention to your customers' online security. Assure your clients that your web site is secure so they will be confident to provide their billing information.
4. Offer value-added services. The competition in E-commerce cannot be tighter this days. To attract more clients throw in some freebies or features like next day delivery, 24/7 live customer service, or a gift that comes with the purchase.
5. Send your customers weekly newsletters. Keep them updated with new products and services, promotions, discounts, and web site's new features. Sending newsletter can also be one effective way so customers will not forget your sites or products.
6. Advertise your site and company. Employ marketing and advertising techniques to promote your site so it will get the exposure it needs. Affiliate marketing is a good start to make your web site known.
7. Post genuine testimonials of your satisfied clients. This is one of the most effective advertising mediums to persuade your client to make a purchase.
1. Make sure that search engines recognize you. Your domain name must be unique and keyword rich so online users can pull up your site in just few clicks on their mouse.
2. Make it easy for online users to purchase products from your site. Accept major credits cards, charge small shipping and handling fee, and make your web site user-friendly.
3. Pay attention to your customers' online security. Assure your clients that your web site is secure so they will be confident to provide their billing information.
4. Offer value-added services. The competition in E-commerce cannot be tighter this days. To attract more clients throw in some freebies or features like next day delivery, 24/7 live customer service, or a gift that comes with the purchase.
5. Send your customers weekly newsletters. Keep them updated with new products and services, promotions, discounts, and web site's new features. Sending newsletter can also be one effective way so customers will not forget your sites or products.
6. Advertise your site and company. Employ marketing and advertising techniques to promote your site so it will get the exposure it needs. Affiliate marketing is a good start to make your web site known.
7. Post genuine testimonials of your satisfied clients. This is one of the most effective advertising mediums to persuade your client to make a purchase.
Friday, November 02, 2007
Widget Bucks Not Performing
Widget bucks is the newest PPC program on the web. Just like adsense it can compliment your website and bring in extra cash. The widget used by widget bucks rotates ads through the banner. These are not your typical text based ads but nice looking graphics that show products based upon your selection or you can choose to have widget bucks scan your site and show relevant ads.
To Use or not to Use?
While this product is good it's not for every site. After installing it on several of my sites I noticed that some sites did excellent and got me a higher click through rate and more income per click then adsense. On other Blogs of mine it did horrible. After watching it for a week it really hit me. The sites it worked great on were sites that were very product specific. Blogs about electronic device or cell phones and other related electronic devices were tearing it up while sites that were more socially based and not product driven I saw poor or equal income.
It was only one week of testing so I took it to the next level. I started to mix some smaller widget bucks ads and kept my header adsense. Yes you can have both on the same page. It is not against the adsense TOS. I used the 160X300 in my top side bar and placed my adsense large banner on top of the blog. In between posts I kept the smaller adsense ads. The widget code made my site a liter brighter while not taking away from my adsense ads and the content on the site. My income did not double from this but I was making good PPC on my widget and the same amount of average clicks for my adsense ads. If you have the room in your side bar you can also try the larger 300X250.
If the ad looks too noticeable you should consider removing it. You do not want your site to scream I'M ABOUT THE ADS. Another recommendation is to swap the ad content around a little. If you hear about a hot new product in a select category you may want to swap over to that category for a week or so. Doing this will switch up your add content.
As always you want your site to be about the reader. Having ads all over will hurt you in the long run. You need a balance. Ads really do help consumers find products they want and need. When you click on an ad you do it because you want to know more about the product or service. The balance can be hard but if you look at it from your readers point of view often times the answer will stand out.
To Use or not to Use?
While this product is good it's not for every site. After installing it on several of my sites I noticed that some sites did excellent and got me a higher click through rate and more income per click then adsense. On other Blogs of mine it did horrible. After watching it for a week it really hit me. The sites it worked great on were sites that were very product specific. Blogs about electronic device or cell phones and other related electronic devices were tearing it up while sites that were more socially based and not product driven I saw poor or equal income.
It was only one week of testing so I took it to the next level. I started to mix some smaller widget bucks ads and kept my header adsense. Yes you can have both on the same page. It is not against the adsense TOS. I used the 160X300 in my top side bar and placed my adsense large banner on top of the blog. In between posts I kept the smaller adsense ads. The widget code made my site a liter brighter while not taking away from my adsense ads and the content on the site. My income did not double from this but I was making good PPC on my widget and the same amount of average clicks for my adsense ads. If you have the room in your side bar you can also try the larger 300X250.
If the ad looks too noticeable you should consider removing it. You do not want your site to scream I'M ABOUT THE ADS. Another recommendation is to swap the ad content around a little. If you hear about a hot new product in a select category you may want to swap over to that category for a week or so. Doing this will switch up your add content.
As always you want your site to be about the reader. Having ads all over will hurt you in the long run. You need a balance. Ads really do help consumers find products they want and need. When you click on an ad you do it because you want to know more about the product or service. The balance can be hard but if you look at it from your readers point of view often times the answer will stand out.
Compare Merchant Accounts
To get the best merchant account, you need to compare merchant accounts. The following are the reasons that will help you compare merchant accounts competently:
Compare Merchant Accounts for the best lenders: You need to find a reputable lender that will work with you to grow your business. Check how long the company has been in business. Get to know about the management, services that are provided, and the company's standing.
Compare Merchant Accounts for services: The main advantage of a merchant account is ability of a company owner to accept credit card payments. You need to find out which credit card payment method is best for your company.
Compare Merchant Accounts for the associated costs: Some lenders may ask you to pay an online application fee. Others may want you to join and pay an annual membership rate. There can be print statement fees, gateway costs, and other expenses associated with your merchant account. In addition, you will have to pay for the actual service that may be calculated on a per-transaction basis costing perhaps a few cents per payment or a low monthly overall interest rate that may or may not impose certain minimums. Read the terms and clarify all your doubts. Do your homework before signing on the deal. A merchant account may be the single most important decision you will need to make on your company's behalf.
Compare Merchant Accounts for the services of the company: Know if the company provides easy access to personnel who can answer questions or help you understand the process. Ask others whether the company associates courteous and knowledgeable. In case you face any problem, see whether the company is prompt in responding to issues and resolving problems.
Zed Miller, an expert business writer, regularly contributes his articles to various websites just to help merchants, small businesses and retail houses to expand their market base by accepting the prevailing mode of payments.
Compare Merchant Accounts for the best lenders: You need to find a reputable lender that will work with you to grow your business. Check how long the company has been in business. Get to know about the management, services that are provided, and the company's standing.
Compare Merchant Accounts for services: The main advantage of a merchant account is ability of a company owner to accept credit card payments. You need to find out which credit card payment method is best for your company.
Compare Merchant Accounts for the associated costs: Some lenders may ask you to pay an online application fee. Others may want you to join and pay an annual membership rate. There can be print statement fees, gateway costs, and other expenses associated with your merchant account. In addition, you will have to pay for the actual service that may be calculated on a per-transaction basis costing perhaps a few cents per payment or a low monthly overall interest rate that may or may not impose certain minimums. Read the terms and clarify all your doubts. Do your homework before signing on the deal. A merchant account may be the single most important decision you will need to make on your company's behalf.
Compare Merchant Accounts for the services of the company: Know if the company provides easy access to personnel who can answer questions or help you understand the process. Ask others whether the company associates courteous and knowledgeable. In case you face any problem, see whether the company is prompt in responding to issues and resolving problems.
Zed Miller, an expert business writer, regularly contributes his articles to various websites just to help merchants, small businesses and retail houses to expand their market base by accepting the prevailing mode of payments.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Is It Easy to Build An E-commerce Web Site?
--Online Commerce--
E-Commerce website is all about selling products and services over the Internet. Amateurs may think that it is easy to build your own e-commerce system and our advice to you is to stay away from these amateurs. Building an e-commerce system is a complicated process and it requires web professionals who know the intricacies of building secure systems. Building an e-commerce system comes with the potential for a lot of errors and it is advisable to find security and database experts for the job.
Resource-consuming tasks such as order and supply tracking needs to be automated for e-commerce websites. Automated billing, invoice handling, accounting, and report generation tools make your e-commerce web sites easier to manage and handle sales. These are essential features to look out for in e-commerce websites.
--Building One Yourself--
Sure, you can try to build a basic E-commerce web site. But, an E-commerce web site without the tracking and automated is quite useless when you are trying to determine how your sales are derived and business expansion.
E-Commerce website is all about selling products and services over the Internet. Amateurs may think that it is easy to build your own e-commerce system and our advice to you is to stay away from these amateurs. Building an e-commerce system is a complicated process and it requires web professionals who know the intricacies of building secure systems. Building an e-commerce system comes with the potential for a lot of errors and it is advisable to find security and database experts for the job.
Resource-consuming tasks such as order and supply tracking needs to be automated for e-commerce websites. Automated billing, invoice handling, accounting, and report generation tools make your e-commerce web sites easier to manage and handle sales. These are essential features to look out for in e-commerce websites.
--Building One Yourself--
Sure, you can try to build a basic E-commerce web site. But, an E-commerce web site without the tracking and automated is quite useless when you are trying to determine how your sales are derived and business expansion.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Ecommerce Solutions
E-commerce is also known as electronic commerce consists primarily of buying, selling, marketing and service and service of the products. This is just as the same as normal day life commerce but all the happenings are through distance electronic media and this needs a very high end security and genuinely trust worthy in an another word this is a electronic business with an aim to reach commercial transitions.
As this electronic commerce involves funds transfers certainly it needs a complex security system we at Nimble Technologies does meet the same standards understanding the needs of E-Commerce wearing customer’s and clients shoes. Our special fund transfer portals are under constant monitoring enabled this provides a special zing of security.
Meeting all the categories in this line is little tough job but our special team who has been employed for this purpose design and update the solutions for e-commerce day–to-day understanding the market.
Supply chain management, e-marketing, online marketing, online transaction process, electronic data Interchange, Automated inventory management all this things are very complex in nature and need keen attention even on the minute aspects to run e commerce solution, we are in constant work to make all this possible with easy operation and user friendly in nature.
Looking for online payment processing and/or an internet merchant account? You can fine many online web sites which can provider of e-commerce solutions to consumers and commercial companies. Their specialists help you build and customize the online store that will take your business to the next level. Choose Nimble Technologies for trusted and affordable e-commerce solutions.
As this electronic commerce involves funds transfers certainly it needs a complex security system we at Nimble Technologies does meet the same standards understanding the needs of E-Commerce wearing customer’s and clients shoes. Our special fund transfer portals are under constant monitoring enabled this provides a special zing of security.
Meeting all the categories in this line is little tough job but our special team who has been employed for this purpose design and update the solutions for e-commerce day–to-day understanding the market.
Supply chain management, e-marketing, online marketing, online transaction process, electronic data Interchange, Automated inventory management all this things are very complex in nature and need keen attention even on the minute aspects to run e commerce solution, we are in constant work to make all this possible with easy operation and user friendly in nature.
Looking for online payment processing and/or an internet merchant account? You can fine many online web sites which can provider of e-commerce solutions to consumers and commercial companies. Their specialists help you build and customize the online store that will take your business to the next level. Choose Nimble Technologies for trusted and affordable e-commerce solutions.
E-commerce - Advanced Tips for E-commerce
Internet has made it relatively easy for everybody to do transactions online. No need to leave your house and drive at least an hour to get to the mall to shop just to find out that what you came for is out of stock. With more and more people turning to the Internet to buy their needs, E-commerce becomes the new “it” business that offers huge profits and convenience. I am sure you are now eager to learn more about E-commerce, read on!
1. To make it to E-commerce, you must have an interesting, attractive web site. You must present all the products and services in a way that will entice online users to click the “buy now” button. In addition, you must stand out by offering products and services not commonly found in the Internet.
2. Your web site must be equipped to accept several kinds of payment method especially credit cards.
3. Market research also plays an important role in E-commerce. You must study the buying patterns of online users and what exactly they are looking for. Offer products that have high demands but has low supply.
4. Come up with killer product descriptions. Include the benefits of the products and its value. Convince your customers that what you are offering is the best in the business today.
5. Throw in some freebies. This is especially effective for start-up business. Free items will surely attract attention that can lead to business relations in the long run.
Keep in mind, you may need to think outside the box to excel in ecommerce.
1. To make it to E-commerce, you must have an interesting, attractive web site. You must present all the products and services in a way that will entice online users to click the “buy now” button. In addition, you must stand out by offering products and services not commonly found in the Internet.
2. Your web site must be equipped to accept several kinds of payment method especially credit cards.
3. Market research also plays an important role in E-commerce. You must study the buying patterns of online users and what exactly they are looking for. Offer products that have high demands but has low supply.
4. Come up with killer product descriptions. Include the benefits of the products and its value. Convince your customers that what you are offering is the best in the business today.
5. Throw in some freebies. This is especially effective for start-up business. Free items will surely attract attention that can lead to business relations in the long run.
Keep in mind, you may need to think outside the box to excel in ecommerce.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Free Ecommerce Hosting
Finding the right ecommerce host that will match your company’s needs, wants and demands is quite a challenge. Due to the overwhelming demands for web hosting, numerous ecommerce hosting service providers offer many options to choose from, and you should look for the best and most cost-effective ecommerce hosting company out there. Do some research and compare as many ecommerce web hosting service providers as possible.
Ecommerce hosting is one very potentially profitable business. The hosting charge varies based on the services, supports and the types, quality and quantity of the features provided. Even though some of the hosting companies do offer their services for free, there are many varied ways for them to make a profit – the most popular being that of selling ads to the prospective clients that are hosted on their websites. However, this type of ecommerce hosting offers no security and/or guaranteed service. Records of free ecommerce hosting show the instability, as they tend to close down within weeks, months and first year of operation. There are even those that close down within a span of a day or two. In such cases, the free ecommerce hosting proves to be effective for personal advances such as the posting of personal information, family photographs, and profiles, and for individuals who seek the fundamentals of web hosting by experimenting with programming scripts.
It never fails to verify how quite dependable a certain ecommerce hosting service provider can get by checking out the various websites that are currently owned and being maintained by the company or companies.
Ecommerce hosting is one very potentially profitable business. The hosting charge varies based on the services, supports and the types, quality and quantity of the features provided. Even though some of the hosting companies do offer their services for free, there are many varied ways for them to make a profit – the most popular being that of selling ads to the prospective clients that are hosted on their websites. However, this type of ecommerce hosting offers no security and/or guaranteed service. Records of free ecommerce hosting show the instability, as they tend to close down within weeks, months and first year of operation. There are even those that close down within a span of a day or two. In such cases, the free ecommerce hosting proves to be effective for personal advances such as the posting of personal information, family photographs, and profiles, and for individuals who seek the fundamentals of web hosting by experimenting with programming scripts.
It never fails to verify how quite dependable a certain ecommerce hosting service provider can get by checking out the various websites that are currently owned and being maintained by the company or companies.
Affordable Ecommerce Solutions
Stop! Don't read any further if you are not seriously looking for a really good, effective but affordable e-commerce solution, a package that will let you relax while your sales are being taken care of by your E-commerce website. This article will provide you an insight into the do's and don'ts of selecting an e-commerce package suitable for you.
1) What not to look out for?
Most people who search for "affordable e-commerce solutions" will input "cheap e-commerce solutions" as their search phrase on yahoo/msn/google or any other search engine and end up with a lot of websites providing cheap e-commerce packages. But one should keep in mind that everything good comes at a price. Cheap website hosting providers will advertise their website as "cheap & easy", but beyond the advertising lies the 99% failure rate of old-fashioned Web hosting. If you still want to trust a cheap e-commerce service provider please check their track record before you sign-up.
2) What to look out for?
It has been rightly said, "If we fail to plan we plan to fail". This holds true with every project small or big. So lets chalk out what we will to decide which is the best e-commerce solution for your website. Take a pencil and paper and list these points:
1) Product and Customer: Keeping your product/products in mind think of what your customer will be looking for. Not and highlight the points that come to your mind. Do you have an international market for your product?
2) Payment Options: What payment options you will be required to provide the customer. There are many available like paypal, firepay, xoom etc
3) Shopping cart: Do you need one? It's a necessity if you have more than one product if you have a single product then you might opt out of this feature.
4) Advertising & Promotion: How you are going to advertise and promote your website for attracting customers and increasing sales. There are a number of ways of doing this like banners, advertisements etc you will need to hole in on a few.
5) Your Budget: There are a lot of e-commerce solution providers available on the Internet but you should be having an idea of the dollar that you are ready to spend on them before you take the big leap as some of them have hidden costs. You may choose a package and then know that a few features that were not included cost you a lot when you buy them.
Depending on these points we can shortlist some basic features to look out for in our e-commerce solution service provider
1) Payment Options: What are the payment options available with the e-commerce service provider (ESP)?
2) Shipping: For international trade this is a necessity. Is your ESP providing it to you?
3) Web design/Hosting: How would you like the over all design of your store? Is the layout provided by the e-commerce service provider easy to use and understand for the customer?
4) Features: What extra features will you be looking for in your e-commerce package? Will you be content with payment, security, tax and shipping solution only or do you require more? This will require a thorough review of at least a few e-commerce solution providers and what you really need.
If you are a corporate body you will need to bring all your departments together to get their ideas on sales/promotion/advertising etc. It will be a day's hard work but the rewards will be substantial if proper planning is met with efficient execution.
These are a few different scenarios that you will find yourself in after you have listed all the points.
Should you opt for:
1) A ready to use e-commerce package.
2) Rent a space/store in a network-based e-commerce solution.
3) Ask a web designing company to build you a website from scratch
Most of the e-commerce solution providers will have a basic scheme where you can add a product/category, delete a product/category, check the order status, calculate shipping cost deducting taxes if any, owner can see all the list of purchases, he can make the item shipped, out of stock, credit card denied, etc.
1) What not to look out for?
Most people who search for "affordable e-commerce solutions" will input "cheap e-commerce solutions" as their search phrase on yahoo/msn/google or any other search engine and end up with a lot of websites providing cheap e-commerce packages. But one should keep in mind that everything good comes at a price. Cheap website hosting providers will advertise their website as "cheap & easy", but beyond the advertising lies the 99% failure rate of old-fashioned Web hosting. If you still want to trust a cheap e-commerce service provider please check their track record before you sign-up.
2) What to look out for?
It has been rightly said, "If we fail to plan we plan to fail". This holds true with every project small or big. So lets chalk out what we will to decide which is the best e-commerce solution for your website. Take a pencil and paper and list these points:
1) Product and Customer: Keeping your product/products in mind think of what your customer will be looking for. Not and highlight the points that come to your mind. Do you have an international market for your product?
2) Payment Options: What payment options you will be required to provide the customer. There are many available like paypal, firepay, xoom etc
3) Shopping cart: Do you need one? It's a necessity if you have more than one product if you have a single product then you might opt out of this feature.
4) Advertising & Promotion: How you are going to advertise and promote your website for attracting customers and increasing sales. There are a number of ways of doing this like banners, advertisements etc you will need to hole in on a few.
5) Your Budget: There are a lot of e-commerce solution providers available on the Internet but you should be having an idea of the dollar that you are ready to spend on them before you take the big leap as some of them have hidden costs. You may choose a package and then know that a few features that were not included cost you a lot when you buy them.
Depending on these points we can shortlist some basic features to look out for in our e-commerce solution service provider
1) Payment Options: What are the payment options available with the e-commerce service provider (ESP)?
2) Shipping: For international trade this is a necessity. Is your ESP providing it to you?
3) Web design/Hosting: How would you like the over all design of your store? Is the layout provided by the e-commerce service provider easy to use and understand for the customer?
4) Features: What extra features will you be looking for in your e-commerce package? Will you be content with payment, security, tax and shipping solution only or do you require more? This will require a thorough review of at least a few e-commerce solution providers and what you really need.
If you are a corporate body you will need to bring all your departments together to get their ideas on sales/promotion/advertising etc. It will be a day's hard work but the rewards will be substantial if proper planning is met with efficient execution.
These are a few different scenarios that you will find yourself in after you have listed all the points.
Should you opt for:
1) A ready to use e-commerce package.
2) Rent a space/store in a network-based e-commerce solution.
3) Ask a web designing company to build you a website from scratch
Most of the e-commerce solution providers will have a basic scheme where you can add a product/category, delete a product/category, check the order status, calculate shipping cost deducting taxes if any, owner can see all the list of purchases, he can make the item shipped, out of stock, credit card denied, etc.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
All About Ecommerce Implementation
New ways of doing business online are being market tested all the time, but consider these new possibilities with in a framework that minimizes risk for your business. E-commerce as well known as electronic commerce generally refers to selling your products and services over the Web. Electronic Commerce simply means buying and selling of goods and services across the Internet using web sites.
The benefits are often viewed from views such as benefits to organizations, benefits to consumers and benefits to the society at large. The benefits of E-Commerce for your include nominal costs, faster and more efficient processes and expanded markets. By using e-commerce solutions, you can offer customers convenient shopping methods, maintain strong customer relationships, and Stay competitive ahead. This is one of the easier methods to capture online customers.
The Asia Pacific is home to two-third of the world’s population presenting a large and lucrative e-commerce market. Some countries in the region have documented this opportunity and have taken the lead role and are now some of the influential in e-commerce from the world outlook. An ecommerce site can be as simple as a telephone index, can range all the way to a real time credit and processing site where customer can purchase downloadable goods and receive them on the spot.
The region being so diverse in many aspects presents certain challenges in the implementation of a successful e-commerce strategy. In spite of these challenges there are economies in the region that are so well advanced in the deployment of e-commerce strategies while at the same there are still economies in the region that are yet to fully enjoy the benefits of e-commerce in either the supply and consumption chain. The available evidence suggests that there is indeed a divide emerging between Asia Pacific member countries in so far as e-commerce initiatives are concerned.
E-Business is the formation of new, and the redesigning of obtainable value chains and business procedures by way of the application of information technology. E-Business is actually more than e-commerce. It in turn expands the extent of e-commerce to change the company and the industry itself.
The benefits are often viewed from views such as benefits to organizations, benefits to consumers and benefits to the society at large. The benefits of E-Commerce for your include nominal costs, faster and more efficient processes and expanded markets. By using e-commerce solutions, you can offer customers convenient shopping methods, maintain strong customer relationships, and Stay competitive ahead. This is one of the easier methods to capture online customers.
The Asia Pacific is home to two-third of the world’s population presenting a large and lucrative e-commerce market. Some countries in the region have documented this opportunity and have taken the lead role and are now some of the influential in e-commerce from the world outlook. An ecommerce site can be as simple as a telephone index, can range all the way to a real time credit and processing site where customer can purchase downloadable goods and receive them on the spot.
The region being so diverse in many aspects presents certain challenges in the implementation of a successful e-commerce strategy. In spite of these challenges there are economies in the region that are so well advanced in the deployment of e-commerce strategies while at the same there are still economies in the region that are yet to fully enjoy the benefits of e-commerce in either the supply and consumption chain. The available evidence suggests that there is indeed a divide emerging between Asia Pacific member countries in so far as e-commerce initiatives are concerned.
E-Business is the formation of new, and the redesigning of obtainable value chains and business procedures by way of the application of information technology. E-Business is actually more than e-commerce. It in turn expands the extent of e-commerce to change the company and the industry itself.
E-commerce Gets A Boost
A vast number (and an increasing proportion) of people have successfully started up an online e-commerce business. The software, training and backup are all easily, and relatively cheaply, available. But how expensive is the software and where can you go for the best platform or advice?
E-commerce is becoming one of the most successful internet business categories online today. As with everything, products and services need to constantly evolve and upgrade to meet demands and competition.
Microsoft’s programming language, the .NET Framework, has quickly become a hit with the E-commerce industry. The language lets programmers quickly write programs to connect, securitize, modify, and create E-commerce features or services. The ease of use, power, and security Microsoft can offer through this language has led it to become one of the leading E-commerce languages to program in.
Surprisingly, the language can be downloaded absolutely free - not bad at all. There are some 3rd party modifications that cost money, but aren’t required in making the next best E-commerce application. The integration of web service programming is what has made the language a hit- letting programmers program web services amazingly fast.
The .NET framework also has the capability of communicated with other languages, such as Visual C++ and Visual Basic. Overall, the language is rivaled by no other- both from its list of features and from its distribution as a free software from the good people at Microsoft. Prospective programmers will most likely be expected to learn the framework in the future, as it is rapidly growing and evolving.
The e-commerce business is set to continue its expansion in the coming years and the .NET framework will no doubt be of great benefit in this growth.
E-commerce is becoming one of the most successful internet business categories online today. As with everything, products and services need to constantly evolve and upgrade to meet demands and competition.
Microsoft’s programming language, the .NET Framework, has quickly become a hit with the E-commerce industry. The language lets programmers quickly write programs to connect, securitize, modify, and create E-commerce features or services. The ease of use, power, and security Microsoft can offer through this language has led it to become one of the leading E-commerce languages to program in.
Surprisingly, the language can be downloaded absolutely free - not bad at all. There are some 3rd party modifications that cost money, but aren’t required in making the next best E-commerce application. The integration of web service programming is what has made the language a hit- letting programmers program web services amazingly fast.
The .NET framework also has the capability of communicated with other languages, such as Visual C++ and Visual Basic. Overall, the language is rivaled by no other- both from its list of features and from its distribution as a free software from the good people at Microsoft. Prospective programmers will most likely be expected to learn the framework in the future, as it is rapidly growing and evolving.
The e-commerce business is set to continue its expansion in the coming years and the .NET framework will no doubt be of great benefit in this growth.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
E Commerce is a Hot Career Choice
Electronic Commerce or E Commerce is exactly analogous to a marketplace on the Internet. E Commerce consists primarily of the distributing, buying, selling, marketing and servicing of products or services over electronic systems such as the Internet and other computer networks.
What it is:
E Commerce covers a wide range of business activities and processes. E-Commerce professionals plan, manage, supervise, and market electronic business operations, products, and services provided online via the Internet. To be successful, businesses have to keep pace with the wants of consumers and offer their products or services online. Today’s global economy depends on those who have training in e commerce.
Training:
E-Commerce degrees and certificate programs combine conventional business disciplines with specialized courses in electronic commerce. Since e commerce is largely linked to technology, you will find that coursework will consist of things other than traditional business fundamentals. In E commerce training you will take classes such as database management, web design, systems analysis and Internet technologies. Other areas such as HTML, computer programming, cyber security and networking, routing will also be introduced. You will also take courses in customer service, business planning, marketing and financial management. This kind of curriculum can prepare you to succeed in the world of e commerce.
Outlook:
When you have solid e commerce training, job opportunities will present themselves. Those who are best qualified and have earned a degree in e commerce are in great demand. For many businesses in fact, employees are required to have knowledge of e commerce and e business.
* The U.S. Department of Commerce estimates that $1.6 trillion of shipments, revenues and sales in the U.S. in 2003 were E-commerce activity. What's more, E-commerce grew 11.2% from 2002 to 2003. E-commerce, by the U.S. Department of Commerce's definition, encompasses goods and services sold online, via open networks like the Internet.
What it is:
E Commerce covers a wide range of business activities and processes. E-Commerce professionals plan, manage, supervise, and market electronic business operations, products, and services provided online via the Internet. To be successful, businesses have to keep pace with the wants of consumers and offer their products or services online. Today’s global economy depends on those who have training in e commerce.
Training:
E-Commerce degrees and certificate programs combine conventional business disciplines with specialized courses in electronic commerce. Since e commerce is largely linked to technology, you will find that coursework will consist of things other than traditional business fundamentals. In E commerce training you will take classes such as database management, web design, systems analysis and Internet technologies. Other areas such as HTML, computer programming, cyber security and networking, routing will also be introduced. You will also take courses in customer service, business planning, marketing and financial management. This kind of curriculum can prepare you to succeed in the world of e commerce.
Outlook:
When you have solid e commerce training, job opportunities will present themselves. Those who are best qualified and have earned a degree in e commerce are in great demand. For many businesses in fact, employees are required to have knowledge of e commerce and e business.
* The U.S. Department of Commerce estimates that $1.6 trillion of shipments, revenues and sales in the U.S. in 2003 were E-commerce activity. What's more, E-commerce grew 11.2% from 2002 to 2003. E-commerce, by the U.S. Department of Commerce's definition, encompasses goods and services sold online, via open networks like the Internet.
What is Mobile Commerce (M-Commerce)?
Overview : Internet now can be browsed by PDA and Mobile devices. Mobile Screens are increasing day by day. Mobile users love to check e-mails and many other applications on their mobile devices. e-business or e-commerce turning into mobile commerce.
What is Mobile Commerce (m-commerce)?
E-commerce will coming soon become Mobile Commerce (m-commerce) because mobile devices are more user friendly than computer. Peoples checking movies details and many other useful information on their mobile devices. Many companies accepting payment by SMS payment system. In future Mobile Commerce (m-commerce) will be sales and marketing showcase, educational application for companies.
Why Mobile Commerce (m-commerce)?
Companies can use Mobile Commerce (m-commerce) to increase sales of their products and services. Mobile commerce can bring huge buyers for companies.
Benefits of Mobile Commerce (m-commerce)
* Buyers can access products catalog on their mobile devices.
* Companies can do promotions
* Companies can show products.
* Customers can price details from any palce.
How Mobile Commerce (m-commerce) can help Companies?
Companies can make websites for mobile devices, which is popularly known as WAP or Wireless Application Protocol. Companies can make online catalogs of products and services so that mobile users can access that catalog from their mobile devices. Companies can offer their services for mobile users bigest community.
What is Mobile Commerce (m-commerce)?
E-commerce will coming soon become Mobile Commerce (m-commerce) because mobile devices are more user friendly than computer. Peoples checking movies details and many other useful information on their mobile devices. Many companies accepting payment by SMS payment system. In future Mobile Commerce (m-commerce) will be sales and marketing showcase, educational application for companies.
Why Mobile Commerce (m-commerce)?
Companies can use Mobile Commerce (m-commerce) to increase sales of their products and services. Mobile commerce can bring huge buyers for companies.
Benefits of Mobile Commerce (m-commerce)
* Buyers can access products catalog on their mobile devices.
* Companies can do promotions
* Companies can show products.
* Customers can price details from any palce.
How Mobile Commerce (m-commerce) can help Companies?
Companies can make websites for mobile devices, which is popularly known as WAP or Wireless Application Protocol. Companies can make online catalogs of products and services so that mobile users can access that catalog from their mobile devices. Companies can offer their services for mobile users bigest community.
Monday, October 15, 2007
3 Article Marketing Tips You Must Not Miss
Before we go into the top 3 article marketing tips, you need to know that article marketing is a powerful website promotion strategy that can be used to your advantage. Search engine provides the best traffic – both targeted and warm. And they exist to provide good information to their searchers. As such, articles with good content carry much weight in the search engines. So without delay, let us take a look at 3 critical article marketing tips that will get you what you want – traffic, credibility, subscriber and sales.
Article Marketing Tip 1 – Write For Your Readers
Did I say you need to write what your readers want and not what you want? Article marketing is good for ranking in the search engine for targeted keywords for traffic, building your credibility as an authority, and getting subscribers and sales. But you must not forget that in order to achieve that, you need to give them what they are looking for.
Search the forums and search engines to read up some of the posts and comments made by your targeted audience. What do they want? Offer that in your article and they will read your content.
Article Marketing Tip 2 – Promote With Your Articles
Many online authors do not fully understand the power of article marketing. Using articles, you have a piece of good online advertisement to presell your prospects. At the same time, the resource box link gives you a good backlink from a reputable article directory with high PR. This is a SEO technique that boosts your chances of ranking top in the search engines.
Another advantage is that other webmasters may find your article well-written and publish it on their websites, giving you more backlinks and indirect traffic from their websites. They may even publish it to their email newsletters, giving your content and website more exposure. So the trick is to craft your article to presell, and submit your articles to as many article directories as possible.
Article Marketing Tip 3 – Improve the Quality of Your Content
There are two kinds of online writers. One that writes low quality articles just for backlinks and the other focuses more on providing excellent quality articles. What is the difference between the two?
Writing simple articles take a short time and probably, you can be churing out such articles within 20 to 30 minutes per article. But these are not going to get lots of readers but since you have dozens of them, they could all add up.
Spending time doing research for the content takes time but the result is a piece of fine work that gets a lot of attention from readers and the search engines. I personally have written articles that get 1000s of visitors every month so I can understand the power of research and creating reader-worthy content.
If you ask me which is the better option, I will tell you that writing a quality article is the best choice.
I hope you have learnt much from these 3 article marketing tips. Discover more powerful techniques in article marketing as well as other free website promotion strategies from my free report.
Article Marketing Tip 1 – Write For Your Readers
Did I say you need to write what your readers want and not what you want? Article marketing is good for ranking in the search engine for targeted keywords for traffic, building your credibility as an authority, and getting subscribers and sales. But you must not forget that in order to achieve that, you need to give them what they are looking for.
Search the forums and search engines to read up some of the posts and comments made by your targeted audience. What do they want? Offer that in your article and they will read your content.
Article Marketing Tip 2 – Promote With Your Articles
Many online authors do not fully understand the power of article marketing. Using articles, you have a piece of good online advertisement to presell your prospects. At the same time, the resource box link gives you a good backlink from a reputable article directory with high PR. This is a SEO technique that boosts your chances of ranking top in the search engines.
Another advantage is that other webmasters may find your article well-written and publish it on their websites, giving you more backlinks and indirect traffic from their websites. They may even publish it to their email newsletters, giving your content and website more exposure. So the trick is to craft your article to presell, and submit your articles to as many article directories as possible.
Article Marketing Tip 3 – Improve the Quality of Your Content
There are two kinds of online writers. One that writes low quality articles just for backlinks and the other focuses more on providing excellent quality articles. What is the difference between the two?
Writing simple articles take a short time and probably, you can be churing out such articles within 20 to 30 minutes per article. But these are not going to get lots of readers but since you have dozens of them, they could all add up.
Spending time doing research for the content takes time but the result is a piece of fine work that gets a lot of attention from readers and the search engines. I personally have written articles that get 1000s of visitors every month so I can understand the power of research and creating reader-worthy content.
If you ask me which is the better option, I will tell you that writing a quality article is the best choice.
I hope you have learnt much from these 3 article marketing tips. Discover more powerful techniques in article marketing as well as other free website promotion strategies from my free report.
Automating Your Online Business Ecommerce Services
Automated services as they relate to e-commerce operations are quickly redefining the way entrepreneurs can conduct business online. Quite simply, automation involves replacing the finite processing capabilities of the entrepreneur with the virtually infinite processing capabilities of his or her computer. In this regard, automation is making it possible for ambitious individuals everywhere to run a fully functioning e-business from the comfort of their own home.
There are many Automated Services available that you can find throughout the Internet, but when it comes to running your own e-business, finding a top solution as an absolute necessity. Even with the slightest temptation to settle for a merely average solution can end up costing you dearly in time and money down the road. You can easily avoid this scenario simply by taking the time from the start to identify a great solution now.
Today's Automated Services: Integrating and Synchronizing
As you research the many automated services for e-businesses that are available, you'll find many that only offer a sort of fragmented solution. In other words, you might find a service offering an automated ad tracking system, or another service offering automated affiliate management, or automated mailing list management, and so on. These programs are effective in their own right, but assembling an entire automated solution from these diverse parts is going to be anything but effective.
Essentially, you'll end up spending far too much money to compile a total system, when all along you would have had the opportunity to buy a fully integrated solution from the beginning. These solutions are quickly catching on among enterprising individuals simply because they address so many of the aspects of e-business development. Email programs, ad tracking, affiliate programs, virtual shopping cart systems--these processes and more are all incorporated into today's leading automated solutions.
When you combine all of these processes into one solution, the results in terms of efficiency, order processing, and overall sales can be quite dramatic. Essentially, you're able to do the work of a full staff of marketers, sales reps, programmers and more all by yourself, and there's no limit to the level of sales that you can generate. Basically, a leading automated solution will accommodate your ambition, no matter how far you wish to take it.
Automating Your E-Business: It's Easier Than You Think
Automating your e-business is not going to be some complicated, time-consuming process that turns out to be more trouble than it's worth. In contrast, leading automated services are going to make the process as easy as signing up for an account with that service. From that point on, you'll be able to take advantage of all the benefits that an automated e-commerce solution can provide.
If you've been working extremely hard to grow your online business, but are finding that you're having to spend too much time either trying to develop each process of your business, or trying to get your various systems to work together, automated services could be the perfect solution. More and more online entrepreneurs are beginning to find that working hard can produce exceptional results, but only when the full complement of today's leading e-commerce technology is utilized. If you've grown frustrated with your current solution, it's the perfect time to at least take a closer look at what today's advanced automated technology has to offer.
Focusing on the Bottom Line
The bottom line for any e-business is sales, and with a leading automated program in place, sales are exactly what you can expect to generate. Those sales will be simple product of streamlining and integrating every aspect of your business to achieve the maximum level of efficiency. It's a relatively simple process, all in all, that is well within your capabilities when you move to a cutting-edge automated e-business solution.
There are many Automated Services available that you can find throughout the Internet, but when it comes to running your own e-business, finding a top solution as an absolute necessity. Even with the slightest temptation to settle for a merely average solution can end up costing you dearly in time and money down the road. You can easily avoid this scenario simply by taking the time from the start to identify a great solution now.
Today's Automated Services: Integrating and Synchronizing
As you research the many automated services for e-businesses that are available, you'll find many that only offer a sort of fragmented solution. In other words, you might find a service offering an automated ad tracking system, or another service offering automated affiliate management, or automated mailing list management, and so on. These programs are effective in their own right, but assembling an entire automated solution from these diverse parts is going to be anything but effective.
Essentially, you'll end up spending far too much money to compile a total system, when all along you would have had the opportunity to buy a fully integrated solution from the beginning. These solutions are quickly catching on among enterprising individuals simply because they address so many of the aspects of e-business development. Email programs, ad tracking, affiliate programs, virtual shopping cart systems--these processes and more are all incorporated into today's leading automated solutions.
When you combine all of these processes into one solution, the results in terms of efficiency, order processing, and overall sales can be quite dramatic. Essentially, you're able to do the work of a full staff of marketers, sales reps, programmers and more all by yourself, and there's no limit to the level of sales that you can generate. Basically, a leading automated solution will accommodate your ambition, no matter how far you wish to take it.
Automating Your E-Business: It's Easier Than You Think
Automating your e-business is not going to be some complicated, time-consuming process that turns out to be more trouble than it's worth. In contrast, leading automated services are going to make the process as easy as signing up for an account with that service. From that point on, you'll be able to take advantage of all the benefits that an automated e-commerce solution can provide.
If you've been working extremely hard to grow your online business, but are finding that you're having to spend too much time either trying to develop each process of your business, or trying to get your various systems to work together, automated services could be the perfect solution. More and more online entrepreneurs are beginning to find that working hard can produce exceptional results, but only when the full complement of today's leading e-commerce technology is utilized. If you've grown frustrated with your current solution, it's the perfect time to at least take a closer look at what today's advanced automated technology has to offer.
Focusing on the Bottom Line
The bottom line for any e-business is sales, and with a leading automated program in place, sales are exactly what you can expect to generate. Those sales will be simple product of streamlining and integrating every aspect of your business to achieve the maximum level of efficiency. It's a relatively simple process, all in all, that is well within your capabilities when you move to a cutting-edge automated e-business solution.
Friday, October 12, 2007
Ecommerce Software And The Changing Utility Of The Internet
The Internet proved to be extremely promising from the very start. At first, people respected it for its wealth of information. When the first e-mail service began operations, it became a new sensation in the communication world. Then search engines happened upon the scene and made it infinitely easier for people to sift through all the information on the Internet in a matter of seconds.
As the Internet evolves, it is now frequently used today for e-business and e-commerce. Clarification of the buzzwords e-business and e-business is important. Electronic commerce is the buying and selling of products, services, and information on networks such as the Internet. Electronic business encompasses any business conducted via the Internet, including e-commerce, dealing with customers, working with business partners, and other business to business communication.
The difference between e-commerce and e-business can be rather tricky to define in neutral terms. We might say that e-commerce involves the buying and selling of goods, services, and information over the internet. E-business, on the other hand, also includes other aspects of business conducted over the internet, including customer service and business collaboration. An ecommerce based website functions exclusively with ecommerce shopping cart software. There are so many quality options out there, designed specifically to make starting your online store as simple as possible. You really need to find a multipurpose ecommerce store platform that comes with built-in features to organize inventory, deal with credit cards, and doling out offers and discounts.
The shopping cart program utilized by ecommerce software should be dynamic and expandable. It should have a powerful templating subsystem to allow for unique and comfortable design development, allowing for creativity. Additionally, custom development and web design services at a decent price point are highly desirable and will provide clients with a top-notch custom commerce solution. Not only that, any ecommerce software should be scalable too with various extension add-ons available to allow start selling online with basic functionality extended later. Add-on development like API is open, so any additional modules can be designed freely and then uploaded when needed on the website.
It is important that ecommerce software be easy to use. Such software should permit simple management of an online shopping site using a web browser and quick switching of the overall look of the storefront by changing templates.
As the Internet evolves, it is now frequently used today for e-business and e-commerce. Clarification of the buzzwords e-business and e-business is important. Electronic commerce is the buying and selling of products, services, and information on networks such as the Internet. Electronic business encompasses any business conducted via the Internet, including e-commerce, dealing with customers, working with business partners, and other business to business communication.
The difference between e-commerce and e-business can be rather tricky to define in neutral terms. We might say that e-commerce involves the buying and selling of goods, services, and information over the internet. E-business, on the other hand, also includes other aspects of business conducted over the internet, including customer service and business collaboration. An ecommerce based website functions exclusively with ecommerce shopping cart software. There are so many quality options out there, designed specifically to make starting your online store as simple as possible. You really need to find a multipurpose ecommerce store platform that comes with built-in features to organize inventory, deal with credit cards, and doling out offers and discounts.
The shopping cart program utilized by ecommerce software should be dynamic and expandable. It should have a powerful templating subsystem to allow for unique and comfortable design development, allowing for creativity. Additionally, custom development and web design services at a decent price point are highly desirable and will provide clients with a top-notch custom commerce solution. Not only that, any ecommerce software should be scalable too with various extension add-ons available to allow start selling online with basic functionality extended later. Add-on development like API is open, so any additional modules can be designed freely and then uploaded when needed on the website.
It is important that ecommerce software be easy to use. Such software should permit simple management of an online shopping site using a web browser and quick switching of the overall look of the storefront by changing templates.
How E-Commerce Works
The first thing that you need to understand is how e-commerce works: A consumer, or potential customer, accesses the Internet and navigates to your Web site. If you have a brick-and-mortar business, you'll want to have vital information on your Web site so that your customers can find you; this would be a static Web site. This may include current products that are on special as well as other product listings that make consumers believe that your business is where they want to make their purchase and is both appealing and a good value to the consumer.
Likewise, if you have an online business, you'll want to convince your potential customers or Web site browsers to make a purchase for the products you are selling from your Web site. Once consumers decide that they're ready to make a purchase, they'll need to be guided to an online transaction or secure Web server so that you can collect their personal and payment information using a secure encryption method. It is possible to create a Web site that can collect credit card and other sensitive data without offering encryption; however, most savvy shoppers will never enter credit card information into a nonsecure Web site. Therefore, we highly discourage any attempt to create a simple shopping cart that does not include secure socket layer encryption of personal or sensitive data. Operating a Web site without encryption for personal or credit card data is a sure-fire formula for disaster and loss of potential customers.
To enable your Web site for e-commerce, you must install and configure your products in a shopping cart. It is important to recognize the elements of a credit card transaction: your Web site contains the product pricing, description, and images, and the shopping cart is embedded into your Web site and stores the dynamic data regarding your product. When he or she is ready to "check out" from the Web site store, the customer typically clicks a "checkout" button and is taken to the encrypted version of the company Web site. The customer will typically continue with the checkout process by calculating shipping costs, entering personal information such as credit card data and a shipping address, and securely completing the transaction. All credit card companies charge a percentage of the sale as an overhead fee for using their credit processing services. The added service layer between your credit card processor and your Web site is known as a transaction service or gateway service. This layer recognizes an e-commerce transaction, performs immediate credit card authorization, and processes the transaction. While this service is not uncommon, it does add a layer of cost to operating your Web site. There are two distinct possibilities that account for how your order may be processed: after the order has been placed, all of the necessary information travels through a private gateway toward the "transaction/gateway processing network." This processing network is where the transaction is approved or denied, depending on the credit history of the consumer and the funds available. Although this may seem like a long process, it takes only a few seconds to complete. For the business owner, offering an e-commerce service is an added service and an added fee.
Another lower-cost option is to eliminate the transaction/gateway processing network. Many Web site owners prefer to manually "run" credit card payments through their desktop credit card processing/authorization systems and merely use the shopping cart as an order processing and retrieval system, where the credit card is processed manually after the online session is completed. This low-cost alternative eliminates the cost of the middle-tier authorization and does not affect what the consumer sees after completing the checkout process. With both options, the consumer should be sent an order confirmation by e-mail.
As mentioned, you will be able to use many different systems of payment to accommodate your online transactions, depending on how many transactions you average in one day. No matter what type of payment method you choose, you need to ensure that it is encrypted and secure so that the privacy and personal information of your customers is never jeopardized. As a reminder, never operate a Web site where you collect personal data or financial information without offering a secure and encrypted connection.
Likewise, if you have an online business, you'll want to convince your potential customers or Web site browsers to make a purchase for the products you are selling from your Web site. Once consumers decide that they're ready to make a purchase, they'll need to be guided to an online transaction or secure Web server so that you can collect their personal and payment information using a secure encryption method. It is possible to create a Web site that can collect credit card and other sensitive data without offering encryption; however, most savvy shoppers will never enter credit card information into a nonsecure Web site. Therefore, we highly discourage any attempt to create a simple shopping cart that does not include secure socket layer encryption of personal or sensitive data. Operating a Web site without encryption for personal or credit card data is a sure-fire formula for disaster and loss of potential customers.
To enable your Web site for e-commerce, you must install and configure your products in a shopping cart. It is important to recognize the elements of a credit card transaction: your Web site contains the product pricing, description, and images, and the shopping cart is embedded into your Web site and stores the dynamic data regarding your product. When he or she is ready to "check out" from the Web site store, the customer typically clicks a "checkout" button and is taken to the encrypted version of the company Web site. The customer will typically continue with the checkout process by calculating shipping costs, entering personal information such as credit card data and a shipping address, and securely completing the transaction. All credit card companies charge a percentage of the sale as an overhead fee for using their credit processing services. The added service layer between your credit card processor and your Web site is known as a transaction service or gateway service. This layer recognizes an e-commerce transaction, performs immediate credit card authorization, and processes the transaction. While this service is not uncommon, it does add a layer of cost to operating your Web site. There are two distinct possibilities that account for how your order may be processed: after the order has been placed, all of the necessary information travels through a private gateway toward the "transaction/gateway processing network." This processing network is where the transaction is approved or denied, depending on the credit history of the consumer and the funds available. Although this may seem like a long process, it takes only a few seconds to complete. For the business owner, offering an e-commerce service is an added service and an added fee.
Another lower-cost option is to eliminate the transaction/gateway processing network. Many Web site owners prefer to manually "run" credit card payments through their desktop credit card processing/authorization systems and merely use the shopping cart as an order processing and retrieval system, where the credit card is processed manually after the online session is completed. This low-cost alternative eliminates the cost of the middle-tier authorization and does not affect what the consumer sees after completing the checkout process. With both options, the consumer should be sent an order confirmation by e-mail.
As mentioned, you will be able to use many different systems of payment to accommodate your online transactions, depending on how many transactions you average in one day. No matter what type of payment method you choose, you need to ensure that it is encrypted and secure so that the privacy and personal information of your customers is never jeopardized. As a reminder, never operate a Web site where you collect personal data or financial information without offering a secure and encrypted connection.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Ecommerce Hosting - Online Selling Solutions
If you wish to start an online store like a magazine subscription service you need to search for ecommerce hosting services. Today we have many sites that do these jobs. They offer you similar facilities and services yet different companies may have different charges. The money is generally charged on monthly basis. As we are aware that even Internet is prone to frauds so it is best to hire services from a reputable service provider.
At first look for a provider. As I said before there're a lot of ecommerce hosting to choose from on the web. Afterwards, after you have chosen a service, spend some time to build your own internet site. Design is very important since the most beautiful web sites will get more visits. A simple, plane and easy to navigate web site will likely be appreciated by your possible customers.
Once you are ready with the online store its time now to put some products in it that you want to sell. You should create some categories and then keep products in them. The product must have a product description. Besides that you should also try to upload its image if available so that the customer is able to view its photograph also. These links should also look attractive like the whole website.
To let people use their credit cards, you should have a business account to receive the bills which are paid by credit cards. When you have online shopping cart on your shop,the dealing becomes easier and can be carried out without any complications. Ecommerce hosting services cater to these kind of e shopping carts and it is better when the user can select whatever he wants.
Eventually, think about security for the new web shop to avoid hackers to attack it from the outside to steal credit cards numbers or any other information. To have a hacker-proof shop will create credibility and trust for the new store since your customers know that any private info is sound. So security is a requirement, since customers will return if you are able to gain their trust.
This is a fairly easy guide to follow when setting up an online store using ecommerce hosting services available on the Internet. As a last tip, when your store starts taking off, use software such as Quickbooks to manage funds and keep track of transactions. Good luck with your new online store!
At first look for a provider. As I said before there're a lot of ecommerce hosting to choose from on the web. Afterwards, after you have chosen a service, spend some time to build your own internet site. Design is very important since the most beautiful web sites will get more visits. A simple, plane and easy to navigate web site will likely be appreciated by your possible customers.
Once you are ready with the online store its time now to put some products in it that you want to sell. You should create some categories and then keep products in them. The product must have a product description. Besides that you should also try to upload its image if available so that the customer is able to view its photograph also. These links should also look attractive like the whole website.
To let people use their credit cards, you should have a business account to receive the bills which are paid by credit cards. When you have online shopping cart on your shop,the dealing becomes easier and can be carried out without any complications. Ecommerce hosting services cater to these kind of e shopping carts and it is better when the user can select whatever he wants.
Eventually, think about security for the new web shop to avoid hackers to attack it from the outside to steal credit cards numbers or any other information. To have a hacker-proof shop will create credibility and trust for the new store since your customers know that any private info is sound. So security is a requirement, since customers will return if you are able to gain their trust.
This is a fairly easy guide to follow when setting up an online store using ecommerce hosting services available on the Internet. As a last tip, when your store starts taking off, use software such as Quickbooks to manage funds and keep track of transactions. Good luck with your new online store!
Free Ecommerce Hosting
Finding the right ecommerce host that will match your company’s needs, wants and demands is quite a challenge. Due to the overwhelming demands for web hosting, numerous ecommerce hosting service providers offer many options to choose from, and you should look for the best and most cost-effective ecommerce hosting company out there. Do some research and compare as many ecommerce web hosting service providers as possible.
Ecommerce hosting is one very potentially profitable business. The hosting charge varies based on the services, supports and the types, quality and quantity of the features provided. Even though some of the hosting companies do offer their services for free, there are many varied ways for them to make a profit – the most popular being that of selling ads to the prospective clients that are hosted on their websites. However, this type of ecommerce hosting offers no security and/or guaranteed service. Records of free ecommerce hosting show the instability, as they tend to close down within weeks, months and first year of operation. There are even those that close down within a span of a day or two. In such cases, the free ecommerce hosting proves to be effective for personal advances such as the posting of personal information, family photographs, and profiles, and for individuals who seek the fundamentals of web hosting by experimenting with programming scripts.
It never fails to verify how quite dependable a certain ecommerce hosting service provider can get by checking out the various websites that are currently owned and being maintained by the company or companies.
Ecommerce hosting is one very potentially profitable business. The hosting charge varies based on the services, supports and the types, quality and quantity of the features provided. Even though some of the hosting companies do offer their services for free, there are many varied ways for them to make a profit – the most popular being that of selling ads to the prospective clients that are hosted on their websites. However, this type of ecommerce hosting offers no security and/or guaranteed service. Records of free ecommerce hosting show the instability, as they tend to close down within weeks, months and first year of operation. There are even those that close down within a span of a day or two. In such cases, the free ecommerce hosting proves to be effective for personal advances such as the posting of personal information, family photographs, and profiles, and for individuals who seek the fundamentals of web hosting by experimenting with programming scripts.
It never fails to verify how quite dependable a certain ecommerce hosting service provider can get by checking out the various websites that are currently owned and being maintained by the company or companies.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
McAfee sets e-commerce boost for SiteAdvisor
We have antiphishing technologies today that try to assure that you don't connect to a site that's imitating a legitimate business," he says. "We can now combine the McAfee content with the SiteAdvisor database and make that a much more powerful solution."
In April, McAfee paid more than $70 million for SiteAdvisor, a remarkable sum for a 14-person company that had just released its first product, a free browser plug-in. But McAfee says SiteAdvisor will be a key point of differentiation from competitors Symantec and Microsoft.
The SiteAdvisor product is compelling to McAfee, the company says, because it focuses on something that most security software isn't doing: helping users "make better decisions about how they use risky areas of the "Net," says Christopher Bolin, McAfee's chief technology officer, speaking at the company's financial analyst conference this week.
SiteAdvisor works with Web browsers to warn people when they are about to visit a site that's been associated with spam.spyware or computer viruses. The company has built a database of Website ratings, combined from millions of automated visits.
The company had been planning to release a premium version of SiteAdvisor in September, but that target has now been pushed back to year's end because of the acquisition.
In April, McAfee paid more than $70 million for SiteAdvisor, a remarkable sum for a 14-person company that had just released its first product, a free browser plug-in. But McAfee says SiteAdvisor will be a key point of differentiation from competitors Symantec and Microsoft.
The SiteAdvisor product is compelling to McAfee, the company says, because it focuses on something that most security software isn't doing: helping users "make better decisions about how they use risky areas of the "Net," says Christopher Bolin, McAfee's chief technology officer, speaking at the company's financial analyst conference this week.
SiteAdvisor works with Web browsers to warn people when they are about to visit a site that's been associated with spam.spyware or computer viruses. The company has built a database of Website ratings, combined from millions of automated visits.
The company had been planning to release a premium version of SiteAdvisor in September, but that target has now been pushed back to year's end because of the acquisition.
Art online: when it comes to establishing an online presence, artists and publishers are pushing the envelope with their cyber initiatives
"The Internet will eventually rival sales of physical products made in brick-and-mortar stores," predicts Barbara Brundage, president of Printscapes.com, a division of Pacific Stock Inc., an online company specializing in imagery from the Pacific Rim. "The Internet is the perfect medium to sell art, offering easy viewing of many more items than any store could ever offer."
Whether art companies are simply beefing up their online presence to boost exposure, or they are building their entire business models around it, the Web can be a powerful tool--if used with the proper strategy and integrity in regards to the art world.
"I think there's a new consumer--a Gen Y consumer--who is very tech-savvy and gets most of his or her information online," says Steve McKenzie, chief curator of Artaissance, an online art provider that allows consumers to choose one of its 2,000-plus images online and pick up the finished framed piece at a participating local frameshop. "As the industry matures, we have to adapt to the way consumers buy online."
After researching the buying habits of online shoppers, and with the knowledge that Gen Y (a generation of individuals who have grown up with instant options for virtually everything) will approach an income level that surpasses that of the baby boomers, McKenzie sought to create a flexible online art offering that allowed consumers to purchase "art their style and for their space." With search capabilities for artist, interest, color, style, setting, edition type and orientation, Artaissance provides an interactive experience that's specific to every customer.
But McKenzie still sees the value in the traditional brick-and-mortar experience. "Artaissance is the marriage of an online platform and the traditional brick-and-mortar experience," McKenzie explains. "The Internet provides the perfect way to browse artwork, but many still want to have the assurance of a brick-and-mortar behind it."
One admitted challenge of selling art online is the ability of consumers to connect with a piece because most art Web sites don't provide much more than an artist's biography. McKenzie's solution: videos created by the artists to personalize the art and bring back the human element.
Promoting the quality of the art offered through Artaissance was also important to McKenzie. "I think you have to work hard to explain to your consumers what they are getting," he says. "With Artaissance, you really are getting a fine-art reproduction."
Testing in the Atlanta, Indianapolis and San Francisco markets, Artaissance is poised to launch nationwide by the end of 2007. Artaissance isn't currently advertising to the consumer market, but it has been featured in Domino magazine and USA Today. The company plans on reaching tech-savvy consumers in other ways that are more directly tied to the Web.
Richard Gipe, president of Art-Exchange.com, took a different approach to online art with a business-to-business initiative that began in 1995.
"I was an investment banker [with] access to the various stock exchanges," Gipe explains. "When I moved into the art [industry], there were no comparable resources to locate needed art. It appeared both buyers and sellers of art would benefit from such an exchange, and it appeared it would be relatively inexpensive (by way of comparison to what it cost to build the NYSE and NASDAQ) to build an art exchange given the maturity of the Internet. So, I put my investment banker hat back on, raised the capital and built Art-Exchange.com."
Designed to serve the needs of the supply side of the fine-art market--artists, publishers and other sellers--and the purchase side--designers and dealers--Art-Exchange brings professionals an array of services that make the selling and buying of art more efficient.
Whether art companies are simply beefing up their online presence to boost exposure, or they are building their entire business models around it, the Web can be a powerful tool--if used with the proper strategy and integrity in regards to the art world.
"I think there's a new consumer--a Gen Y consumer--who is very tech-savvy and gets most of his or her information online," says Steve McKenzie, chief curator of Artaissance, an online art provider that allows consumers to choose one of its 2,000-plus images online and pick up the finished framed piece at a participating local frameshop. "As the industry matures, we have to adapt to the way consumers buy online."
After researching the buying habits of online shoppers, and with the knowledge that Gen Y (a generation of individuals who have grown up with instant options for virtually everything) will approach an income level that surpasses that of the baby boomers, McKenzie sought to create a flexible online art offering that allowed consumers to purchase "art their style and for their space." With search capabilities for artist, interest, color, style, setting, edition type and orientation, Artaissance provides an interactive experience that's specific to every customer.
But McKenzie still sees the value in the traditional brick-and-mortar experience. "Artaissance is the marriage of an online platform and the traditional brick-and-mortar experience," McKenzie explains. "The Internet provides the perfect way to browse artwork, but many still want to have the assurance of a brick-and-mortar behind it."
One admitted challenge of selling art online is the ability of consumers to connect with a piece because most art Web sites don't provide much more than an artist's biography. McKenzie's solution: videos created by the artists to personalize the art and bring back the human element.
Promoting the quality of the art offered through Artaissance was also important to McKenzie. "I think you have to work hard to explain to your consumers what they are getting," he says. "With Artaissance, you really are getting a fine-art reproduction."
Testing in the Atlanta, Indianapolis and San Francisco markets, Artaissance is poised to launch nationwide by the end of 2007. Artaissance isn't currently advertising to the consumer market, but it has been featured in Domino magazine and USA Today. The company plans on reaching tech-savvy consumers in other ways that are more directly tied to the Web.
Richard Gipe, president of Art-Exchange.com, took a different approach to online art with a business-to-business initiative that began in 1995.
"I was an investment banker [with] access to the various stock exchanges," Gipe explains. "When I moved into the art [industry], there were no comparable resources to locate needed art. It appeared both buyers and sellers of art would benefit from such an exchange, and it appeared it would be relatively inexpensive (by way of comparison to what it cost to build the NYSE and NASDAQ) to build an art exchange given the maturity of the Internet. So, I put my investment banker hat back on, raised the capital and built Art-Exchange.com."
Designed to serve the needs of the supply side of the fine-art market--artists, publishers and other sellers--and the purchase side--designers and dealers--Art-Exchange brings professionals an array of services that make the selling and buying of art more efficient.
Monday, October 08, 2007
Double play: could sending a paper catalog to customers boost your e-commerce business?
Catalogs also work well as a channel for e-tailers because they can easily leverage the Web site's marketing, creative, infrastructure and fulfillment systems and repurpose them for a catalog. "They can use the same call center that's listed on the [toll-free] number for the Web site, for instance," says Dawn Brozeck, a senior analyst at Nielsen//NetRatings, a Web traffic anaylsis firm with head quarters in New York City.
Catalogs also reinforce an e-tailer's brand. Especially for growing businesses, they are a quick and easy way to add legitimacy to your company. An e-tailer with a multichannel presence appears as "more established" to consumers.
Taking the Plunge
Gift Services Inc. dba GiftTree (www. gifttree.com) is just one e-tailer that has made catalogs a key part of its marketing plan. Online since 1997, the Vancouver, Washington, online seller of gift baskets targeting the corporate market sent out its first catalog to 60,000 customers and prospects during last year's holiday season. According to Craig Bowen, 41, GiftTree's CEO and co-founder (with Esther Diez, also 41), catalogs are a necessary marketing tool for e-tailers. Catalogs keep e-tailers "top of mind" with customers and ultimately encourage those customers to come back for more.
"Our customers typically have purchased with our competition, and the company they purchase with next is the company that's in the right place at the right time," says Bowen, whose company had sales of $12 million last year. "It allows consumers to [shop for couches] at home, then [be] reminded about your company when they're leaning against theft kitchen counters--and then they place the order online" Without a catalog he warns, "They might forget about you altogether."
GiftTree decided to create and design its catalog in-house. Employees took photographs of GiftTree's products in the company's own photo studio. The company hired a printer to print and manufacture the catalogs, and then mailed the catalogs through the USPS.
Since the catalog was launched in tandem with other fliers it printed--and since GiftTree used in-house employees for the work--Bowen could not provide an exact figure for how much the whole project cost. However, taking on this kind of project is "definitely not cheap," Bowen says, adding that it can cost at least $100,000 once you factor in the costs of hiring an agency to produce it, in addition to printing, mailing and perhaps buying or renting a prospect list.
But for those who can afford it, a Web site and a catalog make the perfect marriage, says Bowen, who adds that launching the catalog was a logical channel for GiftTree to explore. The company's fulfillment system was already in place, ready to take orders. And GiftTree had already collected the names and addresses of customers to whom it could send catalogs.
Risks and Rewards
Considering all the work and expense inherent in such an endeavor, is launching a catalog really worth it? "Definitely," says Bowen. "We saw a lift in sales." In fact, GiftTree is already planning to send out a second holiday catalog this November.
"There's a reason people do catalogs," Bowen explains. "They work. If you make a very beautiful catalog, and it's got what [consumers] want in it when they see it, they are far more likely to order from you than if you didn't send them something."
In reality, not every e-taller will have the funds required to launch a full-fledged catalog. An affordable option for business owners on a budget is to send out postcards or brochures as a way to keep in contact with customers. "It's really just reminding your customers that they're important," Bowen says. "If you can't print a beautiful catalog, maybe it's a better idea to save your money and instead offer your customers a dollar-off postcard."
Catalogs also reinforce an e-tailer's brand. Especially for growing businesses, they are a quick and easy way to add legitimacy to your company. An e-tailer with a multichannel presence appears as "more established" to consumers.
Taking the Plunge
Gift Services Inc. dba GiftTree (www. gifttree.com) is just one e-tailer that has made catalogs a key part of its marketing plan. Online since 1997, the Vancouver, Washington, online seller of gift baskets targeting the corporate market sent out its first catalog to 60,000 customers and prospects during last year's holiday season. According to Craig Bowen, 41, GiftTree's CEO and co-founder (with Esther Diez, also 41), catalogs are a necessary marketing tool for e-tailers. Catalogs keep e-tailers "top of mind" with customers and ultimately encourage those customers to come back for more.
"Our customers typically have purchased with our competition, and the company they purchase with next is the company that's in the right place at the right time," says Bowen, whose company had sales of $12 million last year. "It allows consumers to [shop for couches] at home, then [be] reminded about your company when they're leaning against theft kitchen counters--and then they place the order online" Without a catalog he warns, "They might forget about you altogether."
GiftTree decided to create and design its catalog in-house. Employees took photographs of GiftTree's products in the company's own photo studio. The company hired a printer to print and manufacture the catalogs, and then mailed the catalogs through the USPS.
Since the catalog was launched in tandem with other fliers it printed--and since GiftTree used in-house employees for the work--Bowen could not provide an exact figure for how much the whole project cost. However, taking on this kind of project is "definitely not cheap," Bowen says, adding that it can cost at least $100,000 once you factor in the costs of hiring an agency to produce it, in addition to printing, mailing and perhaps buying or renting a prospect list.
But for those who can afford it, a Web site and a catalog make the perfect marriage, says Bowen, who adds that launching the catalog was a logical channel for GiftTree to explore. The company's fulfillment system was already in place, ready to take orders. And GiftTree had already collected the names and addresses of customers to whom it could send catalogs.
Risks and Rewards
Considering all the work and expense inherent in such an endeavor, is launching a catalog really worth it? "Definitely," says Bowen. "We saw a lift in sales." In fact, GiftTree is already planning to send out a second holiday catalog this November.
"There's a reason people do catalogs," Bowen explains. "They work. If you make a very beautiful catalog, and it's got what [consumers] want in it when they see it, they are far more likely to order from you than if you didn't send them something."
In reality, not every e-taller will have the funds required to launch a full-fledged catalog. An affordable option for business owners on a budget is to send out postcards or brochures as a way to keep in contact with customers. "It's really just reminding your customers that they're important," Bowen says. "If you can't print a beautiful catalog, maybe it's a better idea to save your money and instead offer your customers a dollar-off postcard."
Peter Honey Publications adds e-commerce facility to its web site
Learning tools provider Peter Honey Publications has upgraded its web site so that it can now take payments online for its products.
Visitors to the company's web site at http://www.peterhoney.com can view the complete range of Peter Honey Publications products, order them and pay for them online.
A spokesperson for Peter Honey Publications said the e-commerce functionality was added in a bid to simplify the acquisition process for its customers.
Visitors to the company's web site at http://www.peterhoney.com can view the complete range of Peter Honey Publications products, order them and pay for them online.
A spokesperson for Peter Honey Publications said the e-commerce functionality was added in a bid to simplify the acquisition process for its customers.
Friday, June 01, 2007
Valuation of the E-Commerce and Internet Services Industry
The e-commerce and Internet services industry includes companies that sell goods or services online, including information products and informatio'n retrieval services. The industry also covers networking and other support services for companies that operate primarily on the Internet.
Industry Overview
E-Commerce ranges from simple websites supporting brick-and-mortar stores to giant online store operations such as Amazon.com and information service operations such as Google. There is no question that the high-end of the sector is big business; Google is expected to report 2005 revenues of about $4.1 billion, eBay around $4.5 billion, and both Yahoo! and Amazon are both expected to record revenues of over $3 billion.
As the number of online shoppers increases, the demand for online advertising also rises. The four most widely visited Web properties, Google, Yahoo!, AOL, and MSN, will certainly benefit from increased interest in online advertising. Google commands roughly 15 percent of the total US online advertising market, with Yahoo! holding about 13 percent and MSN 10 percent.
Consumers are also becoming more comfortable with Internet security and online operations. More than half of all US households now pay at least one bill online. Online banking and stock trading are also gaining in popularity. This is good news for companies that support such operations, such as electronic payment services firm CheckFree and online stock exchanges E*Trade and Ameritrade.
Industry Overview
E-Commerce ranges from simple websites supporting brick-and-mortar stores to giant online store operations such as Amazon.com and information service operations such as Google. There is no question that the high-end of the sector is big business; Google is expected to report 2005 revenues of about $4.1 billion, eBay around $4.5 billion, and both Yahoo! and Amazon are both expected to record revenues of over $3 billion.
As the number of online shoppers increases, the demand for online advertising also rises. The four most widely visited Web properties, Google, Yahoo!, AOL, and MSN, will certainly benefit from increased interest in online advertising. Google commands roughly 15 percent of the total US online advertising market, with Yahoo! holding about 13 percent and MSN 10 percent.
Consumers are also becoming more comfortable with Internet security and online operations. More than half of all US households now pay at least one bill online. Online banking and stock trading are also gaining in popularity. This is good news for companies that support such operations, such as electronic payment services firm CheckFree and online stock exchanges E*Trade and Ameritrade.
Benefit Cosmetics chooses Amazon Services for e-commerce solutions
Amazon Services and Amazon Services Europe, providers of technology solutions for retailers and subsidiaries of Amazon.com Inc (Nasdaq:AMZN), and Benefit Cosmetics, a cosmetics company and subsidiary of LVMH group, announcedon Wednesday (19 April) that Benefit Cosmetics has chosen the Amazon Services Enterprise Solution to develop and support new Benefit Cosmetics online and telephone order offerings for the US and UK.
Under the multi-year agreement Amazon Services and Amazon Services Europe will provide phone order processing and an end-to-end e-commerce solution, including Amazon technology,for Benefit Cosmetics' US and UK websites.
Under the multi-year agreement Amazon Services and Amazon Services Europe will provide phone order processing and an end-to-end e-commerce solution, including Amazon technology,for Benefit Cosmetics' US and UK websites.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Cranking Up Sales on Your Site
Many business owners unintentionally make it unnecessarily difficult for customers to buy off their web sites. This occurs when you resurrect barriers for your customers.
Simple mechanisms can be put in place to remove barriers. A business owner that is always looking for new ways to connect with potential customers often finds his or her efforts paying off many times over. Some of the most common web sales barriers are lack of contact methods, payment methods, and delivery methods. To bridge these potential barriers, a business owner can provide more options to crossing each of these barriers.
Contact Barriers
Simply adding contact options can be a great way to create more sales. Some web sites only offer email or even just a contact form as a means of contact. Yet there are many people that prefer to conduct transactions over the phone, by mail or by fax. In the wide world of the Internet, it is a simple matter to simply move on to the next web site if a visitor’s intention is to place an order by phone, yet there is no option to do so.
Providing a broad range of contact options also builds credibility. Having an office address, fax and phone number in addition to an email address shows the prospective client that the business does in fact exist and has made themselves transparent and easy to contact.
Using an 800 number is also an excellent way to build credibility and remove a sales barrier. Picking up the tab on calls from potential clients is a polite gesture and may encourage a potential buyer with one more reason to call. Toll free numbers are easy to obtain these days and can cost around 6 cents per minute. It is a small price to pay for building confidence in your audience.
Payment Barriers
Many web sites provide only one way to pay for merchandise - credit card. There are many reasons to offer more payment methods. For one, not everyone has a credit card. Although in the United States, it seems like almost everyone does, this is not true in over-seas markets where there is resistance to credit. Furthermore, some people just don't feel safe providing credit card information over the web. Regardless of how safe or unsafe Internet transactions may or may not be, it is usually the job of the business owner to provide what the consumer wants.
It is a simple matter to provide an address and a printable order form for most web sites where a check can be mailed. If you are running a home business, a PO Box is a simple solution to keep your business separate from your home. Some mail box services allow for your address to be a suite number instead of a box number, which can further improve the image of your business.
Providing a phone number by which orders can be placed is also a way to remove a barrier between you and your potential customers. Of course this means there must also be someone there to answer the phone. Simply answering the phone can be the difference between a sale and a lost sale.
Delivery Methods
For businesses providing products, providing a variety of delivery methods is yet another way to cater to the desires of your customers and potential customers. Many people have a preference for delivery and meeting this preference could be a deciding in getting a sale. For those businesses providing services, providing a delivery pickup service for a deposit and/or contract can be a perfect sale closer.
Conclusion
By removing barriers between you and potential customers, you can increase the chances of making sales. Other options are also available like instant messaging support, mapped out directions, video conferencing and more. Other options can be shown as small links or drop down options. By working to connect more with your audience, your sales and customer satisfaction can be increased dramatically.
Simple mechanisms can be put in place to remove barriers. A business owner that is always looking for new ways to connect with potential customers often finds his or her efforts paying off many times over. Some of the most common web sales barriers are lack of contact methods, payment methods, and delivery methods. To bridge these potential barriers, a business owner can provide more options to crossing each of these barriers.
Contact Barriers
Simply adding contact options can be a great way to create more sales. Some web sites only offer email or even just a contact form as a means of contact. Yet there are many people that prefer to conduct transactions over the phone, by mail or by fax. In the wide world of the Internet, it is a simple matter to simply move on to the next web site if a visitor’s intention is to place an order by phone, yet there is no option to do so.
Providing a broad range of contact options also builds credibility. Having an office address, fax and phone number in addition to an email address shows the prospective client that the business does in fact exist and has made themselves transparent and easy to contact.
Using an 800 number is also an excellent way to build credibility and remove a sales barrier. Picking up the tab on calls from potential clients is a polite gesture and may encourage a potential buyer with one more reason to call. Toll free numbers are easy to obtain these days and can cost around 6 cents per minute. It is a small price to pay for building confidence in your audience.
Payment Barriers
Many web sites provide only one way to pay for merchandise - credit card. There are many reasons to offer more payment methods. For one, not everyone has a credit card. Although in the United States, it seems like almost everyone does, this is not true in over-seas markets where there is resistance to credit. Furthermore, some people just don't feel safe providing credit card information over the web. Regardless of how safe or unsafe Internet transactions may or may not be, it is usually the job of the business owner to provide what the consumer wants.
It is a simple matter to provide an address and a printable order form for most web sites where a check can be mailed. If you are running a home business, a PO Box is a simple solution to keep your business separate from your home. Some mail box services allow for your address to be a suite number instead of a box number, which can further improve the image of your business.
Providing a phone number by which orders can be placed is also a way to remove a barrier between you and your potential customers. Of course this means there must also be someone there to answer the phone. Simply answering the phone can be the difference between a sale and a lost sale.
Delivery Methods
For businesses providing products, providing a variety of delivery methods is yet another way to cater to the desires of your customers and potential customers. Many people have a preference for delivery and meeting this preference could be a deciding in getting a sale. For those businesses providing services, providing a delivery pickup service for a deposit and/or contract can be a perfect sale closer.
Conclusion
By removing barriers between you and potential customers, you can increase the chances of making sales. Other options are also available like instant messaging support, mapped out directions, video conferencing and more. Other options can be shown as small links or drop down options. By working to connect more with your audience, your sales and customer satisfaction can be increased dramatically.
Secrets of E-Commerce
Own an e-commerce site but not getting any sales? The online buyer is becoming more educated and more selective about what web sites they use. If you are getting high amounts of traffic but not enough sales, here are a few ideas to help your site increase your conversions.
Is It Easy?
Because there are so many e-commerce web sites out there, making sure your web site is easy to use is the number one goal. If it’s not, people will not use it. The first step is taking a look at your navigation. Keep your navigation simple so that visitors will not have to guess how to get through your site. It might seem cool to have a java based or flash animated navigation scheme, but is it necessary?
Is the navigation on your site consistent? Navigation should look the same on all pages so that visitors do not become confused while moving through the site. Use breadcrumbs. Breadcrumbs are the links that show how deep the user is into your site. An example would be if the user is looking at Ipods, the breadcrumb link could be Home > Electronics > MP3 Players. Giving the user a “sense of place” in the site can make the difference between a sale and a bounce.
How many steps does it take the user to buy from you? The rule of thumb is that it shouldn’t take more than three steps to buy online. Find the item, enter payment information, and complete the sale. It also helps to provide a graphic of the check out process and where they are currently in the process. Again, here’s the sense of place issue.
Presentation
It’s all about presentation! If you have a bad web site, you will be lucky if you make any sales. Dr. Gitte Lindgaard and colleagues from Carleton University's Human-Oriented Technology Lab in Ottawa have determined that it takes a user’s mind one twentieth of a second to decide whether they like your site or not. That’s not a lot of time. Use colors that work well together and make a good impression. If you are running advertisements on your site, keep them to a minimum so that your items are not lost in the clutter. Make sure all of your product graphics are clear and large enough to look at. If you have a search feature on your site (you should), make sure it produces the items the user is looking for. If you’re not sure how to do this, Google has free code you can use.
It you are serious about having an e-commerce site and sustaining it, hire a web developer with e-com
Is It Easy?
Because there are so many e-commerce web sites out there, making sure your web site is easy to use is the number one goal. If it’s not, people will not use it. The first step is taking a look at your navigation. Keep your navigation simple so that visitors will not have to guess how to get through your site. It might seem cool to have a java based or flash animated navigation scheme, but is it necessary?
Is the navigation on your site consistent? Navigation should look the same on all pages so that visitors do not become confused while moving through the site. Use breadcrumbs. Breadcrumbs are the links that show how deep the user is into your site. An example would be if the user is looking at Ipods, the breadcrumb link could be Home > Electronics > MP3 Players. Giving the user a “sense of place” in the site can make the difference between a sale and a bounce.
How many steps does it take the user to buy from you? The rule of thumb is that it shouldn’t take more than three steps to buy online. Find the item, enter payment information, and complete the sale. It also helps to provide a graphic of the check out process and where they are currently in the process. Again, here’s the sense of place issue.
Presentation
It’s all about presentation! If you have a bad web site, you will be lucky if you make any sales. Dr. Gitte Lindgaard and colleagues from Carleton University's Human-Oriented Technology Lab in Ottawa have determined that it takes a user’s mind one twentieth of a second to decide whether they like your site or not. That’s not a lot of time. Use colors that work well together and make a good impression. If you are running advertisements on your site, keep them to a minimum so that your items are not lost in the clutter. Make sure all of your product graphics are clear and large enough to look at. If you have a search feature on your site (you should), make sure it produces the items the user is looking for. If you’re not sure how to do this, Google has free code you can use.
It you are serious about having an e-commerce site and sustaining it, hire a web developer with e-com
7 Product Sourcing Tips for E-Merchants
For ecommerce start-ups the realities of product sourcing often come as a shock to the system. With so many online “wholesalers” to choose from these days, it's common to assume that the process will be easy. If your store is to be profitable, however, your sourcing methods will require just a little more effort and creativity than you think.
1.Search clever.
Avoid using general terms when sourcing products online. Googling “wholesale widgets” may bring up a huge number of results, but you're unlikely to find a worthwhile supplier among them. Most will be non specialist companies that act as middlemen between you and the real wholesalers. This means profit margins on their goods will be virtually non-existent.
Instead, try qualifying your searches with terms such as “distributor”, “manufacturer”, “designer” or “trade” and rather than searching for generic terms such as “widgets,” try taking a more specific approach. Use individual product names and model type wherever possible.
Image searches will also give you more focused results. Many products are sold online using stock photos created by the original manufacturer and this can an excellent way of tracking them down.
These tactics will improve your chances of success but don't despair if you don't find what you're looking for. Google is a great research tool but it's only one of many in your arsenal. Resist the temptation to spend hours and hours surfing the net looking for “secret” deals and sources that do not exist. Traditional retailers have never relied the internet to find suppliers and neither should you.
2.Consult traditional business directories.
It's amazing how often resources such as the white/yellow pages are overlooked these days. It must be because we automatically assume the internet to be a superior source of information. Well this isn't always the case. There are a lot of wholesalers out there that don't have an online presence but that doesn't mean they don't have telephone numbers.
3.Subscribe to trade publications
Trade magazines related to your niche will be packed with ads from relevant manufacturers and distributors. It's how offline businesses have done things for years and you should too.
4.Trade fairs.
Attending trade fairs takes more effort than surfing in your pyjamas but the pay-off can be enormous. They provide unparalleled scope for sourcing and networking. Plus, establishing personal contact with suppliers makes it a lot easier to negotiate prices further down the line.
5.Ask an expert
Find someone who already stocks what you want to sell and ask them where they got it. This isn't as absurd as it may sound! Obviously emailing a rival online store is never going to work because nobody wants to knowingly help out their competition.But more personal approach conducted in the offline world can yield excellent results. Find a "widget" store and get talking to the owner, preferably once you have made a purchase. People love talking about their businesses and if you are suitably charming they will often recommend a supplier or trade magazine.
You'll be surprised at how helpful people can be when you don't represent a threat. This tactic has worked well for me in the past - the worst thing that can happen is they refuse.
6.Contact the manufacturer.
If you can't find a supplier but you know which company makes the product, give them a call and ask who their distributors are. Again, there is a tendency for new e-merchants to see this kind of information as somehow privileged or secret and they often approach such conversations with trepidation. Remember that these companies want your business, just because you don't have a traditional bricks and mortar establishment it doesn't mean your money is no good.
7.Check product packaging
This is a fool proof method. If you don't know the manufacturer of a particular product and all else fails, buy it yourself. All goods, virtually without exception, will include some reference to the manufacturer on the packaging. In some cases the name of a supplier will be there as well.
1.Search clever.
Avoid using general terms when sourcing products online. Googling “wholesale widgets” may bring up a huge number of results, but you're unlikely to find a worthwhile supplier among them. Most will be non specialist companies that act as middlemen between you and the real wholesalers. This means profit margins on their goods will be virtually non-existent.
Instead, try qualifying your searches with terms such as “distributor”, “manufacturer”, “designer” or “trade” and rather than searching for generic terms such as “widgets,” try taking a more specific approach. Use individual product names and model type wherever possible.
Image searches will also give you more focused results. Many products are sold online using stock photos created by the original manufacturer and this can an excellent way of tracking them down.
These tactics will improve your chances of success but don't despair if you don't find what you're looking for. Google is a great research tool but it's only one of many in your arsenal. Resist the temptation to spend hours and hours surfing the net looking for “secret” deals and sources that do not exist. Traditional retailers have never relied the internet to find suppliers and neither should you.
2.Consult traditional business directories.
It's amazing how often resources such as the white/yellow pages are overlooked these days. It must be because we automatically assume the internet to be a superior source of information. Well this isn't always the case. There are a lot of wholesalers out there that don't have an online presence but that doesn't mean they don't have telephone numbers.
3.Subscribe to trade publications
Trade magazines related to your niche will be packed with ads from relevant manufacturers and distributors. It's how offline businesses have done things for years and you should too.
4.Trade fairs.
Attending trade fairs takes more effort than surfing in your pyjamas but the pay-off can be enormous. They provide unparalleled scope for sourcing and networking. Plus, establishing personal contact with suppliers makes it a lot easier to negotiate prices further down the line.
5.Ask an expert
Find someone who already stocks what you want to sell and ask them where they got it. This isn't as absurd as it may sound! Obviously emailing a rival online store is never going to work because nobody wants to knowingly help out their competition.But more personal approach conducted in the offline world can yield excellent results. Find a "widget" store and get talking to the owner, preferably once you have made a purchase. People love talking about their businesses and if you are suitably charming they will often recommend a supplier or trade magazine.
You'll be surprised at how helpful people can be when you don't represent a threat. This tactic has worked well for me in the past - the worst thing that can happen is they refuse.
6.Contact the manufacturer.
If you can't find a supplier but you know which company makes the product, give them a call and ask who their distributors are. Again, there is a tendency for new e-merchants to see this kind of information as somehow privileged or secret and they often approach such conversations with trepidation. Remember that these companies want your business, just because you don't have a traditional bricks and mortar establishment it doesn't mean your money is no good.
7.Check product packaging
This is a fool proof method. If you don't know the manufacturer of a particular product and all else fails, buy it yourself. All goods, virtually without exception, will include some reference to the manufacturer on the packaging. In some cases the name of a supplier will be there as well.
Young, Hungry and Talented! Start Your E-business Today!
Most young people go into business because they want to make a lot of money.
I don’t enjoy working for other people.
I like to be challenged!
When I first started people laughed at me. They told me, “your cannot do it” but deep in my heart I knew that I would someday start my own business.
If I can do it, so can you!
Here are 5 keys to my personal business success:
1. Have a passion for success
- a burning desire
- willingness to learn
- have the right mindset
- be positive
- be proactive
- get started
2. Focus
- set daily goals
- pay attention to detail
- always move towards your goals
- plan often
3. Diligence
-stay on task
- don’t’ get discourage
- don’t accept failure
- learn from your mistakes
4. Knowledge driven
- learn from the best
- apply what you’ve learned
- have a passion for knowledge
- listen to advice
- try and learn from experience
5. Find the right products
- look at online reviews
- verify products
- make sure the product is right for you
- look at testimonies and look at the product benefits
These are the keys that you want to follow
They will kick start your own e-business.
If you have the passion to do something, just do it. Don’t let people let you down in anyway, think positively, there are many ways you can do this.
Getting started is one corner stone to your success, so get started today.
Now, I have told you the 5 key ways that you could build your e-business.
Now it is the time for you to take action.
Mr. Titus Cheng is a first-generation businessman based in Seattle, WA. Titus is an ambitious young man with a passion for e-commerce and sales. He is innovative and is skillful at developing multi-products.
I don’t enjoy working for other people.
I like to be challenged!
When I first started people laughed at me. They told me, “your cannot do it” but deep in my heart I knew that I would someday start my own business.
If I can do it, so can you!
Here are 5 keys to my personal business success:
1. Have a passion for success
- a burning desire
- willingness to learn
- have the right mindset
- be positive
- be proactive
- get started
2. Focus
- set daily goals
- pay attention to detail
- always move towards your goals
- plan often
3. Diligence
-stay on task
- don’t’ get discourage
- don’t accept failure
- learn from your mistakes
4. Knowledge driven
- learn from the best
- apply what you’ve learned
- have a passion for knowledge
- listen to advice
- try and learn from experience
5. Find the right products
- look at online reviews
- verify products
- make sure the product is right for you
- look at testimonies and look at the product benefits
These are the keys that you want to follow
They will kick start your own e-business.
If you have the passion to do something, just do it. Don’t let people let you down in anyway, think positively, there are many ways you can do this.
Getting started is one corner stone to your success, so get started today.
Now, I have told you the 5 key ways that you could build your e-business.
Now it is the time for you to take action.
Mr. Titus Cheng is a first-generation businessman based in Seattle, WA. Titus is an ambitious young man with a passion for e-commerce and sales. He is innovative and is skillful at developing multi-products.
How to Create and Sell Your First Ebook (2)
Ten Steps Guide for Newbies
Step Two: Why an Ebook?
If you are just entering the Internet business kingdom, one of the first things you realize is that you need to create your own product if you want to be successful.
One of the first options coming up here is an info product which is appearing in the form of an ebook. Why and ebook is considered as a good starting point here? Let’s see some of the considerations here:
• It is a digital product and that means no paper expenses
• It is very easy to reproduce at almost zero cost
• It is delivered automatically online without human efforts
• It contains active links to your websites or affiliates
The above advantages are very important when you compare with hardcopy products and especially when you compare the profits you generate. The profits from paper books are hardly reaching 10% for the author, while the profits from the e-books are starting from 25% and may go up to 100%.
Ebooks are very flexible in their sizes and contents. You can create a 15 pages report or 3 pages practical Guide and send it as a gift or even sell it, if the information is in great demand. Later on, you can include those ebooks in your bonus section of the next products you are going to create.
One of the biggest advantages of the e-books is their huge role in the so called Viral Marketing strategy. Viral Marketing strategy is about delivering quality information to the customers for free. And here is the main advantage of the ebooks. They can be easily and instantly delivered to the customer at no cost.
The viral effect comes from the links inside the ebook. If the customers likes the information, delivered for free than there is very high probability that the links will be used and the subsequent sails will be completed.
Step Two: Why an Ebook?
If you are just entering the Internet business kingdom, one of the first things you realize is that you need to create your own product if you want to be successful.
One of the first options coming up here is an info product which is appearing in the form of an ebook. Why and ebook is considered as a good starting point here? Let’s see some of the considerations here:
• It is a digital product and that means no paper expenses
• It is very easy to reproduce at almost zero cost
• It is delivered automatically online without human efforts
• It contains active links to your websites or affiliates
The above advantages are very important when you compare with hardcopy products and especially when you compare the profits you generate. The profits from paper books are hardly reaching 10% for the author, while the profits from the e-books are starting from 25% and may go up to 100%.
Ebooks are very flexible in their sizes and contents. You can create a 15 pages report or 3 pages practical Guide and send it as a gift or even sell it, if the information is in great demand. Later on, you can include those ebooks in your bonus section of the next products you are going to create.
One of the biggest advantages of the e-books is their huge role in the so called Viral Marketing strategy. Viral Marketing strategy is about delivering quality information to the customers for free. And here is the main advantage of the ebooks. They can be easily and instantly delivered to the customer at no cost.
The viral effect comes from the links inside the ebook. If the customers likes the information, delivered for free than there is very high probability that the links will be used and the subsequent sails will be completed.
Friday, April 13, 2007
How to Create and Sell Your First Ebook (2)
Ten Steps Guide for Newbies
Step Two: Why an Ebook?
If you are just entering the Internet business kingdom, one of the first things you realize is that you need to create your own product if you want to be successful.
One of the first options coming up here is an info product which is appearing in the form of an ebook. Why and ebook is considered as a good starting point here? Let’s see some of the considerations here:
• It is a digital product and that means no paper expenses
• It is very easy to reproduce at almost zero cost
• It is delivered automatically online without human efforts
• It contains active links to your websites or affiliates
The above advantages are very important when you compare with hardcopy products and especially when you compare the profits you generate. The profits from paper books are hardly reaching 10% for the author, while the profits from the e-books are starting from 25% and may go up to 100%.
Ebooks are very flexible in their sizes and contents. You can create a 15 pages report or 3 pages practical Guide and send it as a gift or even sell it, if the information is in great demand. Later on, you can include those ebooks in your bonus section of the next products you are going to create.
One of the biggest advantages of the e-books is their huge role in the so called Viral Marketing strategy. Viral Marketing strategy is about delivering quality information to the customers for free. And here is the main advantage of the ebooks. They can be easily and instantly delivered to the customer at no cost.
The viral effect comes from the links inside the ebook. If the customers likes the information, delivered for free than there is very high probability that the links will be used and the subsequent sails will be completed.
There is endless opportunity lying in front of the ebooks. Let’s use them.
Step Two: Why an Ebook?
If you are just entering the Internet business kingdom, one of the first things you realize is that you need to create your own product if you want to be successful.
One of the first options coming up here is an info product which is appearing in the form of an ebook. Why and ebook is considered as a good starting point here? Let’s see some of the considerations here:
• It is a digital product and that means no paper expenses
• It is very easy to reproduce at almost zero cost
• It is delivered automatically online without human efforts
• It contains active links to your websites or affiliates
The above advantages are very important when you compare with hardcopy products and especially when you compare the profits you generate. The profits from paper books are hardly reaching 10% for the author, while the profits from the e-books are starting from 25% and may go up to 100%.
Ebooks are very flexible in their sizes and contents. You can create a 15 pages report or 3 pages practical Guide and send it as a gift or even sell it, if the information is in great demand. Later on, you can include those ebooks in your bonus section of the next products you are going to create.
One of the biggest advantages of the e-books is their huge role in the so called Viral Marketing strategy. Viral Marketing strategy is about delivering quality information to the customers for free. And here is the main advantage of the ebooks. They can be easily and instantly delivered to the customer at no cost.
The viral effect comes from the links inside the ebook. If the customers likes the information, delivered for free than there is very high probability that the links will be used and the subsequent sails will be completed.
There is endless opportunity lying in front of the ebooks. Let’s use them.
How to be a Well Informed Online Shopper
Online shopping in the United States equaled $65B in 2004, and predictions for 2008 expect that figure to rise to $117B. The internet can be a shopper's dream; however, you need to know how to shop safely and securely. Below are some considerations you should take into account before you make an online purchase.
Is the web site reputable?
If you are shopping on a site that you are not familiar with, take the time to do a little homework before you share any sensitive personal information. Check the site to see if there is a third-party seal of approval posted from a trusted source like the Better Business Bureau Online, or Trust-E. The stamp of approval from these organizations means the web site has agreed to be held to strict standards in how they handle personal information, as well as customer complaints.
Sites such as BizRate.com or Epinions.com may have information about various sites along with customer reviews. You can also enter the name of the web site or business into your favorite search engine to see what comes up. If someone has had a bad experience with the site, it may be mentioned in a user forum or consumer information site.
Is the web site using secure technology?
When information is transferred between your computer and the shopping site's server, it should be encrypted. If a shopping site's server uses encryption technology, your data will be scrambled and then unscrambled when it reaches the shopping site's server. Encryption prevents unscrupulous hackers from capturing the information during transmission.
There are two things to look for to ensure that your personal data will be encrypted.
· An icon of a small locked padlock will appear in the bottom right of your monitor's screen.
· The URL of the web page should begin with https, which also indicates that it is a secure web page.
Before you click on the checkout button, know your shipping costs.
A reputable site will make their shipping costs easy to find before you check out. To avoid any unpleasant surprises take the time to look for shipping rates. Data collected from surveys of online shopping experiences consistently show that the one thing online shoppers dislike above all is shipping charges. While it is unavoidable that you have to absorb the cost of shipping one way or another, smart retailers will try to keep these costs to a minimum. Sometimes they will do this creatively by offering you incentives to purchase more, to help offset their costs for discounted shipping charges.
Moreover, while reputable sites will have a liberal return policy in the event you are not happy with your merchandise, be aware that in most cases you will not be reimbursed for the shipping charges to return the item.
Understand the return policy.
Never purchase anything from a web site without reading the fine print - particularly the fine print about its return policy. Good retail sites will allow you to return items you are not completely happy with, but sometimes there are stipulations that you should be aware of before you order.
Is there a restocking fee? This charge can be anywhere from 5%-20% of an item's purchase price, and is meant to discourage customers from returning merchandise. In addition, make sure you know how much time you have to return an item in order to receive a refund. Some companies seem to allow an almost unlimited return window, but in some cases, it can be as little as one week after you receive your order. You may still be able to return an item after this period, but will only receive a store credit instead of a full refund.
Is the web site reputable?
If you are shopping on a site that you are not familiar with, take the time to do a little homework before you share any sensitive personal information. Check the site to see if there is a third-party seal of approval posted from a trusted source like the Better Business Bureau Online, or Trust-E. The stamp of approval from these organizations means the web site has agreed to be held to strict standards in how they handle personal information, as well as customer complaints.
Sites such as BizRate.com or Epinions.com may have information about various sites along with customer reviews. You can also enter the name of the web site or business into your favorite search engine to see what comes up. If someone has had a bad experience with the site, it may be mentioned in a user forum or consumer information site.
Is the web site using secure technology?
When information is transferred between your computer and the shopping site's server, it should be encrypted. If a shopping site's server uses encryption technology, your data will be scrambled and then unscrambled when it reaches the shopping site's server. Encryption prevents unscrupulous hackers from capturing the information during transmission.
There are two things to look for to ensure that your personal data will be encrypted.
· An icon of a small locked padlock will appear in the bottom right of your monitor's screen.
· The URL of the web page should begin with https, which also indicates that it is a secure web page.
Before you click on the checkout button, know your shipping costs.
A reputable site will make their shipping costs easy to find before you check out. To avoid any unpleasant surprises take the time to look for shipping rates. Data collected from surveys of online shopping experiences consistently show that the one thing online shoppers dislike above all is shipping charges. While it is unavoidable that you have to absorb the cost of shipping one way or another, smart retailers will try to keep these costs to a minimum. Sometimes they will do this creatively by offering you incentives to purchase more, to help offset their costs for discounted shipping charges.
Moreover, while reputable sites will have a liberal return policy in the event you are not happy with your merchandise, be aware that in most cases you will not be reimbursed for the shipping charges to return the item.
Understand the return policy.
Never purchase anything from a web site without reading the fine print - particularly the fine print about its return policy. Good retail sites will allow you to return items you are not completely happy with, but sometimes there are stipulations that you should be aware of before you order.
Is there a restocking fee? This charge can be anywhere from 5%-20% of an item's purchase price, and is meant to discourage customers from returning merchandise. In addition, make sure you know how much time you have to return an item in order to receive a refund. Some companies seem to allow an almost unlimited return window, but in some cases, it can be as little as one week after you receive your order. You may still be able to return an item after this period, but will only receive a store credit instead of a full refund.
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