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.
Friday, October 12, 2007
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.
The Proper Care And Feeding Of Your Merchant Account
Anyone who has every done a Google search for Merchant Accounts or something similar has discovered a plethora of websites with every available processing solution, coupled with promises of quick or instant approval, no upfront costs and “the lowest fees in the industry”. To the prospective merchant, it must seem that the industry is bowing down and begging for their business and will do anything to keep it. Nothing could be further from the truth.
The problem that prospective merchants face today is not obtaining a merchant account, it is KEEPING IT! As a bank card professional who has set up hundreds of merchants with accounts over the past 9 years I have seen many merchants lose their accounts simply because they did not pay attention to the requirements of their merchant agreement or didn’t think they meant what they said.
THE one biggest problem that I could point to, that causes merchant’s to lose their account or have their funds held, is processing outside the parameters of the account. In order to mitigate their risks, merchant service providers, specify a monthly processing limit, similar to the charge limit that is put on a credit card. There is also an average ticket size specified and sometimes a high ticket size. These parameters are designed to prevent the merchant from abusing his or her account, as well protecting both the merchant and the processor from losses due to chargebacks. Our company, Total Merchant Services, routinely reminds the merchant upon approval of the account of what the agreement specifies for their processing limitations and instructs them to contact the customer service department if they need to change the parameters. Sounds reasonable enough doesn’t it? Unfortunately some merchants either don’t pay attention or don’t think the words mean what they say.
It has been my experience that some merchant’s incorrectly think that if they put through a charge and it gets approved, that they are “good to go”. In fact a charge approval has no human interaction. The charge approval goes directly through a processing network, like Global Payments or Vital and is approved by the customer’s card issuing bank. If a customer has a $10,000 credit line and you put through a $7,000 charge you might well get an approval message back and settlement may likely occur, but if your merchant agreement was only approved for a high ticket of $1500 you can bet dollars to donuts that a red flag has gone off in the service provider’s Risk department and chances are your funding will be held. Do this on more than one occasion and you may find yourself without merchant services. Even worse you may be put on the Terminated Merchants File (TMF). If this occurs you will not be able to obtain a new merchant account elsewhere from any other provider.
If you are a merchant or prospective merchant do yourself a big favor, understand what your processing limitations are and stick within them. If you have a need to go behold your limits contact your merchant provider’s customer service or risk management department and let them know what you need. If you account is in good shape and shows few or no chargebacks or NSFs you will probably get approved for what you need. Remember that while merchant service providers make money off of you and other merchants, the industry as a whole looses hundreds of millions of dollars a year due to chargebacks, NSFs and other abuses. You merchant provider needs to protect itself from these losses as much as possible. Play it straight and prosper. Good selling to all!
The problem that prospective merchants face today is not obtaining a merchant account, it is KEEPING IT! As a bank card professional who has set up hundreds of merchants with accounts over the past 9 years I have seen many merchants lose their accounts simply because they did not pay attention to the requirements of their merchant agreement or didn’t think they meant what they said.
THE one biggest problem that I could point to, that causes merchant’s to lose their account or have their funds held, is processing outside the parameters of the account. In order to mitigate their risks, merchant service providers, specify a monthly processing limit, similar to the charge limit that is put on a credit card. There is also an average ticket size specified and sometimes a high ticket size. These parameters are designed to prevent the merchant from abusing his or her account, as well protecting both the merchant and the processor from losses due to chargebacks. Our company, Total Merchant Services, routinely reminds the merchant upon approval of the account of what the agreement specifies for their processing limitations and instructs them to contact the customer service department if they need to change the parameters. Sounds reasonable enough doesn’t it? Unfortunately some merchants either don’t pay attention or don’t think the words mean what they say.
It has been my experience that some merchant’s incorrectly think that if they put through a charge and it gets approved, that they are “good to go”. In fact a charge approval has no human interaction. The charge approval goes directly through a processing network, like Global Payments or Vital and is approved by the customer’s card issuing bank. If a customer has a $10,000 credit line and you put through a $7,000 charge you might well get an approval message back and settlement may likely occur, but if your merchant agreement was only approved for a high ticket of $1500 you can bet dollars to donuts that a red flag has gone off in the service provider’s Risk department and chances are your funding will be held. Do this on more than one occasion and you may find yourself without merchant services. Even worse you may be put on the Terminated Merchants File (TMF). If this occurs you will not be able to obtain a new merchant account elsewhere from any other provider.
If you are a merchant or prospective merchant do yourself a big favor, understand what your processing limitations are and stick within them. If you have a need to go behold your limits contact your merchant provider’s customer service or risk management department and let them know what you need. If you account is in good shape and shows few or no chargebacks or NSFs you will probably get approved for what you need. Remember that while merchant service providers make money off of you and other merchants, the industry as a whole looses hundreds of millions of dollars a year due to chargebacks, NSFs and other abuses. You merchant provider needs to protect itself from these losses as much as possible. Play it straight and prosper. Good selling to all!
6 Tips For Choosing The Perfect Shopping Cart
OK - Just What Is A Shopping Cart Supposed to Do?
Shopping carts are more commonly used as a way to display physical products, products like televisions, groceries, electronic equipment, clothes, and memorabilia, etc, NOT digital products. Shopping carts make it easy to cross-sell and up-sell your customers once they arrive at your store. Shopping carts typically handle the shipping and handling calculation, taxes and credit card processing. A good shopping cart handles all of these efficiently and securely.
Dynamic Operation
A good shopping cart program also creates dynamic order forms on the fly as the order takes place. The shopping cart should be totally dynamic; meaning it only executes code and retrieves products, images, and product descriptions from your database when your customers request it. During the checkout process it should also calculate shipping/handling and taxes for you.
Real-Time Credit Card Processing
Powerful CGI, PHP, CFM, ASP, etc, scripting, processes commands for you on secure servers when your customers place their orders. Don't get this confused with credit card processing. What I'm speaking of here is the passing of your customers' order information from a secure form, to your merchant or payment processor, using one of the scripting languages above. Your payment processor or merchant, like PayPal, 2CheckOut, or Authorize.Net will then process the credit card. If you don't currently have a merchant or payment processor, and you are going to be selling online, then you NEED one.
Usability
You can choose what options you want your customer to see. For instance, you can choose to display a search form on your shopping cart. A search form allows your customers to search your store for items by keyword or product name, etc. You can choose to display options like color, size and quantity, and even adjust the price based on the customer's selection. These are called options. Your shopping cart should also allow you to upload images of your products as well.
Stand-Alone -vs- Hosted Shopping Carts
However, you CAN purchase standalone shopping cart software or services. The stand alone software, of course, requires skill and expertise to install it on your web host or on your own server. Some of the shopping cart services, although it may not seem like it at first, limit you as to what you can and cannot do. These services are most commonly offered by web hosts as a way to entice you to host your site with them. When using these types of services, remember, you're locked into using that web host when you opt to use their shopping cart service. Your business is not portable and becomes a part of that web host. Make sure there is a simple export process that allows you to easily download your website and shopping cart if you no longer wish to use their services. In my opinion, the best option is to use a shopping cart that runs from your own website, independent of your web host. Both Prowebware and stand-alone shopping cart applications run from YOUR website, giving you both control and flexibility.
So, Which Is The Right System For You?
Choosing a shopping cart boils down to 4 things:
1 Your Budget - Is FREE your only option or are you serious about your business?
2 Your Skill-level - Do you have the expertise to edit & install scripts on your server?
3 Desired Functionality - Want a professional results oriented system or a display case?
4 Time - Have time to take away from your business to shape and mold a new program?
Whatever you decide, your cart should also permit you to follow-up with your customers automatically and even instantly auto-subscribe them to your mailing list.
To implement most out-of-the-box applications, you will need to know how to edit PHP, HTML, or ASP code and how to set up a MySQL database on your server for dynamic operation. Then, with some, all you need to know is how to copy/paste some simple code to your existing web pages or the template you're using. The system should also include some type of easy help or instructions, like an HTML file or contextual help menus that walk you through setting up your new cart.
Shopping carts are more commonly used as a way to display physical products, products like televisions, groceries, electronic equipment, clothes, and memorabilia, etc, NOT digital products. Shopping carts make it easy to cross-sell and up-sell your customers once they arrive at your store. Shopping carts typically handle the shipping and handling calculation, taxes and credit card processing. A good shopping cart handles all of these efficiently and securely.
Dynamic Operation
A good shopping cart program also creates dynamic order forms on the fly as the order takes place. The shopping cart should be totally dynamic; meaning it only executes code and retrieves products, images, and product descriptions from your database when your customers request it. During the checkout process it should also calculate shipping/handling and taxes for you.
Real-Time Credit Card Processing
Powerful CGI, PHP, CFM, ASP, etc, scripting, processes commands for you on secure servers when your customers place their orders. Don't get this confused with credit card processing. What I'm speaking of here is the passing of your customers' order information from a secure form, to your merchant or payment processor, using one of the scripting languages above. Your payment processor or merchant, like PayPal, 2CheckOut, or Authorize.Net will then process the credit card. If you don't currently have a merchant or payment processor, and you are going to be selling online, then you NEED one.
Usability
You can choose what options you want your customer to see. For instance, you can choose to display a search form on your shopping cart. A search form allows your customers to search your store for items by keyword or product name, etc. You can choose to display options like color, size and quantity, and even adjust the price based on the customer's selection. These are called options. Your shopping cart should also allow you to upload images of your products as well.
Stand-Alone -vs- Hosted Shopping Carts
However, you CAN purchase standalone shopping cart software or services. The stand alone software, of course, requires skill and expertise to install it on your web host or on your own server. Some of the shopping cart services, although it may not seem like it at first, limit you as to what you can and cannot do. These services are most commonly offered by web hosts as a way to entice you to host your site with them. When using these types of services, remember, you're locked into using that web host when you opt to use their shopping cart service. Your business is not portable and becomes a part of that web host. Make sure there is a simple export process that allows you to easily download your website and shopping cart if you no longer wish to use their services. In my opinion, the best option is to use a shopping cart that runs from your own website, independent of your web host. Both Prowebware and stand-alone shopping cart applications run from YOUR website, giving you both control and flexibility.
So, Which Is The Right System For You?
Choosing a shopping cart boils down to 4 things:
1 Your Budget - Is FREE your only option or are you serious about your business?
2 Your Skill-level - Do you have the expertise to edit & install scripts on your server?
3 Desired Functionality - Want a professional results oriented system or a display case?
4 Time - Have time to take away from your business to shape and mold a new program?
Whatever you decide, your cart should also permit you to follow-up with your customers automatically and even instantly auto-subscribe them to your mailing list.
To implement most out-of-the-box applications, you will need to know how to edit PHP, HTML, or ASP code and how to set up a MySQL database on your server for dynamic operation. Then, with some, all you need to know is how to copy/paste some simple code to your existing web pages or the template you're using. The system should also include some type of easy help or instructions, like an HTML file or contextual help menus that walk you through setting up your new cart.
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Internet Merchant Services
As the name suggests, Internet merchant accounts enable a merchant to accept credit payments online. The primary criteria for this is a merchant should have an account with any financial institution or bank. This is necessary to accept credit card payments that are deposited to this account.
It is important to point out that most local financial institutions or banks do not usually provide for Internet merchant accounts. This is because direct face-to-face transactions involve the customer's signature, while online transactions may sometimes result in credit frauds. In this case, as an alternative there are many acquiring institutions that can assist you in setting up these accounts. If you utilize the services of the acquiring institutions, you must make sure that the account can access any of these networks: EDS, Nova, Vital, First Data Merchant Services, Norwest or Paymentech. Also, keep in mind that these financial or acquiring institutions charge a fee for their services. Some may charge a monthly fee, as well as a monthly statement fee. All institutions charge a percentage of the transaction.
Before a credit payment is actually made, the customer's credit card information needs to be validated. There is a code that checks credit card numbers, credit card types, expiration dates and payment amounts. Aside from validating information, the code also enables acceptance of this information.
Whatever acquiring institution you choose, make sure that there is adequate fraud protection. Since transactions are online, you will also need a website. If you search the net, you will come across many websites providing online merchant transaction services.
It is important to point out that most local financial institutions or banks do not usually provide for Internet merchant accounts. This is because direct face-to-face transactions involve the customer's signature, while online transactions may sometimes result in credit frauds. In this case, as an alternative there are many acquiring institutions that can assist you in setting up these accounts. If you utilize the services of the acquiring institutions, you must make sure that the account can access any of these networks: EDS, Nova, Vital, First Data Merchant Services, Norwest or Paymentech. Also, keep in mind that these financial or acquiring institutions charge a fee for their services. Some may charge a monthly fee, as well as a monthly statement fee. All institutions charge a percentage of the transaction.
Before a credit payment is actually made, the customer's credit card information needs to be validated. There is a code that checks credit card numbers, credit card types, expiration dates and payment amounts. Aside from validating information, the code also enables acceptance of this information.
Whatever acquiring institution you choose, make sure that there is adequate fraud protection. Since transactions are online, you will also need a website. If you search the net, you will come across many websites providing online merchant transaction services.
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