| Want to launch a successful ecommerce business? | | | | show your products to the world. But that's all. At this |
| Having an easy-to-use, reliable shopping cart is a | | | | point, they can't buy anything. This is where the online |
| necessity. But what many first-time business owners | | | | shopping cart enters the game. |
| don't understand is that a shopping cart is only one | | | | The shopping cart provides visitors with the ability to |
| part of the process. In order to upload a working site | | | | create a list of items they want to buy. It stores the |
| that makes money, you'll need a shopping cart and | | | | items as the shopper continues to browse through |
| much more! Don't panic. I'll gladly take you through | | | | your site. The shopping cart can calculate totals, show |
| what's required to create a basic ecommerce site. | | | | listings of what's currently saved in the cart and more. |
| What Is An Online Shopping Cart? | | | | When a visitor has finished shopping, two other |
| The term "online shopping cart" is mistakenly used | | | | components come into play: a merchant account and |
| when referring to the entire process visitors go through | | | | a payment gateway. |
| when reading product descriptions, adding an item to | | | | Show Me the Money! |
| their virtual baskets, checking out and paying for their | | | | In order for a visitor to pay for their items, your site |
| orders. That is only partially correct. | | | | must be equipped with the ability to accept credit |
| The shopping cart comes into play when a site visitor | | | | cards and the ability to process those cards via the |
| chooses to add an item to their basket. According to | | | | Internet. This requires a merchant account as well as |
| Wikipedia.com, "The software allows online shopping | | | | an online payment gateway. |
| customers to place items in the cart. Upon checkout, | | | | A merchant account is provided by a bank or other |
| the software typically calculates a total for the order, | | | | institution. It allows you to accept Visa, MasterCard, |
| including shipping and handling charges and the | | | | Discover, American Express and other credit cards as |
| associated taxes, as applicable." That's it. | | | | payment for purchases your visitors make. Generally, if |
| Until your visitors add an item to their carts, and after | | | | you were a brick-and-mortar store, this would be all |
| they initiate payment, the shopping cart isn't involved. | | | | you needed. However, for ecommerce sites, you must |
| Those functions take additional types of software and | | | | have a way to instantaneously process the cards in |
| accounts. Let me explain. | | | | real time via the Internet. That requires a payment |
| In the Beginning... | | | | gateway. Once you have all four elements in play (a |
| When a visitor types in your URL (also called a domain | | | | website, an online shopping cart, a merchant account |
| name or web address), he/she can view your website. | | | | and a payment gateway) you can launch your |
| The website is what delivers your pictures and | | | | ecommerce site and sell products or services. |
| product descriptions. It includes the design and any | | | | Sound complicated? Not really. Because the functions |
| necessary programming to make the basic site | | | | work hand-in-hand, you can find companies that offer |
| function. Perhaps the site uses a content management | | | | complete packages containing all four elements. That |
| system (CMS) to serve up your products in a logical | | | | makes it simple for you to quickly upload your pictures |
| way or it may simply use basic HTML. Either way, | | | | and content and start receiving orders right away. |
| once the site design is completed, you are now able to | | | | |