E-Commerce Software Not Created Equal

Before deciding to enable your website for business with e-commerce software there are several key points to consider in deciding which package will work best for you. E-commerce software, though plentiful, is not created equal. It is also quite possible that the selection and configuration of such a package is beyond your computer skills. Be prepared to seek the assistance of a professional.

First, look around. Visit an e-commerce web site – or several – and make a list of what applications are being used. (Usually somewhere on the site, perhaps at the bottom of the screen, you’ll see a logo or a line that reads “powered by.”) If you can afford to do so, order some items. Take note of what you do and don’t like about the e-commerce software as a shopper.

Talk to the company that currently hosts your website and see if they offer e-commerce software installation. If so, ask for a list of sites currently using their preferred e-commerce package and check them out. If you do not like the package your host recommends, find out what is involved in using another package on their servers. If this is beyond your skills, you will most likely have to hire someone to install and configure the software.

Also, you are going to need to make some decision about handling payments online. Normally an e-commerce web site will either process credit cards or accept one of the online forms of payment like PayPal. If you are going to accept credit cards, there is most likely a separate process you will have to go through to be approved and get set up with a bank or processing company. This kind of information is then plugged into the shopping cart or e-commerce software you select so that the two will interface.

If you start with being approved to accept credit card payments, that processing entity will most likely have a list of recommended e-commerce software packages for your consideration. It is not unheard of, however, for a shopping cart to merely collect orders and for payment to be arranged offline. If this is how you intend to operate your online business the order form on your site needs to be very clear in explaining that you will contact the customer to arrange payment.

If you do not already have a website there are e-commerce entities that provide a complete package – hosting, website builder application, e-commerce software, and credit card processing set-up. In some instances with these packages you cannot use your own domain name so that your address might be something like redsstore.easystores.com. (Note this address was created merely for discussion purposes.) If you want to use your own domain name be sure the e-commerce company with which you are dealing has a package for unique domain name hosting.

While there are great opportunities to be exploited running an online business, selecting and configuring e-commerce software can be a daunting experience. If you are not one hundred percent comfortable with computer work at this level, consider hiring a professional to assist you with the installation process or select a company that offers an “all-in-one” e-commerce solution.

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