|
eCommerce is one of the great innovations which the web has brought to consumers and the business community.
Your website is available 24/7, and viewable from anywhere in the world. Add to this combination an online catalogue of goods for sale, and the ability for a customer to place on order and you've got an eCommerce site.
This can be an important convenience to both your customers and yourself. The easiest way to do it is to provide customers with a phone number to call so you can take the information personally from them. Until your website has gotten large enough to justify the expense of a more automated approach this may be the best way to go.
Caution - accepting credit cards online requires some know how and planning. You'll need to collect the information safely so it can't be intercepted over the net, and dispose of it promptly.
SSL - secure socket layer
This is what is happening on a website that has the padlock on the bottom of the screen
in the locked position and a URL that begins with 'https' instead of the usual 'http'.
The 's' in https stands for SSL which causes data between the browser, i.e. the client,
and the server to be encrypted.
Now, how to use SSL on your website depends on your hosting co. and your needs. In order
to set up a secure connection with SSL your server has to have a certificate installed.
This is the resource which makes SSL possible. Some hosting companies, e.g.
Face 2 Interface
provide a common or shared secure certificate for their clients to use which comes
included in the hosting plans that they offer.
Alternatively you can purchase your own certificate. They are available from several
vendors including Thawte
and Verisign.
Prices may vary so when going with this route it may behoove you to shop around.
Check with your hosting co. first as they may provide this as part of your plan. If
they do they'll tell you how to form the url so that it works with the shared certificate.
If you buy your own certificate and have them install it for you then all you have to do
is change the url for all secured pages from http to https and you're done!
Related Links
Ecommerce FAQ
How To Accept Credit Cards
Verisign Products
Ecommerce Merchant Services
Ecommerce Guide
Alti Web Design
Total Ecommerce Package
Hostmaster2000.com
| 
