E-Commerce
E-commerce or online selling can be as simple or as complex as you like. A simple static web site with one product on it and a message saying call us on this number to order this product could be regarded as a form of e-commerce.
What is normally understood by e-commerce though is a complete web package which has a number of different components :
1. The main web site - This is where the visitor to the site sees your products and prices. Other common features would include the ability to search the products, the grouping of the products into categories, special price promotions, a shopping cart, separate pages for returns, shipping costs, terms and conditions and methods of contact.
2. The administration area - not seen by the visitor to the site, accessible only the site owner ( via a password ). Easy to use and allows the site owner to add new products and desciptions, prices, stock levels, weights, shipping costs, promotions. From here he can also administer orders, despatch orders, print invoices, packing slips and communicate with customers by email or newsletter.
3. The database - installed by the web design comapny when parts 1 and 2 are set up, all the information is held here.
4. A method of secure payment - virtually all sites of this nature will have a method of taking online payments by credit and debit card. There are 2 ways to achieve this, firstly by going it alone and setting up your own merchant account with a high street bank. This can be costly and will also require more work in both site design and set up as well as more cost for the security needed. The second option is to opt for using gateway services such as Paypal, Nochex or World Pay. Their security is already built in and there are few if any set up costs. Their rates may be slightly higher but this may not matter at smaller volumes.
What MBR can do for you:
We can provide a complete ecommerce solution with all the tools you need to run your ecommerce business securely, smoothly and efficiently. Ecommerce solution features can include:
- Sales pages with between 10 and 10,000 items catalogued with descriptions
- Shopping cart technology
- Sophisticated post and packing charge calculator
- Site search engine
- Order processing and invoicing
- Automatic email notification of orders placed
- Online credit card facilities with built-in security
- Stock management system
If you want a professionally designed ecommerce site then contact us now for further details and/or a quotation tailored to your needs.
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