| Many of your competitors are already doing business | | | | wrong. |
| through the Internet. You read that yearly growth | | | | 3. Different Payment Methods Although credit cards |
| rate of e-commerce is over 25 percent. E-commerce | | | | are by far the most acceptable means of payments |
| segment for the businesses that sells to other | | | | on the Internet, you should definitely consider other |
| businesses or B2B, as it is called, is escalating even in | | | | methods as well. For small payments, Paypal is |
| a better pace. Naturally, at one point, you too decide | | | | becoming increasingly a popular mode. All e-commerce |
| that you need to have a piece of this action! But, | | | | sites should integrate this to their payment methods. |
| what are the main characteristics of a good | | | | More options include: Electronic checks, e-bullion, |
| e-commerce site that you must consider even | | | | Offline bank transfer etc. |
| before you build one? | | | | 4. Shopping Cart with Tax Calculation In your search |
| A small research will show that there are numerous | | | | for shopping carts look for the ones, which have |
| choices for you to make your business presence | | | | different tax calculation mechanisms inbuilt. If you are |
| online. In fact, you can be overwhelmed with all the | | | | located in a province or state where your regional |
| possibilities that are available on the Internet to build | | | | tax gets calculated on top of the federal or vice |
| an e-commerce website. | | | | versa, your shopping cart should have the ability to |
| However, it is important to plan your website before | | | | calculate them correctly. |
| even shop around for tools to build your site. There | | | | 5. Guarantees As money back guarantees are |
| are some basic components that all e-commerce | | | | becoming increasingly common on online sales you |
| sites include, such as product or service description | | | | should consider prominently posting your money back |
| pages, a shopping cart - so that buyers can select | | | | guarantee on you website. Be sure to make your |
| and keep items from your product list till they | | | | money back guarantee generous! Customers are |
| generate a purchase order or an invoice, a payment | | | | becoming pickier on this issue. For example if you sell |
| mechanism: so that buyers can pay for your | | | | knowledge base products like e-books, reports etc. |
| products online or offline. But, you also need to pay | | | | make your hundred percent guarantees at least of |
| attention to the following crucial aspects: | | | | two months. For tangible products, after sales |
| 1. Product information Buyers take their decision | | | | warrantees should be also considerably generous. |
| whether to buy a product from your site or not | | | | Customers should feel completely secured to buy at |
| depending on the information that you provide. That's | | | | your website. |
| why the product should have a clear and high-quality | | | | 6. Privacy Policy Your website must have a privacy |
| picture, short and detailed specifications. If necessary | | | | policy. Customers are very concerned about the |
| add attachments of diagrams, sketches, video etc. | | | | information that they are relaying to you. You must |
| along with the product specification. Write clearly and | | | | clearly explain them what you plan to do with the |
| prominently all sales terms and after sales supports | | | | various information that you collect from your |
| terms, etc. | | | | customers. If your site is planning to use cookies, |
| If you have many products, it is better to use an | | | | make sure that you covered this aspect in your |
| industry standard classification system to categorize | | | | privacy policy too. |
| your products. The goal is to have all the information | | | | 7. Security If your website collects sensitive |
| related to the product available on the website, so | | | | information from your customers, you should use |
| that the customer can take a positive buying decision | | | | security systems like SSL (Secure Socket Layer). |
| instantly. | | | | This guarantees that the data provided by your |
| 2. Different Ordering Methods The ultimate goal of | | | | customer will not fall into the hand of a malicious |
| your e-commerce site is to make sales. Many people | | | | hacker while transferring from his computer to the |
| still do not feel comfortable to make payments | | | | web server. This also will reassure your customers |
| through online transactions. You would be better off | | | | that you are truly concerned about the security of |
| if you include ordering processes by fax, telephone | | | | their personal and sensitive information. |
| and ordinary mail. In fact, to have a telephone | | | | Once you know how to handle all the above |
| number for customer support and order is a must for | | | | mentioned aspects, go ahead and look for a great |
| any e-commerce site as it gives buyers some extra | | | | tool to build your dream e-commerce website and |
| feelings of security. That way they know that they | | | | make money online! |
| can always talk to a live person if anything goes | | | | |