CopaTravel.info


 
 

< HOMEPAGE

Choosing an Ecommerce Shopping Cart


Choosing an online shopping cart is a big decision. Unlike a traditional brick and mortar business, your website is your only chance to impress potential customers. It needs to project a professional image to capture the trust of your visitors. The shopping cart is a particularly important part of your website because it deals with people’s personal information and credit card numbers. People are nervous about online purchases and need to be assured that they are giving their credit card numbers to a reputable company.

There are several types of ecommerce shopping carts available. They range from merchant services, which require no programming skills, to fully integrated shopping carts that require custom programming. The three main categories of shopping carts are:


  • Merchant services such as eBay and 2Checkout

  • Hosted shopping cart services

  • Fully integrated shopping carts


Merchant Services

Most shopping carts require you to have your own merchant account and gateway. A merchant account is a bank account that allows a business to conduct credit card transactions and the gateway allows the transaction to be conducted over a secure connection. It’s okay if you don’t have a merchant account or gateway. Merchant service shopping carts allow you to use their merchant account, gateway and shopping cart for a higher cost.

Merchant services are beneficial for very small businesses or those that are just starting and don’t have a lot of orders. Merchant services provide the merchant account, gateway, hosted shopping cart and will maintain your customer’s personal information. They usually require a set-up fee between 50 and 200 dollars, transaction fee between 30 and 75 cents, and 5% to 10% of each transaction. Because you are using their merchant account, your customer’s credit card statement will show the merchant services business name not yours. In some cases, customers will not recognize the charge and may dispute it.

Merchant service shopping carts have an administrative interface, which allows you to login to your account to add products, prices and shipping options. The shopping cart generates the html for the purchase buttons and you simply copy and paste the html into your web pages. When your customer clicks on the purchase button, he is taken to another website to enter the credit card information. This indicates to the customer that you are a small business. Some potential customers will abandon the shopping cart rather than enter their credit card information on a website they know nothing about.

Once your business grows to the point where you are processing over $1000 a month, it’s more cost effective to apply for your own merchant account and switch to either a hosted shopping cart (little or no programming) or a fully integrated shopping cart (programming required).

Hosted Shopping Cart

The hosted shopping cart is a great solution for a small business that is processing over $1000 a month but does not have the resources to create or customize a fully integrated shopping cart. Hosted shopping carts are similar to the merchant services because they provide an administrative interface for you to enter products, pricing and shipping options. They will generate the html for the purchase buttons, which can be copied and pasted into your html pages.

Hosted shopping carts face some of same problems as merchant service carts because your customers will be transferred to a different website to enter the credit card information. Some hosted shopping carts allow you to customize the shopping cart so that it has the same look and feel as your websites. Customizing your shopping cart may require some programming skills, but it could also prevent customers from abandoning their shopping carts.

The main difference between the merchant services shopping cart and the hosted shopping cart is the name that appears on the customer’s credit card and pricing. Hosted shopping carts allow you to use your own merchant account and gateway, which means the customer’s credit card statement will show your business name next to the charge. This can decrease your charge backs.

If you are using your own merchant account and conducting over $1000 of transitions each month, the hosted shopping carts can be less expensive than merchant services. Your merchant account will probably charge a monthly fee between 20 and 60 dollars, transaction fee between 10 and 50 cents, and a percentage of the transaction, usually ranging between 2% to 3.5%. In addition to the merchant fees, your shopping cart service will also charge a monthly fee between 10 and 30 dollars and could charge a transaction fee. These fees sound more expensive than the merchant service option, but if you are processing over $1000 a month and growing, it’s better to pay flat monthly fees than continue to be charged 5 to 10 percent of the each transaction.

Fully Integrated Shopping Carts

The fully integrated shopping cart is a great option for any business that can afford it. The shopping cart will be dynamic and will have the same look and feel as your website. The ZIP Baby Potty Training Store is a great example of a fully integrated shopping cart. Fully integrated shopping carts like this contain features that are not found in merchant service or hosted shopping carts. For example, you can discount items, display customer reviews, assign products to multiple categories, display out of stock notifications, sort products and prices, and display shipping estimates without requiring the customer to create an account.

Integrated shopping carts require advanced programming skills and can often be used with your own merchant account or with a service that allows you to use their merchant account for a higher fee. There are many integrated shopping carts available. Free carts require the most programming skills, but if you don’t have the programming skills necessary to customize a free shopping cart, there are many companies that specialize in customizing fully integrated shopping carts.

Your choice of a shopping cart can have a dramatic impact on your business. Your website is the first and only impression you get to make so you’ll want to make it as professional as possible. While shopping for a shopping cart system, put yourself in your target customer’s shoes and browse the Internet. Review your competitor’s websites as well as those outside your industry. Make a list of shopping carts that you find appealing and research them thoroughly before choosing one.

Copyright 2004 Danna Henderson. All Rights Reserved.

Danna Henderson started ZIP Baby in order to provide parents with comprehensive potty training information and a large selection of potty training products. For more information visit the ZIP Baby Potty Training Store .



Written by: Danna Henderson

NAVIGATION

10 Inside Tips to Saving Money and Making the Most of Your Retail Shopping Experience

10 Smart Shopping Tips To Protect Your Family From Getting Sick

10 Tips For Shopping For Weight Loss

10 Tips to Improve Your Shopping Cart

10 Tips To Safe Online Shopping

10 Ways To Protect Your Financial Identity Being Used For Someone Else s Shopping Spree

21 Questions to Ask Before You Buy Any Shopping Cart System

22 Questions to Ask Before You Use Any Shopping Cart System

3 Little Known Tips for Shopping for Craft Supplies Online

4 Great Reasons to Love On Line Shopping

4 Steps to Lower Your Shopping Cart Abandonment Rate

5 Things to Know When Shopping for Car Rentals

5 Tips for Online Shopping

5 Tips to Better Clothes Shopping

5 Tips to Getting Extra Money for Christmas Shopping

5 Tips to Wardrobe Shopping

5 Tips Tricks for Effective Online Shopping

5 ways to super savings internet shopping

6 Christmas Shopping Tips You Must Know

6 Great Online Christmas Shopping Tips

6 Smart Tips To Avoid the Stress of Shopping For Holiday Gifts

6 Tips For Choosing The Perfect Shopping Cart

7 Must Have Scripts to Look for When Shopping for E commerce Hosting

7 Shopping Tips For Smart Affiliate Marketing ROI

7 Things To Know When Shopping Bird Cages

8 Tips to an Easy Holiday Shopping Experience

A Brief Guide When Shopping For Personal Loans

Adult ADD And The Art Of Grocery Shopping

All your Online Discount Shopping needs for You and Your Home can be found here

ARE YOU CONCERNED ABOUT SHOPPING ON THE INTERNET

Are you safe when shopping in online stores

Are You Showing Potential Customers the Exit Before they ve Even Started Shopping

ASP hosted Shopping cart software versus Shop in a box

AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT WITH HOME SHOPPING

Avoiding Fraud Through Safe Shopping

Avoiding Stress During the Busy Holiday Shopping Season with eCardica com

Baby Clothes 7 Money Saving Shopping Tips for New Parent

Balenciaga Handbags Information when Shopping for Handbags

Be a smarter shopper as you shop on the internet at your favorite shopping stores

Benefits of shopping jewelry online

Beware the Shopping Mall Monster

Black Friday Shopping How to Make Thousands in One Day

BLISSFUL SHOPPING OR HOW TO SAVE TIME BUT PROBABLY NOT MONEY

Brighton Handbags Information when Shopping for Brighton Handbags

Budget Shopping for Kids

Bunk Bed Shopping 10 Point Safety Checklist To Protect Your Children

Burberry Handbags Information When Shopping for Burberry Handbags

Can you Really Make Money Taking Surveys and Mystery Shopping

Chase com Credit Card An New Breed Of Cashless Shopping

Choosing the Right Online Shopping Cart

Christmas Gifts Making Your Shopping Easier

Christmas Holiday Shopping Online 5 Tips To Get The Most Out Of Your Online Shopping Experience

Christmas Shopping Bargains For You

Christmas shopping online might or might not be for everyone This article shows how doing it online enhances your overall Christmas experience

Christmas Toy Shopping Online 10 Reasons

Christmas Trees Decorations Shopping For Gifts and Joy

Comparison Shopping and Starting an Internet Business

Considerations When Shopping for a Handbag

Cool Holiday Gift Guide Shopping Ideas for Outdoor Gear Enthusiasts

Create an environmentally friendly shopping policy

Create Worry Free Sales With Secure Shopping Cart Software

Cyber E Newsletter Shopping Tips 4

De Mystifying Mystery Shopping

Debt to Income Ratio It s Just as Important as Your Credit Score When You re Shopping for a New Home

Designer Handbags Christmas Shopping Online Authentic Label Purses Gift Giving

Diamonds on the Internet A new and better way of shopping for your diamond and jewelry

Discount Online Shopping

Do you know these smart shopping tips for healthy eating

Does Your Shopping Cart Have a Squeaky Wheel

Doing Your Holiday Shopping On Ebay

Don t Worry About Scrooge This Christmas By Shopping Online You ll Save Plenty Of Time And Money

Dos And Don ts Of Mystery Shopping

Dos And Don ts Of Shopping For Your Wedding Dress

E commerce Solution Shopping Cart Or Web Store

E Shopping Has Arrived Why It s HOT And How You Can Get Your Piece of the Gold Rush

Earn Money Doing Mystery Shopping Men Wanted

Easy online shopping for motorcycle parts

eBay buys Shopping com Boon or Bust to Online Merchants

Ebay Sellers Shopping On Black Friday Will Make You Thousands

eCommerce Installing and Configuring your Shopping Cart

Empower Your Shopping Experience

eShopping Carts Comparing Apples Oranges and Tuna Fish

Evening Wear Shopping Tips

Five Step ITo A Successful Online Shopping Business

Fortune3 shopping cart software for E Commerce Stand alone version

Free Mystery Shopping Jobs

From desktop to doorstep the Affinity Button a new concept in armchair shopping

Fun Shopper reviewing Secret Mystery Shopping

GamblingGates com launches shopping bonanza

Getting Pre Approved for a Home Loan Is One of the Best Ways to Get a Leg Up on the Competition When Shopping for a Home

Gift Shopping Tips for a Tight Budget

Gift Shopping Tips For Tight Budget

Grocery Shopping The Healthy Menu Mailer Way

Guide to Safe Online Shopping

Guide to Shopping Online Safely

Healthy Eating Shopping List

Holiday Action Saves a Sour Shopping Season

Holiday Shopping On eBay

Holiday Shopping Online Delivery Rules For Your Orders

How Shopping Malls Can Increase Your Gig Audience

How to avoid Mystery Shopping Drawbacks and Scams

How to get the best shopping deals over the Internet

How To Give Your Visitors A One Way Ticket To The Shopping Cart

How to go about online shopping

How to Keep a Toddler Content While Shopping

How to Organize Christmas Toy Shopping

How To Save Money When Shopping for a New Bathroom

How to set up the ecommerce shopping cart software tools to handle your transactions and how to do in smart efficient and cost effective way

How To Shop For A Search Engine Friendly Shopping Cart Solution

How to Start Your Own Online Shopping Mall Today

Increase your web site conversion rates from 6 to 66 in shopping carts and booking engines

Ink cartridges shopping online

Interesting Facts To Consider When Shopping For A Watch

International online shopping in any currency

Internet Shopping How Safe Is It

Introducing a Mystery Shopping Program Employees

Is bigger better The how to s when shopping for diamonds

Is It Worth Shopping Sheepskin Slippers Online

Is Shopping At Tesco Killing the UK Countryside

IS YOUR SHOPPING CART COSTING YOU MONEY

Join the Internet Shopping Bandwagon

Kitchen Survival Shopping for Ingredients

Knowledge is Power When Mortgage Shopping

LANE BRYANT and Shopping for Plus Size Clothes

Let s Go Shopping at Yard Sales

Let s Go Wheelchair Shopping

Lingerie Shopping Anxiety Solved

Make Coupon Shopping Work For You

Make Profits On Online Shopping

Make your Christmas Shopping Hassle free

Making Online Shopping a Profitable Business

Making Shopping Lists

Maria s New Lifestyle Short Story About The Benefits Shopping On The Net Has Given To A Dedicated Artist

Mattress Shopping 101

Me and Mo A Shopping Experience

Money Saving Health Insurance Shopping Tips

Moneynet Encourages Online Vigilance For Christmas Shopping

Mr Cheapie s Frugal Shopping Tips

MYSTERY SHOPPING

Mystery Shopping An excellent part time job or additional income source

Mystery Shopping An Excellent Way To Make Extra Money

Mystery shopping and its importance for stores

Mystery Shopping Basics

Mystery Shopping Exposed The Other Side Of The Hype

Mystery Shopping for Fun and Profit

Mystery Shopping for Money

Mystery Shopping for Stay at home Moms

Mystery Shopping Frequently Asked Questions

Mystery Shopping How To Get Paid For Something You Would Do For Free

Mystery Shopping Jobs Directory

Mystery Shopping Mysterious Way To Improve Customer Care

New Baby Shopping List

New Online One Stop Shopping

New Online Shopping Portal Donate money to your chosen charity as you browse

One Stop Shopping TheMall123 The One Stop Cloth Shop

Online Clothing Stores Have The Best Plus Size Clothing Apparel With The Convenience Of Shopping From Home

Online Comparison Shopping At Christmas

Online Footwear Shopping

Online Holiday Shopping Sales Meet Record Breaking Expectations

Online Insurance Shopping Finding Health Insurance on the Web

Online Internet Shopping is the craze Australia

Online Shopping 10 Tips For Safe Online Shopping

Online shopping an emotional experience

Online Shopping Best Selection Quality and Convenience in Hair Products

Online Shopping Choosing the Correct Contact Lenses

Online Shopping for Dummies Things You Need to Know When Shopping Online

Online Shopping For Home Business Opportunity Here Is The Most Invisible Thing In Sales Letters

Online shopping for motorcycle accessories

Online Shopping for Newbies

Online Shopping for Women s Plus Size Clothing Shop by Body Type

Online shopping guide 101

Online Shopping Protect Yourself Never Be Scammed Again

Online Shopping Resource for Users and Advertisers

Online Shopping Safety Privacy and Benefits

Online Shopping Saves You Time and Money

Online shopping store guide

Online Shopping The Joy Of Online Shopping

Online shopping Tips Coupon Codes For Beginners

Online Shopping UK Know Your Rights

Online Shopping vs Adult Book Stores

Online Shopping Whatever you want

Organize Your Christmas Shopping

Passing The CCNA and CCNP Home Lab Shopping On Ebay

Pearls Make Holiday Shopping Easy

Pickup Truck Shopping Tips Accessories Engines and Cab Choices Are Many

Plus Size Erotic Lingerie Shopping No More Embarrassing Moments

Plus Size Shopping Online

Practical Ways To Save Money When Shopping Online

Pregnant Women Don t Just Stay At Home Go Shopping

PROVEN DANGERS OF ON LINE SHOPPING What everyone should know

Rothem Collection is the safest online shopping site for Diamonds and Jewelry

Safe online Evening gowns Shopping starts at www best promdress com

Save Time and Money when Gift Shopping For The Holiday Season

Save while shopping for food

Savvy Shopping For Clothing In Plus Sizes

SCHOOL SHOPPING Less is better for your wallet and your kids

Search Engine Friendly Shopping Cart Software

Security Issues Everyone Should Know About Online Shopping

Seven Simple Steps to Save on Your Online Shopping

Shop Is Shopping Online Secure

Shopping and Food Tips To Make Your Holiday Cooking Special

Shopping Around The World And The World Wide Web

Shopping Be Wary

Shopping Cart Abandonment Solved

Shopping Cart Usability

Shopping Cart Web Sites 13 Ways to Evaluate an E Commerce Provider

Shopping Carts and SEO

Shopping Carts and the E Aisles

Shopping Carts For The Faint Of Heart

Shopping Carts Online Shopping Cart

Shopping Ebay for Plus Size Clothing

Shopping For A Car Don t Get Taken For A Ride

Shopping for a Coach

Shopping For a Franchise

Shopping for a Holiday Home in the Sun

Shopping for a Loan Online

Shopping For A Mattress Get In The Now

Shopping for a Mortgage Avoid Three Common Mistakes

Shopping for A Mortgage Do Your Homework First

Shopping For a New Home

Shopping for a payday loan

Shopping for a Secured Personal Loan

Shopping for a Shopping Cart Make Sure you Weigh your Options

Shopping for a Shopping Cart Make Sure you Weigh your Options First

Shopping for a swimming pool

Shopping For Clay Poker Chips Made Easy

Shopping For Dollars

Shopping For Formal Dresses In Plus Sizes

Shopping for Holiday Gifts The Internet Makes it Easy

Shopping for Ingredients for a Well Stocked Kitchen

Shopping for Loans Online

Shopping for Men s Designer Suits

Shopping for Plus Size Erotic Lingerie Online

Shopping for Sensitive Skin A Guide for the Acne and Rosacea Conscious

Shopping For Skater Clothes

Shopping for the Best Bargains on the Web

Shopping for the Best Luggage for Vacations and Business Travel

Shopping For The Perfect Gift

Shopping For The Perfect Wedding Dress

Shopping for Tools and Gadgets as Gifts for Men and Women

Shopping For Women s Clothes on the Internet

Shopping For Your Bridal Gown

Shopping for your Motorcycle Parts Online with less effort

Shopping from your cell phone with Froogle Wireless

Shopping Home Equity Loan Rates

Shopping In London

Shopping is Great Just Don t be Bait

Shopping is Great Just Don t be the Bait The Top 7 Precautions Criminals Want Women to NEVER Learn

Shopping Online Can Be Fun

Shopping Online For Car Insurance

Shopping Online For The Holidays Don t Get Ripped Off

Shopping Online Keep it Safe

Shopping online made easy

Shopping Online Protect Yourself

Shopping Online What you should know

Shopping search engine

Shopping Search Engines The Benefits and Explanations

Shopping Systematically for an Internet Home Based Business

Shopping The Scintillating World of Sterling Silver Jewelry For Gifts

Shopping Tips

Shopping Tips 2

Shopping Tips 3

Shopping Tips 5

Shopping tips for Collectible Figurines

Shopping Tips For Rustic Log Beds

Shopping Tips Get More For Your Money

Shopping With Children

Shopping with your Christmas Catalog

Shopping Your Way to Weight Loss

Short Story The Benefits of Shopping Online

Skin Care Tips Online Product Shopping Check List

Slack Economy Fuels eBay Shopping

Small Business Web Shopping Cart Software 7 Reasons Hosted Is Better

Spending lots of money every month for a Shopping Cart Service and still not getting the results you want

Start A Hauling Shopping Taxi Business

Start a Home Based Grocery Shopping Service

Stay Safe While Shopping Online

Take the Mystery out of Mystery Shopping

Tee Shirts Are Hot Items for Post Holiday Shopping

Ten things you should know before you go shopping for that special ring

The Benefits Of Online Shopping

The Best Credit Card Shopping For A Credit Card

The Budget Fashionista s Top Ten Budget Shopping Tips

The Business of Shopping and Shipping Gifts For the Holidays

The Fun and Ease of Online Shopping vs The Brick and Mortar Option

The Gift Shopping Blues

The Gluten Free Shopping Experience

The Holiday Shopping Experience Rewarding or Traumatic

The Hows and Whys of Vintage Clothes Shopping

The New Realities Of Used Car Shopping Good Car Deals Possible With Internet Marketing

The Role Of Internet In Mystery Shopping

The Secret Science Of Online Shopping

The Shopping Splurge

The Trickiest Gift on Your Shopping List

The Truth About Online Shopping

The Truth About Shopping for Mortgage Rates

The Ultimate His and Her Gift Guide to Holiday Shopping Online

The Why When Where How of Cosmetic Shopping

The World of Mystery Shopping

There Are Always Time For Women Shoes Shopping

Things A Customer Client Should Never Hear When Shopping At Your Place

Things To Know Before Gift Shopping For Platinum Jewelry

THRIVING BY SHOPPING ON LINE

Tips for Christmas Shopping for Babies and Infants

Tips for Shopping Smart for the Garden

Tips on Shopping For Men s Colognes and Perfumes As

Top 10 Features of a Shopping Cart That Will Make You Money Online

Trends In Online Discount Apparel Shopping

Twelve Easy Steps to Money Saving Shopping

UbidFast Auction opens for business offering safe and secure shopping for consumers

Virtual Credit Cards For Safer Online Shopping

What Does My New Baby Really Need A Guide To Shopping For Your New Baby

What is Mystery Shopping and Can You Really Get Paid to Shop

What Part Do Commodities Play in the Market and in our Shopping

What to Know When Shopping for Health Insurance

What to look for when shopping for a SEO specialist

What To Look For When Shopping For Gifts Online

What You Need to Know When Shopping for a Car Cover

Where are your customers shopping this Holiday Season

Why Shopping Online Will Be Big This Holiday Season

Why Should Unique Food Gift Baskets Be Your First Choice For Gift Shopping

Why use a mortgage broker versus the bank when shopping for a new mortgage

Wireless Shopping with RFID

World Wide Shopping Malls

X Cart Shopping Cart Software

Your Guide to Shopping for an Espresso Machine

© CopaTravel.info - All Rights Reserved