E-commerce
solutions
If
you want to start selling goods or services on the internet
then you will need to add additional functionality to your
website. Discount
Webmasters e-commerce service
will help you do just that. Customize your store's ENTIRE
look and feel as we build as large an e-commerce site as
you want. We cancreate and entire online catalog/ inventory
complet with photos, descriptions, pricing and [BUY] buttons
linking directly to your payment gateway (online credit
card processing service). Automatically emailing a receipt
to your customers when transactions are complete.
Merchant
accounts are about as common as online credit applications.
For , a percentage of the sale, or a marginal monthly fee,
companies like ibill,
ccbill,
paypall, will offer you a secure billing gateway
for online credit card processing. Discount
Webmasters will
walk you through the soetimes confusing process and get
your e-commerce site up and making you money in a hurry.
Important
Secure Billing Tips
*Most
online shoppers use credit or debit cards to pay for their
online purchases. But cards - which authorize merchants
to debit your bank account electronically - are increasing
in use. Your debit card may be an automated teller machine
(ATM) card that can be used for retail purchases. To complete
a debit card transaction, you may have to use a personal
identification number (PIN), some form of a signature or
other identification, or a combination of these identifiers.
Some cards have both credit and debit features: You select
the payment option at the point-of-sale. But remember, although
a debit card may look like a credit card, the money for
debit purchases is transferred almost immediately from your
bank account to the merchant's account. In addition, your
liability limits for a lost or stolen debit card and unauthorized
use are different from your liability if your credit card
is lost, stolen or used without your authorization. New
electronic payment systems - sometimes referred to as "electronic
money" or "e-money" - are also occurring. Their goal is
to make purchasing simpler. For example, "stored-value"
cards let you transfer cash value to a card. They're commonly
used on public transportation, at colleges and universities
and at gas stations.
*
Many retailers also sell stored value cards in place of
gift certificates. Some stored-value cards work offline,
say, to buy a candy bar at a vending machine; others work
online, for example, to buy an item from a website; some
have both offline and online features. Some cards can be
"reloaded" with additional value, at a cash machine; other
cards are "disposable" - you can throw them away after you
use them. Some stored-value cards contain computer chips
that make them "smart" cards: These cards can act like a
credit card as well as a debit card, and also can contain
stored value. Some new Internet-based payment systems allow
value to be transmitted through computers, sometimes called
"e-wallets." You can use "e-wallets" to make "micropayments"
- very small online or offline payments for things like
a magazine or fast food. When you buy something using your
e-wallet, the balance on your online account decreases by
that amount. "E-wallets" may work by using some form of
stored value or by automatically accessing an account you've
set up through a computer system connected to your credit
or debit card account. "Paying" It Safe The FTC encourages
you to make sure your transactions are secure and your personal
information is protected. Although you can't control fraud
or deception on the Internet, you can take steps to recognize
it, avoid it and report it. Here's how. Use a secure browser
- software that encrypts or scrambles the purchase information
you send over the Internet - to guard the security of your
online transactions.
*
Be sure your browser has the most up-to-date encryption
capabilities by using the latest version available from
the manufacturer. You also can download some browsers for
free over the Internet. When submitting your purchase information,
look for the "lock" icon on the browser's status bar to
be sure your information is secure during transmission.
Before you provide any personal financial information to
a website, check the site's privacy policy. In particular,
determine how the information will be used or shared with
others and what security features are in place so the information
cannot be obtained fraudulently. If you're not comfortable
with the policy, consider doing business elsewhere. Read
and understand the privacy, refund and shipping policies
of the websites you visit, before you make your purchase.
*
Look closely at the disclosures about a website's security,
its refund and shipping policies and its privacy policy
on collecting and using your personal information. Some
websites' disclosures are easier to find than others - look
at the bottom of the home page, on order forms or in the
"About" or "FAQs" section of a site. Keep your personal
information private. Don't disclose your personal information
- your address, telephone number, Social Security number,
bank account number or e-mail address - unless you know
who's collecting the information, why they're collecting
it and how they'll use it. Give payment information only
to businesses you know and trust, and only when and where
it is appropriate - like an order form. Never give your
password to anyone online, even your Internet service provider.
Do not download files sent to you by strangers or click
on hyperlinks from people you don't know. Opening a file
could expose your system to a computer virus or a program
that could hijack your modem. Keep records of your online
transactions and read your e-mail. Merchants may send you
important information about your purchases. Review your
monthly credit card and bank statements for any errors or
unauthorized purchases promptly and thoroughly. Notify your
credit or debit card issuer immediately if your credit or
debit card or checkbook is lost or stolen, or if you suspect
someone is using your accounts without your permission.