Web Site Tip of the Month - April '08

This Month's Tip - Selling Online Part 1

OK, maybe you've had your website online for a while and you're pretty happy with it. It's getting steady traffic and you're hearing good feedback from people. So now you've decided you're ready to take it to the next level: selling online.

Options, Options, So Many Options

There are a lot of options when it comes to selling on the internet. As a merchant you can sell from any number of sites like eBay Stores or Amazon. They have a strong web presence and do the order processing for you. But if you're looking to sell directly from your own website then you need to do things a little differently.

There's a lot to consider once you've decided to sell online, but there is no reason to panic. The first thing you need to figure out is whether you are going to start by getting your feet wet or are you going to jump in the deep end. This article will cover the basics for the start small group. (If you want to begin with a large catalog and full fledged shopping cart, I'll be covering that in future web tips.)

Am I Getting in Over My Head?

For many small to medium size businesses it makes sense to start small on the net with just a few items and work your way up, learning as you go. This allows you to use a service such as PayPal or Google Checkout to do the purchase processing for you. The setup and learning curve is much shorter than building your own shopping cart, so you can be on the web, selling your products in a matter of minutes.

Just What's Involved?

Both PayPal and Google Checkout allow you to sell individual items by simply adding a "Buy Now" button to each item. Customers click on the button and are taken to a secure page where they can purchase that item. After purchase, they are returned to your website.

Pros:

• Setting up is simple and quick
• No monthly fees, just a transaction fee for each purchase.
• Customers do not need to be a member of PayPal or Google Checkout to make purchases.
• They process the credit cards so you don't need a merchant bank account
• Both PayPal and Google are well-known and trusted

Cons:

• Customers must leave your site to make the purchase
• Purchases are limited to single item transactions (PayPal does allow you to upgrade to a PayPal shopping cart but Google Checkout requires you to have your own cart installed)
• When it comes to disputes, PayPal/Google's decision is final

Finally

Even if you have definite plans to build your own mega store, starting with this method makes a lot of sense. You can be selling on your website while you go through the often lengthy process of setting up your shopping cart, installing a secure certificate, setting up your merchant banking arrangements and all the other details of ecommerce.

It is important that which ever route your chose, do your research. Read all agreements carefully before committing yourself and don't forget to check out the small print on the website. Good Luck!

Remember, on the web, your web site is you.

V.Sandoval
Web Designer, High Tech Center

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