Q: What are the basic components of an e-commerce system?

A: A shopping cart, web hosting, A payment gateway, A credit card merchant account

Q: Do all shopping cart providers include all four components in their pricing?

A: No, about 50% of shopping cart companies only provide the shopping cart and another 45% provide both a shopping cart and hosting while only about 5% of the companies will include all four components.

Q: Is it better to get all the components from one company or get them from different companies?

A: Yes, we feel it is very important to choose a provider that offers all four components in house for a few reasons. First off it will end up costing less and second there is only one point of contact in case you need any help.

Q: What would be considered a fair price to pay in total for a complete e-commerce system?

A: For a good quality service you should expect to pay a small up front fee of around $150.00 plus a monthly fee between $50.00 and $100.00.

Q: What should I look for in a shopping cart?

A: We think one of the most important aspects of any shopping cart program is how easy it is to set up and manage. A good system will make it easy to add products as well as change the design of the site.

Q: How many different carts should I try out before buying?

A: You should try out 2 or 3 carts to be sure you find the one that you find easiest to use.

Q: While testing out a shopping cart what should I be looking for?

A: The first thing you should look at is how easy it is to add products to your site. The second thing to look for is how helpful the shopping cart company is while you are trying out their product. See if they provide good support and are willing to help out before you actually buy from them. The third thing would be to look at how easy it is to modify the look of the site.

Q: Do many shopping cart companies provide in-house design services?

A: About half of them provide in-house or managed design services.

Q: How much should I expect to pay for custom design services?

A: You can expect to pay anywhere from $500.00 to $5,000.00 for design services.

Q: Do many shopping cart companies provide easy to use graphic design programs so I can create my own custom design?

A: No, most companies that offer design services would prefer you pay them to design your site. Some sell templates however they are not easy to work with unless you have some programming knowledge.

Q: Is it a good idea to use third party payment providers like PayPal and Google Check Out?

A: No, it is not a good idea to use these types of services for many reasons. You are much better off getting a merchant account and using a payment gateway.

Q: Why is getting a merchant account better than using companies like PayPal and Google?

A: When you have your own merchant account your money goes directly from your customers bank to your bank instead of going to companies like PayPal and Google where you need to log in to move your money to your checking account. You will also pay a higher rate for each transaction. In addition you will find it very difficult to get in touch with these companies should you have any problems.