News » What is the first thing I need to start my ecommerce website?
Get a reliable web host! No, really. You need a website that has all the features necessary to get an online business up and running, including:
* Domain name
* Email accounts
* Shopping Carts (e.g. Agora, OsCommerce, Zen Cart, and Cube Cart)
Those are all the freebies once you’ve got hosting.
What else do I need to run an ecommerce website?
* Dedicated IP Address
* SSL Certificate
* Payment Gateway
Without a Dedicated IP, you can’t get an SSL Certificate, without which you can’t get most payment gateways, without which you can’t accept credit card payments directly on your website. The explanation for this circular reasoning is simply that the combination of Dedicated IP and SSL Certificate ensure your website’s payments are encryted and secured, which is what payment gateways need to see as well.
An SSL Certificate is nothing more than a certificate that encrypts the sensitive payment information processed on your website. Without that little lock, many potential clients will not trust your website and will not buy your products. You can purchase an SSL Certificate for $99 or $119 per year.
And lastly, a payment gateway is a merchant that processes the payments from your website and more or less converts the electronic transaction into actual funds that go to your bank account, etc. we recommend Authorize.Net, as they are a reliable and affordable choice.
Can I use PayPal or Google Checkout instead of a payment gateway?
That’s a trick question, that is. Both PayPal and Google Checkout are payment gateways of their own. These two services (and others like them) simplify the checkout process by allowing you to send your customers to their services to complete transactions. This means you don’t have to purchase an SSL or Dedicated IP and thus will cut down on your costs.
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