The following are some general eCommerce website questions that we get asked the most. While we're available to answer any and all questions you might have, we've created this page as a starting point.
Do we need a special hosting account? If so, what is the cost?
Depending on the payment gateway provider you select the hosting company will need various code libraries installed.
We recommend choosing a Host Gator "Swamp" shared server plan. This is the lowest level plan available that supports SSL certs. This particular plan runs $14.95/month and has sufficient disk space and bandwidth for most websites.
What is an 'SSL cert'?
An SSL cert (Secure Socket Layer Certificate) is a secure 128-bit connection used to protect connections over the internet. This is required for eCommerce websites as it protects the forms over which your customers submit their credit card information.
How much does an SSL cert cost and where do I get one?
Costs vary depending on the company you purchase them from and what kind of a company background search they perform.
For instance, you may purchase an SSL cert from Verisign (starting at $300/year) and they will perform an in-depth review of your business (takes around 1-4 weeks). You can also purchase an SSL cert from a company like Host Gator or Go Daddy for substantially cheaper (around $75/year) and receive it much faster (within minutes). You still get the same 128-bit protection, but your seal indicated no background check was performed.
What is a 'merchant account'?
A merchant account is a service provided by a third party vendor that allows for a website to accept credit cards over the internet. It authorizes the purchases made with the credit card and ensures that the funds are deposited into the your bank account
There are many different providers with the two most popular being Verisign and Authorize.net.
Which merchant account provider do you recommend and why?
We recommend using Authorize.net as we've had extensive experience with their software. Using this provider helps to cut down our development costs and time to deploy. There are many different re-sellers of Authorize.net and we recommend going through Bank Card USA as they will allow you to negotiate your rates and monthly fees.
Speaking of fees, what are the costs involved with a merchant account?
There is usually a one-time set up fee ($50-$300) which can often be waived. Then there are two costs associated with every merchant account: monthly fees and cost-per-transaction. Monthly fees are just that, a flat amount per month. Cost-per-transaction fees occur every time a sale is made on your website. These can be either a small flat amount ($0.25/transaction) or, in the case of PayPal, a percentage of the sale (2%). Both fees can usually be negotiated with whatever merchant account provider or re-seller you select.
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