osCommerce

As open-source software, the osCommerce shopping cart is free to use.  The program is integrated with a number of features that can easily be enabled and configured.  The osCommerce shopping cart gives you the ability to add multiple items to your store, organize them in categories, give out discounts, run special promotions and much more.  It also offers built-in shipping and tax capabilities to ensure accuracy.  With this shopping cart, you can set prices in different currencies and accept payment through methods such as credit cards, Payal and e-checks.  osCommerce is extremely popular and currently powers a large number of stores on the web.

CREloaded

The CREloaded shopping cart is a fork built on the source code of osCommerce.  This feature-rich platform caters to beginners and professionals alike, offering the ability to process credit card payments via PayPal or Authorize.net.  You can list a large number of products, set discounts and shipping costs.  CREloaded’s greatest attribute is the wide variety of themes that allow you to customize the look of your storefront.  This software is tailored to help you create a store that fully brands your identity and enhances the customer’s shopping experience.

Zen Cart

Zen Cart is another open-source shopping cart freely distributed under the GNU General Public License.  This software was designed with simplicity in mind but offers some very powerful features.  Zen Cart lets you set up an unlimited amount of products and organize them in numerous categories.  The program supports multiple payment options and different currencies as well as top-notch security mechanisms such as SSL certificates.  The built-in control panel allows you to mange products and all related items from a centralized area.

Magento

Magento is one of the latest open-source shopping cart applications.  This e-commerce platform offers a lot exclusive features geared towards managing customer relations and marketing your store.  The user-friendly interface allows you to control virtually every aspect of the store from listing and organizing products to setting up browser options and special promotions.   This shopping cart software sets itself a part from the competition with built-in analytics, reporting and promotion tools.  Magento is completely scalable and backed by an extensive support team.  Though cost effective in comparison to premium shopping carts, Magento isn’t free like the other software mentioned in this article.

Conclusion

These are just a few of several highly functional open-source shopping carts.  Like most open-source technologies, these programs can be easily incorporated into your existing e-commerce site.

What is Fantastico?

Fantastico is an extremely useful application that usually comes free in web hosting accounts powered by the cPanel control panel.  Designed to run on Unix-like platforms, its purpose is to facilitate the simple installation of a wide range of popular scripts.  These add-on programs are totally free and can literally be installed in a matter of minutes.  The Fantastico advantage is all in the software and below are some of the categories you will find.

Blogs

The blog represents one of the very first social networking platforms and Fantastico gives you a wonderful variety to choose from.  Both Nucleus and b2Evolution are included but the most notable of all has to be WordPress.  Easily the most popular blogging application available, WordPress is widely supported by a large community and can be enhanced through a number of themes and templates.  If you’re looking to delve into the Blogosphere, Fantastico has you covered.

Content Management

Content management systems provide webmasters with a more effective way to build and administer their websites.  Even though most web hosting accounts come integrated site builders, these utilities fail in comparison to the power of a CMS.   This type of software is ideal for running medium to large sized websites and has the ability to assign varying levels of administrative access and permissions.  Some of today’s most popular community-based sites are running on content management systems.  The CMS lineup you will find in Fantastico includes Drupal, Mambo, Tiki Wiki, XOOPS and Joomla among several others.

Customer Relations

Establishing trusting relationships with customers is vital to the success of any business.  Fantastico betters the chance of keeping your customer base happy with applications like Help Center Live, osTicket, PHP Support Tickets, Support Services Manager and more.  These programs give you the ability to create the ultimate support center where your customers can get assistance through support tickets, FAQs, video tutorials and downloadable documentation.  Even if you can’t be around to answer the phone 24/7, such resources can assure that your customers are still able to get the help they need, when they need it.

E-commerce Tools

Fantastico has a little something for everyone, including those who desire to sell products and services online.  You can set up a web-based storefront in no time with popular open-source programs such as Cube Cart, osCommerce and Zen Cart.  Shopping cart software can get pretty expensive but these highly functional applications won’t cost you a thing with Fantastico.

These are just a few of numerous scripts that come bundled with Fantastico.  Other programs include discussion boards, photo galleries, project management tools and website builders.  Fantastico contorts to the novice, allowing those with little to no technical skills to instantly enhance their web presence. One could say that cPanel is a trendsetter as more control panels are being developed with application installers that mimic the abilities of Fantastico.

There are numerous shopping carts available, most of which are created by different programming technologies.  This article will introduce you to some of the most common and detail their advantages and disadvantages.

ASP Shopping Carts

Short for Active Server Pages, ASP is a server-side programming language developed by Microsoft.  ASP is quite advantageous in the e-commerce field and shopping carts are no different.  The power of the language makes an ASP shopping cart easy to develop and maintain.  Most software scripted in this language gives you a comprehensive back office to easily manage all the components of your online business.  Like most technologies created by Microsoft, ASP shopping carts tend to be more expensive than those scripted in other languages.

CGI Shopping Carts

CGI is one of the oldest development tools and responsible for powering many of today’s active shopping carts.  The biggest advantage of CGI shopping carts is that they are compatible with all major web browsers.  The downside is that they can be difficult to maintain, sluggish and consume precious system resources.

Cookie Shopping Carts

Cookie shopping carts are both easy to setup and manage.  They tend to be faster than CGI shopping carts and consume fewer system resources.  The major disadvantage is that they are not compatible with web browsers that do not support cookies.  This makes a CGI shopping cart useless for customers who disable cookies in their browsers.

Java Shopping Carts

Many shopping carts are scripted in Java, a client-side language that offers advanced functionality beyond HTML.  Java shopping carts are feature-rich and visually appealing.  Because this type of software calls for you to build your online store inside of an applet, it is generally slower and more difficult to customize.

Javascript Shopping Carts

Javascript shopping carts are fast, easy to set up and manage.  They are also easy to customize and light on critical system features.  The major drawback is that they are not compatible with web browsers that do not support Javascript or cookies.  Additionally, a Javascript shopping cart is not equipped to handle larger e-commerce stores.

These are just a few of the many types of shopping carts on the market.  Regardless of the programming technologies behind the software, it is always best to choose a shopping cart that offers the features you need and supports the number of products you want to sell.

Place an Emphasis on the Product Before the Marketing Plan

When deciding on a niche, it is better to first settle on a market that has specific needs and then develop products or services to fulfill them.  So many people have failed at online business because they focused solely on marketing a product before finding someone who is actually looking for it.  This failure is typically the result of an insufficient demand or the fact that one or more competitors already have a stronghold over the market.

While the internet is prevalent, it isn’t the only medium where niche markets are important.  Several companies have gained success by establishing a market and then catering to that specific niche.  Microsoft develops operating systems and other software products based on the needs of PC users.  Adidas manufacturers footwear targeted for the athletic population.  These examples demonstrate how important it is to choose a niche market and then focus your marketing efforts around it.

Selecting a niche market doesn’t have to be a difficult task.  You can begin by focusing on a  market that ties into your area of expertise or interest.  Although the internet allows you to branch out and try many things, it is much easier to succeed with something you are passionate about.  This reduces the learning curve and the frustration that comes along with starting a business.  Instead of viewing it as tedious work, you are more likely to find your E-commerce as fun and hopefully prosperous.  You should also perform deep research in the market you are looking to break into.  This involves checking out competitors to get some ideas on the demand for certain products and services.  Additionally, you need to learn how consumers go about finding these items online such as what keywords they enter into search engines and so forth.

Where to Find Your Audience

Depending on who you are target, your niche market just be waiting in a forum, chat room or newsgroup based on something you specialize in.  By monitoring the activity in these sites, you can determine the needs of your niche market and discover what is in high demand.  This form of social networking can be quiet valuable to your business.

Settling on a niche market is the first critical step towards establishing an E-commerce business.  This is what sets the model for how your business will operate and develop into the future.  By taking a little time to figure out exactly what consumers are after, you can market your products or services accordingly and increase the probability of succeeding.

Lost Sales

Today’s shopping cart applications offer numerous features.  However, all of them are designed to collect sensitive information from your customers.  This includes their contact information and credit card numbers among other details.  While this is a standard procedure of online shopping, one needs to consider the perspective of the new buyer.

After navigating your site, the visitor has come across a product they want to purchase.  They click on the checkout icon and proceed to enter the required information.  From there the customer is directed to your preferred payment gateway where they are forced input the same information again.  This results in lost or aborted sales as consumers are generally lazy and cautious about handing over their sensitive details.  Ideally, it would be great if your shopping cart could bypass all these requirements and take the customer straight to your gateway.  Unfortunately, there are a number of gateways, all of which require different variables.

So, how do you salvage the sale from here?  Log into the administrative section of your shopping cart, find out if you can track the abandoned sale and contact the potential customer via email.  Let the customer know that you have observed their attempt to place an order and ask if they had any trouble making a purchase.  Explain that you are willing to assistance with any problems they may have experienced.  By reaching out to the consumer on a personal level, there might be a chance of recovering the sale.  In a worse case scenario, you can at least find out if something in your ordering system isn’t functioning properly.  Everyone wants to feel like they are more than just another number.  Taking out the time to make contact and find out the problem might give them the confidence that you are worth doing business with.

The Dreaded Chargeback

Charge backs have been a nightmare for many E-commerce businesses.  You receive an order for one of your products, ship it out, and a week or so later there is a charge back.  This results in you shipping your goods for free, being forced to refund the customer and then pay a charge back fee.  One way to avoid this is to make sure your gateway offers some of type of protection against fraud and dishonest customers who purposely cause charge backs after receiving products.  While every charge back isn’t of a fraudulent nature, all can have a major impact on your pockets.

Conclusion

As the owner of an E-commerce business, you need to think like a prominent enterprise and focus on your bottom line.  If something is negatively affecting your profit, you need to make the proper adjustments to improve the service for customers and ultimately the longevity of your business.

What is SSL?

Secure Sockets Layer or SSL, was introduced in 1994 and has been declared as the standard for securing E-commerce transactions.  SSL is a protocol that encrypts credit card numbers and other sensitive information by scrambling the data so it can not be accessed by eavesdroppers.  More than likely, you have visited a few sites protected with SSL encryption as it is typically indicated by a URL that starts with HTTPS opposed to HTTP and a padlock icon located on the top or bottom of the web page.  SSL works with a browser such as Firefox, encrypting the online transaction with 40-bit or 128-bit algorithms.  However, a browser can’t fully secure these transactions on its own so you must do your part as a business owner.

SSL Certificates

As the administrator of an E-commerce site, one of the most powerful security tools in your arsenal is an SSL certificate.  This mechanism lies on a secure server with the sole purpose of encrypting data and identifying you as the owner of a legitimate website.  The SSL certificate will tell potential customers who the certificate holder is along with the name of the CA (Certificate Authority) and the country it was issued in.

SSL certificates generally come with 40-bit or 128-bit encryption schemes.  Because the 40-bit variation has been proven as vulnerable, you should certainly invest all of your efforts in a 128-bit certificate.  While there are many ways to go about obtaining this level of encryption, VeriSign, a leading SSL certificate provider, reports that one needs a server-grade cryptography certificate in order to enjoy full 128-bit protection.

There are essentially two ways to get a valid SSL certificate: purchase one from a legitimate Certificate Authority or self-sign it yourself.  Though self-signing saves you the time and money of using a reputable vendor, it actually defeats the purpose of having such a mechanism in the first place.  While the data may be actually encrypted, a self-signed SSL certificate could also trigger a warning in the consumer’s browser, indicating that it isn’t recognized as legitimate.

Even though some people feel comfortable on certain sites and proceed anyway, several more click away as fast as they can.

It’s no secret that a website that establishes trust and security is more likely to profit than one that doesn’t.  Recent studies conducted by Verisign reveal that easily identifiable SSL certificates have a direct impact on increased internet sales.  The research found that fewer shopping carts are abandoned when consumers feel more comfortable with certificates that appear to be in good standings.

The internet is all about anonymity and if you can’t prove who you say you are, it will be hard to establish trust with your visitors.  With SSL encryption you can ensure integrity and the security of your online transactions.  As scams and other exploits are a common thing, SSL has become a tool you simply can’t do without.

Fraud Detection

A fraud detection service will help you ensure that the individual entering credit card information is actually the owner of the card.  While useful, this type service does not entirely eliminate the risk of fraud.  Here is how it works.

The fraud detection services asks the consumer to verify an address and compares it to what is one file with the credit card issuer.  If there is a match, the customer is allowed to proceed.  If not, they will be denied rights to make a purchase.  For the simple fact that numerous residential addresses can be found online, a determined fraudster may be able to bypass this mechanism.  This is still a good option as it will reduce the risks.

CCV Codes

The credit card verification code or CCV, is the three numbers found on the back of a credit card.  You need to make sure these numbers are required when someone shops on your site, calling for the owner to look at their card and then enter the information.  In order for someone to commit website fraud, they most possess the credit card numbers and the credit card as well.  By implementing this type of scheme on your site, you can reduce the risks of fraud significantly, mainly because credit card numbers are typically stolen rather than the actual card.  Indeed, a credit card can be stolen and used to purchase items online, though it’s less likely to occur because people usually notice that their card is missing and cancel it before any damage is done.

Website Design

While a fraud detection service can be very effective, this mechanism should always be paired with a flawless website design that limits the possibility of fraudulent activities.  Your E-commerce site should be designed with the latest versions of scripting languages and programs to fight off hackers and protect the integrity of your business.  You may have to shell out extra money to make sure fraud is not occurring, but it is well worth it in the long run.  Having a secure site will save you money and protect your customers, which is perhaps the most important aspect of online business.

If you are considering E-commerce, the best thing you can do is learn about the dangers of internet fraud before even creating your site.  Equipped with this knowledge, you will be able to find ways to protect yourself, the website and your customers from the sea of busy internet criminals.  Fraud occurs everyday online but neither you, nor your customers have to be a victim.

Aside from great features and marketing tools, your E-commerce site needs to be reliable and most importantly, secure.  This includes at least a 99% up time guarantee to ensure that your store will be available at all times along with support for security mechanisms that protect the integrity of your business.  Security is very essential as online shoppers are concerned about the protection of their credit card details.  With tight security and the backing of a reliable hosting service, you can assure secure transactions 24/7.

The E-commerce Checklist

The internet is a huge marketplace and offers great opportunities for small businesses and large enterprises alike.  If you are looking to benefit from the emergence of E-commerce and profit online, there are several things you need to look for in a provider:

Around the clock support: Some form of customer service and technical support should be available via phone or email.  It also wouldn’t be a bad ideal to find a host that offers support through live chat, support ticket system or online documentation.

Full automation: In order for your E-commerce venture to be a success, you need access to powerful tools that automate various critical tasks.  Keep your eye out for applications that display comprehensive charts of your website statistics along with an automated backup utility to restore your data in case something out of the ordinary should occur.  These tools can generally be found in a good control panel application.

Shopping cart software: This is one E-commerce feature you simply can’t do without.  A reliable program will allow customers to checkout and automatically calculate shipping costs and process the transaction for you.

Flexibility: A solid web host should be able to support your requirements as the business grows.  If your traffic load gets heavy, you need easy access to additional resources such as bandwidth and disk storage.

Add-on Support: Today’s internet is fierce with competition and the average website usually doesn’t cut.  You can make yourself stand out from competitors with support for various add-on software programs and server-side programming languages.

Security: As mentioned above, security is one of the most important elements of E-commerce hosting.  When searching for providers, look for features such as anti-virus protection, spam filters and other mechanisms to keep your business data secure.

By covering all the essentials your E-commerce business can get off to a good start, allowing you to build a strong presence on the web and achieve financial success as an online business owner.  While this is no easy task by any means, more average people are proving that it can be done.

Mambo – More than a dance

Mambo is a fully loaded CMS that allows you to create and administer powerful web-based applications and websites.  The software is very comprehensive and can be an invaluable development tool for beginners and veterans alike.  There are many things you can do with the Mambo CMS.  A recent survey conducted on the Mambo homepage revealed that its most common use is to create blogs and personal sites.  This is no surprise as blogs have exploded to become one of the fastest growing phenomenons on the web.  Other common uses include portals, online communities and e-commerce sites.

One of Mambo’s greatest attributes is that it doesn’t require you to have any knowledge of HTML coding to build or manage your site.  This software provides a user-friendly interface, offering a simple point-and-click feature that makes it simple enough for the most inexperienced webmaster to comprehend.  Instead of freehand coding your pages, Mambo does it automatically.  All you have to do is configure and manage your content from the intuitive Administrative Panel.  Despite its simplicity, Mambo is very capable and loaded with useful features.  You can instantly change the appearance of your site with a number of built-in templates, manage databases and even implement polls and surveys.  With this powerful system, you site can be as simple or sophisticated as you wish.

Another attribute to Mambo is the exceptional support that comes along with it.  This product is supported by a large group of developers who are constantly making upgrades to improve the software.  There is also an extensive community of users who offer self-help resources throughout the web.  Furthermore, if you are hosting your website with a provider that offers Mambo, they probably have a few articles or tutorials in their support section.

Due to is popularity, many web hosts now offer Mambo via control panel programs such as cPanel or Plesk.  Because its open-source software, you can also download this CMS from a number of popular download sites.  After downloading, all you have to do is make a few simple configurations and upload it to whatever server you have access to.  Keep in mind that your site must have the PHP language enabled and access to a MySQL database.  With a program such as Fantastico, installing Mambo is as easy as creating a directory, login credentials and clicking the installation tab.

As an open-source CMS, you have the freedom to use Mambo however you desire.  This means that you have access to the code and can apply modifications that suite your site best.  With this type of flexibility, there is virtually no limit to the success you can achieve on the web.