| An online shopping cart is a necessity for | | | | them. |
| any successful e-commerce site. Most sites, | | | | |
| particularly those of small and mid-size | | | | Newsletter opt-in: When customers sign up, |
| businesses, rely on outside services to host | | | | they are providing you with their personal |
| their shopping carts: The software is simply | | | | information. You will want to put that |
| too intricate, and the program's needs too | | | | Information to good use. One way is to allow |
| many, for every business to create their own | | | | customers to opt in to newsletters and other |
| cart from scratch. As the saying goes, there | | | | mailings. Your site should provide a space |
| is no need to reinvent the wheel. | | | | for customers to indicate whether they want |
| | | | to receive your emails; the most successful |
| There are many different services available, | | | | approach is to have the box already checked |
| each of which offers several different plans | | | | to opt them in, and allow the customer to |
| to choose from. Here are a few features to | | | | uncheck the box if the don't want to receive |
| look at when determining whether or not this | | | | your emails. You may also want to include a |
| service is right for your business. | | | | subscription management page, where customers |
| | | | can change their personal information and/or |
| Member sign-In: These days, customers expect | | | | mailing preferences as necessary. |
| some sort of members system where they can | | | | |
| sign in, store billing information, and track | | | | Other options: Depending on the nature of |
| orders. Customers especially appreciate not | | | | your business, there are a number of other |
| having to type their address and credit card | | | | features to consider when shopping for |
| information every time, and being able to | | | | ecommerce software. For example, if you sell |
| track their orders helps by making customers | | | | clothing or items that come in different |
| feel more secure. Your shopping cart should | | | | colors and styles, you will want to provide |
| also offer a password recovery system, so | | | | customers with a way to choose which one they |
| that a customer does not have to start a new | | | | want. Gift wrap is another feature that many |
| account if they happen to forget their | | | | customers appreciate: In this case, the |
| password. | | | | online shopping cart allows the customer to |
| | | | check a box indicating that the item is a |
| Multiple payment options: Not every customer | | | | gift and should be wrapped for an additional |
| will want to pay the same way, so your | | | | fee. |
| service should be sure to offer multiple | | | | |
| payment options. For example, you should | | | | Digital delivery: Digital products, such as |
| make sure the system can handle the major | | | | eBooks, music, and other computer files, are |
| credit cards: at least Visa and MasterCard, | | | | being sold online more often. However, when |
| but you should also consider shopping carts | | | | a customer is buying an eBook or a song from |
| that can process American Express and | | | | you, the last thing they want is to have to |
| Discover, as well. Also, don't forget about | | | | wait for you to wake up or get home and send |
| online payment systems such as PayPal. Many | | | | the file to them. Instead, you should look |
| customers like being able to pay without | | | | for software that also provides digital |
| giving out their bank or credit card | | | | delivery, whether via automatically generated |
| information. | | | | emails, or an account page that allows |
| | | | customers to immediately download items they |
| If your product requires customers to pay in | | | | have purchased. |
| installments for example, monthly or yearly | | | | |
| membership renewals, you should look at | | | | Technical support: All of these things are |
| software that can be set up to handle | | | | good to have, but perhaps the most important |
| recurring billing automatically. | | | | feature is one that serves you, rather than |
| | | | the customer. This service is technical |
| Tax and shipping calculation: In order to | | | | support. Especially when you are first |
| tell your customer the total cost and provide | | | | installing the software, you may run into |
| checkout in real-time, your system will need | | | | bugs or snags that you need technical advice |
| to be able to accurately calculate the | | | | in order to resolve. Never attempt to |
| appropriate taxes, as well as shipping and | | | | install a program yourself without having |
| handling charges. A good shopping cart | | | | that tech support number there for backup. |
| program will allow you to enter several | | | | Even once you get your shopping cart up and |
| different tax options, depending on the | | | | running, having technical support available |
| customer's billing address. Also, your | | | | is always a good thing: If your system goes |
| service should be able to calculate the | | | | down for any reason, you will want to get it |
| shipping charges for the total order, based | | | | fixed as quickly as possible so as to |
| on either the dollar amount or the actual | | | | minimize the number of customers you lose due |
| weight. | | | | to an unresponsive system. |
| | | | |
| Discounts, coupons, and gift certificates: | | | | Buying an online shopping cart is a big |
| Coupons and discounts are great ways to | | | | decision, and should not be taken lightly by |
| increase sales, so you will want to make sure | | | | any means. Don't forget, you are choosing a |
| your ecommerce storefront software can handle | | | | service that can make or break your business, |
| these things. Gift certificates and gift | | | | so you don't want one that will frustrate or |
| cards can also boost business, so be sure | | | | irritate your customers. |
| yours has a way to allow customers to redeem | | | | |