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