Setting up eCommerce: An Overview
By: Alicia Smith | Leave a comment
A class was held, and recorded on 9-11-08. The outline below follows the broad outline of the call. These notes are not detailed, but will keep you from having to take too many notes!
Audio:Â http://alicia.audioacrobat.com/download/eCommerceBasics9-11-08.mp3Â Â Â
Four Pieces to the Puzzle. Consider your DiSC style as I discuss these pieces. Check in to your emotional, gut or intuitive response to how you “feel†about these pieces. This is important because if you head in this direction there is a steep learning curve. Even if you pay for someone else to set it up for you, you will likely be the one who has to deal with it on an ongoing basis.
Website
1. Starter site can be had for $400 - $1000 (3 – 5 pages with eCommerce)
2. Be wary of $5000+ quotes for a starter site
3. Graphic artists can make your site beautiful, but they often sacrifice usability.
4. Process not a project
5. SEO is a completely separate topic, as is marketing your website
Shopping Cart
1. Autoresponders
2. Recurring Billing
3. Coupons, Stats, etc.
Merchant Account or Pay Pal
1. PayPal – no upfront fee, higher ongoing rates, often considered less professional so gauge based on your market.
2. Merchant Account – set-up fee, monthly fee, recurring billing fee, discount fees.
3. When shopping around know that it can be difficult to compare because all of those are variables.
4. Choose what cards you will accept: MC/Visa, AMEX, Discover – each with their own rates
Gateway
1. https:// or padlock on bottom right task bar
2. Generally included with your Merchant Account
3. Has a monthly fee as well
What eCommerce Won’t Do For You
1. Automatically transfer EPIC credits or any other Inscape products.
2. Process your orders – the money will be directly deposited into your bank and the orders can be downloaded into QuickBooks, BUT you will have to edit the invoices, match, reconcile and deliver the product.
3. Optimize your site.
4. Market your services or products.
What eCommerce Can Do For You
1. Provide you with a steep learning curve!!!
2. Allow clients/customers to purchase your products online.
3. The cash from those orders are deposited directly into your account!!!
4. Auto Responders
a. Will send you a New Order Notice & Settlement Statement as well as send the purchaser a receipt automatically.
b. Shopping cart’s, as well as stand alone Auto Responder systems, can allow people to sign up for your mailing list and for you to “broadcast†a group email to them. These can be done on the fly or scheduled for a date in the future. FYI – I generally prepare 6 – 12 months of newsletters in advance. They are put in the system and go out without my having to think about it.
c. Create an eCourse as a freebie (in exchange for their email address) or for sale and have the lessons sent out instantly, starting with #1, as soon as someone registers.
d. Market after the sale (contrary to comment in previous section)
5. Recurring charges, which I use for coaching clients (individual or group)
6. Download new orders directly into QB’s
a. Invoice created but will need to edit due to unique item numbers
b. Receive payments
c. Make deposits
d. Match orders to settlement statements, then to monthly statements.
7. Creates systems that, over time, will automate how you do business.
8. Opens you up to an international market place and accepts payment in any currency.
9. Customized look and feel; your colors and your logo.
10. Adds creativity to your thinking as you realize what the technology can do.
Learning Curve – think about how you will handle this process. What parts are you looking forward to, which will you outsource?
Last 5 posts by Alicia Smith
- Invite Ten People to Lunch - November 6th, 2008
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- Send 20 eCards - September 24th, 2008
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- Tip of the Day - August 25th, 2008
