eCommerce

eCommerce is simply doing business online. However, eCommerce is more commonly understood as the ability to receive secure online payments with a shopping cart, merchant account (for credit card processing), and SSL security.

eCommerce is becoming more profitable everyday for small to large sized businesses. It makes shopping just a click away for consumers and they can often browse many online shops to get the best deal possible without the long lines or leaving home. Just about anything purchased on the web can be delivered to you overnight. eCommerce enables companies to profit a great deal because of the low cost over head and expanding their customer base world wide.

Beyond The Desk will provide your business with a customized shopping cart that integrates into your current or future web site. We also provide your web site with a secure form for sensitive information. The orders can than be sent to your email address or posted into a database for processing.

eCommerce Technologies

1. Shopping Carts or Subscription Service
   A shopping cart is a web application that acts as a web sites's product or service catalog and ordering process. It allows your site visitors to select items for sale, review what has been selected, make modifications (if necessary), and purchase. A subscription service allows your customers to pay a subscription fee to use certain parts or features of your web site.
2. Internet Merchant Account
   A merchant account is an agreement between you (or your business) and a financial instituition. They are necessary in order for you to accept credit cards on your Web site. Your shopping cart will connect to a merchant account to validate credit cards and transfer funds from your customers' bank accounts to yours.
3. SSL Security
   SSL (Secure Socket Layer) is a protocol that enables a web browser and a web server to communicate securely. If you've been to a Web page, and noticed a padlock at the bottom of the browser, or the web address change from "http" to "https", you are seeing examples of a Web site that is utilizing SSL security.

What is the cost to process online?

Processing credit cards online may be less expensive than you think. Beyond The Desk will work directly with the third party merchant services company to make this process quick and easy.