Merchant web sites

[Nefarious]

I'm currently checking out merchant web sites to start a small business. Any reccomendations?

[Badger85]

It's been about a year or so since I researched this topic, but this is what I remember. I'm assuming you mean to open an online store to sell your products? If Ebay or a similar platform are not a good fit for your business, check out http://www.shopify.com/ : it was the best ecommerce platform for typical retail-type stores that I remember. They create online stores with really user-friendly shopping experiences for customers.

If you're willing to invest much more time (in learning about theme customization) and money (for purchasing their enterprise-level options) the most scalable ecommerce software that I know is http://www.magentocommerce.com/ .

If you have specific and atypical functionality needs (like a complex product configurator) then other shopping carts may be better. In that case, check out this to start: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_shopping_cart_software

Hope that helps!

[Nefarious]

Thanks, very helpful.

[homersipes]

a friend of mine set up a website a while back selling survival stuff, I messaged him on facebook and he was wondering what kind of business you were thinking and what you were thinking about selling.  I am assuming that that kinda determines what kind of site you want to create.

[Nefarious]

I am going to be selling t-shirts and vinyl of my own design and customer designs i cant imagine having more than 100 products.

[Badger85]

A couple more useful links:

http://www.shopify.com/sell/tshirts

http://www.cafepress.com/cp/shopkeepers/index.aspx?page=make-money

Magento is probably too heavy-duty for what you need.

[Mystic2]

GoDaddy.com has some DIY stores, plus Google and Yahoo do as well.... depending on what you want.  If you are planning to use a shopping cart, accept credit cards etc. 

[SEraider]

Is this an E-Commerce business or storefront?

[Nefarious]

Is this an E-Commerce business or storefront?

Ecommerce only. Perhaps applying custom vinyl for customers at their location or mine.

[SEraider]

Ecommerce only. Perhaps applying custom vinyl for customers at their location or mine.

We just recently switched out merchant processing company from a 3rd pary provider to our bank.  Including fees, we are paying approximatly 2.1% which is considered wholesale rates for our volume. ($100,000k+ monthly).

Your best bet now is to call Merchant Services for Visa/Mastercard.  They may quote you in the high 1's but check out their per/transaction baseline cost and their loaded monthly fees cost.  You might find that you'll be closer to 2.5% when all done. 

If you accept AMEX, you are looking at closer to 3.25%.

We always like to include a "Handling charge" with every order.  This helps offset merchant fees. 

You should offer a PAYPAL and Google checkout features.  Their fees are about the same.  Any other questions, let me know.  Good luck. 

[Nefarious]

We just recently switched out merchant processing company from a 3rd pary provider to our bank.  Including fees, we are paying approximatly 2.1% which is considered wholesale rates for our volume. ($100,000k+ monthly).

Your best bet now is to call Merchant Services for Visa/Mastercard.  They may quote you in the high 1's but check out their per/transaction baseline cost and their loaded monthly fees cost.  You might find that you'll be closer to 2.5% when all done. 

If you accept AMEX, you are looking at closer to 3.25%.

We always like to include a "Handling charge" with every order.  This helps offset merchant fees. 

You should offer a PAYPAL and Google checkout features.  Their fees are about the same.  Any other questions, let me know.  Good luck. 

Thanks! More great info. <S>