Business web hosting is an important part of doing business online. Where people once had a fear of purchasing anything online, these days, it is a common practice. In fact, many people shop on the Internet before they shop at their own local stores. This has contributed to eCommerce being one of the biggest sectors of the Internet today. In fact, the number of online purchases continues to climb each year, with no slow down of that increase expected.

Are you ready to get started in eCommerce? If so, there are certain things that you need to know and understand. The first thing that you need is a product, and there are numerous options. If you already own a traditional ‘offline’ business, you could create an online catalog of your products. If not, you can create your own product. You also have the option of purchasing Master Resell Rights products and Private Label Rights products.

Your Products

Once you have a product, you need a website and a domain name. Many Web Hosting companies offer domain names with new accounts. Some will require you to purchase the domain name separately. The type of Web Hosting account you need will be determined by what you plan to do and accomplish. For example, if you will be listing hundreds of products on your website, and you expect a large number of visitors, you will need a rather large Web Hosting account. However, ideally, you should start small, and then upgrade as necessary.

Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)

Obviously, your customers need a way to pay you. Again, there are several options, and certain things that your Web Hosting account must include. The first of these is SSL, which stands for Secure Sockets Layer. This protects your customers information as it is transmitted over the Internet. Internet users are savvy, and most will not make a purchase from an order page that is not secure.

There are basically a few ways you can tell if a web page is secure:

Look at the web page address. A normal web address will begin with http://. However, if the page is secure, the web address will begin with https://.

Look for a ‘Lock’ icon within the browser window. As each browser displays a different looking lock in different places, there isn’t one specific place you should look.

However, to give you an idea of what to look for, here are some of the latest locks used by some of the most popular browsers:

  This is the Internet Explorer lock. It can be found on the top browser toolbar.

  This is the Mozilla Firefox lock. It can be found on the top browser toolbar and within the bottom browser status bar.

  This is the Safari lock. It can be found on the top browser toolbar.

Note: The appearance of these locks may change with each new browser version that is released. However, this will give you a basic idea of what to look for.

When you visit a website and see one of these locks, you can click on the lock to see information about the site’s security. This is important, as there are fraudulent sites that display fake locks to make you think the site is legitimate.

Look for a ‘Site Seal.’ Many SSL Certificate vendors, such as VeriSign, etc., provide their clients with a ‘site seal’ to prominently display on their websites. However, please do not trust a site just because they are displaying a seal, as it may be a fake.

It is a good idea to look for the https:// and the lock first. The seal is just an added benefit.

SSL Certificate

You need an SSL certificate, and many Web Hosting companies already have that certificate and it will be made available to you through the hosting account. If it is not included, you must purchase the certificate yourself, from companies such as Thawte. While there is a cost, there is more to it than just paying a fee. You must submit information that will be verified, for the protection of your customers.

Shopping Cart

A shopping cart is a great idea, and many Web Hosting companies will include a shopping cart in your Web Hosting package. Shopping carts make it easier for you to add products to your online store, and it also makes it easier to shop at your online store for your customers. Imagine a customer at the grocery store, trying to gather everything that they need, without the aid of a shopping cart, and you can see the need for it. The same thing is true online.

Furthermore, a shopping cart allows your customers to purchase more than one item at a time, which in the long run means more profit for you. You want them to have the ability, and you want it to be as convenient as possible.

Gateway and Merchant Account

The shopping cart is then ‘hooked up’ to a gateway. The gateway communicates between your shopping cart and your merchant account, which you will also need – unless you use a payment processor, such as PayPal or ClickBank. There are multiple choices when it comes to choosing a gateway and merchant account. The gateway is the communication tool, but the merchant account actually allows you to collect payments from your customers. Depending on the merchant account that you choose, your customers will be able to pay via credit card or electronic check.

For more information on getting set up for eCommerce, start shopping for Web Hosting companies and inquire as to what they offer. Many already have an eCommerce Web Hosting package available, which will include everything that you need, except the merchant account.

If you’re just starting out, your best option will be to use third party payment processors, such as PayPal or ClickBank.

PayPal will enable any business or consumer with an email address to securely send and receive payments online. You can also accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover credit cards and electronic checks.

You can sell with PayPal through an online auction, on your own web site, or as part of an online marketplace. They also offer recurring billing.

There are no setup fees or monthly fees; however, they charge a small fee per transaction. If you don’t make any sales, there are no additional fees.

Services are available for US and non-US merchants.

ClickBank is a payment processing service that will enable you to sell digital products. They will enable you to accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, Eurocard, Visa-Debit, MasterCard-Debit, Novus credit cards, electronic checks and PayPal. They also offer recurring billing. Services are available for US and non-US merchants.

They charge a small one-time activation fee and a small fee per sale. However, they do not charge a monthly fee. If you don’t make any sales, there are no additional fees.

ClickBank also enables you to have your own affiliate program, which will enable you to increase the sales of your product. They provide a market place where you can advertise your products and affiliate marketers can learn how they can sell your products for a commission of the sales.

One of the best benefits of using ClickBank is that they handle everything for you. Not only do they take care of all the money and pay your affiliates, but they also send you a check twice a month for the sales that have been made.

A great business web hosting company that can provide you with everything you’ll need in a web host is HostGator.