| There are many different shopping cart software | | | | comfortable with, but give your customer choices. |
| packages available, ranging from reasonable to | | | | Make sure that the payments are processed in real |
| extremely expensive in price. They all do the same | | | | time. This is where the credit card or account is |
| thing, though, and this can make it hard to choose | | | | authorized immediately. This will reduce the chances of |
| between products. There are many pre-packaged | | | | you shipping items to a customer whose card is later |
| applications on the market today, so spare yourself | | | | declined. With today's payment processing systems, |
| the time and frustration of having one created, or | | | | this is easy to afford and an absolute must. |
| trying to write one yourself. | | | | Finally, consider a shopping cart with some added |
| Prepackaged shopping carts also have the advantage | | | | features. Some can be programmed to offer additional |
| of having all of the kinks worked out by earlier | | | | items that may be of interest to your customer during |
| customers. Most are ready to be added to your | | | | checkout. For example, a customer who has just |
| website and will function perfectly right away. No | | | | purchased a new set of cookware from your site |
| ironing out the "bugs" and no mistakes with your | | | | may be offered a matching utensil set designed for |
| customer's orders! | | | | use with the cookware's coating. Or, the customer |
| First, determine what capacity you'll need. How many | | | | may receive a coupon for their next purchase. |
| orders per day or per hour do you hope to achieve. | | | | You may even want to have an auto responder that |
| Plan for expansion and growth, but don't invest in a | | | | asks the customer if they want to join your newsletter |
| ridiculously large cart for a small website. There are | | | | and be notified of specials. This can bring repeat |
| reasonable applications that can handle your sales | | | | business to your site and increase sales. |
| volume just as well. | | | | Whatever shopping cart software you choose, |
| Will you need to calculate sales tax and shipping | | | | investigate the customer service record of the |
| charges? Make sure that the software you choose | | | | company you're buying from. Any downtime translates |
| can accommodate these needs. Also, make sure that | | | | directly into lost revenue, so you'll want them to be |
| the shopping cart software you choose offers a wide | | | | ready to help you 24/7 if your cart software stops |
| variety of payment options. Mastercard, Visa, | | | | working. |
| American Express, Paypal and e-checks are all | | | | Consider a prepackaged shopping cart software |
| available. Decide which you want to use and look for | | | | program for your online site or web store. You'll be |
| appropriate software. Remember, the goal is to make | | | | surprised how the convenience an safety of your new |
| it as easy as possible for your customer to buy from | | | | software improves your sales, and your online image. |
| you. Offer whatever payment methods you are | | | | |