E-Commerce > Shopping > Gateway > Etc...

I need this, that & the other right?

[madcat]

Hi:

I really didn't think this would be so confusing. Can you verify my checklist of what I think I need?

1. Shopping Cart
2. Payment Gateway
3. Merchant Account
4. SSL Certificate

A. What else do I need here? What don't I need here?

B. I have a free shopping cart, Zen Cart. I know I could use trustcommerce.com or authorize.net, but where do I get *just* the merchant account.

C. Most of the sites seem to offer only partial deals. Maybe a gateway & processing and a cart. So the processing and gateway fees are payed monthly? Do you have to pay for the merchant account monthly *as well*?

D. If I wanted to ditch the 'do-it-all-yourself' method, is 2checkout.com, worldpay.com & paysystems.com the only choices I have? User reviews don't bode too well for any of them. Is it true they don't have fully customizable interfaces?

E. Is there not one bloody service provider who covers the whole process?

I'm really stressing questions A, B, C and D.

Thanks for any help whatsoever.

M

[MrFishGuy]

You don't absolutely need an SSL certificate. Authorize.net's gateway provides a secure site where the customer can enter their personal information.

Authorize.net does not directly market accounts. YOu have to go through one of their official(don't want to say "authorized") resellers. You can get the list here:
www.authorize.net/reseller/directory.php

[axiswwinc]

Hello:

MrFishGuy yoiu are a bit incorrect in your statement "you don't need a SSL certificate".

The new Visa/MC regs, require strict procedures when processing, storing clients cc information.
We are an ISO with a major financial institution.
<snip>

[edited by: engine at 8:35 pm (utc) on Nov. 26, 2004]
[edit reason] No self promo. See TOS [webmasterworld.com] [/edit]

[Corey Bryant]

I thought self-promoting was prohibited on this board?

Anyway - you do not need an SSL cert. Most gateways will provide their own secure webpage to capture & process your client's information. Usually it is better to get your own SSL cert because your customers can stay on your website. Buut if you going to choose 2CO, you really do not need one since you will be directed over to them for your customer's credit card data. 2Co is a third party solution. if you are based in the United States & expect your volume to be less than $1,000 a month, use them & also consider signing up with Paypal as well.

You might consider Paypal in conjunction with a merchant account also since a lot of people might use them or have an account with them. If you are in the United States & have the correct account with them, your customers do not even have to be members of Paypal. (Unfortunately, a lot of people still do not know this.)

Usually a gateway is about $15-$30 a month. Some gateways will also charge you a transaction fee ($.10-$.15). With the merchant account account, there is usually a monthly charge (customer service, statement fee, etc of about $15-$45 a month). Some have a monthly minimum of $25. You will have a discount rate of about 2.40%-2.50% if you are in the United States and you are not selling high risk items. The transaction rate is usually about $.30.

Some of the benefits with a merchant account are you will get your money usually in 24-48 hours after the consumer makes the purchase. Your name will appear on the consumer credit card statement. Some of the benefits of a third party processor: you do not have a monthly fee, no contracts. You do usually have a higher discount rate & usually they pay out a couple of times a month or you need to contact them to get your money.

-Corey