So what do I need?
Getting my website up and running
Domain Name
A domain name is the name you want to give to your website.
For example, "zeraxis.com". "bbc.co.uk"
To get a domain name, pay an annual fee to a registrar for the right to use that name. Getting a name does not get you a website - it's just a name. It's like registering a business name in the real world; having that business name does not mean that you also have the shop premises to go with the name.
Hosting Account.
A web host is a company that has many computers connected to the Internet. When a website containing web pages is placed on their computers, everyone in the world will be able to connect to the website and view them. You will need to sign up for an account with a web host so that your website has a home. If getting a domain name is analogous to getting a business name in the physical world, getting a web hosting account is analogous to renting office premises or getting a shop for your business.
HTML Editor
A method to create and manipulate the program code is required. Notepad and Microsoft Word can be used for very simple websites but Adobe Dreamweaver and Microsoft Expression web are more accomplished but expensive options.
- Notepad
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Expression Web
- Adobe Dreamweaver
Graphics Tool
- Xara Xtreme
- Adobe Flash
- Paintshop Pro
Payment Method
Credit card payments allow you to take advantage of the following types of customers:
- Impulse buyers. After reading the advertisements and hype on your site, buyers would be all fired up about your product. If they have a means of making a purchase immediately, you've secured that sale. If you only allow cheque payments, the additional time it takes for them to get their cheque book and mail out the cheque may be deterrence. They may also have second thoughts later.
- International customers. Credit card payment is a tremendous convenience if your customers are overseas. It automatically takes care of the problems of currency differences as well as the time it takes for a cheque to travel to the vendor. You will lose a large number of overseas customers if cheque payment is the only way you can accept payment.
Which Method Should You Use?
The initial costs of opening your own merchant account is usually higher than when you use a third party merchant. Indeed, some third party merchants have no setup fee at all.
However, the transaction fee (which is what you pay the bank or third party merchant for each sale) is much higher when you use a third party as compared to when using your own merchant account.
A third party merchant is usually convenient to use when you don't know if you can actually make much out of your product or service. If you just want to test the water to see how things are, this is usually a good way to start. It is also convenient in that the merchant takes care of everything for you. You just get a cheque at the end of each payment period (if you have earned enough) and concentrate on your products, services and customers.
Having your own merchant account accords your business with a certain amount of professionalism. And, as mentioned earlier, your transaction costs are usually much lower. However you have to be careful to minimize your credit card risks since you'll be processing the credit card payments yourself. This is not to say that there are no risks attendant in using a third party merchant.
PayPal www.paypal.co.uk
