Type of Websites: E-Commerce Websites
With an e-commerce site, you can accept payments from your site, and in case of digital products (like software, e-recharge, ebooks etc), fulfill the order immediately.
In the case of an e-commerce website, there are some softwares and programs running beyind the scene, hence it it is not advisable to do it yourself, especially if you are not IT friendly. Give it to the pros to handle it for you.
Again what you want to do on the site determines the design and web programming that goes into it. If you are accepting payments only, and fulfil the order offline (eg books, electronics, computers etc), you do not need much fancy programing, and the payment processor (eg Interswitch, eTranzact etc) will install the scripts and security features you need to accept debit cards. Most often than not, your customers are directed to their site (to the secure page) to drop payment details before being re-directed back your site to complete the process. The customer will receive an e-mail to confirm that the order was successful while you commence the process of fulfilling the order (via DHL, UPS FEDEX etc)
If you intend to fulfil orders right from your site (eg for e-products), then you night very good security on your site, so that hackers will not access where you store your products and download it for free, and worse still, give out to others free.
Apart from security issues, running a successful e-commerce site also involves trust from visitors. They have to feel comfortable enough to fill in their PIN online at your secure order page. They need to be sure that the information is truly encrypted, and that nobody is harvesting their pin numbers to wreak havock on their accounts.
For an individual just venturing into the world of online business, it is ideal to cut your teeth ith another type of website before embracing the world of e-commerce, if you are to stand a good chance of success.
a) Web Presence
b) E-commerce Website
c) Information Resource Website
d) Marketing Website
e) Forums
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