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  • Actual for You - Shopping Cart Web Sites: 13 Ways to Evaluate an E-Commerce Provider

    In Direct Sales - Build Rapport With A Personal Touch
    With more and more people corresponding through e-mail, now is the time to differentiate your business by personalizing your contact with a simple and inexpensive postcard. There are so many reasons why you should send postcards regularly. They are affordable (whether homemade or purchased), inexpensive to send, fast to write and fun to receive!Following are just a few reasons to add a personal touch by sending postcards to your customers:1. To say thank you for their business.2. To inform them of an upcoming sale or special offer.3. To invite them to a meeting, open house, or to visit your website.4. To set yourself apart from the crowd. When others are sending email, sending a postcard leaves a lasting impression.5. To remind them you are here for the duration and want them as a customer for life.
    with a few sites- if you can't find any results, chances are no one will find your site either.

    Evaluate Features Offered and Costs

    6. Look carefully at what features will cost more. Most ecommerce providers offer a base set of features for a low setup cost. In some cases, that is all you will need. You should look carefully at what features will increase the price in order to avoid sticker shock after you get started.

    7. Find out what's included in the setup cost. For many providers, you do most of the work of creating your web site. Consider how much you will have to do yourself and how much will be ready to go. Try to place a dollar value on your time.

    8. Are merchandising tools available or in

    Custom Apparel - More Than Just T-Shirts And Polos
    The traditional T-shirt and basic polo or golf shirt (as some people refer to them) has been foundational in the promotional products industry for many years. But just when these products are thought of as staples in the promotional products industry, here comes a new wave of apparel to expand the ever-growing popularity of these products for today’s busy and active generation. Many of these will be sure to enhance the appeal of promotional apparel for years to come. There are many specialized apparel products in the market today that can target very specific promotional campaigns that were not available just a few short years ago. So, just what are some of the new trends in the custom imprinted apparel market? Below are two of the most popular.Active Wear:Also known as fitness or workout wear. If getting in or staying in s
    There are hundreds of vendors that provide eCommerce and shopping cart solutions on the internet. Trying to figure out which one offers what you need can seem more like a roll of the dice than an educated decision.

    If you're like most people, when looking for an eCommerce solution, you'll go to your favorite search engine and enter terms like: "ecommerce website", "ecommerce web site developer" or "shopping cart web site". You'll find a long list of providers that make plenty of claims indicating their solution is the best one for you. But how can you really tell? You'll find 13 techniques to help you make a decision in this article.

    Evaluate Real Web Sites

    1. Look at sample sites that use the solution you are considering. Visit actual sites that use the software, not just demo sites. If you can't find any real sites, move on. How can you trust a provider who won't show you the product in action? Don't just look at the visual design, but visit the site and click around. I recommend adding items to your cart and starting the checkout process. In many cases you will find shopping is cumbersome, the checkout process is tedious, or there are actually errors on the site.

    2. Pay attention to the visual design of the sites. Do the sites look good? Do they use a template that is the same from one site to the next? If you like what you see, add this provider to your 'hot list', but you'll need to ask the provider about web site design costs and who provided the designs you like before you sign up.

    3. Do not use a shopping cart that requires the shopper to sign up for an account before they can buy. Requiring a shopper to sign up for an account is a barrier that will reduce your conversion rates. Do not use a cart that doesn't show shipping charges until the end of the checkout process. Shoppers want to know how much shipping will add to the cost of their order and many will abandon their cart if they need to enter personal information just to find out.

    Evaluate Search Engine Placement

    4. Check the google page rank on some of the sites in the providers portfolio. You can find out by visiting this web site: Google Page Rank Checker. Enter the home page url (for example: http://www.thesite.com) of the site you want to check. If the page rank of the home page is not at least 3 or 4, you'll probably want to look elsewhere. Sites with a pagerank of 0 are new and have not been ranked by Google yet.

    5. Pick a few sites that use the software you are considering and try to find them in Google, Yahoo, and MSN. If you can't find them, it's not a good sign. I recommend clicking to a product page on the site. Choose a 3 word phrase that you think represents what is found on the page. Your phrase should include words that are on the page you are viewing. Enter that phrase in a search engine and see if you can find the site. Try this several times with a few sites- if you can't find any results, chances are no one will find your site either.

    Evaluate Features Offered and Costs

    6. Look carefully at what features will cost more. Most ecommerce providers offer a base set of features for a low setup cost. In some cases, that is all you will need. You should look carefully at what features will increase the price in order to avoid sticker shock after you get started.

    7. Find out what's included in the setup cost. For many providers, you do most of the work of creating your web site. Consider how much you will have to do yourself and how much will be ready to go. Try to place a dollar value on your time.

    8. Are merchandising tools available or inc

    Do You Really Need A Domain Name?
    Is there really a need to provide your website or online business a domain name? What difference will a domain name do to your website or online business? Domain name or the unique name that you chose for your website or online business – independent of ISP – is beneficial to webmasters, website owners, online business owners, online customers and online users. Domain names are significant in many ways. Listed here are some of the basic benefits of having a domain name.Benefits of Domain Name• Domain Name Allows You To Change Web Host or ISP Without Having To Change The Name. It will be easier to change to a different web host or ISP if your website or online business owns a domain name. If ever you find a better web host than the one your site is using right now, you can easily transfer to
    ring. Visit actual sites that use the software, not just demo sites. If you can't find any real sites, move on. How can you trust a provider who won't show you the product in action? Don't just look at the visual design, but visit the site and click around. I recommend adding items to your cart and starting the checkout process. In many cases you will find shopping is cumbersome, the checkout process is tedious, or there are actually errors on the site.

    2. Pay attention to the visual design of the sites. Do the sites look good? Do they use a template that is the same from one site to the next? If you like what you see, add this provider to your 'hot list', but you'll need to ask the provider about web site design costs and who provided the designs you like before you sign up.

    3. Do not use a shopping cart that requires the shopper to sign up for an account before they can buy. Requiring a shopper to sign up for an account is a barrier that will reduce your conversion rates. Do not use a cart that doesn't show shipping charges until the end of the checkout process. Shoppers want to know how much shipping will add to the cost of their order and many will abandon their cart if they need to enter personal information just to find out.

    Evaluate Search Engine Placement

    4. Check the google page rank on some of the sites in the providers portfolio. You can find out by visiting this web site: Google Page Rank Checker. Enter the home page url (for example: http://www.thesite.com) of the site you want to check. If the page rank of the home page is not at least 3 or 4, you'll probably want to look elsewhere. Sites with a pagerank of 0 are new and have not been ranked by Google yet.

    5. Pick a few sites that use the software you are considering and try to find them in Google, Yahoo, and MSN. If you can't find them, it's not a good sign. I recommend clicking to a product page on the site. Choose a 3 word phrase that you think represents what is found on the page. Your phrase should include words that are on the page you are viewing. Enter that phrase in a search engine and see if you can find the site. Try this several times with a few sites- if you can't find any results, chances are no one will find your site either.

    Evaluate Features Offered and Costs

    6. Look carefully at what features will cost more. Most ecommerce providers offer a base set of features for a low setup cost. In some cases, that is all you will need. You should look carefully at what features will increase the price in order to avoid sticker shock after you get started.

    7. Find out what's included in the setup cost. For many providers, you do most of the work of creating your web site. Consider how much you will have to do yourself and how much will be ready to go. Try to place a dollar value on your time.

    8. Are merchandising tools available or in

    Alcohol & Events
    Many people associate alcohol with relaxation and fun, so it is an important ingredient for a successful event. However, it can be a problem and too much alcohol can cause a great deal of trouble.Obviously alcohol and outdoor activities do not mix, particularly motorised and shooting events. All insurers insist on a policy of no alcohol at all before or during any events. It is impossible to police a situation where people are allowed 'one or two' so usually soft drinks and hot drinks are provided during events. When activities have finished then teams typically head off for a barbecue or meal and then drinks.Consumption of alcohol can be a problem on events and it is those drinking sessions which continue on into the early hours which are better avoided. If you have exclusive use of a bar area ask the hotel to close it at a s
    esigns you like before you sign up.

    3. Do not use a shopping cart that requires the shopper to sign up for an account before they can buy. Requiring a shopper to sign up for an account is a barrier that will reduce your conversion rates. Do not use a cart that doesn't show shipping charges until the end of the checkout process. Shoppers want to know how much shipping will add to the cost of their order and many will abandon their cart if they need to enter personal information just to find out.

    Evaluate Search Engine Placement

    4. Check the google page rank on some of the sites in the providers portfolio. You can find out by visiting this web site: Google Page Rank Checker. Enter the home page url (for example: http://www.thesite.com) of the site you want to check. If the page rank of the home page is not at least 3 or 4, you'll probably want to look elsewhere. Sites with a pagerank of 0 are new and have not been ranked by Google yet.

    5. Pick a few sites that use the software you are considering and try to find them in Google, Yahoo, and MSN. If you can't find them, it's not a good sign. I recommend clicking to a product page on the site. Choose a 3 word phrase that you think represents what is found on the page. Your phrase should include words that are on the page you are viewing. Enter that phrase in a search engine and see if you can find the site. Try this several times with a few sites- if you can't find any results, chances are no one will find your site either.

    Evaluate Features Offered and Costs

    6. Look carefully at what features will cost more. Most ecommerce providers offer a base set of features for a low setup cost. In some cases, that is all you will need. You should look carefully at what features will increase the price in order to avoid sticker shock after you get started.

    7. Find out what's included in the setup cost. For many providers, you do most of the work of creating your web site. Consider how much you will have to do yourself and how much will be ready to go. Try to place a dollar value on your time.

    8. Are merchandising tools available or in

    Senior Citizen Affiliates: How They Hinder Themselves From Success
    Senior citizen affiliates should be very grateful for the World Wide Web because it allows them for the first time to do business without the sort of prejudice that they are bound to face in the offline world.Actually one of the amazing things that the net does is to make everybody equal. Neither the very young nor the very old senior citizen affiliate gets discriminated against by virtue of their age. It therefore reduces the whole race to a person's business skills and ability. Sadly the reality on the ground is that this advantage has not been able to benefit many senior citizen affiliates.There are several reasons why many senior citizen affiliates have found it difficult to succeed online. Most of these reasons have to do with old fashioned traditions and beliefs that do not quite fit online.For example most senior
    e_rank.php">Google Page Rank Checker. Enter the home page url (for example: http://www.thesite.com) of the site you want to check. If the page rank of the home page is not at least 3 or 4, you'll probably want to look elsewhere. Sites with a pagerank of 0 are new and have not been ranked by Google yet.

    5. Pick a few sites that use the software you are considering and try to find them in Google, Yahoo, and MSN. If you can't find them, it's not a good sign. I recommend clicking to a product page on the site. Choose a 3 word phrase that you think represents what is found on the page. Your phrase should include words that are on the page you are viewing. Enter that phrase in a search engine and see if you can find the site. Try this several times with a few sites- if you can't find any results, chances are no one will find your site either.

    Evaluate Features Offered and Costs

    6. Look carefully at what features will cost more. Most ecommerce providers offer a base set of features for a low setup cost. In some cases, that is all you will need. You should look carefully at what features will increase the price in order to avoid sticker shock after you get started.

    7. Find out what's included in the setup cost. For many providers, you do most of the work of creating your web site. Consider how much you will have to do yourself and how much will be ready to go. Try to place a dollar value on your time.

    8. Are merchandising tools available or in

    Wholesale Distribution: How to Start a Sunglass Distribution Business
    -----Business Overview: Distribute Sunglasses to Convenience Stores, Supermarkets and Clothing Shops full time or part time.--------What do you need to get started? #1 You need sunglasses. You can’t do it without sunglasses! #2 You could use displays but you don’t really need them to start. These are sunglass displays that hold from 12 to 50 sunglasses. They can be quite expensive so you might as well start without them, at least for now.---How much are the sunglasses? Your cost for these sunglasses is about $1 and you can sell them from $2 to $6 depending on where you are in the country. You also have to consider if it’s sunny all the time in your town. For example, I live in San Diego where it is sunny even in winter so you can sell sunglasses year round and sell a lot more in summer. On the other hand, it’s a large ci
    with a few sites- if you can't find any results, chances are no one will find your site either.

    Evaluate Features Offered and Costs

    6. Look carefully at what features will cost more. Most ecommerce providers offer a base set of features for a low setup cost. In some cases, that is all you will need. You should look carefully at what features will increase the price in order to avoid sticker shock after you get started.

    7. Find out what's included in the setup cost. For many providers, you do most of the work of creating your web site. Consider how much you will have to do yourself and how much will be ready to go. Try to place a dollar value on your time.

    8. Are merchandising tools available or included? Are features such as free shipping offers, featured products, sale items, customer testimonials, email newsletter signup, and email this page to a friend available? All of these tools increase the selling power of your site.

    9. Try out the administration tool. There are a world of solutions out there, from simple 'buy now' buttons you add to your existing site which require a moderate level of technical knowledge, to complete site management tools that let you control just about everything on your web site with little technical knowledge. The solution that is right for you depends on your needs, your time, your budget, and your expertise. If you don't understand the steps required to use the software, you should continue your search.

    10. Does the solution allow you to easily create additional pages? Does the solution allow/provide that each of your products has it's own web page? This key feature will pay big dividends in the long run. More pages means the search engines will index more pages and that means more chances for shoppers to land on your pages when they are searching for your products.

    Evaluate Customer Service
    11. Some solutions are 'hosted', some you install on your computer and host anywhere. In general, a hosted solution will require less technical knowledge and you'll get the benefit of "one stop service". If you have a problem or question, you'll contact the provider. A hosted solution may involve a higher monthly fee. If the solution requires you to install software on your computer and find your own host, you'll need more technical knowledge. When you encounter a problem, you may have some difficulty in pinning down whether the problem is with your computer, the software, or your hosting company.

    12. Get references. Contact a few current customers and ask if they are happy. Be specific. Do they get good service? Do they feel they are getting a good value? Do they get sales? You can't lay all the blame for a site with low sales on the ecommerce provider, but hearing from current customers that they do get sales is a positive indicator.

    13. Pick up the phone and call the provider. Are you connected with a knowledgeable sales rep? If you end up in a phone queue, try choosing the selection for existing customer tech support. Are you connected to a tech support person? How long do you have to hold? Use this guide to develop a list of questions for the provider.

    Making an informed decision when choosing a solution for your ecommerce web site can make or break your online success. Evaluating the options will take some time, but the investment in reviewing your options carefully will be well worth it as your online business develops.

    This is an original article written by Staci Schipporeit of Datahost. Datahost is the maker of the MightyMerchant eCommerce Solution. Copyright 2005 Datahost, Inc.,

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