Down_In_It started this topic @ 16:47 on 02/11/2004
I've not been self-employed for very long, and although things are going well, I'd like to steer away from Paypal as I have had a number of emails from potential customers asking if I have means for alternative payments.
I used to work full time as a graphic website designer so never got down into too much of the technical nitty gritty. I have a domain and products page currently set up for Paypal which I would like to convert to something that might appear more 'professional' in the eyes of the consumer:
http://www.artgraphica.net/art-video-tutorials/order.htm
I have some queries as to how I might best set up an eccomerce system other than Paypal.
I have a business bank account with the Alliance and Leicester, but believe you need to be in business for at least six months before you can be considered.
WorldPay claims it can get you a merchant account within a week, and seems like a good option. Would I be right in thinking a company like WorldPay process the credit card transactions and after taking their percentage will hold the money or send it directly to your bank account? I also get the impression you need yet another third party solution to control the shopping cart side of things. James Smith kindly passed me onto Mal's Free Shopping Cart website (http://www.mals-e.com/) - if I understand correctly I think you can add buttons to your products and it will send the credit card and goods information onto say WorldPay, although I'm not sure how well it integrates with an existing website and whether you need a secure server and possibly a cgi-bin, and whether it redirects customers away from your website to process credit card payments.
Has anybody had any experience with setting up an eccomerce system without using Paypal or having a Merchant Account. Is it more straight-forward that it might first appear?! 
I hear all these words like SecPay, Protx, Gateway processing... it's a whole new techno-language and brand name mumbo-jumbo that I need to learn and at the moment I'm finding it a tad confusing!
Thanks in anticipation to a reply.
RE: Setting up a Website Ecommerce Shopping Cart
Jonny | 02/11/2004 05:53 PM
OKay - I have a few experiences here that may help. Excuse me if I ramble!
I was in a similar situation about a year ago - ultimately I went for PROTX because they were cheap to set-up and the fees pretty reasonable. They also offered a high level of integration as well as support with getting you integrated.
I had by biz bank account with HSBC and then used Barclaycard Merch Services for my processing. Because I was new in business Barclaycard kept on to my payment for 45 days before putting it in my bank account. Now, to be honest, that really really sucked and messed up my cashflow no end. Especially as I was selling high value products that I was having to fork out for up front and then not seeing the cash for 45 days!!! Not very "small-business" friendly policy if you ask me!!
So eventually HSBC said they would give me a merchant number and because I bank with them, no lag in getting the payments. PLUS the fees are cheaper than they were with B/Card.
So my suggestion is to go with PROTX on your site and HSBC for your biz bank account and merchant bank account. Works really well now. You can see how well PROTX integrates by having a flick through my site. The technical people at PROTX are very good at helping you out I've found.
Feel free to send me a PM if you want more info etc etc
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RE: RE: Setting up a Website Ecommerce Shopping Cart
Down_In_It | 03/11/2004 08:28 AM
Hi Jonny, thanks for writing, and by the way I like the website!
I have heard about others waiting about 45 days before they can get their hands on their own hard made money - not exactly ideal!! Sounds like you've the integration sorted well now.
The only 'problem' I have is that I've opened up a business account with Alliance and Leicester and have had a personal account with them for countless years; the setup is good - I know the small print, can pay cheques into the local post office, have the cheque authenticity cards setup under my account the online Internet Business banking, I have two years of free business banking, direct debits setup up, credit card etc.etc. and don't really want the hassle of changing to another bank and having to resort all these things. I don't know how well supported A&L are when it comes to merchant accounts; they only seem to touch on it briefly in their documentation, but reading the WorldPay website seemed to suggest you didn't actually need one?
RE: Setting up a Website Ecommerce Shopping Cart
smallworld | 03/11/2004 01:15 AM
Have you considered Secpay?
Paypal is attractive mainly because you don't need a merchant account. The main drawback of Paypal is that your prospective customers need to 'join' Paypal which makes the payment process more confusing (for your prospective customers) than it needs to be. (Paypal have stopped making this step mandatory in the US but cannot give any information regarding plans to do away with this unncesssary complication in the UK).
You'll need a merchant account to use most of the other key payment providers like SecPay, Protx, Worldpay etc so how do you choose between them?
There are three reasons why I recommend Secpay to our customers:
1. Payments are cleared into your bank within 2 or 3 days
2. SecPay are among the well known and trusted payment processors
3. The payment processing screens can be incorporated right into your site rather than having to link to someone else's pages
Reasons one and two speak for themselves, reason three may need more explanation:
As a graphic designer you will understand and value the importance of a site's look and feel - it helps form an image of your company and values in the mind of your prospective customers.
So why be forced to abandon your carefully planned image when it comes to the crucial step of processing your customer's payment?
One of our customers experienced just this situation recently so we're just in the process of putting all the payment process functions INTO their website rather than just linking to the Worldpay/Protx/etc pages.
Without getting into technical details: the end result is that your site looks more 'joined up', you have the same (if not greater) security precautions in place and you'll be using more future proof technology.
I've spent quite a bit of time investigating the various payment processing offerings recently, I hope you find my suggestions of some use...
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Mark Challice - Technical Director
Small World Systems Ltd
www.smallworldsystems.co.uk">href="http://www.smallworldsystems.co.uk">www.smallworldsystems.co.uk
Web based and mobile applications
RE: RE: Setting up a Website Ecommerce Shopping Cart
Down_In_It | 03/11/2004 08:34 AM
Hi Mark,
I appreciate the reply. I think I have been on the SecPay website and they listed all the banks they were connected with for ease of getting a Merchant Account, but Alliance and Leicester wasn't in that list. For the reasons given in my reply to Jonny, I don't want to change business bank accounts at the moment and am not sure if SecPay and the A&L Combo would work?
Putting the payment process into a website would be extremely useful, but is this something a normal user with an understanding of HTML can do, or is this a paid for service done by a third party who would need to update your account each time you added new goods for sale on your website?
Thanks again for your reply.
RE: Setting up a Website Ecommerce Shopping Cart
bikebloke | 03/11/2004 08:49 AM
Well there is a sure fire way to sort it all out.
If you contact lorcan@mbsx.com by mail, he can set up your hosting for around £450 for the information manager and set up of the e-commerce site. Then about £40 pcm for "on-line card processing" and hosting fees etc. His software is easy to use and if you know html your laughing.
If you contact him please tell him Richard put you in touch, you will definately like his approach and his utility.
He is the owner of Maple Business Systems and his portfoilio is on-line.
Later
"H"
RE: RE: Setting up a Website Ecommerce Shopping Cart
Down_In_It | 03/11/2004 03:50 PM
Sounds like a plug to me "H". I already have good hosting a fraction of the price your friend is offering. £450 is excessive then another £480 a year - I think I'll pass!!!
