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What do I need to know before starting out?

Be An Informed Shopper

Make sure you know the answers to the following questions before you put down your money with an ecommerce shopping cart provider:

Do I need a full-service ecommerce shopping cart solution or do I have some of the parts already?

If your business already takes credit cards, you likely have a merchant account that can be web-enabled. However, if you're just starting out, it might be easier to go with a provider that bundles everything in one package.

Should I go with a web-based ecommerce shopping cart or integrate ecommerce shopping cart software directly onto my site?

This depends on how handy you are with IT work and how interested you are in doing it. If you want a turnkey solution, a web-based or ASP model might work best. If you work with a web developer, IT staff, or are reasonably technical yourself, you might opt for a locally hosted ecommerce shopping cart solution, which allows more control and easier integration with your existing business rules.

How much do I realistically have to spend?

Ecommerce shopping cart solutions range from free to thousands of dollars. You should know your general budget before starting out.

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