| E-commerce refers to the buying and selling | | | | business or industry, chances are that they |
| of goods and services on the internet. The | | | | will be able to work on your project with |
| term is interchangeably used with e-business | | | | relative ease. |
| and refers to all forms of business | | | | |
| activities such as e-tailing, B2B commerce, | | | | Assess capabilities: Sometimes your |
| intranets and extranets, online advertising | | | | e-commerce provider may not be able to |
| or an online presence in any form that is | | | | provide support for everything you want to |
| used for some type of communication such as | | | | accomplish through your website. For example, |
| customer service. | | | | they may be unable to provide a payment |
| | | | gateway or a merchant account to your |
| As a business owner, you need an e-commerce | | | | shopping cart. Or they may not have equipped |
| provider to enable you to do business online. | | | | your online store to accept credit cards. In |
| There are a zillion companies out there which | | | | such cases you might be forced to take help |
| provide e-commerce solutions such as web | | | | from another company, which is not an optimal |
| designing and hosting services. Quite likely, | | | | situation. |
| all of them will claim to be the best at | | | | |
| their jobs! | | | | Ask key questions: If you're satisfied with |
| | | | the technical capabilities of several |
| This piece is intended to help entrepreneurs | | | | vendors, consider the following questions |
| like you who have a problem choosing the | | | | before deciding on the e-commerce provider: |
| right e-commerce provider. Using the | | | | |
| following guidelines will help you make a | | | | Is the company reliable? |
| better decision. | | | | |
| | | | Do I get satisfactory answers to my |
| Seek professional services: Don't depend on | | | | business questions? |
| Do-IT-Yourself tools, as you risk wasting | | | | |
| time and money, and the results are not | | | | Do they actually pay attention to |
| guaranteed. At present, there are so many | | | | what I'm trying to do online? |
| professional service providers that you are | | | | |
| sure to find one to suit your needs and | | | | Can they add real value by providing |
| budget. | | | | guidance and suggestions for improvement? |
| | | | |
| Choose a 2 in 1 provider: You might get stuck | | | | Can we sustain a relationship over |
| in a situation where your website | | | | the long term? |
| requirements need hosting services support. | | | | |
| Hence, the company you choose should be able | | | | If at least one of the vendors fares well on |
| to design your site and host it as well. | | | | the above questions, then you're on the right |
| Selecting such a firm will save you time and | | | | track; else step away and try other companies |
| frustration and might possibly work out | | | | until you get what you need. |
| cheaper. You can even benefit from some | | | | |
| design firms that offer discounts on hosting | | | | The internet is helping businesses with |
| packages. | | | | marketable products reach a much larger |
| | | | audience at lower cost, and you can't afford |
| Look for models: Have a look at some of the | | | | to be left behind. Getting the required |
| previous sites designed and hosted by the | | | | support from your e-commerce provider is |
| company you are talking to. If the company | | | | therefore vital to your online strategy. |
| has worked on websites for your type of | | | | Remember to choose yours wisely. |