Facebook pixel
Acumen Connections » Blog » Starting E-Commerce Can Get Your Sales Back On Track

Starting E-Commerce Can Get Your Sales Back On Track

macbook with furniture website on screen

How to Start E-Commerce: A Guide to Adding an Online Store

Every day, people are turning away from brick and mortar stores and going online to shop.  Many people prefer to shop online because of convenience. Even now, people are shopping online due to health concerns. People are buying everything online from groceries to cars.

If you are currently experiencing a slowdown in sales, now might be the perfect time to set up an online store. When sales start picking back up, you will be ready to sell! You might even see some sales on the website before then. So, what is stopping you from adding an online store right now?

Today we will talk about the process of adding an online store to your website. If you do not have a website, you should still read this. We will explain how to get started on both.   

Why an Online Store Is Important

You can reach customers no matter where they are or what time it is. Someone across the globe or across the country can buy from your store. They can buy from you even during the hours that you are closed. You can accept payments from any location with an internet connection.

You can expect more sales. Potential buyers conducting research on your products will be more likely to buy now, than if they have to drive to your store when it is open. Shopping online is convenient for many people. Making the sales process easier is always a good idea.

We previously talked about the importance of personalization in 2020. Online stores allow you to personalize a shopper’s experience while at your online store. You can remember what they have purchased before or show them complimentary items for the product they have bought. 

How to Build a Website and Online Store

We are going to make this short and sweet: hire a professional. They will make sure your website looks great and is easy to navigate. They can hook you up to the secure payment gateway that we provide you with. If your website was created on WordPress, then WooCommerce is a good option. If your website is built on another service, talk with your website builder to see what options you have. If you do not currently have a website, then now may be the time to build one. Again, we strongly recommend WordPress. 

There is a lot of places you can find website and WordPress developers. If you do decide to work with a WordPress editor, you can post a free job listing on WordPress. Interested developers can contact you.  You can also check out Freelancer.com, which has a large community of freelancers. You can find WordPress developers and custom website builders there. We talk about working with a designer here and the same rules apply. Find someone that is easy to talk with and understands your visions. They should be comfortable answering your questions. View their portfolio if they have one to see their past work.  

How to Add a Secure Payment Gateway to Your Online Store

We can help you here. Acumen Connections proudly offers e-commerce services. You can sell to customers that are on the other side of town or the other side of the globe. You can have flexible, fast, and safe payment options online.

We partner with Authorize.Net© to provide the security necessary to route transactions online.  The Authorize.Net© Payment Gateway is fast and reliable. It can process transactions any time of the day. Some options and features can even be tailored to meet your unique needs! There are four different options for your Authorize.Net© Payment Gateway. 

Direct Post Method (DPM) is a hosted payment option. It allows you to customize it. You will still be PCI compliant by working with us and Authorize.Net©. DPM does not require a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate like many other online payments. DPM is secure because it requires a unique fingerprint to authenticate transactions. This payment gateway handles all the security. It makes sure to protect the payment data collection, data submission, and the response to the customer.  

Server Integration Method (SIM) is our second hosted payment option. It is also secure when handling customer and transaction data. This payment gateway is versatile because it is customizable. It can even look like your website. Your customer will not notice that they are no longer on your online store. Similar to DPM, an SSL certificate is not required. SIM also uses a unique digital fingerprint. Each SIM transaction sends and authenticates the unique fingerprint.

Advanced Integration Method (AIM) is one of the most customizable options. You can customize the way the payment gateway looks. You can also control the steps your shoppers go through. AIM does require an SSL certificate. AIM is secured through a 128-bit SSL connection. It sends and collects data by linking up between your web server and payment gateway.

Simple Check Out is one of our most simple options. It lets you create “Buy Now” and “Donate” buttons that you can put on your website. We can work with you to design these buttons. They are quite customizable. You can include an item ID, description, restrictions, and more. Once you have a design settled on, it does not require too many technology skills to add it to your website. You can simply copy the HTML code we provide. From there you can add them by pasting the code on your site. 

You can learn more about our e-commerce options on our website. You can also give us a call at 800-864-4644 or send us an email today at support@acumenconnections.com.  We are happy to help.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *