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Posts Tagged ‘Internet merchant accounts’

The day you decide to take your business online, joining the millions of other e-tailers on the Web, you will require a different set of services from your internet credit card processing provider.  Clearly there are many companies vying for your business, so picking the right company with the right set of services may take a bit of looking about. 

Just because you are taking your business on to the Internet, doesn’t mean you should abandon common sense.  The same rules that applied when you first got a merchant account for your traditional business are relevant now.

Experience Counts

Look for a provider that has plenty of experience with online accounts.  This will almost certainly ensure that they have good fraud and security protocols in place.  Their gateway will be secure, you will benefit from their knowledge, and your customers will feel safe shopping with you.

Technical Support is Critical

Especially as you transition your business to the Internet, you will need plenty of support.  Only consider internet merchant accounts that offers 24/7 support, since problems rarely crop up during “banker’s hours” and you can’t afford to lose customers because you server is down. 

Time is Money

You want to find a company that offers “real time” processing, or as close to it as possible.   Delayed processing gathers customer information but doesn’t do anything with it until the end of the day.  While delayed processing may be less expensive, it has limits on the number of manually entered transactions each day, and it will take longer before you see your money.

Match your Size

If you are a small business, look for a provider who concentrates their efforts on small businesses.  They will know how to direct your efforts as you grow, and they will be more familiar with the challenges that face companies of your size.  A good provider will anticipate your needs and help you grow – it is good business for both of you.

 

Impressing customers as they cruise your site is a good idea, but what types of interactive technology are best for internet merchant accounts? There are lots of options, and its best to consider if being flashy is better than a clean, simple-functioning online merchant account.

What is Adobe Flash Technology?

Adobe Flash is an advanced user-interactive technology platform with lots of bells and whistles. It  works for the Web, mobile devices, presentations and more. While Flash grabs attention, there are some drawbacks, too. It’s important to know what will work for your business, and if the “attraction factor” outweighs site functionality.

Challenges with Using Flash for E-Commerce

Not everyone has a Flash player installed: Although more than 95 percent of Web users  have a player installed (according to Adobe), it’s not on all computer users. That means people interested in buying may be “shut out”, and purchase from a competitor.

Flash is not always accessible: While many designers are concerned with the majority of Web surfers, there are also a considerable number of disabled folks unable to use Flash,  and will be unable to access the e-commerce site. The alternative? Build two versions of the same site, one with and one without Flash – but that creates more development and maintenance costs.

Lose out on the power of search engine optimization: Keywords are included as part of a site’s design through hypertext markup language (HTML). As search engines do their work, they search for keywords and tags such as “Bad Credit Merchant Account“ to identify your site and place it into search results. If Web pages do not include any keywords or tags, there are no clear clues for search engines to find your online merchant account. Inter-site linking is another key method search engines use to identify and index a site for a search result. Flash does not use HTML or inter-site linking, which equals lost site traffic.

It’s best not to use Flash to deliver important content such as product information or a shopping cart. Use HTML instead, as this language is easily recognized by search engines. Flash is best for internal ads, or to promote other people’s products.

The Hispanic community is one of the fastest growing segments in the United States, and represents 11 percent of the total online market – which means they are a valuable potential audience for Internet merchant accounts. According to comScore, an Internet trend tracking firm, the U.S. Hispanic online population outpaced growth for other groups of U.S. Internet users, making it a great potential target for certain online merchant accounts.

Is the Hispanic Community A Good Target for Your E-Commerce Business?

It’s important to ask yourself if the Hispanic market is important to your business, and if you need to do anything specific to reach them more effectively. Completely catering to the Hispanic community may not make sense, but adding more of these shoppers to your regular online traffic will open up new opportunities and attract similar shoppers.

Content is Most Important, in Any Language

If you make the decision to attract more Spanish-speaking consumers, create content that addresses their needs and desires first. The behavior of the U.S. Hispanic online consumer is also key, so be sure to understand how they use, think about and purchase from your brand.

Once you clearly understand the foundation of Hispanic online consumer behavior, then say it in Spanish. Skip the mechanical translator and hire a professional to convert content into something that will pique their interest and convince them to spend more time cruising your site. Not only will users appreciate the effort to communicate in a way that is best for them, but also it will provide a leg up on competition completely ignoring this community.

Promote to the Hispanic Community

Create a marketing plan to reach the U.S. Hispanic Community in a way that is most convenient for them, and through a media they already use regularly. Targeted advertising such as pay-per-click ads, banner advertising, print and radio are all useful tools, and be sure to offer them in both English and Spanish to capture the spectrum of the Hispanic community. Social media also helps create an organic buzz around your efforts, as customers tell others about their positive experience.