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ecommerce online store
We are excited to offer an ecommerce package to our clients. We know there are many options out there when starting your own online store. We strive to answer all your questions and help you find a solution that will work for you.

The following page outlines the general features that we offer, some of the other expenses you can expect, and some future options you may want to consider.

Please read this page carefully, and be sure to write down any questions you might have. Then give us a call and ask away! Online stores are a big commitment and we want you to go into it prepared and informed.

 
The Basics
We are currently using CubeCart as the script to power the online stores we create. As with all available ecommerce scripts on the market, CubeCart has it's benefits and shortcomings. However, we have been very happy overall with the features and functionality provided for the price, ease of use, and expandability. You can review many of CubeCart's features and available payment processing, shipping, and checkout modules by visiting their web site.

Listed below are some of the features available with our online stores. There are MANY other features and options (too many to list) so please contact us if you have any questions.
  • Professionally Security Audited with thorough penetration testing.
  • Simple checkout steps
  • Optional customer registration and newsletter feature
  • Unlimited products, categories, and images per product
  • Place individual products in multiple categories
  • Ability to sell digital goods (downloads)
  • Product search
  • Product options (customers may choose sizes, colors, etc.)
  • Gift certificates and coupons
  • Compatible with Google Checkout and Paypal
  • Various shipping and payment modules (see web site or ask for specifics)
  • Google Analytics
  • Ability to add unlimited content pages (ie About Us, Privacy Policy, etc.)
  • Product and customer statistics
  • Bulk export CSV files for Google Base, etc.
  • Printable Order Invoices

Expandability
There is not a single shopping cart program out there that will meet everybody's needs. One benefit to CubeCart is the capability to add functionality. We've been very happy with CubeCart's ability to expand with additional 3rd party modules and add-ons. These add-ons range from front-end usability enhancements, to back-end admin tools, to just about anything else you may want.

If there is some functionality you're needing for your web site, simply let us know and we can search out, purchase, and install extra modules if they are available. These will incur additional charges as these modules cost money and extra time is needed to install and test them.

Click here to see a sampling of some of the common modules that can be purchased and installed for your online store.


Look and Feel
While there are a few restrictions on how an online store can appear, we are generally able to achieve just about any look you're wanting for your site. We will work with your to achieve a highly professional image that will instill confidence in your customers. Please feel free to use our Design Search for ideas on design elements and colors you may want implemented into your site.

If you need help in establishing a company logo, business card design, brochure design, etc, we offer those services as well. Please contact us for a quote.


Other Items to Consider
We strive to make the process of setting up your online presence as simple as possible. However, there are a few things to learn about when setting up your store. Here's a quick list of some of the items you'll encounter:
  • SSL Certificate: If you use a merchant service that connects directly to your store, you will have to pay for an SSL Certificate. Basically this is a yearly service fee you'll pay which will be required to secure your store and encrypt customer and credit card information. This certificate is a very reasonable price (less than $50 yearly) and provided by an accredited service, other than ourselves. We will help you through this process.
  • Hosting and Support: We provide this service. Again, a reasonable price to maintain your web site files and help you with any support issues that may arise. Under this service we also provide training on using your online store.
  • Domain Name Registration, Maintenance and Renewal This is covered under our Hosting and Support. Essentially you will need to secure a desired URL for your store (www.YourStoreName.com).
  • Merchant Account: There are various options here. The simplest is to set up a Pay Pal account and link into that. However, you can find other services that will streamline the purchasing process (customers stay on your store instead of being transferred to another site) and provide a few other options (such as a virtual terminal, ability to do refunds, set up physical credit card processing, do phone orders, get an account through authorize.net, etc.). We can refer you to such services if you would like.


Pricing
Some of the items mentioned above will incur additional costs. Our fees for the set-up, design, and programming of your online store are $1,400 one time. We also provide Hosting and Support for your store for $50/month or $250 semiannually. If you wish to find your own hosting and support services, we can point you in the right direction. However, any support requested from us (after your store is set up and running) will then incur our hourly rate.


A Final Note
An online store can be very rewarding and profitable (we successfully operate one ourselves in addition to our web development services). However, just like any business endeavor there are no guarantees and there are certainly risks. We're happy to help you get an online store started, but the rest is up to you. Your success will depend on your own efforts in marketing, product or service presentation, content development, customer care, etc..

As you probably gathered, there is a lot to swallow on this page. We're obviously aiming to provide information rather than make a quick uneducated sale. Please let us know if you have any questions at all. We're excited to hear from you and your great ideas for your online store.



Contact Us Today to Get Your Online Store Started


Client Comments
Mike has constantly been proactive and suggested ideas to improve the look and usability of my website. He suggested things to take my content but improve the image of it.

Having someone with experience on websites had really helped me develop the content and look of my site to a very professional level.

What We Offer   •   Benefits   •   Design Search   •   Portfolio   •   F.A.Q.   •   Jobs   •   Contact   •   Client Support