How to cheaply get set up to handle
credit card orders on the web..

If you operate a small business from your home and have been thinking of moving it online to take advantage of a "global audience," this article is for you.

A lot of people I talk to are hesitant to start selling online due to the "red tape" of getting a merchant account, a secured server certificate, and if needed, shopping cart software. That is not to mention the huge expense of paying someone to put it all together for you.

Well, listen up: Forget all of that. I'm here to tell you that you can test the waters of online selling without going to a lot of trouble and expense.

There are many third party credit card and online check providers who are willing to help you get your e-commerce business up and running in no time. Some of them may only work with sites selling tangible goods and others for intangibles, like services. Before choosing one make sure you thoroughly check them out and pick the one that suits your needs.

So what do they do? Well, they provide a secured website you can link to, where they process your customers' credit card orders. For all of this convenience they take a small piece of the pie, usually ranging from 7 to 15%. (Though rates are dropping as they try to compete.)

Let's take a look at a few of them and what they have to offer:

ClickBank:
This is the e-commerce choice for thousands of business websites. ClickBank can also be used to set up your own Associate program, where you allow others to resell your services or products for a small commission. While this service is not available to process payments for tangible goods, it is the perfect solution for real-time sales of your services or digital products. ClickBank allows you to accept Visa, MC, Amex, and Discover. They charge a one-time activation fee of $49.95 and $1.00 plus 7.5% fee on each sale.

Paypal - 1 in 3 online buyers in the US now have a Paypal account. Their new rates are very competitive with regular merchant accounts and many buyers seem to prefer using PayPal. Offer PayPal as an option for your customers and you may see an immediate sales boost..

WorldPay
If your business is based internationally, this site caters to you! Check out the site for full details on how they can help.

If you're looking for an easy way to start selling online without putting up a lot of cash, this really is the best way to get your feet wet and see if web selling will work for you. If it does, you can always apply for a merchant account down the road and save on the transaction fees.

The ability to sell your products/services online is not difficult or expensive, you just need to know where to look for help.

About the Author: Freebies for Webmasters and a Whole Lot More! Subscribe to Merle's Mission Newsletter by sending mail to subscribe@merlesworld.com. The "Best of Merle's Mission E-book" Secrets of Business in the New Millennium is available at merlesworld.com.