Merchant Articles

Internet Merchant Accounts- Internet merchant accounts are similar to traditional merchant accounts but have features strictly for eCommerce websites. In this internet merchant accounts review, Business Merchant Account is going to explain the features.

When people hear internet merchant accounts and merchant accounts they think they are talking about the same thing. While they are very similar, internet merchant accounts have a few more features that are geared towards online businesses. Internet merchant accounts are more than accepting credit cards and payment processors, they are key to the daily operation of your online store.

Business Merchant Account has listed some of the key features of internet merchant accounts.

Payment processing- Perhaps the biggest reason why anybody uses any types of merchant accounts. Without a merchant account accepting any form of payment is very difficult. Internet merchant accounts have the ability to accept, process, and deposit funds into your account after the transaction is cleared.

Shopping cart software- A select group of internet merchant accounts will provider a basic shopping cart program for you to use with your eCommerce website. As Business Merchant Account has already discussed in another article, shopping cart software allows you customers to easily shop and store items until they are ready to check out. In addition some of the best shopping carts will have an inventory program and have the ability to generate sales reports for you.

Web design- Designing an eCommerce website seems easy but there are some tricks to it that can lead to an increase in revenue. Internet merchant accounts sometimes provide you with free website templates or free website builders that are specific to eCommerce websites.

Web hosting- Typically your best web hosting is not going to come from an internet merchant account but they sometimes do offer a very basic web hosting package. Business Merchant Account feels you use a true web hosting company like FatCow or BlueHost for your hosting and an internet merchant account strictly for what it is meant to be used for.

Obviously there are costs associated with eCommerce sites and internet merchant accounts. Internet merchant accounts are cost slightly more than traditional merchant accounts because of the additional features you get with internet merchant accounts. Business Merchant Account has listed some of the most common costs that you will encounter with internet merchant accounts.

Web hosting- Some of the best web hosting can be found for under $4.00 a month. That is dirt cheap web hosting and a necessity for eCommerce websites. For a complete list and review of eCommerce hosts check out our sister site, Best eCommerce Web Host!

Web site costs- Unless you use a free website template you are going to need some type of website designed for you. There are lots of good cheap website templates out there so having a custom website designed isn’t necessary. What is necessary is a good backend to your website so that you can easily maintain and update your website without having to pay somebody else to do it.

Shopping cart software- Finding the best shopping carts is pretty easy at BigCommerce. BigCommerce offers all types of shopping cart software at a very cheap price.

BigCommerce Shopping Carts #1

Merchant account fees- These merchant account fees consist of transaction fees, discount fees, and other monthly fees. For a complete review of merchant account fees check out our merchant account fees tutorial.

What is important to know is that some internet merchant accounts look all the same, but they aren’t. Make sure you compare them closely and stick to reputable internet merchant account providers like the three that we have profiled on the side of this article. Do that and you are already on your way to having a successful eCommerce website!!

Merch. Warehouse

Charge.com

MerchantExpress