How to set up shopping on your website

Here are the 3 steps needed to setting up eCommerce on your website.

1. SSL certificate

First, you need to acquire an SSL certificate for your host name/web server. This will set up an encrypted connection needed to handle credit card transaction securely. You can do this yourself where you purchased your domain name. Let us know if this is the option you choose so we can provide you with a .csr file needed to create the certificate. Alternatively, we acquire an SSL certificate on your behalf.

For either option, here is the information we need from you:

• Common name - the fully qualified domain name, i.e. either domain.com or " onclick="target='_blank';">www.domain.com
• Organization – the legal name, no abbreviations
• Organization unit – i.e. the IT department, etc. or blank
• City, state and two letter county code – where you are legally located
  

There are typically two options for SSL certificates. One option has a smaller warranty amount and includes verification of your domain name. The other option has a larger warranty amount and includes verification of both your domain name and your company. The latter option is the one you want if you would like the green verified https symbol in the browser for customers to see when they visit your site.

If you acquire the SSL certificate yourself, you need to send us that certificate. The certificate is typically a couple of files that get emailed to you for download after the SSL certificate has been issued. At this time we will move your web server to a new IP address and you will have to update your DNS records accordingly. Once the IP address is changed, the worldwide network of DNS servers will re-propagate which will take up to 72.

SSL certificates are renewable typically annually or bi-annually.

2. Authorized.net

The second thing needed is signing up with a payment gateway to transfer funds received from your sales to your bank account.

You can set up an account with authorized.net here: http://www.authorized.net/

Here you will enter your bank account number and other information for your business.

Once this account is set up you will receive two codes: Gateway Login and Gateway Auth, which you forward to us.

We recommend that these are re-generated once a year for best security.

3. Shopping solution with product admin and cart checkout

The third and final thing is to let us know you would like to upgrade your website to our Shopping package which will give you access to a full shopping solution where products can be set up and customers can go through a check-out process to pay for their purchases and much more.

The shopping solution will have a standard look free of charge. If you want a specific design or look, we are happy to help with that.