On-Line Merchant Terms

Online Store - A web site that accepts direct payments in exchange for goods and or services. In most cases
online stores are laid out and fashioned solely as a sales catalog. In some cases an online store can take the form
of a typical website but eventually leads to a sales page (shopping cart) that handles the sales process.

There are scores of Online shopping cart applications available in the market place ranging from under a hundred
dollars to hundreds of dollars. Here at the Web Hosting Goods store we have Quick Shopping Cart which has
the same or better features as the high priced shopping carts but at a much better price.

Payment Gateway - An electronic function providing a secure and reliable payment process that enables
merchants to authorize, settle and manage electronic transactions anytime, anywhere, from a Website. If you plan
to process credit card payments on your website you will need a payment gateway. There are many payment
gateway service providers available, one that we recommend is Authorize.net.

Merchant account - An account opened through a bank that is a member of the Visa, MasterCard, or
other credit card network which allows merchants to accept credit cards from purchasers. The approved funds
are transferred electronically to the merchants bank account.

To get a thorough explanation of the internet payment process that includes the role of a payment gateway click
here.

SSL Certificate - SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer. SSL is the de facto standard for creating a secure,
encrypted link between a Web server and a browser, which ensures safe passage of sensitive information, such
as credit card numbers. E-commerce Web sites, banks, etc. use SSL as a means to protect online transactions
with their customers. Once a secure connection is established, SSL encrypts information sent from your browser
to the Web server.

If you plan to gather credit card information at your website you will need an SSL Certificate to protect your
customers information.

PayPal - An account-based system that lets anyone with an email address securely send and receive online
payments using their credit card or bank account. It is a popular way to electronically pay for products or
services and it is becoming a cheap way for merchants to accept credit cards on their on-line storefronts instead
of using a traditional payment gateway.

For buyers of products or services on the internet, PayPal offers a way to securely use a personal credit card
without providing the online merchant any personal information. All personal information related to the credit card
is on file at PayPal and is not released to the merchant.

Signing up for a PayPal account is easy and free. A merchant receiving a payment is charged a fee for processing
and transfer of the payment while the merchant's customer is completly free of any fees.