Once you’ve completed your ebook and have taken the necessary steps to protect your work, your next step will be to set up an online payment system.
Don’t let this process intimidate you, as it is much easier than you may think. There are many professional companies on the Internet that will assist you. If you’d like to get your own merchant account, you can do so right online. If you’d rather not have your own merchant account, there are companies online that will process your orders for you.
Merchant Accounts
If you decide to get your own merchant account, you will also need access to a secure server and a shopping cart system. A secure server will protect your customers information. A shopping cart system will provide your customer with a running total of what they have ordered and the total cost.
The following websites can provide you with a merchant account:
Total Merchant Services (TMS) http://www.web-source.net/cgi-bin/web/jump.cgi?ID=2332
This outstanding company comes highly recommended by Corey Rudl — author of the #1 selling online marketing course, “Insider Secrets to Marketing Your Business on the Internet.”
The TMS Merchant account, for Internet transactions, will enable you to accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover. They offer two merchant processing software packages to choose from. The first package is the TotalPay powered by Authorize.Net™ Virtual Terminal. This package will enable you to authorize, process, and manage credit card transactions from any computer with an Internet connection and a Web browser. This package ordinarily runs $995, but for a limited time is being offered for only $397. The second package is the TotalPay powered by Authorize.Net™ Virtual Terminal that includes the Total Merchant Manager Shopping Cart. This package includes everything the first package includes, plus all of the following:
Their discount rate is 2.4% and $0.35 per transaction fee. Monthly fees include a $10 monthly statement fee and a $10 gateway fee that includes secure, online, real-time credit card and e-cheque processing and only applies to merchants processing transactions through their Internet payment gateway.
Third Party Credit Card Processors
If you’d rather not have your own merchant account, third party credit card processors will process your credit card orders for you. There are usually no monthly fees. They charge a “per transaction” fee and send you payment for all of your orders processed, minus their fee and a reserve fee. A reserve fee is withheld to cover and charge backs you may have. If you have no charge backs within a period of time, your reserve will be refunded to you. Each company has their own guidelines in regard to reserves.
The following websites will process credit card orders for you:
iBill http://www.web-source.net/cgi-bin/t.cgi?l=ibill
IBill will enable you to accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, JCB and online checks. They also offer a telephone billing service (900 toll phone number). There are no setup fees. They charge 12%-15% per transaction fee for credit card and check purchases and 20%-30% per transaction fee for phone purchases. Services available for US and non- US merchants.
PayPal http://www.web-source.net/cgi-bin/t.cgi?l=pp
PayPal will enable any business or consumer with an email address to securely send and receive payments online. You can also accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover and electronic checks. You can sell with PayPal through an online auction, on your own website, or as part of an online marketplace. They also offer recurring billing. There are no setup fees. They charge 2.9% + 30 per transaction. Services available for US and non-US merchants.
ClickBank http://www.web-source.net/cgi-bin/t.cgi?l=cb
ClickBank will enable you to accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, Eurocard, Visa-Debit, MasterCard-Debit, Novus cards and electronic checks.
They charge a one-time $49.95 activation fee, and a $1 + 7.5% fee per sale. There are no monthly fees. The great thing about this company is that they’ll enable you to run an affiliate program. Services available for US and non-US merchants.
Revecom http://www.revecom.com/
Revecom will enable you to accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover and JCB credit cards in real-time. They also offer Check Processing in Real-time and recurring billing. There is a $49 set up fee. There are no monthly fees. They charge 3.95% + $1 fee per sale. Services available for US and non-US merchants.
2Checkout.com http://www.2checkout.com/
2Checkout.com enables you to accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover. They also offer recurring billing and a free shopping cart. There is a $49 set up fee. There are no monthly fees. They charge 5.5% + $0.45 fee per sale. Services available for US and non-US merchants.
If you’re just starting out, you may want to use one of the third party credit card processors, as this is the easiest route. Each company provides you with step by step instructions to assist you in getting your web site set up to accept credit cards. The great thing about third party credit card processors is that they handle everything for you. You don’t have to hassle with processing your credit card payments or charge backs, as all of this is taken care of for you.
In order to successfully sell your ebooks on the Internet, you must accept credit cards. In addition, you must make the ordering process as simple as possible. With today’s technology, even the smallest home-based business can now accept credit credits almost instantly. Visit one of the web sites mentioned above and get your web site set up today. Your success depends on it.
In part 8 of this series, we will focus on setting up your own affiliate program.
Shelley Lowery is the author of the acclaimed web design
course, Web Design Mastery. http://www.webdesignmastery.com
An in-depth guide to professional web site design. Visit
Web-Source.net to sign up for a complimentary subscription
to Etips and receive a copy of the acclaimed ebook, “Killer
Internet Marketing Strategies.” http://www.web-source.net
