Everyday, more and more consumers become comfortable with the idea of making online purchases. Even still, there is a significant segment of the population that stays in resistance of this trend. Most often, the resistance is due to a concern about online security. So the question we are most often faced with, as online retailers and Internet marketing consultants, is one of the proper level of security that we should provide on our sites.

Anytime a consumer sends information (name, address, or credit card number, for example) this is “data” that is being sent via your website. Security provided by the website to assure privacy of the information sent is essential to prevent pirating of your customer’s banking and personal information. The security of data is provided through a process of encrypting (jumbling or scrambling) the information prior to it being sent over the world wide web, and the level of the security your site provides is based on the extent to which the information is encrypted. In simple terms, and as a basis of information that you should understand as the website owner, a minimum level of encryption that your site should provide to your customers is “128 bit,” with additional levels of protection being provided by “256 bit encryption.” When discussing your website solution with your developer or provider, be sure that the security that will be provided by your site is “128 bit encryption” at a minimum.

As a website owner, it is essential to assure that data you collect from your customer is encrypted and, additionally, to determine the level of encryption necessary to assure your customer’s level of comfort with conducting online transactions with you via your website.

Hand in hand with the importance of BEING online also comes the ability to actually conduct transactions online through your web presence.  Commerce that transpires online is called “e-commerce,” and POTW makes enabling your website with this important tool easier than ever before.  As a POTW client, you have access to all of the tools neccessary to set-up merchant accounts, a fully customizable product catalog, a virtual shopping cart, advanced pricing features, shipping handling and tax rules, payment options, inventory tracking, and order processing features. 

Creating an extensive online catalog, with literally thousands of items, is as straight-forward as making the decision to do it.  Use images, seperate your product by categories and divisions, provide extensive product descriptions, code for discounts, allow for custom shipping methods, include handling charges, and calculate tax on orders…all with the tools included with your POTW web solution.

Already using your accounting software to process your orders?  No problem.  Your POTW web site will streamline the order process by automatically generating invoices and download orders directly into your software each time a customer makes a purchase on your website.

With multiple billing options, you can process credit cards and e-checks online, in real time, have orders sent to you by e-mail, or receive daily batched order reports by fax.  And no matter how your orders are being processed, be confident that they are safe and secure on our SSL-encrypted network.

Syncronize your actual product inventory with the inventory displayed in your online catalog.  POTW will help you to set up your website so that it will automatically notify your customers of whether or not an item is currently in stock, and advanced inventory features allow you to accept or reject orders on out-of-stock items.

Conduct business and make money on-line 24 hours a day?  Sounds good!