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:

- Customizable Shopping Cart System
- UPS Shipping Module
- Links to Virtual Terminal
- Free Initial Installation

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.

NRWW Commerce
http://nrww.com/merchant_account.shtml

This powerful Internet-based software provides secure,
real-time transaction credit card processing. The Virtual
Terminal feature enables merchants to authorize, process,
and manage credit card transactions from any computer
with an Internet connection and a Web browser. This
software package runs $179.95.

Their discount rate is 2.25% and $0.30 per transaction fee.
Monthly fees include a $5 monthly statement fee and a $15
secure gateway fee.

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:

CCNow
http://www.ccnow.com

This outstanding company will enable you to accept all major
credit cards online without a merchant account. There are no
set up or monthly fees of any kind. They charge a 9% per
transaction fee. In addition, their services are available for
non-US merchants.

CCNow is intended to be used for tangible merchandise only.
This means that you must have a physical product that is
shipped to the customer's physical address. If your product
is electronic, you may want to consider using one of the
following companies to process your orders.

ClickBank
http://www.web-source.net/cgi-bin/web/jump.cgi?ID=196

ClickBank is another outstanding company that will enable you
to accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover,
Eurocard, Visa-Debit, MasterCard-Debit and Novus cards.
No merchant account is required.

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 over 60,000 affiliates can choose to sell
your products for you. ClickBank enables any web seller to
automatically pay sales commissions to affiliates. They will bill
your customers, pay you, and pay your affiliates a commission.
In other words, they'll run your entire affiliate program for you.
In addition, their services are available for non-US merchants.

ClickBank is intended to be used for electronic merchandise
only. If you ship a physical product, you may want to consider
using CCNow to process your orders.

iBill
http://www.ibill.com

iBill will enable you to accept Visa, Mastercard, American
Express, JCB, online checks or telephone billing (900 number).
There are no setup fees. However, you must maintain a
minimum sales volume of $25 per month or the difference will
be charged to your credit card. They charge 12% - 15% per
transaction fee for credit card and check purchases and 20% -
30% per transaction fee for phone purchases. Non-US
merchants are welcome.

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.

Author: Shelley Lowery         Posted: 2005.04.13         Print this article         Send to a friend

Shelley Lowery is the author of Ebook Starter. A complete
ebook design kit that takes you step by step through
designing, creating and marketing your own ebook. Give
your ebook a professional look in just a few simple steps
with over 100 ebook interface and cover templates.
http://www.web-source.net/ebookstarter.htm

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