Page 122 - 597 Business Ideas You can Start from Home - doing what you LOVE! (Beginner Internet Marketing Series)

1 1 4 Your Idea, Inc.

Processing Payment

To physically process payment, you'll need a transaction plat­
form. These come in various shapes and sizes-you've seen them all
over the place at stores' cash registers. They have a place to swipe a
card, a keypad, and a viewing screen. Using the machine is simple,
and it comes with detailed instructions when you receive it. You can
also take phone orders as well-you do not need the actual card to
charge the account number. You can just enter the number manu­
ally along with the expiration date, billing zip code, and sometimes
the additional security code on the back of the credit card.

Accepting Payment Online

Your merchant account may also handle online transactions if
you've got a website up and running. Someone who specializes in
e-commerce (buying and selling on the Internet), or perhaps even
your website designer, can set that up on your website. We will be
covering this in more detail in Step 7.

Choosing a Shipping Carrier

Now that you have a product to sell, you'll need to choose a regular
shipping company to use. Open an account with the USPS, UPS,
FedEx, DHL, or another reputable shipping company. At first, you
will most likely be sending out more press kits than orders, but it
is professional looking to have the printed labels that you can now
make online with these companies. You can easily track the deliv­
ery status online as well.

The Major Carriers

UPS (www. ups.com) and FedEx (wwwjedex.com) are the major
players in the shipping world. UPS provides the software (called
"WorldShip") you need to print your own shipping labels, or you
can create shipments online from their website. Until you need