Technology Requirements for Processing Credit Cards on Small Business Web Sites
The need of today for any e-commerce Web site is to accept credit cards. A right infrastructure is needed for starting credit card processing transactions yourself. Before selecting an e-commerce Web host and a merchant account provider, one should make sure that they provide you with the features you need.
1. Secure Payment Area. This protects credit card data and other sensitive information from hackers during the transaction process. Identity theft and credit card fraud are running rampant on the Internet, and you need to ensure that your customers are protected. Many consumers will not buy from a site that does not provide secure transactions.
2. A Compatible Shopping Cart Application. Make sure your shopping cart application can "talk to" your payment-processing gateway. There are hundreds of different payment gateways, and each one has a specific set of standards. Many free shopping carts do not support all of the available payment gateways. Check with your merchant account provider or consult your shopping cart documentation to make sure that all the elements will work together.
3. PGP Encryption. If you plan on accepting orders and sending or receiving credit card information via email, you will need to encrypt the information that is sent. PGP, which stands for "Pretty Good Privacy," is the most common form of email encryption. PGP encrypts emails when they are sent and decrypts when the information has reached its intended recipient.
4. Firewall Protection. If you store your customer’s data or credit card numbers on your server, it is vital to have a site wide firewall to protect this information. Many companies have exposed their customers to hackers by neglecting to implement a proper firewall. If you are not certain how to install a firewall on your site, check with your Web hosting company for more information.
After you have taken care of these technology requirements, you are ready to offer your customers an easy way to purchase your items. You can also give them the peace of mind in knowing that you are looking out for their best interests by providing a safe and secure payment processing solution.
SOURCE: http://www.allbusiness.com/articles/content/3929-2804-2814.html
1. Secure Payment Area. This protects credit card data and other sensitive information from hackers during the transaction process. Identity theft and credit card fraud are running rampant on the Internet, and you need to ensure that your customers are protected. Many consumers will not buy from a site that does not provide secure transactions.
2. A Compatible Shopping Cart Application. Make sure your shopping cart application can "talk to" your payment-processing gateway. There are hundreds of different payment gateways, and each one has a specific set of standards. Many free shopping carts do not support all of the available payment gateways. Check with your merchant account provider or consult your shopping cart documentation to make sure that all the elements will work together.
3. PGP Encryption. If you plan on accepting orders and sending or receiving credit card information via email, you will need to encrypt the information that is sent. PGP, which stands for "Pretty Good Privacy," is the most common form of email encryption. PGP encrypts emails when they are sent and decrypts when the information has reached its intended recipient.
4. Firewall Protection. If you store your customer’s data or credit card numbers on your server, it is vital to have a site wide firewall to protect this information. Many companies have exposed their customers to hackers by neglecting to implement a proper firewall. If you are not certain how to install a firewall on your site, check with your Web hosting company for more information.
After you have taken care of these technology requirements, you are ready to offer your customers an easy way to purchase your items. You can also give them the peace of mind in knowing that you are looking out for their best interests by providing a safe and secure payment processing solution.
SOURCE: http://www.allbusiness.com/articles/content/3929-2804-2814.html
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