When a shopper provides a merchant website with their credit card they are going to first look for the closed padlock symbol in their web browser indicating that your site is using a valid SSL Certificate.  If your site processes credit card numbers or other confidential information like social security numbers or even addresses then you should be using an SSL Certificate, which encrypts personal information into an indecipherable set of gibberish.

In fact, SSL Certificates are one of the criteria in order to be PCI Compliant.  You will need to make sure your site is utilizing PCI Compliant Hosting as well.  When shopping for a web host, this should be one of your first questions.  If they are confused or don’t understand PCI Compliance then you should move on to the next host because this can put your livelihood at jeopardy.

In order to prove that you are a reputable business you should always put a physical address of your business to prove that you actually exist.  Even if you are running your e-commerce business out of your spare bedroom, you want to make your site look as professional as possible.  It is also always good to have a phone number where customers can reach you in case they have a question or a problem.  Shoppers want to feel confident that if there is a shipping problem or other issue, you will be able to be reached and are honest.

In the e-commerce industry, the PA-DSS has been a major topic lately.  As of July 1^st, all e-commerce payment applications must be compliant with the new Data Security Standard.  Payment applications include software like shopping carts.  It is imperative that as a storeowner, you make certain that your shopping cart is compliant.

Miva Merchant Hosting provided by WebNet Hosting is fully compliant with the PA-DSS and have been premier Miva Hosts since 2004, making them experts in the e-commerce sector.

2. Create a User-Friendly Site
Your site must be user-friendly.  Not everyone is a computer expert so making your site as intuitive as possible is very important.  Customers should be able to find items they are searching for easily and the checkout process and shipping and return terms and policies should be laid out clearly.  As a merchant utilizing e-commerce hosting services, you should also have your site organized in an easy to understand fashion so that items are easily found when users are browsing through categories.

3. Site Speed
The speed of your site is highly important these days and it is becoming more important everyday.  Google and other search engines are using site speed as a ranking factor in the SERP (search engine results pages).  Moreover, online shoppers conduct business online to save time so if you have a slow site, they will simply move on to your competition.  Let’s face it — people shop online to save time.  Customers do not like a slow site.  You will need to make sure that your business web hosting provider has fast servers and that your site is performing to the best of its capabilities for the amount of traffic you generate.  Make sure that you choose a web host that can expand with you as your business grows or that understands how to deal with increasing traffic to your site.  For example, many e-commerce businesses experience traffic bursts during the holiday season.  You do not want to lose valuable sales because of lagging servers and the like.  It is worth paying a few extra dollars in hosting costs in order to make sure your site is operating to the best of its ability. 

4. Provide Meticulous Details
Another key to online business success is to provide detailed product images and descriptions.  Online customers want to know as best as they can what they are ordering or else they will not feel comfortable ordering from your site.  You should have high-resolution photos of your products as well as detailed text descriptions.  In fact, there is no such thing as too much detail.  When a shopper cannot physically hold the product they are purchasing in their hands, they need to know as much information about it as possible.  Keep in mind that you can also include videos of your products.

5. Reviews & Testimonials
One of the most important features to include in your website is customer testimonials regarding your products and/or services.  If a person does a web search for your company and “reviews,” you never want anything negative to come up.  Negative reviews can last forever and are very detrimental to your site.  If you can place a page of positive reviews and testimonials on your site, people will take notice.  This is also important in establishing customer relationships because people like to know that their opinion matters and this is an excellent way to get referrals and repeat customers.  These opinions are also crucial in developing your marketing strategies.

Follow these tips and you will be on your way to e-commerce success!

ENSURE COMPLIANCE NOW WITH MIVA MERCHANT:
Today, June 1st marks the day that all e-commerce websites must ensure that they adhere to the new PA-DSS (Payment Application – Data Security Standard) as established by the PCI (Payment Card Industry). The PCI is composed of all major credit card companies and establishes the guidelines all merchants, payment applications and web hosts must adhere to.

This is not good news for anyone involved in the e-commerce sector.  There is no set punishment established for non-compliance with the new PA-DSS.  If an online storeowner is found to be non-compliant then they will likely be charged increased merchant fees and penalties, face hefty fines and in some cases have their merchant account or even their entire website terminated.

Most of the confusion and controversy revolves around who exactly needs to comply with the new DSS.  The answer to this is somewhat complex but the primary rule of thumb is that if your store processes credit cards online then you need to use a shopping cart that is PA-DSS certified in order to be PCI Compliant.

As an e-commerce merchant, vendor or retailer (those operating a business online), it is your duty to ensure you are utilizing fully PCI Compliant Miva Web Hosting and that your shopping cart application is PA-DSS certified.  If either your host or cart is not compliant with the PCI than your site is in trouble.  Many carts and other merchant service providers are still shuffling to get scanned and added to the list of compliant applications before the July deadline.

With their new production release 7, aka “Wombat,” Miva Merchant is now a fully PA-DSS certified shopping cart application.  Premier Partner Miva Merchant Hosts, WebNet Hosting offers fully PCI Compliant Miva Hosting.  WebNet Hosting offers unrivaled e-commerce hosting, 100% guaranteed uptime and unrivaled technical and customer support.

If you are in the market for new shopping cart software than you do not want to use a program that is non-compliant with the PCI or PA-DSS.  It is not worth losing money or possibly your business over something so simple to remedy.  The responsibility falls on you – the storeowner – to find a host and cart that are compliant with the PCI and to fulfill the required network scans and questionnaires.

PCI Compliance vs PA-DSS – what’s the difference?
The PA-DSS (Payment Application – Data Security Standard) applies to products that are distributed as applications that people can purchase and then do whatever they wish.  For example, this applies to shopping cart programs and e-commerce solutions.  The DSS started as the PABP (Payment Application Best Practices) by Visa before becoming affiliated with the PCI Security Council, which represents all five major credit card companies.  In order to be PCI Compliant you must be on a DSS certified application.  In other words, your cart must be compliant.

PCI Compliance is a broader set of rules and guidelines.  The PCI Compliance rules are the standards for the way in which credit card transactions and other confidential information is processed online.

As of July 2010, both PCI and PA-DSS Compliance are necessary for a site that accepts credit card payments.  The PCI applies to all e-commerce businesses, web hosts, shopping carts, payment gateways and merchant account providers.  Miva Merchant shopping cart hosting is now fully DSS certified and has been added to Visa’s list of compliant companies.  The PCI Compliance rules are the standards for the way in which credit card transactions and other confidential information is processed online.

In order to be fully PCI compliant with the new PA-DSS, level 4 merchants must be running compliant applications on their site (such as their shopping cart).  Their web hosts must also be PCI compliant by using properly encrypted networks, regularly updating their anti-virus software and performing regular system scans.

There are a number of PCI scanning companies approved by Visa and MasterCard that will help small merchants pass PCI audits and complete the PCI questionnaire in order to show PCI compliance. Being fully PCI and DSS compliant is like having an insurance policy in the event of a security breech.

For the list of requirements that QSAs will be checking for in your scan check out:
https://www.pcisecuritystandards.org/security_standards/pci_pa_dss.shtml

If you are the operator of an online business and not yet taking advantage of Miva Web Hosting then now is the perfect time to transfer.  With the new “Wombat,” Miva Merchant is now officially a PCI PA-DSS (Payment Card Industry, Payment Application – Data Security Standard) certified shopping cart application.  The deadline for PCI Compliance is very rapidly approaching and all e-commerce sites must comply with the DSS guidelines by July 1^st, 2010.  If an e-commerce website processes and stores credit card transactions and/or other private information then they must utilize PCI Compliant Miva Hosting and all payment applications must adhere to the PA-DSS.

Non-compliance with the rules established by the PCI causes websites to risk increased merchant fees and penalties, termination of merchant accounts, costly fines and even being completely shutdown.  Many shopping carts and e-commerce hosting applications are not compliant with the new DSS, especially carts that are considered “open-source” and lack the funds to go through the certification process.  This is bad news for those operating e-commerce websites that use shopping carts that are not certified.  The risks of non-compliance, highlighted above, are a very really threat to the livelihood of online storeowners.  If your site is not compliant with the new DSS because you are using a shopping cart that is not certified, then now is the perfect time to transfer.  July 1^st is very rapidly approaching and your business could be severely and detrimentally impacted due to non-compliance.

Other features of the new Miva Merchant “Wombat” include:

• Advanced order processing tools
• Innovative inventory management
• Updated, user-friendly CSS interface
• Dynamic pricing
• Ability to take phone orders from the admin panel
• Improved SEO capabilities

The new CSS UI is beneficial for the e-commerce operator in many ways.  It increases functionality of websites by truly separating a site’s content, code and physical appearance.  This new feature allows users to change the visual elements of their website without modifying the way in which it functions, which decreases the chance of a site breaking and not performing to its best ability.  With the new UI, a better site and administrative layout is created providing users with a modern looking and functioning site without any costly or time consuming development.

The cutting-edge, new Miva Merchant Wombat truly takes the online store to the next level.  With this release, Miva Merchant solidifies itself as the leader in customizable online shopping cart software.

Since hosting in the cloud allows for an unlimited number of sites, databases and email accounts, cloud computing is becoming rather popular among big businesses and government agencies.  As with any form of web hosting, there are pros and cons to the cloud, especially considering it is such fresh technology.  For those considering signing up with a cloud host, there are some important things to make sure of.

When it comes to security, there are some controversial aspects to cloud computing since certain privileged users have full administrative access.  If your company is storing secure information in the cloud, can you truly trust those employed by the hosting company when you most likely do not know them?  You need to ask yourself “Who hires and manages these administrators?”  When it comes to secure and confidential information, you need to ensure that you know who is managing the data in case of a security breech or other unwanted activity.

If you are involved in any form of e-commerce and use Miva Merchant as your shopping cart application, for example, you will need to make certain that you are utilizing a fully PCI Compliant Miva Merchant Web Host, even if your site is hosted in the cloud.   You must also make sure, especially in the e-commerce realm, that the vendor is willing and able to be audited, pass security clearance tests and that data is properly encrypted.  They must be compliant with the PCI and have taken all necessary steps to compliant with the new PA-DSS so that your e-commerce company has the ability to legally process credit card transactions.  A QSA from the PCI board must be able to access the network in order to perform regular scans.

In regards to the new PA-DSS, all shopping cart applications must adhere to the guidelines established by the PCI.  If your site is utilizing non-compliant shopping cart software after the July 1^st, 2010 deadline for compliance then you could face increased merchant fees and penalties and even risk hefty fines and having your site shutdown.  Miva Merchant 5.5 is a fully compliant shopping cart that has recently been DSS certified.  If you utilize Miva Web Hosting services then your site is on the road to PCI compliance.

Another question to ask of your cloud hosting provider is if they will allow you to control where your data is physically located.  The physical location of your site’s data centers and servers could be an issue in many ways.  The first thing that comes to mind is site speed.  The data for your site and or company should not be too geographically far away in order to prevent slow page load times.  This is increasingly important since Google is now using site speed as a factor in ranking web pages in their results.  Also, you want to be able to easily converse with those operating the data centers to eliminate any problems where things like time zones and languages can come into play.

When it comes to cloud computing, traditional backups as we know them do not exist since there is usually no secondary cloud.  This makes it all that more important for clients to take the proper steps to complete backups on their own.  What happens regarding client data recovery in the case of a disaster?  When it comes to lost data in the cloud, huge, costly messes can ensue.  Exorbitant amounts of money, time, litigation, lost business and lost clients are the results of lost website information.  There have been several high profile instances of the cloud crashing.

If you plan on moving to a cloud environment, you need to find out what the provider will do in the case of compromised or lost data.  Will the vendor be able to safely move your data into a different environment?  Furthermore, find out what will happen to your data if the company goes out of business.  Make sure that your files and systems will be returned to you because even if you do not own the cloud, you definitely own your files even though they are part of the cloud.  Find out what happens in the case of a disaster –Does the vendor offer complete restoration, and, if so, how long does that process take?

Despite the cons and uncertainty regarding some aspects of the cloud, there are advantages to cloud computing.  The most obvious is that users can access systems via a web connection.  There is no need to access a certain computer or program.  The cloud can be accessed with any web-enabled device including laptops and smartphones.  This also allows the cloud to be accessed from anywhere in the world at anytime as long as there is an Internet connection available.

Proponents of cloud computing believe that data is generally more secure in the cloud than in traditional servers because of the centralization.  Also, it is safe to suppose that there are increased security resources in the modern cloud environment.  Since the companies running the cloud have more resources financially they can instill security systems that the average client cannot afford and their staff may be more trained to handle such issues.  On the other hand, opponents (as stated above) worry about sensitive data being in the hands of cloud technicians that they do not personally know and are relying on the company to hire trustworthy administrators.

PCI vs. PA-DSS: What’s the Difference?
The PA-DSS applies to products distributed as applications that people can download and use however they went.  For e-commerce operators, this refers to their shopping cart and shopping cart hosting solutions.  By July 1^st 2010, all shopping carts must be compliant with the new PA-DSS.  If your website uses a cart or host that is non-compliant with PCI Security regulations then your store risks being charged higher fees and penalties for transactions, fines and even the possible cancellation of your merchant account.  If your merchant account were to be cancelled then your business could no longer accept credit cards, which could very well put you out of business.

Becoming compliant with the PA-DSS is a very costly process for developers and distributors of shopping cart software.  Many of the open-source shopping carts on the market will not be able to afford audits performed by the PCI’s Qualified Security Assessors (QSAs) and therefore will not be compliant by the deadline.  As an e-commerce merchant, it is your responsibility to ensure that your cart is PA-DSS certified.  If your cart is not compliant with the DSS then your site is not PCI Compliant and you will need to switch to a compliant cart in order to remedy this.

If you are opening a new store then you must make sure that you are signing up with a compliant cart and a PCI web host.  By the July deadline, all level 4 merchants must be hosted on DSS certified applications regardless of whether or not they store credit card data.  There are some exceptions to this rule.  For example, if you strictly use a third-party service such as PayPal, Google Checkout or Amazon Payments and credit card numbers never touch your server then you might not have to prove compliance.

PCI Compliance covers a broader spectrum than the DSS and involves the host of your website rather than only your shopping cart and applications.  Managed e-commerce hosting providers are responsible for following the guidelines laid out by the PCI Security Council in order to be fully PCI Compliant.  Web hosts must follow the rules of the PCI by making sure their anti-virus is up to date and the proper firewalls are in place.  As an e-commerce business operator, you must ensure that your host is PCI Compliant or you cannot legally process credit card transactions on your site.

Why Does the PCI Exist?
The biggest reason that the PCI was created is to protect banks from having to reissue credit cards, which is extremely costly.  When something costs banks money, it trickles down to their clients and the consumers in the form of increased fees.  One security breech can compromise hundreds or even thousands of credit cards.  One compromised card costs a bank approximately $100.  This can easily add up to millions and millions of dollars in replaced credit cards alone, not even taking into account stolen merchandise and the refunding of fraudulently spent money.

How To Prove Compliance
First, you need to understand the different merchant levels.  Online stores are rated from level 1 to 4 and your merchant level determines the rules that you must follow in order to be compliant.  Level 1 is the highest and applies to stores that process 6 million or more transactions per year.  Level 4 applies to companies that handle less than 20,000 transactions per year.  Most small online businesses will fall into the Level 4 category.

Level 4 merchants must complete a quarterly network scan and questionnaire (there are companies like ControlScan and McAfee that will help with these steps).  Merchants and their web hosts must also follow all other PCI compliance guidelines including the following basic requirements:

• The construction and maintenance of a secure network
• Having the appropriate firewalls in place
• Proper password protection
• Performing virus scans
• Making certain that anti-virus software is routinely updated
• The encryption of customer’s personal data by using SSL Certificates
• Protecting sensitive data to the fullest extent possible
• Regularly testing and monitoring of the security systems

If you store credit card information then it must be on a separate server that is not web accessible and can only be reached by certain certified members of the company.  They must also ensure that they have a PA-DSS compliant cart or any other applications.  Higher level merchants may even be required to have someone on staff to handle PCI Compliance issues.

As previously mentioned, if your website strictly uses a third party payment processor then you might not need to prove that you are compliant and can host all of your store on a single server.  However, not everyone has a PayPal, Amazon or Google account and in order for your online business to be taken seriously, you should probably be able to process credit cards.  If you can accept credit cards then you will not limit your sales and will be able to operate a truly successful e-commerce business.

The PCI questionnaires fall into two categories: SAQ-A (for those that do not store credit card data) or SAQ-D (those who do store credit card data).  Obviously, the SAQ-D is more work and if a credit card number touches your server then you will need to complete this questionnaire.

Ensure Compliance Now!
Since July 1^st is rapidly approaching then it is in the best interest of all e-commerce storeowners to ensure PCI Security Compliance for their website(s).  It is not worth jeopardizing your business and livelihood over non-compliance.  The risks are simply too great.

Miva Merchant Web Hosts and the Miva Merchant shopping cart will be fully compliant with the PA-DSS by the July deadline.  To learn more about Miva Hosting, visit http://webnethosting.net.

2.  http://www.pcicomplianceguide.org/
An educational site powered by ControlScan to address concerns regarding PCI Compliance.

3.  http://controlscan.com
The leading provider of PCI and security solutions for small to medium sized businesses.  Miva Merchant and WebNet Hosting are partnered with ControlScan to address the security needs of our clients as related to the PCI.

4.  http://knol.google.com/k/pci-compliance-and-the-pa-dss-protect-the-realm-of-e-commerce#
A Google Knol that examines the PCI guidelines and PA-DSS written by your’s truly.

5.  http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/1371-PCI-Compliance-Three-Important-Questions-to-Ask-About-Your-Shopping-Cart
A Practical eCommerce article that examines PCI Compliance as it relates to e-commerce shopping carts.

6.  http://www.thewhir.com/Webinar/pci-dss-compliance-in-the-hosting-industry
An hour long webinar featuring Rick Wilson – Executive VP of Miva Merchant, Craig Fox -  Founder & VP of Product Development for Pinnacle Cart and Stacy Griggs – VP of Sales for MaximumASP on the WHIR (Web Host Industry Review) that discusses the PA-DSS guidelines in-depth.

7.  http://www.thewhir.com/blog/Rick_Wilson/011410_Demystifiying_PCI_DSS_and_PA_DSS_Compliance_For_Web_Hosting_Customers
An extremely helpful blog post written by Rick Wilson of Miva Merchant that clearly addresses and “demystifies” the new PA-DSS guidelines.

8.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aagYuqwZYEY
A four part video series that clears up a lot of the confusion regarding the upcoming PA-DSS deadline and what it entails.  This is a link to the first installment in the series.  Make sure to watch the subsequent installments by clicking on the links to the next videos in the related videos menu on the right.

9.  http://usa.visa.com/merchants/risk_management/cisp_payment_applications.html
Visa originally established the Payment Application Best Practices (PABP) in 2005 before joining forces with all major credit card companies.  Visa explains the whole thing pretty well.

10.  http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/1028-PCI-Compliance-Frequently-Asked-Questions
A nice FAQ regarding PCI Compliance.

We hope that these links will help make sense of such a confusing topic that a lot of people have been struggling to understand.  It is very important to grasp these rules because they really affect everyone in the e-commerce and web hosting industries.  Just remember that by July 1, 2010, if your site stores or processes credit cards and/or confidential information, you MUST be compliance with the PCI PA-DSS.

Also, keep in mind that Miva Merchant will be a fully PCI compliant shopping cart by the July deadline and that WebNet Hosting offers totally PCI Compliant hosting.

Good luck!  Please contact us with any questions!

• Create a site search function so shoppers can easily find items or services with little effort.
• Put this search function on all pages of your site.
• Organize your site with easy to navigate categories.
• Look at your site from a shopper’s point of view and make sure that shopping from your store is simple.

2.  Give Your Products and Services Extremely Detailed Descriptions.

• Online shoppers cannot physically see your offerings so provide high quality images of each item for sale.
• Give your clients the option to zoom in on and rotate images so they get the full picture.
• If selling used items or goods with any sort of imperfections, make sure that these defects are clearly visible.
• Use videos to show your products or services whenever possible.  This will often trump your competition.
• Along with video, use audio whenever possible to describe your products or services.

3.  Guarantee Site Security.

• Ensure that your site is PCI and PA-DSS Compliant.  Remember that not all hosts or shopping carts are compliant.  Miva Merchant 5.5 will be fully compliant with the PA-DSS by the July 2010 deadline.
• Install valid SSL Certificates so that confidential information is properly encrypted.
• Create a “Contact Us” page.  Customers will trust you more if you provide a physical address and telephone number.

4.  Supply Customer Reviews and Testimonials.

• Put a review system in place on your site.  There are review modules for Miva Merchant 5.5 on the market.
• Positive reviews of your products and service are perhaps the most important tool in establishing a successful online business.
• If a client sees that their opinions matter to you then there is a greater chance that they will become a repeat customer.
• Taking your customers’ ideas and opinions into consideration can greatly aid you in your marketing campaigns.

5.  Increase Your Site’s Speed and Page Load Times.

• People shop online to save time. They will generally be turned off by a site with slow load times.
• Use a qualified and knowledgeable business web hosting provider that has fast servers and an uptime guarantee.
• Ensure that your hosting plan provides adequate bandwidth for the amount of traffic your site receives
• Make sure that your host is willing and able to grow with you as your business grows and generates more traffic.

6.  Perform Proper Market Research.

• Study in-depth what your competition is doing including their marketing, pricing and basically all aspects of your business.
• Institute price-matching programs to keep up with the pricing your competitors are offering.
• Conduct research to find your target demographic and market accordingly.

7.  Properly Promote Your Business.

• Make sure you are reaching your target audience by listing your site in respective directories.
• Utilize site statistics tools such as the free Google Analytics to develop proper marketing plans.
• Conduct smart Search Engine Optimization (SEO) campaigns to get to the top of the Search Engine Results Page (SERP) for targeted keywords including link building, directory marketing, social networking, article marketing, forum and blog posts and many other techniques.
• Properly use meta descriptions and tags to guarantee the correct indexing and ranking in the search engines.

8.  Clearly State Your Shipping and Return Policies.

• No one likes any kind of hidden fees so be upfront about these policies.
• Offer shipping discounts for the purchase of multiple items.
• Offer free shipping whenever possible for customers that spend a certain amount of money with you.
• Be frank about who is paying for shipping when it comes to returns.

9.  Make Plainly Visible What Methods You Accept For Payment.

• Put accepted methods of payment on your home page.
• For smaller merchants, services like PayPal and Google Checkout may be sufficient.
• In order to be widely successful, realistically you will need to be able to accept major credit cards.
• The more payment options you offer the better.

10.  Devote a Page to Sale and Discounted Items.

• An abundance of online shoppers will jump straight to the clearance section just like many customers do in brick and mortar establishments.  People are drawn to bargains.  Simple as that.  Especially in today’s economy.
• Highlight your discounted goods as much as you can.

Properly following these steps will help any e-commerce merchant be on their way to running a successful online business.  Good luck!

Here are 3 Reasons why Miva is right for you and your business:

1. PCI & PA-DSS Compliance

Miva Merchant’s shopping cart will be 100% compliant with the new PA-DSS (Payment Application – Data Security Standard) guidelines by the July 2010 deadline.  Being compliant is a must for any sites that accept credit card payments or store confidential information in their databases.  If you are found to be non-compliant then your site faces serious fines.  Since a majority of small businesses could not afford to pay such fines, there is a strong likelihood that the sites could be forced to shutdown for non-compliance.  Therefore, it is imperative that you ensure you are following the guidelines. If you choose Miva Merchant as a solution to your e-commerce needs then you are already taking a giant leap in the right direction.

ControlScan has developed a tactical partnership with Miva Merchant to provide all-inclusive PCI compliance and security across any and all sites utilizing Miva Merchant Hosting.  Websites that use ControlScan’s services receive a seal from the company notifying customers that they are protected.  Generally, after posting this seal on their site, businesses will see profits from sales increase due to the sense of trust produced by the seal.  Trust, safety and security are keys to success in the world of e-commerce.

2. Store Morph Technology (SMT)

This popular and powerful new feature allows users to create stores that are totally customized to their specific needs based on provided templates. Store Morph Technology is a huge advancement in the creation, design and management of e-commerce businesses.

With SMT, storeowners have total control over the layout and design of every single page of their store and can move things around however they would like. SMT also allows merchants to have a particular layout on one page and a totally different layout on another page unlike many other shopping cart software programs. SMT is renowned for its simplicity and use of basic HTML commands.

SMT allows stores to become more functional to their target clients and customers by modifying small yet important details of a site. This way not every Miva Hosting store looks the same – you can make your site stand out amongst the competition.

3. Miva Modules

Miva Merchant 5.5 presents its users with the ability to purchase third party software and plug-ins known as modules that go above and beyond the abilities of SMT.  These modules are great for the business owner because they are easy to install, allow complete customization of their sites and are very cost-effective and affordable.  They allow big changes to be made without having to pay exorbitant amounts to developers to perform custom programming.  This brings us to a common myth — often times, those that opt for so-called “free,” do not realize the large amount of money they will end up spending to create the custom programming needed to make their stores run the way the want.  In other words, “free” shopping cart programs end up being anything but free.

There are numerous modules on the market that aid in a wide variety of tasks including:

1. Changing the physical appearance of a store
2. Altering the experience that different visitors will receive
3. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
4. Email Management
5. Ordering and shipping
6. Store and employee management

These are just three of the powerful features of the newest version of Miva Merchant – version 5.5 .