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Page 7 of
21:
Choosing a Platform
Selecting which software you'll use to build your online store is a
critical decision. It's like laying the foundation: all the other tools,
from your credit card account to your marketing plan, will be influenced
by this one decision. So choose carefully. Very carefully.
'But wait,' you say, 'I already have Web design software — can't I just
use that, and then simply add a secure method for accepting credit
cards?'
You can, but it's a limited solution. Because an online store has so
many special requirements, like inventory management and product
display, merely building a Web site and calling it an "online store"
won't get you very far. You're best served by buying or licensing
software specifically intended to handle the heavy lifting of
e-commerce.
As you shop for an e-commerce platform,
you'll encounter a blizzard of choices, each of which has a blizzard of
sub-options. Before you choose one, browse through them until the jargon
starts to make sense. The market for e-commerce platforms is far more
confusing and lingo-heavy than, say, the market for cars. It's worth
educating yourself before you buy.
Even the most established vendors have only been around a few years, so
the market is still evolving quarter by quarter. This means that prices
and product offers can vary wildly by vendor. You can spend $10,000 a
month and get a Rolls Royce, or you can spend a few hundred bucks a
month (or less) and get an almost new Toyota. Either one might be right
for you, based on your needs.
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Page 8
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Online Money-Making Opportunities
Several Systems to make real money via
Internet
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