Blog Entries tagged 'shopping carts'

Happy 50th birthday credit cards

sales@oscworks.com.au — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0100

This week, the credit card turned 50 years old. Credit cards are an invaluable part of everyday life and for many owners of online shops, essential.

The worldwide credit card network was started by American Express in 1958. Bank of America followed quickly with their BankAmericard. The Bank launched the card in a novel way, sending out 60,000 cards to consumers in the area. At first, few had any idea what to do with the cards but they learned the benefits of credit cards quickly a [...]

Ecommerce Setup Costs: Don't pay too much

sales@oscworks.com.au — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +0100

When shopping for ecommerce software to start your own online shop, features and the monthly costs are important factors to consider. But even if the monthly payments are affordable for your business, what about the setup cost? Small businesses need every cent they can save when they set up given the costs of business registrations, phone and Internet connections, business cards, stationery, suppliers and buying stock. So why spend too much for your ecommerce store setup?

What [...]

Ecommerce for Dummies: Helping you get started

sales@oscworks.com.au — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Expanding your business to open an online shop or starting an online store from scratch need not be a difficult, confusing or overwhelming process. There is a lot more help at hand than you may think to get you through the considerable ecommerce jargon.

At Osc Works, our shopping cart packages are designed to be as easy to undertand as possible, and help you through ecommerce jargon. We both have the same objective: get your online store up and running as quickly as possible.

He [...]

Buy a shopping cart that will grow with you

sales@oscworks.com.au — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Businesses that create their shopping cart websites themselves or without a view towards the future can run into trouble if the market shifts or a competitor enters with considerably more online shopping features and an easier-to-use buying experience for customers.

To prevent this situation happening for you, it is important to consider the future when you buy your shopping cart software to begin with. Even if you don't need all the features offered, choosing an ecommerce cart wi [...]

Websites: Eye Candy vs Features

sales@oscworks.com.au — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +0100

When you are creating a new website, which is more important: a beautiful design or many powerful features? The answer to this question is that both are important and getting the balance right can make the difference between a successful and unsuccessful online shopping website.

Finding balance is important, as you will probably have seen many sites that are either too far in one direction of the other: sites either overloaded with flashy graphics or cluttered with hard-to-read or confu [...]

Looking for lower setup prices? Try our low setup special

sales@oscworks.com.au — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Osc Works understands the costs of setting up a new business, so for a limited time only we are offering a special discount on the setup price of ozCart. Buy any ozCart ecommerce package before 18 October 2008, and you'll pay no more than $149 setup cost no matter what package you buy.

On the Platinum package this means you'll save hundreds of dollars on the setup cost of the package.

This offer can't last and won't be extended so get in quick. After this date our [...]

What are the costs of setting up an online store?-

sales@oscworks.com.au — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +0100

What costs do you need to consider when opening an online store? What should a shopping cart website cost? We often get asked this question, so here is a quick guide.

Determining the overall cost: hosting yourself or a hosted solution

When you are setting up an online store you will usually have to balance up-front costs, the ongoing costs and most importantly the costs of your time. Plus your regular business expenses.

One factor that will significantly influence what your o [...]

How to make money from affiliate programmes

sales@oscworks.com.au — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Running your own affiliate programme can gain you qualified customers by taking advantage of one of the most powerful forms of marketing: referrals.

Affiliate programmes work by paying out commissions to registered affiliates who place banners on their websites that generate click-throughs to your website and subsequent sales. They are an easy way for both you and your affiliates to make money.

These programmes are big business, and there are a number of well-known affiliate prov [...]

Google Chrome Review: This new web browser is fast

sales@oscworks.com.au — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +0100

If you have a need for speed, the new Chrome web browser from Google is definitely worth downloading.

Performance

From the very first time we used it, Chrome delivered blistering speed when viewing HTML pages, using sites with Javascript, watching streaming videos and moving through PDF files. Even viewing our own business website at OscWorks.com.au showcased Chrome as providing superior speed compared to both Firefox and Internet Explorer 7.

User inter [...]

How to start an online shop: answers to basic ecommerce questions

sales@oscworks.com.au — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +0100

No matter how experienced you are in business, a step into online business brings new terminology and ecommerce jargon that you will need to be familiar with. If you are not already familiar with shopping carts, ecommerce, payment gateways, merchants and secure checkouts, here is the place you can find out.

In a two part series we will answer the basic questions about Ecommerce that we get asked by new customers.

The three parts are:

Basic Ecommerce FAQs
What can you do w [...]

Welcome to the ozCart E-commerce Revolution

sales@oscworks.com.au — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0100

ozCart is the start of the next shopping cart revolution.

For shopping cart web design that is sophisticated and features that are revolutionary, look no further than ozCart. Osc Works has released the new version of ozCart and it is pumped up with the powerful features that people starting a business are asking for.

Like:

Web Designs that are customised to your business. We will change the colours of your website, insert your logo and update the images to s [...]

Easier Dropshipping

sales@oscworks.com.au — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0100

While dropshipping is an extremely popular method of shipping in the United States, many small businesses in Australia have been deterred because of a lack of available wholesalers and difficulty automating parts of the stock ordering process.

Part of the ozCart revolution is our new optional dropship centre which helps dropshippers manage their stock and create order emails - available only on the Platinum package.

Visit our Platinum Privileges page or see our shopping cart dem [...]

Do I really need ecommerce?

sales@oscworks.com.au — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Yes you need ecommerce. Why? Ask yourself this: If ecommerce wasn't profitable, why are so many ecommerce e-tailers appearing?

A lot of local businesses such as market sellers, arts and crafts shops, clothing shops and corner stores believe that they don't need ecommerce and simply rely on the physical traffic they receive at local markets. If the business is content on limited sales and limited growth potential, then that's fine. But those are the types of businesses who [...]

Making money from ecommerce

sales@oscworks.com.au — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100

How do you make money from an ecommerce website? What kind of e-commerce solution do you need?

Why are so many businesses adding ecommerce to their website? New ecommerce websites are appearing every day and turning retailers into etailers. What's more, many existing businesses are realising that they need to have an ecommerce website to stay ahead of their competition.

Luckily it's not too late to get online and there is tremendous potential for any business to grow and [...]

Own site or auction site?

sales@oscworks.com.au — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Have an auction site already? Do you want to keep paying listing and success fees or have your own website and control your content and profits?

Avoid Auction Listing and Success Fees

Setting up an ecommerce site usually comes down to answering a simple question: do you want to keep paying listing and success fees or have your own website and control your content and profits.

If you're a small business selling a niche product then auction sites are an easy way to get started [...]

What is dropshipping?

sales@oscworks.com.au — Wed, 21 May 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Dropshipping is an arrangement between a retailer and a wholesaler or manufacturer. It means that when a customer purchases goods from the retailer, the retailer accepts payment from the customer but the wholesaler or manufacturer delivers the product directly to the customer. The retailer then pays the manufacturer the wholesale cost of the item.

What is dropshipping and how could it help?

Dropshipping is an arrangement between a retailer and a wholesaler or manufacturer. It m [...]

Shopping Cart Business Ideas

sales@oscworks.com.au — Mon, 19 May 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Starting a new business? Here are some starters for ten.

Business ideas suited to ecommerce

Want to start an ecommerce business or expand an existing business, but not sure where to start? Want to get your business online but not sure how? Here are some e-business online business marketing ideas that could get you started.

Wedding favours - People are always getting married all year around and table decorations are big business. People often want something custom [...]

What makes customers nervous about online shopping?

sales@oscworks.com.au — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0100

When asked the question about what makes customers nervous about online shopping, most people would answer credit card fraud. That's true, fears about credit card fraud are a major barrier to people buying online. But there is something else that is a huge concern for online shoppers and often overlooked by sellers: the fear of what happens when something goes wrong.

If you buy a product in a shopping mall and it doesn't work, you can get back in to your car, drive to thei [...]

Does your website make you money?

sales@oscworks.com.au — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Adding sales facilities to your website could turn it from an electronic business card into a highly productive asset.

Does your website make you money or is it just an electronic business card? By adding an online shopping cart to your website, or creating a fully focussed ecommerce-website, you can give customers a secure way to purchase your products and services, and make your website profitable.

More Australians and New Zealanders than ever are purchasing online. For [...]

B2B ecommerce

sales@oscworks.com.au — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0100

B2B ecommerce features are built into ozCart. How could they help you?

If you're a wholesaler or distributor selling products to other businesses, or a retailer targeting business customers, the B2B Ecommerce facilities offered in our ozCart shopping cart software can help you.

Using the Internet to sell to other businesses could help your business through:

Reducing costs Targeting customers more efficiently - through group discounts to specific groups of customers I [...]