secure server help

[rufc]

I have designed a popular website but now I want to make people pay to be featured on the site (kind of advertising). I know I`ll need a secure server and a credit card form to complete, but I`m not sure on how to go about this.

My hosting company offers a secure server. But how does a secure server form thingy work? Do people fill in their details and then it comes to me somehow? I then contact a bank with their details??
Should I try to make the forms etc myself (I am very good with html, know some asp) or use some free ones that I`ve seen littered around (but they don`t look very pretty).

Thanks guys

 

[QuietDean]

Have you considered a third-party?

http://www.worldpay.com

are very good, you basically link to a page on their secure setup and they take a small cut.

Very easy. Dean Owen

 

[rufc]

I won`t really be making that much money from it myself, that`s why I was wanting to do it myself.

Does anyone know of any free ones?

 

[JHoarty]

Rufc:

While I understand wanting to do it yourself and I applaud your tenacity, if you won't be making that much off it, that's when you should consider a solution like QuietDean's. Because the answer to your question is kind of a "no, you don't just collect the information and call your bank". You have to set up a "merchant's account" through your bank so you can accept credit cards. I paid $75 for that, plus about $20 a month in fees, but each bank will probably be different. Then, you'll need to set up an account with an online credit card processor like AuthorizeNet or VeriSign/Signio (who just acquired CyberCash). That'll be another $200 or so, plus $20 a month, plus some percentage of each transaction (works out to about $.20 per transaction). Don't forget that the credit card companies themselves will take 3 or 4%.

Now, I'm certainly not trying to talk you out of this -- it's normally my job to talk people into this -- but you have to do the math and decide if you will cross the breakeven point. If not, then using worldpay, paypal, ibill or some other solution is probably your best bet. That way, you really don't have any worries. You just redirect advertisers to the secure payment form of your chosen payment provider, and they send you a check once a month.

Good luck.

John Hoarty
jhoarty@quickestore.com

http://www.quickestore.com

 

[rufc]

Thanks JHoarty,

I had no idea at all into the processes behind setting up things like this.

I expect to get around £6000-£7000 per year through the site, looking into the processes and the costs involved that you have highlighted, I think I`ll use a third party.

Are these third parties reliable then? Should I have no worries in using them?

thanks again

 

[JHoarty]

Well, do your due diligence, but the good ones allow you to modify the secure checkout page such that your customers may not even realize they have left your site. You should get to choose fonts, backgrounds, graphics, the works. This way, your logo is displayed, plus any messages you want, in such a way that it's a nearly seamless extension of your own site. Go for it!

I checked out worldpay, as QuietDean suggested. It does look good. Click on "SME Solutions", then "Future Pay". John Hoarty
jhoarty@quickestore.com

http://www.quickestore.com

 

[rufc]

Thanks guys, I`ll let you know how I get on..........