Re: How to get https on a website?
 

The great thing about oscommerce is that it comes with pre-written payment modules... so all you need to do is switch them on..... and voila.... :)

Re: How to get https on a website?
 

lol, once i've googled enough and bugged everyone about it enough, i'll make a guide ;)

well, that's presuming, i ever manage to do it :)

Re: How to get https on a website?
 

very true! oscommerce is very cool and does it all nice and neatly, and processes credit cards correctly (the testing one, that is!)

so would i be right in thinking all someone would need now is a machine with a phone line to sort out the credit card details recieved by the shop?

Re: How to get https on a website?
 

Not the shop, just the final "secure ordering page".

All that's needed is a message saying "we're now passing you over to our secure server handler to complete your transaction and take your credit card details etc" which is, frankly, no different from using Paypal etc.

Re: How to get https on a website?
 

Yep, the online payments are done using the payment gateway.

Re: How to get https on a website?
 

I wouldnt recommend having the details sent to the shop owner to then be processed, i would have it all done online with an online credit card processing company (much more secure) But it would all depend on the value each month whether it would be worth it or not as the rates arent cheap for low turnover businesses

Re: How to get https on a website?
 

But make sure these work with the processing company you select, the problem with many of these is that they are designed to work with the US processing companies (the US being the primary market for all this stuff).
The more global / net specific companies are likely to be supported, eg Netbanx or Worldpay, but quite possibly say Lloyds payment gateway scripts may not have been built. (I have no experience with oscommerce as I am using XCart, but take this as something to bear in mind when you look at the authorisation company).

Orders on line will be processed on line and you will get an alert e-mail advising you of the basics and be able to visit a web page to see these orders / order manage (ship / cancel / amend etc).
As the gateway took the credit card details all you normally get are the card type, last four digits and authorisation status, an order recieved and alerted by OS commerce may have a declined card status from the authorisation agent.

You are also opening a virtual shop or physical shop? For a physical shop you will need a swipe machine and phone line (it can share a line with a fax, phone or anything else, but obviously would not work if the phone or fax was in use) You can get this from any of the big banks (with a business plan in hand), you will also need a bank account for this to clear into. It is generally wise to have your bank account and CC processing with the same bank as the funds clear quicker and if they go walkabout then there is no buck passing (eg. Barclays Merchant Services saying we sent it to HSBC) > HSBC (we never recieved anything) (grrr).

If you are just talking about orders taken over the phone, then you can easily process these yourself through the web interface, or set up a couple of hidden products of a £1 item and a 1p item, so for an ad-hoc payment you can sell however many of these products to raise the appropriate charge.

Also...

If you are going down this route, you also need to think about how this venture is set up, whether you set up a company or run it as a partnership or sole trader, you all need to be aware of the tax implications of your trading and the need to declare this to the inland revenue, you need to be aware that if your turnover exceeds £50k ish (not sure exactly) then you need to register for VAT and do VAT returns and pay Customs and Excise on time.

Even if you are a small venture you need to keep proper accounting records of income and expenditure, learn how to account for stock and fixed assets etc. Simply Books is a good package for this. It also can do most of the VAT work for you when you need to register.

Re: How to get https on a website?
 

Hey all,

Thanks for all your help (sorry I haven't replied, been busy at work and getting wireless stuff workign here) - I have a great deal of information now from all of you kind people, and I'll have to ask the prospective shop owner about what she wants to do with her site. She's setting up a business in the near future, and I'll have to have a chat about how much she expects to make, what the setup will be, and so on. It seems like there is a lot of info i need off of her before I can even begin to work out the "best" way of doing things!

Thanks once again people,

Plonking