When you started your business, perhaps you thought it was enough to make your goods available to a few neighbors in the community, with no thought of ever applying for a Web hosting merchant account. Then you might have expanded the company's range by advertising in the newspaper or on the radio to get the word out to those who did not drive by your company in a typical day's time. But now you're poised to enter the electronic age as your company moves into the e-commerce era. It's time to put up a company Website for all the world to see.

But you may lack the skills and perhaps even the funds to design, set up, and maintain a professional Website via a Web hosting merchant account. Perhaps you don't even know where to begin to find someone who can consult with you about what the site should look like and how it should operate. You can't begin to understand how to process credit card payments or manage other electronic functions to better serve your customers. But rather than admit any of this, it may be you are sitting back, resting on the old ways of doing business, and watching your colleagues' profits climb while yours hold even or occasionally droop.

If this scenario describes your operation, maybe it's time to inquire about a Web hosting merchant account. A bank or another financial services provider can explain the terms and conditions of operating a merchant account. Once you find out if your company is eligible to apply, you can look for the lowest rates and best service before making application, taking care to avoid various setup and maintenance fees that can be calculated in addition to your monthly transaction costs. When your application for a merchant card is accepted, you can get help in locating a Website designer, one who will work with you to represent your company the way you want it to be. Then you can equip it with software that will let you accept customers' credit card payments when they shop online so they can pay for their purchases immediately rather than mail a check. Your merchant services underwriter will arrange a gateway coordinator to funnel customers' credit payments directly into your preferred checking account. All you will need to do is pay a monthly rate for each credit card transaction or a low overall percentage rate.

You can design a Website that will stand apart from the competitors' sites. It could feature product descriptions, price lists, sale dates, FAQs, testimonials, and links to related sites if that will support your company goals. The site should be error-free, contain easy-to-read chunks of information, and not be littered with so much information that the customer will feel overwhelmed. You can arrange to add an email site in case visitors have questions or problems, and you can let them pay by credit card online, which is perhaps the most essential feature of all. Ask your banker for details about a Web hosting merchant account.