Your Own Website, Your Own Shopping Cart

Up until I had my baby, I had always been a big time seller on ebay. I did move away from ebay to build my own website. A shopping cart was a necessity if I wanted to have my own site. There are so many different kinds of software out there, that it can be overwhelming to choose one. Obviously, you can go through something like paypal but if you want a more professional alternative, then you should research a bit more. You want your customers to feel like they are making a safe transaction. You want the sale to go as smoothly as possible. These two things alone are worth finding and buying the best software out there. Some things to look for when choosing:

Setup--You want it to be simple and quick.
Inventory--Gift certificates, product reports, & bulk order processing are important features to have.
Layout & Web Design--You have to look for a fully customizable shopping cart theme editor.
Payment & Options--easy setup, real time processing, and multiple currencies accepted.
Sales Analysis--Traffic & keyword reports are essential, as well as, integration with accounting software.

These are all things to look for when getting ready to start your online business.