e-commerce solutions

Neotrope began offering internet commerce solutions in March of 1995. In addition to providing e-commerce services to our customers, we own and operate a number of online companies that are powered by the solutions we offer.

Because every small business is different, we work with our clients to identify and enable e-commerce solutions that work within their budgets and which can be efficiently managed. We can even help with content management, product photography, and (of course), marketing.

Neotrope offers several "off the shelf" solutions (meaning: pre-configured software for running shopping sites, commonly referred to as "shopping carts"), as well as the capability to modify those systems, or develop complete solutions from scratch. Also, see requirements for e-commerce, below.

Neotrope's most popular solutions include:

NeoCommerce4 Shopping System

Our most popular basic shopping cart system includes many easy management features including:

• Web browser-based tool to add product information, pricing, link to image, option file (such as gift wrap, or other) per item, custom fields.
• HTML support to provide link to external static page such as a "more info" page (per item).
• Built-in search engine.
• Easy category set-up — no complex dbase creation — simply enter the category for each item and it's added to the system.
• Complete HTML templates for header/footer to wrap site design around, with pointers to the template location in the demo store.
• Per item shipping rate, plus option to add percentage of item price for shipping upgrade such as 2-day, overnight, etc.
• Support for a single tax rate.
• Support for many payment gateways like Authorize.net, iTransact, and Linkpoint — or have orders sent to you by secure email (half the card number stored in system, half is emailed to you for customer's protection).
• Basic statistic reporting built-in for tracking order info such as where visitors are coming from, browser being used, etc.
• Requires unix/linux server (such as Neotrope Hosting service) and SSL certificate. (New! No SSL cert required if you intend to use NeoCommerce4 with Authorize.net payment gateway.)
• Designed specifically to be compatible with Neotrope Hosting FileManager for image uploading, setting security of data directories, and downloading the protected credit card/order info on setups that don't use a payment gateway for automated processing.

> Visual Tour of NeoCommerce System

The normal price for NeoCommerce4 is $250.00 plus installation. Thie system is FREE to Neotrope Hosting customers for use on our servers, with a modest installation and setup fee. You may then edit the templates to make the site look however you wish, or hire Neotrope to implement your design, or create a new design if you are launching a new business.

Miva Merchant 4

For our Neotrope Hosting customers, we can now offer the award-winning Miva Merchant 4. Miva Merchant is a dynamic browser based storefront development and management system that allows merchants to create multiple online stores from anywhere in the world where there is Internet access.

Miva Merchant has a complete set of wizards to simplify the process of building your store. The browser based administration interface provides access to an array of more sophisticated tools to maintain your catalog. Upsell merchandising and order fulfillment are included. And Miva's modular architecture enables you with deep-down customization for your storefront. The primary features of this system include:

• Weight-based or percentage-based shipping calculation
• Wizard system to manage products, pricing, SKUs and images
• Merchandising capability to associate complimentary products with other items (i.e., upsell and promotional items)
• Pricing groups can be used in combination with select shopper availability groups to qualify them for discounts on any or all products in the store
• Support for multiple tax rates
• Built-in interface to 14 different popular automated payment gateways, including Authorize.net (which Neotrope uses)
• Management levels to provide access to certain admin tools such as content updates
• Custom accounts can be setup for frequent shopper programs, discounted pricing, and special product availability
• Built-in context sensitive help database
• Built-in sales and traffic reporting tools, including hits, visits, orders, revenue, number items sold, best selling items, and more!
• New! (v4.13) Enhanced data export/import
• New! (v4.13) Inventory tracking, including warning of low inventory
• New! (v4.13) Affiliate program allows you incent other websites to bring you customers. Set payment threshold, amount of commission per item based on flat fee or percentage, and more!

The Miva Merchant System starts at $599 for all the features noted above, with additional marketing and promotion options, mailing list options, and maintenance support options. Please inquire for more information. (Miva Merchant requires a web server running Miva Empressa, such as the Neotrope Hosting service.)

Elite Commission Cart 2 (ComCart)

This basic shopping cart is unique because it allows you to set up a complete affiliate marketing program where you incent others to bring you sales in exchange for paying them a commission on each sale made from their link to you. The primary features of this system include:

• Ability for others to create an affiliate account with option of auto-approve or admin approval; sends confirm emails and log-in info. Includes reporting system and affiliate system for your partners to check their traffic and sales. Automatically creates custom URL and sends the link to the affiliate.
• Ability to send emails to all current active affiliates.
• Simple shopping cart system allows you to build normal ("static") HTML pages using any technology like Flash, etc., and the "add to cart" button simply passes the item info and return link to the cart. Simple view/edit cart contents, checkout, and thank you/conclusion page.
• Item numbers, pricing, shipping rate, tax rate, commission rate (per item amount, percentage, or percentage for all) must all be edited manually in a config file (no browser-based management).
• Orders can be e-mailed to you or you can use an automated gateway like Authorize.net, iBill, or ECX.
• New add-on option allows sale of downloadable content such as e-books, music tracks, photos/art, etc.
• Requires unix/linux server (such as Neotrope Hosting service) and SSL certificate.
• Neotrope uses this particular shopping cart system at www.send2press.com.
  

Please contact us for current pricing on this system based on your needs. Normal price is under $500.00 plus installation (downloadable content option is additional).

Goldpaint/Clickshop Mall System

This powerful shopping system supports multiple databases, browser-based product data entry, and the ability to manage multiple stores at once in a "mall" type setting. Features include:

• Browser-based utility to setup and edit product and category databases.
• Broswer-based page editor to create/modify HTML content.
• Comprehensive site manager to edit all shop variables from browser.
• Supports multiple tax rates (more than one state).
• Supports shipping tables, or regions (i.e., East, West, North, etc.) with multiple methods per region (i.e., ground, 2-day, overnight); weight-based shipping rates.
• Cookie system supports remembering carts and customer info for next visit.
• You can require customers to first create an account, or not.
• Receive orders by email or optional Authorize.net module.
• Built-in ability to support downloadable content of any kind!
• Allow carts to work across mall stores, or only work for single store.
• Pages in store can be bookmarked.
• Multiple payment options such as print out order form to fax or mail, or standard credit card order.
• Custom programming and panel-based add-ons are managed in the TAME programming language, allowing for custom tags, and placing the tags anyplace within your content (for advanced users).
• Requires unix/linux server (such as Neotrope Hosting service) and SSL certificate.
• This is a professional system, used by major companies and organizations, including the Federal Consumer Information Center (FCIC), Pueblo, CO., and by Neotrope Hosting customer, Imageologists.

Normal price for the Goldpaint Mall System is $1495.00, but Neotrope Hosting customers receive a 20% discount when the system will be hosted on our servers. Installation and configuration is $250.00. A two-year lease option is also available starting at $99/month (for established companies; does not include support or content management).

Other Internet Commerce Solutions

In addition to the solutions above, Neotrope has experience integrating numerous other popular e-commerce solutions, including:

• Membership/Subscription Content — simple solution allows you to sell access to site content with three different subscription levels, such as one day, one month, one year, etc. Supports automated credit card processing (Authorize.net) and automatic access on approval. Integrated email system to send newsletters to your "subscribers."
• Classified ads and personal ads systems where you can offer both free and paid ads, including banner ad support, image uploading, email management and more, including automated billing and payment gateway support (Authorize.net).
• For Neotrope Hosting customers, we also have a new hosted e-commerce solution that uses PayPal. No merchant account, business bank account, or secure certificate required, and your customers aren't required to first create an account in the PayPal system. If you are a Neotrope Hosting customer, please inquire for complete information.

Additionally, Neotrope can develop custom solutions of all kinds. For example, we helped a software publisher develop and implement a solution where a customer on their site could download an application, generate a key, enter the key into the e-commerce solution, have the order processed automatically, then generate a unique serial number based on the key to activate the software. For custom solutions you need to fill out our information request form so that we may determine your level of need.

Requirements for E-Commerce
Any e-commerce system that you will manage on your own website has several basic requirements:

• Domain name (www.yourdomain.xyz) and web hosting account.
• The shopping cart system.
• Secure SSL certificate (allows the browser to create an encrypted connection to your website, and the shopping system).
• Merchant account. This is an account, usually obtained through your business bank, and tied to your checking account, that allows you to accept credit card payments. Terminal software allows you to process the cards and once approved, the funds are transferred into your account, less any discount taken by the credit card company (2.1% to 3.1% typical).
• Payment gateway account if you want to take credit cards using automated processing and approval with your cart (this means you don't have to manually receive the CC info in an email and then manually process the card on an order by order basis, in the same way as a phone order).

Secure SSL Certificate
For Neotrope Hosting customers, we offer Thawte SSL signed certificates for $125 per year ($159/year after August 1, 2002), and a $25 setup fee. Neotrope is an authorized Thawte Hosting Partner. Provides for secure 128-bit encryption.

Merchant Account to Accept Credit Cards
If you are unable to obtain a merchant account through your bank, Neotrope has partnered with an ethical company to assist you in obtaining a merchant account to accept credit cards for your business. Inquire for more information.

E-commerce Payment Gateway
In order to take payments in your store without manually procesing them, you need a "gateway" account. Neotrope uses and recommends Authorize.net. All of our solutions are Authorize.net compatible. Additionally, Authorize.net can be used as a secure virtual terminal to process phone/mail orders so you don't need to buy a separate terminal software package (such as ICverify) if you get a merchant account (or have one) through your bank. An Authorize.net account costs $200 set-up, $15 per month, and 5-cents per transaction. Inquire for more information, and an application form.

If you're interested in setting up an e-commerce solution for your business, please contact us today in order to help you choose the right solution for your needs.