Secure Systems & Credit Card Ordering

For retailers looking to contact customers, the web offers previously unthinkable cost-efficiency. Your catalogue can be accessible from anywhere in the world, and credit cards provide a simple, cheap, worldwide payment method.

But there is a good deal of mistrust surrounding the use of credit cards in online environments, and banks have been cautious about authorising retailers to take orders over the net. At the very least, both banks and customers will probably insist that you use a Secure Transaction Processing system, usually one based on something called SSL But what is this, how can it be set up, and how much does it cost?

SSL is an internet standard which allows information to be encrypted (encoded) when it travels between one computer and another. Only the sending computer and the receiving computer can encrypt and decrypt the information.

SSL is used mostly for online ordering systems which require users to send credit card details over the internet. You should never send your credit card details in an email message, or using any insecure connection. You will know when you are using a secure connection - your browser will usually give you a warning message, and it will always indicate when you are using a secure connection by a little lock symbol:

This symbol is displayed in the bottom of your browser window when a secure connection is operating. It indicates that you can safely enter confidential information such as credit card numbers.

If the lock symbol is not displayed, you should never enter your card details onto a web page.

If you want to have a secure page or order form on your website, it may add considerably to the cost. Not only does the page have to be designed and programmed to accept the ordering information, but it has to be hosted on a secure web server. We provide secure server facilities with our Ecommerce Hosting option - see the Hosting page for details.

If you already trade using mail-order, you may be able to use the same system for processing orders received online - but check first with your credit card merchant company or bank what their policy is. It may be that they will insist that you use a particular type of system. Part of our job is to ensure that they system we set up for you complies with your bank's requirements, and with standards of good practice in online retailing.