E.commerce - Shopping cart - Database FAQ's

Can I add products, categories or clientele information to my site by myself?
Yes, you can add/edit/delete products, add new pages or categories, edit/add/delete client accounts and information for all of our e-commerce websites or database driven websites - CMS.

Can I add a shopping cart later to my site?
Yes, at anytime you can add a shopping cart or a database to your site. Integration fee will apply.

What forms of payment can I accept?
Cash and Checks. All major credit cards: Visa, Master Card, American Express, Discover. You can also accept payment through Paypal.

What is a *Database?
A database is a program used for storing, organizing, editing, retrieving or deleting information. Make your company more efficient and more organized by saving time retrieving data.

What is the limit with a database?
NO LIMIT! You budget will be the limit....

What about the cost?
Each project is unique and is different for each client. Your needs and goals will determine the cost and complexity of a project. Larger and complex sites obviously will cost more than a simple and small “brochure” site.. A database driven website, e.commerce or content management system (CMS) site can go for under $1000.00 to ...$100,000....We can give you an exact pricing when you know your specific needs and requirements.

What are the maintenance costs on a website?
Once a site is completed there are no maintenance costs associated with the site. There are however, web hosting expenses (see hosting plans here). Web hosting expenses give you an internet presence 24/7. If you need update or change later on to your initial website, there are hourly costs associated.

Is there a charge to change or update my site?
There is no charge if you have a content management system (CMS) where you can access the site, with user ID and password security, and type in changes as often as you like. In the event you want us to make the changes for you there are hourly costs associated. We will be glad to assist you with any changes. We can be reached by phone at 207-967-4691 or by email.

How long does it take to complete my website
Most projects take around one or two months. If a project takes longer than a couple of months to complete, the most frequent reason for delay is that we have to wait on content from the client. We’re pretty persistent about getting it, but sometimes clients just aren’t able to give it in a timely manner.

Do you take credit cards?
Yes, we do.

What are the first steps if I want a database?

First, you need to know exactly what you want your database to accomplish
Next, visualize your database from the perspective of your customer (front end) and the administrator (back end).
Finally, contact The Port Web Design, explain the requirements of your database and we will give you an accurate quote.

How does The Port Web Design make my online business secure?
The first component is a high quality programming. The programming of your online store needs to be well organized and cannot contain any security holes. You also need to make sure your navigation system is well organized and easy to follow.

Who Needs a *Dedicated IP Address?
Usually *dedicated IP addresses are used for large web sites or secure e-commerce web sites using database and payments online and need their own SSL certificates.

*SSL Certificate
The final component to a secure online store is the use of a SSL certificate. This is a secure connection between the customer's computer and your online store. The secure server encrypts the personal information being passed from your customer's computer to your online store protecting your customer's privacy.

*Database: a database is a collection of related records stored in a computer in a systematic way, so that a computer program can consult it to answer questions. For retrieval and sorting, each record is usually organized as a set of data elements . A computer program designed to store and retrieve stored information

*E.commerce or Electronic Commerce. This covers a range of different types of businesses, from consumer-based retail sites to business exchanges trading goods or services between corporations.

*PHP Hypertext Preprocessor is a programming language that allows web developers to create dynamic content that interacts with databases. PHP is basically used for developing web based software applications.

*MySQL is an open source relational database management system that uses Structured Query Language (SQL), the most popular language for adding, accessing, and processing data in a database. Because it is open source, anyone can download MySQL and tailor it to their needs in accordance with the general public license. MySQL is noted mainly for its speed, reliability, and flexibility

*SSL Certificate (secure sockets layer) : An SSL Certificate gives a website the ability to communicate securely with its web customers. Without a certificate, any information sent to a website can be intercepted and viewed by anyone. An SSL Certificate is a certificate which is installed on a secure server. It is used to identify the merchant using it and to encrypt the credit card, and other sensitive data.

*IP address: Internet Protocol address : a unique ID that computers use in order to identify and communicate with each other on a computer network utilizing the Internet Protocol standard (IP).

*Dedicated IP Address (or static IP) vs Shared IP: A static (or dedicated) IP address dedicated to a single website is unique to your domain name and your space on the server (on the web). Your website will have the same identification number for its lifetime. (eg..70.87.93.185). Dedicated IP addresses are considered to be premium real estate on the internet. Another benefit of a dedicated IP address is that website will have more control over their search engine results.

Shared IP address: Most websites on the internet are hosted on shared IP addresses, which means that one server with one IP address holds multiple domain names.

The Port Web Design now offers *e-commerce solutions! Whether you need a small shopping cart for your little boutique or a marketplace that will reach the world or just let your clients manage their account online, The Port Web Design has the capability to integrate business databases with web sites to provide a complete enterprise solution! Using the latest technologies, or starting from scratch, we can advance your website into the 21st century.

The Port Web design team provides online *database development services and high quality programming. We specialize in *PHP and *MySQL (FREE with hosting packages!) database planning, code writing, implementation and design integration. We also provide *SSL certificate to secure your site.

Ecommerce clients are provided with a FREE *Dedicated *IP address with our "Corporate Plan".

To conduct business on the Internet, you need an e-commerce website. An e-commerce website can be as simple as a catalog with an order form, or it can be a complex multimedia-enabled website with real-time credit card processing capabilities.

Or simply use a database to store and keep track of your daily, monthly or yearly reports and clientele, and let your clients manage their account online!

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