Technology Requirements for Processing Credit Cards on Small Business Web Sites

Accepting credit cards is essential for any e-commerce Web site. If you are ready to start processing credit card transactions yourself, you will need the right infrastructure. Before you select an

Secure payment area. This protects credit card data and other sensitive information from hackers during the transaction process. Identity theft and credit card fraud are running rampant on the Internet, and you need to ensure that your customers are protected. Many consumers will not buy from a site that does not provide secure transactions. Read more about How to Accept Credit Cards Online.

You can help secure your site by having a secure socket layer certificate, or SSL. SSL encrypts information being entered on your site as it is sent across the Internet. You can purchase this certificate yourself, or your Web host may let you use theirs as a part of its service.