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iNet//Web Solutions
2811 La Cuesta Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90046
(323)851-6400
Fax (323)851-4570
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There still seems to be a widespread "perception" that on-line commerce is unsafe, and about the fear many people have of using their credit cards on the Web (you can read our "White Paper" on "Secure On-line Ordering" for more background on this issue). There are now literally dozens of companies offering credit card authorization on the internet, but the 500-pound guerilla of the bunch is VeriSign (formerly CyberCash). They have been around the longest, they're the biggest ... and their system works. They just don't have downtime, unlike a couple of their competitors we've had to work with recently. Let's back up a bit, and review how the services works. First of all, these companies are performing a vital (and required) service - they do the same thing the grey swiper next to the checkout cash register in the department store does. The Bank processing computers don't want to take the time to "talk" directly with web sites ... but they will talk with VeriSign, which takes the time to format the data in the specific manner needed by the Banks. So if you want to get a charge authorized online, your web site will talk with VeriSign (or one of the other "gateways"), and VeriSign will talk with the Bank. The authorization process (and the subsequent transfer of funds into your company bank account) is transparent to the shopper and to you, the merchant; it all happens automatically. In each case, the money for the purchase (less bank fees) will be deposited in your company bank account on the same schedule as your current settlements. It's all very fast (usually about 5-7 seconds for credit card authorizations) and certainly very secure ... between VeriSign and SSL, the data is so tightly encrypted it would take a few hundred hours of processor time to crack a single credit card number. If you're not familiar with the process, you may want to step through our E-commerce Demo - we're hooked straight into VeriSign (on a test basis), so the sample order you place during the demo actually gets a charge authorization while you wait. COSTS - Every step in the food chain adds another charge. But let's start with what's free: the software is provided by VeriSign at no cost; there is a one-time cost to sign up as a VeriSign merchant. VeriSign charges the Processors a flat fee for every transaction they submit from their Gateway for bank approval. And the Processor charges the bank a flat fee for every transaction they submit for approval. And the bank charges you a flat fee for every charge they approve. And if you obtained your Merchant Account through an independent bureau, they charge you a flat fee as the middleman. Add those all together and you'll get the total cost to you, the merchant. In general, you can probably count on your total fees rising by about 1% when you start accepting online credit card charges ... although one of our clients was told by his bankers that the bank would absorb any additional charges just to get him to use VeriSign. THE CAVEATS - There are two possible "gotchas" in providing your Web shoppers with these services. First of all, you have to have a Merchant Account - you have to be approved to accept credit cards as payment. Depending on your company's credit rating, this can be simple and inexpensive, or difficult and very costly. iNet // Web Solutions can help you get a Merchant Account if you need assistance. The second potential hurdle is the ability of your Web Server to run the VeriSign  code, which is only available for some operating systems (various "flavors" of UNIX like Linux and BSD, and a few
others). Here, too, we can provide assistance if you need it: we'll introduce you to Servers who welcome commercial sites.
We at iNet // Web Solutions are convinced of the safety and practicality of the VeriSign architecture, and we are committed to making their services available to our clients. iNet programmers have attended the VeriSign Marketing and Technical classes at their Redwood City, CA, facility, and we offer integration of all their services in the sites we design. Secure on-line ordering is here: it's fast, simple, and inexpensive ... so much so that one of our clients is already planning to set up an intranet for his mail order operators, who will use a custom version of the Web Site Home Page to input telephone orders, including authorization via VeriSign! iNet // Web Solutions has the experience and the know-how to translate your business onto the Web, and we can implement automatic, secure credit card charge authorizations for you. Why not give us a call, and put our team to work for you? The consultation is free! Sincerely, 
bianca@iNetWebInc.com 
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