es on the Internet that offer Web hosting, all one needs to do is search. One of the best ways to find a reliable hosting company is to surf the 'Net to find a page that always downloads quickly and is never out of service. Find which company provides their Web hosting and see if it is affordable. Web server housing should only be purchased by individuals with experience in Web servers or those willing to pay to have someone else manage the server. This option is one that most people will not find appealing. The next decision is what should be offered on the Web page. Many different things regarding a business can be put on the Web page. Should the page list all the products offered? Will the page detail descriptions of all products, only the names, or something else? Some design choices should be made deciding how items will be sold. If items will be sold online, there are several ways to accomplish this. They fall into two basic categories, those requiring user interaction and those that are completely automatic. User interactive systems can include Web-based forms and email links. With a Web-based form, a user indicates the items desired and other ordering information. When the user is finished the information is forwarded to an account representative who keys information into the ordering system just as they would if they were taking orders over the phone or by fax. The second type of online system is one in which the person completes the online order from and the server takes the information given and automatically enters the data in the ordering system. This method can also do automatic credit card verification and billing. The only time a person is involved with this system is when the order is shipped. One thing to consider when doing forms online with either the automatic system or user interactive system is security. Is the information encrypted before it is sent through the Internet? Many Web hosting services offer secure sev...
