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Introduction to E-Stores
Getting Started with E-Stores
Once you have completed the MindSpring E-Commerce Wizard, you will
have all the building blocks you need to set up your store. Much of the information you
need to know is contained in the E-Store Back Office. To help you get started, here are
some things you need to know:
1) Back Office Access
The Back Office tool allows you to change the features of your
E-Store. If you just purchased your E-Store using the MindSpring E-Commerce Wizard, you
will use the Back Office to enter the products, prices, shipping methods, etc. that are
necessary to get your store ready for the public to see. From the Back office you can also
select which Design you would like to use on your store. There are several store designs
to choose from, and MindSpring's designers will add more choices from time to time.
To access the E-Stores Back Office:
Log in to the MindSpring Control Panel using your Web
Hosting User ID and password.
Choose E-Store Back Office from the Toolbox
drop-down menu. You will be prompted to enter your Merchant Login Name
and Password.
Enter your Web Hosting User ID and password, then
click Login. A list of your stores will appear, with three buttons after
each.
Click the Back Office button. Your
E-Stores Back Office will appear.
2) Setting up products:
Your E-Store is organized into departments and products. You may
have departments within departments to create a hierarchy of your merchandise. Figure
1 is an example of such a hierarchy. Your E-Store also allows you to enter
descriptive information about Departments and Products. When you visit your Back Office
for the first time, there will be a hyperlink that says Add a Department.
To start building your store, just click on that link!
Figure 1: A Store Hierarchy Example
E-pages does not allow product attributes such as Snoopy T-shirt (S,
M, L, XL). A work around is to set up a sub-department (T-shirts) and then have S, M, L XL
as products w/in that category.
3) Storefront Location -
Customers will access your store at the following domain:
http://store.yourdomain.com
We recommend that you use the web space that comes with your hosting
account for general company information and contact information, and provide a link to
your store from the home page.
4) Integrating ATS credit card gateway
If you have purchased an E-Store Deluxe, you can process credit card
orders online using ATS. To use this feature, you must have already established a merchant
account and ATS account number.
In the back office of your store, click on Payment Methods.
When prompted, check the ATS box and the credit cards you accept in the Direct
Credit Card Entry section. Scroll down and select Save.
You must also set up the ATS module. Click on the link ATS
link next to the ATS check box. Enter the ATS merchant account number that you received
from ATS into the box and click on Save.
5) Maximum Products and Category levels
- E-Store - 50 SKU's (products) , 3 levels
- E-Store Deluxe 100 SKU's (products) , 4 levels
6) Where to get Help
E-Stores documentation is built into the back office wizard.
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