Again, so what does your website need?
To start with, website development can encompass a person's perception in many ways. Web design could range anywhere from a simple brochure website to a complicated database application that integrates with your company's work flow.
If you already have an existing website, or are developing one yourself, we offer excellent windows based hosting solutions and Microsoft SQL Server hosting.
The process itself is pretty simple; what purpose do the website truly need to help benefit your business? The first step is to evaluate the level of service you can provide through your website to your customers. For example, Marc's on Market Restaurant in Wilmington North Carolina needed a website that displayed their constantly changing menu, and provided custom driving directions to the end user. This is a perfect example of a simple database application.
The most basic of website structure would be the informational brochure website. A perfect example of that would be the Renee M. Williamson website, which is a simple HTML structure that displays static information and has a simple contact form that submits to an email address.
The previous two examples are good for businesses that provide a service or localized product, so there is no real transaction of information or payment processed over the Internet. These solutions are less complicated and therefore are typically far less expensive to create.
Ecommerce & Custom Database Applications
Some businesses and services require a more unique and customized solution to fit their needs. If you have a localized inventory that you want to make available for sale online, then you could use a simple ecommerce solution like Heroics Surf had us create for them.
There are some necessary items required for your website in order to begin accepting credit card payments. They are the following:
SSL Secure Certificate
This is installed on the server that hosts your domain for your website. These certificates are purchased from an authorized provider and are what creates the secure encryption that protects your website users' information from being monitored or stolen. You must have an SSL certificate installed on your website to accept credit card information.
Online Merchant Gateway
This service is the bridge that processes the credit card information you collect. They submit the transaction for approval or denial and transfer the charge to your checking account. The cost of this service depends on whether you have an existing merchant account to process credit cards. You must have a merchant account to process credit cards.
What Is a Custom Database Application?
The most perfect example of a custom database application that is free for the public to view is OrthopaedicLIST.com. Their needs were only fulfilled by creating a customized database solution. A database application is any application that stores all of its functional data in a database such as Microsoft SQL Server or MY SQL. This data can range from customer information to user only portions of websites.
Your business could also have an existing database system in place, and you want to make portions of this data available through a special log in area of your website. Marlian Co. specializes bridging these gaps and making your data inter actable online!
Customized database applications have specific hosting requirements, so some consultation is always required before a solution can be quoted. Find out more about how you could benefit from a custom database application.