Member Avatar for sandeepcool

Hi
My name is Sandeep and I'm from India.I saw an article 'Starting an Online Store' and I understood every thing about domain name registration webhosting and credit card processing.The thing which makes confusing is how to deliver the goods to customers and about shopping cart software.I'm planning to sell books and rare stamps.I've no idea how to stock books and stamps and deliver it to cuctomers when they order something.Then another issue bothering me is the security and time in which the product is delivered.So the questions arising for me is where and how can I stock the books and how can I deliver it to customers.Then about shopping cart software.I didnt understand that concept and how it works.I kindly request the knowledgable people to help me in undertsanding the issues I have. I also would like to know how an online store works and its mangement.

With regards
Sandeep

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A few practical steps to turn the questions from into a working store, building on ’s payment/logistics pointers but focusing on inventory, packing, and the order flow.

Start small and control condition. For books: store upright on shelves, away from direct sunlight, in a stable, dry place. For stamps: use stockbooks, glassine envelopes or archival mounts, handle with tongs, and keep them flat and dry. Photograph each item (multiple close-ups), record condition and provenance, and assign a unique SKU so listings, invoices and stock all use the same identifier.

Packaging and shipping choices depend on value. Protect books with waterproof wrap and cardboard stiffeners so they cannot bend. Protect stamps by sealing them in a plastic sleeve or glassine, backing with stiff board, and placing in a bubble mailer or small rigid box. For high-value or rare pieces require tracked, insured shipment with signature on delivery and keep records of tracking and insurance. For international orders include accurate customs paperwork and clear descriptions.

How the order process typically works (what the shopping cart actually does): it holds a customer’s items, calculates shipping/tax, creates an order on payment success, and should reduce available stock immediately (or reserve it) to avoid overselling. Add a manual verification step for high-value stamp orders before final shipment — check payment, identity if needed, and the packing list. Communicate handling time and expected delivery clearly on the listing to set buyer expectations.

Security and scaling: use HTTPS and follow payment-card security rules — see PCI DSS. Monitor large or unusual orders for fraud, and when volume grows consider a third-party fulfillment partner (3PL) to handle storage, packing and shipping. Start local, refine your packaging and workflow on a few orders, then scale once you have repeatable processes.

Member Avatar for jewboy

Sandeep Hello,

Let's take one thing at a time.

When you sign up for a merchant account to process Visa/MC, you typically need 2 additional components to make your online store work. 1. A payment gateway - which acts as a virtual terminal. Verisign and Authorize.net are the key players. 2. A shopping cart. There are literally thousands to choose from - from beginner level to advanced. Usually, your merchant processor will give you a free beginner level shopping cart package.

Security is a complex issue. What type of concerns do you have have about processing online?

Logistics. Do you plan on shipping worldwide, or domestically? What courier do you plan on using? In the USA, UPS, USPS, FedEx and Airborne all make it very easy to integrate into online stores. I know that UPS in USA will send out a techie at no charge if you are having trouble integrating their WorldShip software with the back end of your site.

In the future, try not to clump all your questions in 1 single post. It makes it hard to follow.

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