Help needed with installing & customizing 2checkout modu

[mickilein95]

Hello all nice folks,
I am trying to set up an online shop for the first time. For the beginning, I want to integrate the 2checkout payment module, but I am encountering a few problems on the way and need some expert advice. I tried to contact 2checkout using a support ticket with the questions below, but I think because of the subject I gave my querry- "Questions on setting up the payment module on osCommerce", I got a quick response that they give no support to third party carts, and I was referred to this forum. The problem is a number of questions had to do with 2checkout itself & nothing with osCommerce. The mention of osCommerce however seemed to be a good enough excuse not to respond or look at the whole message. I wrote back to explain this, but I have not received any response from them (yet).
Below are the questions I had asked. I would be grateful for any specific answers or suggestions from those who have been on this road, however brief.

I have a number of questions regarding your service.
I intend to sent up an online shop selling ..... The customers primarily being targeted are in Europe, USA & other countries, hence the need for a gateway like 2checkout.com, to enable them to pay using credit cards.

I am likely for sometime to come to use a webhost offering the current free account. I have set up an osCommerce cart, still in a test phase. I activated the 2checkout payment module & have made a few test purchases. I do get however at the end of a “successfull” purchase a warning that the shop does not offer SSL encryption.

I did find out that this host offers SSL at some considerable cost, and probably to only paid users.
When I turned to the “Deskpro” FAQ page of 2checkout, I saw the Answer to the question
"Do I need an SSL Server" given as: “

No, you do not need an SSL server in order to integrate your site with 2CO.All
payment transactions take place on the 2CO SSL server.

That leaves me confused. If I don’t need an SSL server at my host’s, why this omninous warning & threat to the cutomers? If I really don’t need to incur that expense at my host’s, because all transactions through 2checkout are encrypted, how do I get rid of that warning?

Secondly, when I activated the 2checkout module in this osCommerce my admin. Panel, it was assigned the following: Login/Store Number: 18xxx
How/when do I use it? I don’t have any further information in the osCommerce admin. Panel on what to do with it.
I saw, however on the2checkout.com website, the need for a Vendor Number and a password. Is there any difference between the two?
I would be glad to receive specific instructions on how to go on with the Login/Store number or what to do with it.

Thirdly, if I were not to use the oscommerce cart that is offered by my host, can the free 2chechout cart be integrated into my website instead, or do you offer any other free option?

Fourthly, regarding opening an account at 2checkout.com, I see setting the currency for the transactions on the first page. What implications has that got for a cart like osCommerce which offers a number of options, including Euros & Dollars? I hope to get a number of customers in the European Union countries, but also hope for many in dollar countries like the USA? Are there any disadvantages in
offering both options so I have to fix only one currency?

Fifthly, on the sign up page in case a credit card is not accessible, 2checkout.com offers the option of a money order or cheque. In that case are the Account holders details asked for on the registration the ones for the new user registering or it is credit card information. In case it is, it would be
a problem for some who does not have one. In some of our countries, credit cards are just starting to take hold and are not widely available, yet.
I was able to come to this point in a mock-registration, as I could not fill in further details. What is required beyond this point?

I will be grateful for answers to my questions.

[andyy15]

Wow you have many many questions. I do not have any experience with 2checkout.com but I do have experience with oscommerce and setting up a company. The reason I did not choose 2checkout is because they take an unbelievable 5% of you purchase (plus when I last visited their site they had poor customer support NO 1-800 #)!!! I sell jewelry on my website and you could see why that's a problem. This is the reason why I suggest you switch and get authorize.net. Currently I am running paypal and authorize.net on my site. As for SSL I suggest you GET a certificate. The cheap ones range from $5 to $50 a year. SSL is necessary even if you use a company like 2checkout.com. Think about it... Are you not collecting your customers name, address and phone number? This info needs to be encrypted and plus I would not trust your site if you did not have SSL when I sign up for my account. Anyway these are my suggestion, sorry I can't answer specific questions about 2checkout cause I don't use their services.

[mickilein95]

Hello andyy15,
Just seen your response just b4 jumping into bed at 2:20am CET. Yes, the questions are many. I'm grateful for any contribution like yours & I am going to look at your suggestions.
Thanks for taking the time... & dont be surprised if I ask u a question or 2.
Nice day, wherever u are.

[red_fraggle]

in our experience any store which redirects its customers to a third party for payment typically have far lower visit/purchase ratios than stores who do the transactions themselves.

There are far cheaper companies such as authorize.net which charge 2.29% per transaction and have the added benefit of your customers never leaving your store.

SSL certificates are inexpensive and easy to obtain from other sources than your hosting company, you can buy them from anyone and they all are standard so they will work with your host.

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