MerchantCircle | Astoria Blogs

How you should know your e-commerce website is well made

Posted 10:45 AM November 02, 2011

These days, anyone with a computer and an Internet connection can build a website. The question is, what kind of website will you get? Will your new website function well and be able to expand as your company grows? Your website is often the first impression that clients have of your business, so you need a professional web design company —not some guy who pirated a copy of Dreamweaver with a stack of business cards using a Vista Print template.
There are many things which you need to check before signing a contract and handing over a deposit—especially if you are building an eCommerce site. Below are some of the key points to check before deciding which design company to use.

Check the company’s design portfolio.

Whenever you’re choosing a web design company, make sure you check that they have actually worked on similar projects in the past. You don’t want to be an inexperienced designers “guinea pig.” It’s a situation that too often leads to disappointing results, unfinished sites or incomplete projects.
Choosing a web design agency with the right experience is especially important when you’re looking for an eCommerce provider. Don’t fall into the trap of using a “design” agency when what you really need is a development company. eCommerce sites are very technology-heavy with complex coding and specialized systems, so you need an agency that understands the potential problems that come with this type of site.
To avoid hiring a designer to do a developer’s job, check an agencies portfolio to ensure it has many examples of functional/tech-heavy websites and not just logos, flyers, static and print design.

Check that the design company is big enough to complete your project.

Find out if the company has a technical team or is a one-man shop. Many web ‘companies’ actually only consist of one designer and one developer.Over the years there have been many scenarios where the only technical contact at the company has left leaving all clients stranded. The other reason to know the true size of the staff is to ensure that your website will be built by the designer and not sent out to someone else.

Check that the design work is carried out in-house rather than outsourced.

Be wary of a false sales pitch with nothing to back it up. There are lots of ‘middle men’ in this industry and agencies who can outsource the entire project in India or Pakistan with huge mistakes and errors. We are one of the companies that many well-known industry names are hiring us to do their job and just put their logo and a big multiplier to their cost. Don’t fall for a slick PowerPoint or video presentation!

Although there are many pitfalls when choosing a company to build you an e-commerce website, if you get it right then the benefits are great. Making the right choice can lead to success, low overheads and a website to be proud of. So when choosing which company to use, remember the checklist above and ensure that you ‘do it once – do it right’

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IRS 1099-K REQUIREMENTS- Credit Card Processing ( Merchant Industry )

Posted 07:22 AM July 17, 2011

Over the last several months, we’ve provided updates regarding the new IRS requirements that take effect with the tax year 2011. To recap, all payment card processors, including Merchant Industry, must:

· File an annual information return with the IRS for every merchant account that processed sales in the Year 2011, beginning in January 2012

· Send a corresponding Form 1099K to each merchant, reporting monthly and annual gross sales volume, no later than January 31, 2012

· Take steps to ensure that the business name and tax identification number we have on file for each merchant matches the name and tax identification number under which tax returns for their business entity are filed

· Perform backup withholding (currently 28% of the merchant’s daily settlement amounts) starting in January 2012 in the event that a TIN mismatch exists and goes uncorrected

In anticipation of this reporting requirement, we have been comparing the Tax Identification Number (TIN) and Tax filing name on file for our merchants with the information contained in the IRS TIN matching database. Last month, we began providing a list of potentially affected merchants to all Partners who had merchant information returned as a mismatch. We will continue to provide monthly updates, asking that you assist us in contacting these merchants to get the correct information. In addition, in July 2012, we will begin mailing notices to all merchant on file with mismatched information, and ask that they contact us directly to update their records. Our goal is to help all potentially affected merchants avoid the backup withholding requirement.

Going forward, we also ask that you make sure to get the right legal name and TIN number combination the first time for all new merchant applications submitted. If unsure what name and number to use, you can ask to see a copy of the merchant’s EIN notice from the IRS or a recent W-9 form to verify. And remember, the Legal Name for a sole proprietor will always be the owner’s first and last name, not the business, trade or “doing business as” name. The TIN number for a sole proprietor will be the owner’s Social Security Number, unless they specifically applied for an Employer Identification Number (EIN) with the IRS.

Finally, we want to make you aware that we will begin charging a monthly Regulatory Product Fee of $3.95 starting with July 2011 month-end billing. To advise existing merchants of this new fee, the statement message will appear on all June 2011 merchant

If you have any questions about the IRS 1099-K reporting requirements or regulatory product fee, please let us know. We’re here to help.

If you have any questions or need additional information, please e-mail rm@merchantindustry.com, or call 866-811-1005 and ask to speak to a Relationship Manager.

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IMPORTANT UPDATE: IRS 1099-K REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

Posted 07:18 AM July 17, 2011