General
What if I only have a few items to sell? Are EconoStores™ right for me?
Can I use EconoStores™ if I don't know anything about HTML or web design?
Do I have to commit to a long-term contract?
How are credit cards processed through my EconoStore™?
Do EconoStores™ use Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption?
Do I need special software to run my store?

Fees/Cost
What is the total upfront cost for opening an Econostore™?
Are there any transaction fees?
How much does it cost to operate my EconoStore on a monthly basis?

Paypal
How do I set up a Paypal account?
How are EconoStores integrated with Paypal?
What if I don't want to use Paypal to process customers' credit cards?

Shipping/Taxes/Options
How do I charge tax based on my geographical location?
How are shipping options set in my EconoStore™?
Can I set options for an item such as size or color?
Is international shipping allowed?

Storefront
How do I know if an order has been placed in my store?
How many photos per item can I display in my store?
Is there a limit to the number of items I may include in my store?

Domain Names
Can I use a domain name that I already own for my EconoStore™?
If I cancel my Econostore™, can I keep my domain name?

Traffic
How can I generate more traffic to my store?
Can I direct traffic from an auction site such as eBay to my EconoStore™?
 

What if I only have a few items to sell? Are EconoStores™ right for me?
Yes. Many of our store owners have a dozen items or less. EconoStores™ allows you the flexibility to add, edit or delete items from your store, whether you have a dozen itmes or thousands. For a professional look, EconoStores™ is a perfect choice.

Can I use EconoStores™ if I don't know anything about HTML or web design?
Yes. At EconoStores™, our objective is to relieve store owners of the need for knowing HTML code or web design. That is why we provide the simplest, most user-friendly store interface available, and we set up your site's informational pages for you.

Do I have to commit to a long-term contract?
With EconoStores™, there is no long-term commitment, and you can cancel at any time.

How are credit cards processed through my EconoStore™?
Econostores™ are Paypal storefronts, meaning that all credit card orders are processed through Paypal, the Internet's largest credit card payment gateway. Paypal is the perfect choice for Econostores™ because Paypal does not charge monthly fees and accepts all major credit cards. To use EconoStores™, you will have to set up a Paypal account. For more information, go to Paypal Account Signup.

Do EconoStores™ use Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption?
Yes. EconoStores™ use SSL encryption that is available via Paypal's shopping cart or virtual terminal.

Do I need special software to run my store?
You do not need any special software to own and operate your EconoStore™. Everything is provided through your online store interface. However, Many store owners find it helpful to use a simple image editor so that they may optimize their photos before uploading.

What is the total upfront cost for opening an Econostore™?
The total upfront cost for owning an EconoStore™ is your first subscription fee plus a one-time setup fee of $350.00. Setup fee covers setup of your EconoStore on its own virtual domain, logo and header design (if needed), setup of 5 custom pages and purchase of domain name. There are no other upfront fees.

Web hosting, tech support and purchase/renewal of domain name are included in the subscription fee.

Are there any transaction fees?
EconoStores™ does not charge any transaction fees. However, the processing of your order through Paypal does incur their normal transaction fee. For most credit card transactions, the current transaction fee ranges from 1.9% to 2.9% plus 30¢ per transaction. For more information, consult Paypal's fee schedule.

How much does it cost to operate my EconoStore on a monthly basis?
The total monthly cost of an EconoStore™ is the monthly subscription fee as stated above plus Paypal's normal transaction fee for all transactions which occur through your store.

How do I set up a Paypal account?
Setting up a Paypal account is free, and it takes only minutes. You will be asked to provide an email address (Choose an email address you know you will have for a long time) and other personal information. Once you set up your account, it will accept payment from customers immediately. For more information, go to Paypal.com or Paypal Account Signup.

How are EconoStores integrated with Paypal?
EconoStores™ are completely integrated with Paypal's financial gateway. This means that when a customer clicks on your store's 'Add To Cart' button, the item is added to a Paypal shopping cart. When a customer click's 'Complete Order,' the order is processed through Paypal.

What if I don't want to use Paypal to process customers' credit cards?
All orders from your EconoStore™ are processed through Paypal. However, if you want to prevent your customers from knowing they are using Paypal, you can sign up for Paypal's virtual terminal. Virtual terminal presents to the customer a generic gateway for processing credit card orders while hiding the Paypal logo or any other identifying information. For more information, go to Paypal Virtual Terminal.

How do I charge tax based on my geographical location?
You can set tax preferences through Paypal. Once you have a Paypal account, go to Set Paypal Sales Tax Preferences

How are shipping options set in my EconoStore™?
You can set shipping options in your Paypal account. Once logged in,

1. Click the My Account tab.
2. Click the Profile subtab.
3. Click the Shipping Calculations link in the Selling Preferences column.
4. In the Currency section, choose a currency from the dropdown menu. Click Select.
5. In the Cost Method section, choose the Flat Amount ($) or Percentage (%) radio button. Click Select.
6. In the Cost and Price Ranges section, enter new values in the Cost column to change the amounts you would like to charge for each price range. Click Save.
7. To change the price ranges for Shipping, click Edit and enter new values for each price range. Click Save.

Can I set options for an item such as size or color?
In an EconoStore, you can specify different types of options to satisfy just about every circumstance. The possible types of options are as follows:

1. Options that change price (example: size - small $8.95, medium $11.95, large $14.95. Customer will select price from a dropdown menu.)
2. Options that do not change price (example: color - red, blue, green).
3. Information supplied by the customer (information for custom work such as jewelry engraving, embroidery of names on apparel or custom fitting of any merchandise. Example: engraving - "Forever Yours").

Is international shipping allowed?
Yes, international shipping is supported. You can ship to nearly every location in the world.

How do I know if an order has been placed in my store?
When an order has been placed in your store, you will immediately be notified by email of the order. Notification will be sent to the email address you used to set up your Paypal account.

How many photos per item can I display in my store?
Currently, only one photo per item is allowed. If you wish to show different views of an item, you can create a composite photo showing two or more views. Then upload the composite photo. Alternatively, if you know some HTML, you can include in your description of the item links to images posted anywhere on the Internet. HTML Code Example: <A HREF="http://www.somedomain.com/images/myphoto.jpg" TARGET="_blank">My Photo</A>

Is there a limit to the number of items I may include in my store?
Currently, there is a limit set for each store level. The limit for a Vendor Store is 50 items. The limit for a Merchant Store is 1000 items. An Entrepreneur Store is capped at 5000 items.

Can I use a domain name that I already own for my EconoStore™?
Yes, you can use a domain name you already own. If you know the name of the registrar for the domain name, your username and password, you can login to your account at the registrar's web site. Set nameservers to the following:

If I cancel my Econostore™, can I keep my domain name?
Yes, if you keep your EconoStore for a minimum of three months, we can transfer ownership of the domain name to you at no charge if you cancel.

How can I generate more traffic to my store?
One of the best ways to generate traffic to your site immediately is Google Adwords. Many store owners find the cost is minimal relative to the results. Another option is Search Engine Optimization. There are many Search Engine Optimization companies (SEO's) out there, and results can vary widely from one firm to another. Try to get a written guarantee of the results you are hoping for. Another alternative is consulting an Internet Marketing Service.

Can I direct traffic from an auction site such as eBay to my EconoStore™?
Yes, you can direct traffic from an auction site according to the rules of the particular auction site. eBay, for example, allows outside links on the 'About Me' or 'About the Seller' pages only. Check out each site's linking policy.