I will typically have two types of clients contact me:
There is really no right or wrong answer, it is simply a matter of how much time and effort has gone into determining possible solutions for your web site. Depending on your preference , I will either take the time to fully evaluate your written request for proposal or I will spend some time with you on the phone (or in person) discussing your thoughts regarding the site development and then developing a written proposal which outlines the cost, timeframe, and requirements for your web site development.
As with any business decision, one should take the time and effort to fully consider an ecommerce solution prior to investing time and money into a solution that may not fit the needs of your company. There are many various ecommerce solutions available and it all comes down to determining which business requirements are most important and how the entire process of accepting credit cards is desired to work within the business structure.
Evaluating the Current Web Hosting
Some basic, but essential questions to answer before examining ecommerce solutions:
I always recommend starting with your current merchant account provider to see if they can offer the ability to accept payments online. Most of them do and this is typically a good starting point to see what your current provider has to offer and what their requirements are.