ORCA Websites

Selling online is now an essential part of every retailer’s business model and all the major high street brands operate online stores.

But, what about the smaller retailers – what are they doing?

Well sadly, most have yet to fully explore the advantages that the Internet can provide, particularly where new, extremely lucrative online revenues are concerned. However, as the Internet is the future of retailing, this is something that can no longer be ignored.

In the current economic climate, the high street is suffering, yet online spending for the first half of 2008 was up by almost 40% year on year to over £26bn!

So, people are still spending, but they are seeking out better price, bargains and choice of products online.

This is what the Internet is all about. It provides us with the convenience to shop on our time and on our terms and extremely quick delivery times mean that we can purchase pretty much anything from anywhere in the world and have it delivered to our doorstep the very next day.

Helping Smaller Retailers

Our aim is to help smaller retailers to level the playing field and take on the big brands. The Internet is a virtual world where perception is reality, therefore, if you ‘look the part’, people will believe in you and buy from you.

However, simply ‘looking’ the part is not enough. Smaller retailers must also provide the same level of functionality and security as the big brands in order to be accepted as credible online contenders.

We make it extremely easy for you to start selling online, particularly when it comes to setting up your e-commerce banking facilities (we provide the relevant correspondence you will need to send to your bank). And, your local Website Consultant, or a member of the ORCA Head Office Support Team, will always be there to help you every step of the way.

Ecommerce Security

Our online shopping function incorporates the same highly secure, state of the art technology that is used by many big brand e-commerce websites. Your site will be powered by an integrated payment system, meaning that the transaction process remains within the site, rather than jumping to an external payment provider, such as PayPal. This presents a far more professional impression to your visitors and ultimately encourages more of them to shop with you.

This easy to use ecommerce function allows you to take payments by credit and debit cards and all orders are processed using the latest security encryption technology, known as SSL 3 Certificates. These allow visitors to submit their personal details and payment information in a completely secure way. Visitors will see a small 'padlock' icon displayed in their web browser that signifies that their transaction is encrypted and secure.

As an extra security measure, we do not hold any credit card details in our data centre, they are all held by DataCash, an industry-leading online payment gateway.

The DataCash service allows you to use your existing bank relationship to accept online payments from your customers. In essence, DataCash simply acts as an electronic link between the customer, the customer's credit card issuer and your bank. Card details are collected by DataCash and securely forwarded to your bank. Your bank then contacts the card issuer to authorise the transaction and forwards the authorisation results from the card issuer to DataCash, who send this information to your website and the customer to confirm the transaction. This happens instantaneously and at the end of each day, DataCash sends the settlement file to your bank so that funds can be collected from the card issuer on your behalf. In the event that you move banks, your website will continue to take ecommerce transactions - they will simply be diverted to your new bank account.

Additionally, signature strip verifications are also carried out on all orders, and we employ the latest Visa and MasterCard tools, known as 3D Secure Services, which are designed to protect you from charge backs resulting from fraudulent transactions.

Your site will also be equipped with a 'membership' function which removes the need for the customer to re-enter their details every time they make a purchase. These little considerations and customer conveniences go a long way to enhancing the visitor experience and encourages them to return, or tell their friends.

Ecommerce Laws & Regulations

If you are involved in online selling then you must abide by the government's rules on distance selling for ecommerce; specifically the Consumer Protection From Unfair Trading Regulations 2006.

You must be able to legally demonstrate that a customer has been presented with, read and understood the Terms and Conditions that go with the transaction they wish to make.

We will supply you with our standard Terms and Conditions for E-commerce however, you may need to personalise these to your own requirements and we are happy to aid you with this.