Quote:Credit card numbers aren't stored on your server. Account creation allows the buyer to retain their shopping cart for a later date, check order status/history, check shipping tracking numbers, maintain a wish list, speed subsequent checkouts, etc.
Maybe I don't understand the process but I thought
I saw (while tinkering)....
When you customer starts filling in the information,
the CC info was entered too (at my cart page)
and then all that was passed on to the gateway
(provided you have you a mod configured to pass them to the gateway).
I also seem to recall you could collect ALL that data and enter it yourself via a virtual or physical terminal if you wanted to process your orders that way.
Now I'm not shooting down the features just pondering a few things
and thoughts I have out loud here.
retain their shopping cart for a later date?
Why would I want them to do that?
To me it's like... order that stuff NOW and slide that card over here to the gateway and PAY.
Don't run off the store or out to the movies then come back and decide if you want to complete that order . DO IT NOW.
(That feature to me, sounds like eBay's watch list)
check order status/history
Again maybe just me but... huh?
Order status "processing", shipped", "I'll do it another day"?
Don't really sound like a feature I would need as a customer.
The company sent me a confirmation e mail and it stated "Allow 10-14 days for delivery".
Why would I need to "go back everyday" to see where it is?
(Weak feature IMO), but I know a lot of big sites use it.
Just don't know how many customers after ordering sit around and go
"I'll go check back to see what's going on".
When I order stuff I tend to forget about it and then a few short days later or so I go
"oh yea I ordered that the other day, cool it's here"...
check shipping tracking numbers
I guess that's great for the larger guys who are all automated.
But I send an e mail when the item is shipped.
A personal e mail at that. Can be a lot of extra work in the holiday rush
but that's all part of the personalize service
that sets some of us apart from our lager counterparts / competitors IMO.
I don't even give them a tracking number, used to, but sometimes the "number" would
not show via USPS causing undue fears and added time to explain that the
USPS system my not have updated yet or to explain eDC is NOT tracking, it's eDC.
maintain a wish list
To me that's right back to eBay's watch list.
DON'T WISH FOR THE ITEM YOU WANT.
(and put it on some list you will never remember later how
to go back to retrieve.... BUY IT NOW. LOL
speed subsequent checkouts
I can see that as useful for those who do have repeat customers.
Like me on musicians friend. We buy stuff from time to time so OK.
I'll sign up. (Note: I HAD to do that the first time anyway I do believe)...
I guess over all the features mentioned can and are beneficial to
some, but I can't see why my customers need it or if the even want it.
Again that's back to what we sell, the volume and the frequency
to the same customers we sell to I guess.