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Step 7:

Set up backend systems and operations

Now that you've handled the "build" part of getting started, it's time to look at "Managing." Before you open for business, you'll want to configure the backend operational systems, automatic calculations, and processing functions that put the "e" in e-commerce. All of these features are available through the Store Control Panel.

Set up your custom order form and checkout process
To set up your store order form with customized messages and your logo, and offer special options like gift-wrapping, alternative payment methods, and more, you'll answer a series of simple questions on the Store Control Panel Order Form page. Yahoo! Merchant Solutions then uses your preferences to generate your world-class, customer-friendly checkout pages. You can also add in shipping tools that provide customers with information on shipping transit times and rates, and validate shipping addresses.

Determine acceptable methods of payment
Hopefully by now you've already applied for a merchant account, as it is needed to open for business. You can return to the Pay Methods area of your Store Control Panel to oversee your Paymentech merchant account or to use your existing merchant account with your online store.

In this area of the Store Control Panel you can also specify which methods of payment you plan to accept, i.e., Visa, MasterCard, and American Express.

Specify shipping Methods and Rates
Easy-to-use wizards available in the Shipping Manager make it simple to indicate which shipping methods you offer (i.e., UPS Ground, UPS Next Day Air®, etc.) and generate shipping rate tables based on order value, weight, number of items in the order, percentage of order, or a flat rate.

If you already have your own shipping table application, the Merchant Standard and Merchant Professional plans allow you to integrate your online store with your existing infrastructure in real-time, so you don't need to set up the same system in Yahoo! Merchant Solutions.

And when you are ready to process your orders, Yahoo! Merchant Solutions has integrated UPS OnLine® Tools. You can ship and track UPS packages without leaving the Yahoo! Store Control Panel. The UPS tracking number is made available to purchasers so they can monitor the progress of their order. This all means reduced costs and improved customer service for your store.

Set Tax Rates
Another wizard in the Tax Rates area steps you through the process of setting up tax tables, so your store can automatically calculate sales taxes on customer orders. Both Yahoo! Merchant Standard and Yahoo! Merchant Professional support real-time integration with an external tax calculation application, if you have one.

Accept Orders
For added convenience, you can receive new orders via your own server, our online order interface, encrypted email or fax (with Merchant Standard and Merchant Professional only). You can also decide how often you want to be told about new orders and opt to receive your orders in a specific file formats, like QuickBooks, Adobe PDF, or XML files.

Once you've set up all of your backend systems, you'll use the "Publish your Order Settings" link to activate these systems. Of course, you can modify your preferences and re-publish them at any time.