Even if you don't know HTML, our Website Management console is so easy to use! With tools such as templates, wizards and an image library, all you'll need is your creativity and your mouse.

When your new eBusiness is customized, you will be notified and given a User Name and Password unlocking access to the website Management Console, the most robust set of website features available.  With secure access to the Management Console, the site owner can add content pages, change layouts and styles, edit text, add graphics, enter store items and much much more! Create 1 page, 20, 100 or more -- it's up to you.

Q: What does the service include?
A. Everything you need to extend and maintain your small business on the Web; we offer the most comprehensive service available.

Q: Why do you need my email and company information to get me started?
A: The company information, email and password you supply on the "Start Today" page help us give you a head start on your site. Once we know your company name and type we can provide you with a personalized structure for your e-business. Establishing a password ensures that access to editing your site is secure. Your personal information is solely for the purposes of generating your e-business. Additionally, from time to time we need to tell all members via email about service enhancements and other information that affects your online business.

Q: I'm not a technical person. What if I need help?
A: The Online Professor is available any time from the Management Console to:

• Assist (partner with you to create and make changes to your site)
• Teach (show you what to do on a practice site)

Additionally, you can access the text-based Help function from any area of the Management Console.

Q: What are the system requirements for using the service?
A: You need:

• A PC running Microsoft Windows 95, 98, NT or 2000, or a Macintosh running MacOS 7.0 or newer
• Microsoft Internet Explorer version 4.x or 5.x or Netscape Navigator version 4.x.
• An email account from any provider you choose, including free services like Hotmail.
• An Internet connection (modem, cable or other) capable of a minimum speed of 28.8 kbps.
• A monitor resolution of at least 800x600

Q: I would like to sign up with a free ISP (Internet Service Provider). Will this work with the service?
A: Absolutely.

Q: Can I sell products with my new site?
A: Yes! Included in the service is the ability to create your own customized catalog, add shopping cart capability and, if you choose, accept credit card orders. We use Secure Socket Layer (SSL) software to protect your transactions, data and your customers' data from fraud. Of course, you can sell products via your site without a merchant account by taking orders over the phone, mail or fax and collecting payment in the form of checks or money orders.

To get started, from the Management Console (located under the Admin tab), go to "Working With My Site", click "Add A Page" and choose the Store function. Click on your newly created Store page to personalize. It's that simple!

Q: I'd like to accept appointments and reservations online at my site. Is this possible?
A: Yes! In fact, this is the only service of this type that has the Reservations feature. From the Management Console, located under the Admin tab, go to "Working With My Site", click "Add A Page" and choose the Reservations function. Then click on your newly created Reservations page to personalize it.

Q: I already have a site, will you host it for me?
A: To ensure we have ample storage space for sites built with the service, we do not host sites that are not utilizing our service.

Q: How long does it take to build a site?
A: That depends on how comprehensive you would like your online business to be and how much time you devote to creating it. The Management Console automates the time-consuming technical aspects of creating your online business but you will still need to add content, graphics, functionality and most importantly, your personality. You can build a very basic site in as little as 2-3 hours. A more comprehensive, content-heavy site can take longer. From there, making updates to your site happens as frequently (or infrequently) as you would like. Much like your "bricks and mortar" business, the success of your online business is a direct result of your efforts and time.

Q: Who makes changes to my site?
A: You do, which means you have complete control over your online business. Our easy to use Management Console (located under the Admin tab) is where you will add, delete and edit pages on your site. You have password protected access the Management Console 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Once you make a change on your site, it's live on the Internet.

Q: Can I have files for my visitors to download on my site (e.g., Real Audio or Video, Adobe Acrobat PDF's, etc.)?
A: Not at this time. We are currently working to allow members to place files for download, (Adobe Acrobat (PDF) files, mp3s, Real Audio and Video, etc.) on their site.

Q: Can I get more space than 20 megabytes?
A: In the near future, we will allow our customers to purchase additional storage space in increments. Currently, our largest generated online business is much smaller than 20 megabytes.

Q: Can I get an email account via this service?
A: Not at this time. This option is currently in development.

Q: I live outside the United States. Can I still use your service?
A: At this time we cannot offer our service to those outside the United States.

Q: How will I get people to come to my site?
A: Our marketing functions help you attract first-time visitors and encourage repeat visits. Through the "Marketing Tools" function of the Management Console you can submit your site to search engines and directories, create and exchange banner ads and even create email newsletters (e-newsletters) using our message templates and send them to your customers.

Once you have visitors coming to your site, use Polls and Surveys or track what they purchase to deliver information to them that's specific to their interests. For instance, if you are a specialty cheese store, you can send an email to all of your customers who purchased Brie in the last six months and let them know about a sale you are having on Brie de Meaux.

Q: How can I tell who visits my site?
A: Our Site Analysis functions (available under the Management Console, click "Working With My Options", "My Members" and "Reports") include sales reports, lead tracking, ROI reports and site traffic reports. A visitor registration field is standard on every site as an avenue for you to gather customer emails and other information. You can make changes to your registration field/form under the Management Console. Click on "Working With My Options", and click "My Members". You can see all visitors that have registered on your site by clicking on "Manage Users Registration Data" under "My Members". Visitor data available includes: name, user name, password and email address.

Q: How safe is my information?
A: We currently meet the industry standards for information security. Your site is password protected (with a password that you create) so that only those who know your password can edit your site. All credit card transactions made on members' sites are protected using Secure Socket Layer (SSL) software. Once a credit card has been accepted on a site, the credit card information moves through our processing network to our merchant account processing network. These transactions are also encrypted to protect them from fraud.

Additionally, your personal privacy is of utmost importance to us. We will not share your personal information (or your Web site visitors personal information) with third parties without your permission. We do share information with partners about the total number of members and the number of visits our members' sites receive but we never disclose information which could personally identify you or your customers.

Q: I've heard about sites being "down" for technical reasons. Will this happen to my site?
A: There will be short periods of scheduled "down" time when the servers will be undergoing updates and maintenance. We will make every effort to schedule these during non-peak traffic times. You will be notified in advance via email of these planned updates. Additionally, as with any ISP (Internet Service Provider) we can experience random "down" time, however, our record-to-date for "up" time is competitive with the best available.