ECommerce / Accepting Payments

This is my first time creating an eCommerce site with a shopping cart and inventory database. I've done some research but am still unclear about exactly how I can accept payments online. I know you must have:

1.) SSL Certificate
2.) Shopping cart and web app. designed.

now I know you can get SSL certificates from network solutions, and I can build the shopping cart, but I'm unclear about Payment gateways - merchant accounts. Can somebody please help me get this eCommerce project going by clearing up what I need to accept payments online.

Well, you pretty much nailed it, to accept credit card payments directly you need a payment gateway and a merchant account.

Although you can accept credit card payments indirectly without a merchant account through a few payment gateways (PayPal).

You would get a merchant account through a normal bank. Then you could sign up for a gateway like authorize.net.

My 2cents to add to the info. stated by E-Oreo

I'd recommend you to use PayPal as a payment processing gateway for a simple fact that it can accept payments through multiple credit cards from various nations, plus it's more popular.

There are a various advantages of having a gateway involved when accepting payments. It'd verify information, transfers requests and authorizes credit cards in real time. For that reason you may consider Authorize.Net , CyberSource and VeriSign .

So if I understand correctly

I could:

1. Get a Dedicated IP for hosting
2. Purchase a SSL Certificate via a company like network solutions
3. Subscribe for a Payment gateway like Authorize.net
4. Develop Shopping Cart
5. Direct credit card orders to payment gateway who will direct that to my bank merchant account

Is that everything?

Yeah that's a high level overview.

All major payment processors have sandbox environments that you can register for and use to test the process.