Frequently Asked Questions

Don't see the answer to your question? Please contact us for more information.

Brand new to e-commerce? Here is some helpful information to get your started.
Steps To Set Up A Web Store:
STEP 1: Set Up Your Web Design After signing up and selecting your design, use the Merchant Designer module to make changes to your website layout. Use the customer service page templates to create your support pages.Web Design included.STEP 2: Add Products & Categories Prepare your product names, product ids and descriptions. Then prepare your thumbnails and main images. You're now ready to create your products within the web store.Product Management included.STEP 3: Set Up Payment Set up PayPay, Google Payments, Amazon Payments or one of 15 other merchant accounts that work with your ecommerce website.Payment system software included.STEP 4: Set Up Shipping Select your shipping carriers and set up shipping rates for your products.Shipping modules included.STEP 5: Set Up Sales Tax Depending on your state your business is registered and the types of products you offer will need to be determined. Contact your state's tax department for additional infomation.
Sales Tax module included.STEP 6: Open Your Business Place some test order and do your final website review and you're ready to take orders!Congratulations!
What is security certificate and why do I need one?
A security certificate allows you to keep your customers credit cards and payment information secure. If you plan on taking credit card payments you will need a security certificate.

A simple shared security certificate costs $50/year and is not expensive. They also have more expensive security certificates that include a security icon that you can display on your web site.
How do I take payments from my customers online?
You have many options. The Miva Merchant e-commerce software that is included with your order offers a lot of payment options. If you don't have a merchant (a special business bank account), they you can Google checkout, amazon payments or PayPal. If you do have a merchant account, there are 15 different payment gateways that will work with Miva including Chase Paymenttech, Authorize.Net, Payflow, First Data Global and more.
I don't have a domain name, what do I do?
Your domain name (e.g. www.merchantdesigner.com) is how your customers will find you. If you haven't already purchased on, you can purchase it from us during the checkout process or from companies such as Network Solutions, Register.com and GoDaddy. If you already have one, you're good to go!
How do I learn how to use my store.
Besides the instruction, documentation and support that we provide, there are numerous resources to learn how to use your web store. The Miva Merchant e-commerce software has been around for over 10 years and there is a strong community of users. There are also many other support options, free and paid.
How do I track my customers?
To track your customer orders you use the Miva Merchant e-commerce web software that is included.

To track website traffic we recommend using Google's FREE analytics software. We use it for MerchantDesigner.com
Ordering & Pricing

What do I get when I buy Merchant Designer?

We offer everything you need to get up your web store up and running fast. You get a website design, Miva Merchant shopping cart e-commerce software, web hosting, support videos, documentation. We install everything and test it for you. You can also purchase, for an additional fee, domain name registration and a security certificate.

What is not included with Merchant Designer?

We don't set up your products, categories, shipping, payment or other store settings, but we do offer instruction and support to help you do these items.

How much does Merchant Designer cost?

You can get everything you need for less than $500. Merchant Designer is $299 for the set up fee and $59/Month for basic hosting. You can also register your domain name and purchase a security certificate if you need one.

What is your Refund Policy?

You simply cancel your service when you want. There is no refund on the setup fee or web hosting you've used. You may be entitled to a refund on the unused web hosting that you've paid for.

How long will it take to set up the store?

5 business days or less. You'll then be able to add your products, set up your store and get it running!

Do I need to a domain name or security certificate?

Yes but... if you already have these items you can use them, or you can purchase them from us. See 'E-Commerce Basics' on the right on this page for a description of these items.

Do I have to sign a contract? Are there cancellation fees?

No. There are no contracts and no cancellation fees.

What happens after I place my order?

We install, test and prepare your new web store. When its ready, you'll receive your hosting information and set up documentation. You set up your store and contact us if you have any questions.


Design

Can I make changes to the look & feel of my website?

Yes. You purchase includes a website design, but you have complete freedom to modify it any way you want, and it's very flexible. The design we give you is very complete, but if you're one of those 'page tweakers' that wants to make lots of changes you'll need to know Web Design (or know someone who does).

Am I stuck with the design I pick?

No. We have a lot of designs to choose from. If you need to switch to a different design after we've installed your chosen design we can do that. There will be an additional fee for the service.

Do all the website designs have the same features?

Yes. They may look different but every website includes the same features.

I want to add pages or features that aren't in Merchant Designer, can I do that?

Yes. This is a full featured and incredibly flexible web store that is completely customizable.

Can I integrate a custom design into my website?

Yes. You can integrate a custom design whenever you'd like.

Do your web designs come with products?

No. You must provide the products that you sell. We put 'sample content' in some of our web design images for demonstration purposes.

Do I need to know html?

No. Not to get your store up and running and make basic web site changes. If you want to dramatically customize your store, you may need professional help. Please contact us with the details.

Will you do a custom website design, logo or do other custom work?

Sometimes. But in most cases we will refer you a designer or developer.


Hosting

Do I have to buy web hosting?

Yes. Just like a Yahoo store or other out-of-the-box e-commerce solution, the Merchant Designer module and web design are part of the web hosting service.

Can I move my Merchant Designer design and module to a different web host?

No. Merchant Designer must be hosted on a Merchant Designer designated web server. Fortunately, web hosting is provided by Hostasaurus, the #1 Miva Merchant web host around. Just to be clear, you can NOT move a Merchant Designer web site to a different web host, nor can you move it to a standard Hostasaurus hosting account. This is outlined in the Web Store Terms of Service.

What's included with the hosting?

For all the hosting details included with Merchant Designer click here. We can also add additional hosting features, set up a dedicated server

Can I upgrade my hosting?

Yes. We can add additional emails, more storage space, security certificates, dedicated servers and much more. Web hosting is provided by Hostasaurus. They are a full service hosting company with a wonderful reputation.

Can I access my store from any computer?

Yes. You access your store through the Miva Merchant admin. The admin is hosted securely online (similar to your Yahoo or Google email).


Miva Merchant E-Commerce Software

What is Miva Merchant?

Miva Merchant is the 'shopping cart' software. It lets you store customer information and product, create categories, it keeps track of shipping and allows you to take payments. Miva Merchant has been around for over 10 years and has hosted over 40,000+ e-commerce websites. It's greatest strength is the power and flexibility it gives you for a very low price.

Can I move my existing e-commerce store to Merchant Designer?

We can't move it for you, but it can be done with the help of a Miva Merchant developer. We are currently working on this feature.

What If I want custom features on my website?

It can be done. Silas Creative does not offer custom Miva programming. There is a large and robust development community available to customers who need special features or custom programming. Also, there are a large number of Miva Merchant modules that can be added to your store that add functionality. Click here for a list of developers, services, and third party modules.

How do I find out more about the features included in Miva Merchant 5?

You can visit our Web Store Specification page for more detailed information. You can also visit Miva's web site at www.MivaMerchant.com for more information.

Do you support Miva Merchant 4?

No. Our designs only work in Miva Merchant 5.5 at this point. We don't have any plans for supporting Miva Merchant 4. We recommend upgrading to Miva Merchant 5.5.

Do all Miva Merchant 5.5 modules work with Merchant Designer?

They should. We have only made changes to the 'look and feel' of Miva Merchant 5, we have not changed anything else, so most modules should work normally in a Merchant Designer store. However, we can not guarantee the work of other developers or the functionality of 3rd party modules. If you're concerned with compatibility, please contact us and we'll help get the answers.


www.silascreative.com
www.mivamerchant.com