Frequently Asked Questions

Registration

What if my needs change after I choose a version of ProStores?

ProStores eCommerce solutions grow with you and your business needs. You can upgrade to more features and functionality at the touch of a button and you won’t lose any of your eCommerce design customizations, settings or web store information.

Is there a hands-on demonstration web store that shows how ProStores works?

You can get an idea of what some of our eCommerce solutions & features look like by taking our Quick Tour. Currently, we don’t offer a demo web store. Instead, we don’t charge you a setup fee. All you have to do is sign up for our free trial and try out our eCommerce solutions.

How do I start building my ProStores web store?

Our Getting Started Checklist and online wizards make it easy for you to build your ProStores web store.

Watch our Getting Started Tutorial for help as you set up and design your web store.

eBay sellers can open their web store in minutes with our QuickStart feature–ProStores automatically imports your eBay listings and other eBay settings.

ProStores Fees

What is the One Month Free Trial Subscription offer and how would I qualify?

The One Month Free Trial Subscription offer is open to new merchants opening a ProStores eCommerce solutions account for the first time.

Try ProStores eCommerce solutions for one month and pay no subscription fee — plus we'll also cover one personalized web store domain registration for one year.

Do I have to commit to a long-term contract

No. You may cancel at any time, for any reason. Please see the Fees Policy under "Cancellation" for additional information.

How much does it cost to open and operate a ProStores web store?

ProStores does not charge eCommerce merchants a general setup fee.

There are two fees charged to all ProStores eCommerce merchants:

a monthly Subscription Fee* and
a monthly Successful Transaction Fee calculated as a percentage of the sales price of items sold in your web store, with payments due the month after the calendar month in which the transaction fee was incurred.

*Subscription Fee varies by ProStores subscription tier and ranges from $29.95 - $59.95.

Both ProStores eCommerce solutions tiers carry a 0.5% Successful Transaction Fee — that's 50¢ per $100 sold in your web store. For additional information please see our Fees Policy.

If I sign up for the 1 month free trial, what happens to my personalized domain if I cancel?

web store domain name registration is included with both ProStores tiers. ProStores will purchase your web store domain for one year. If you cancel your ProStores account, your domain will be transferred to your direct control after 60 days at no charge. If you wish to keep your web store domain beyond one year, you will be responsible for renewing with the service provider of your choice. Please see our Domain Terms Policy for additional information.

How do I get the 30% eBay Stores subscriber discount

Active eBay Stores subscribers who signed up for ProStores prior to May 26, 2009 receive a 30% eBay store subscriber discount off the ProStores monthly subscription price following the one-month free trial. To qualify for the 30% discount on the ProStores subscription, you must be a current eBay Stores seller on the day you are billed for your monthly ProStores subscription fee and you must be 18 years of age or older. Savings limited to one per customer and per web store.

How do I get the 30% PowerSeller discount?

eBay Bronze and Silver PowerSellers receive a 30% eBay PowerSeller discount off the ProStores monthly subscription price following the one-month free trial. To qualify for the 30% eBay PowerSeller discount on the ProStores subscription, you must be a current eBay Bronze or Silver PowerSeller on the day you are billed for your monthly ProStores subscription fee and you must be 18 years of age or older. Savings limited to one per customer and per web store.

If you lose your eBay PowerSeller status, you will not receive the eBay PowerSeller discount in that month.

If you regain your eBay PowerSeller status, you will regain the eBay PowerSeller discount.

How do I get the eBay PowerSeller subscription fee waiver?

eBay Gold, Platinum, and Titanium PowerSellers receive waiver of the ProStores monthly subscription fee. To qualify for the eBay PowerSeller subscription fee waiver, you must be a current eBay Gold, Platinum, or Titanium PowerSeller on the day you are billed for your monthly ProStores subscription fee and you must be 18 years of age or older. Savings limited to one per customer and per store.

If you lose your eBay PowerSeller status you will not receive the eBay PowerSeller waiver in that month.

If you regain your eBay PowerSeller status, you will regain the eBay PowerSeller waiver.

Do eBay sellers pay eBay Insertion and Final Value Fees if they list their item on eBay using ProStores?

Yes, all eBay listing fees apply regardless of where the eBay listing is created.

eCommerce Design

I don’t know HTML or web design. Can I use ProStores?

Yes. ProStores eCommerce solutions use templates and wizards to help you quickly and easily build an attractive, feature-rich web store with no technical or eCommerce design skills whatsoever.

How customizable are ProStores web store pages?

ProStores web store pages are completely customizable. You can choose from more than 150 eCommerce design templates to create your web store design, edit HTML directly in the HTML editor, customize your eCommerce design using our Theme Builder, or export your web store pages to an external web design tool and import your customized design back into ProStores. If you would like someone to design and set up your web store for you, check out our ProStores Setup Services and Certified Designers.

How many pictures can I list per item using the ProStores design templates?

Two images per item are supported. If you have more than two photos, you can incorporate HTML links to additional images as part of the product description. These images could be stored locally in the ProStores database as part of your product catalog or they could be stored outside of the ProStores hosting environment and dynamically pulled into the product detail template when a shopper navigates to the product.

eBay Sellers

How is eBay integrated with ProStores eCommerce solutions?

ProStores integrates with the eBay marketplace in the following ways. It allows eBay sellers to:

Get their web store set up and open for business in minutes with our QuickStart feature – we automatically import your live eBay listings and other eBay settings when you sign up for ProStores eCommerce solutions
Mirror their eBay listings and keep inventory levels in sync automatically with our eBay Sync feature
List items directly from their ProStores web store to eBay
Schedule listings to post to eBay at a specific time and date
Display eBay listings on their ProStores web store
Manage eBay listings from their ProStores web store:
- Review eBay listing details from within their web store administration area
- Get an at-a-glance view of their live, closed and completed eBay listings

Which eBay selling formats does ProStores support?

Items can be listed from a ProStores web store onto eBay in Auction, Fixed Priced or eBay Stores Inventory formats.

How do I get the 30% eBay Stores subscriber discount?

Active eBay Stores subscribers who signed up for ProStores prior to May 26, 2009 receive a 30% eBay Stores discount off the ProStores monthly subscription price following the one-month free trial. To qualify for the 30% eBay stores discount on the ProStores subscription, you must be a current eBay Stores seller on the day you are billed for your monthly ProStores subscription fee and you must be 18 years of age or older. Savings limited to one per customer and per store.

I use eBay's Picture Manager to host my product images. How can I transfer my photos to ProStores?

Currently, there is no direct way to move your images hosted by eBay's Picture Manager directly to your ProStores web store. However, you can easily upload both single image files and archived zip files into your ProStores web store.

How is ProStores different from eBay Stores?

ProStores allows you to build and maintain a full-featured stand-alone web store with your own branding. Unlike an eBay Store, ProStores web stores are accessed through your own Web address (www.yourtstorename.com) and have no eBay branding.

While items on ProStores web stores will sell at fixed prices only, they can also be easily listed onto the eBay marketplace in either the auction or fixed price formats.

ProStores sellers are also responsible for driving their own traffic. One of the ways to do this is to link to your web store from your About Me page on eBay.

Can transactions for products purchased on eBay be completed through the ProStores shopping cart?

Yes – through July 15, 2009, you will be able to redirect buyers of your items listed on eBay to check out through your ProStores web store. This feature applies only if the products were listed on eBay from within your ProStores web store or through eBay seller tools like TurboLister and SellingManager Pro.

Can I refer to my ProStores items in my eBay Store, or from my listings on eBay?

No. The standard eBay links policies apply on all eBay listings and to all eBay Stores. For policy purposes, a ProStores web store is considered to be "outside of eBay" as defined in the eBay links policy. Therefore, linking to a ProStores web store from any seller-controlled eBay page other than the About Me or About the Seller page is not allowed.

Does the eBay Store Referral Credit still apply if someone buys an eBay-listed item from my ProStores web store?

Your ProStores web store, like any other non-eBay online storefront you operate, is considered separate from your eBay Store. Therefore, all of the regular rules of the eBay Store Referral Credit program apply to your traffic driven from your ProStores web store. To learn more about the eBay Store Referral Credit, please visit the eBay Store Referral Credit guide.

eBay listing links generated by ProStores on your storefront automatically include the necessary referral code to support the eBay Store Referral Credit program.

Do sellers pay eBay Insertion and Final Value Fees if they list their item on eBay using ProStores?

Yes, all eBay listing fees apply regardless of where the eBay listing is created.

Can I drive traffic from eBay to my ProStores web store?

In your eBay About Me page, you can reference your ProStores web store. The standard eBay links policies apply. A ProStores web store is considered to be "outside of eBay" as defined in the eBay links policy. Therefore, linking to a ProStores web store from any seller-controlled eBay page other than the About Me or About the Seller page is not allowed. For more information on the eBay links policy, please visit the eBay links policy guide.

Can I have more than one eBay ID in one ProStores web store?

No. You can only enter one eBay ID in each ProStores web store.

How do I do bulk listing from my ProStores web store to eBay?

You can list items - in single quantity or multiple units – directly onto eBay from your ProStores web store.

PayPal

How is PayPal integrated with ProStores eCommerce solutions?

ProStores integrates with PayPal in the following ways:

Allows PayPal members to make purchases using their PayPal account. This is available on all ProStores subscription tiers and is the only option for the Starter tier.
Use PayPal Website Payments Pro as a payment gateway to manage all credit card transactions, including those from non-PayPal members. PayPal Website Payment Pro an all-in-one online payment processing service available with ProStores Business tier and above.

What are the costs of using PayPal with ProStores eCommerce solutions?

The standard PayPal fees apply. To learn more about the fees associated with using PayPal, please visit www.paypal.com.

Does ProStores allow the use of PayPal Website Payments Pro?

Yes, both ProStores tiers support PayPal Website Payments Pro.

Do I have to use PayPal?

No. You have a choice of electronic and offline payment methods that you can offer to your customers.

Payments

Which payments can I accept from customers through my ProStores web store?

Both ProStores tiers are integrated with payment solutions offered by PayPal. You can also choose from other credit card payment processors and offer other payment methods like electronic checks, traditional checks and money orders, certified checks, cash on delivery, purchase orders, and department orders.

Do I have to use PayPal?

No. You have a choice of electronic and offline payment methods that you can offer to your customers.

What payment gateways are integrated with ProStores eCommerce solutions?

ProStores eCommerce solutions are fully integrated with the following popular payment gateways. No additional software is required for you to install. PayPal Website Payments Pro and QuickBooks Merchant Service even include a merchant account.

Will I need a credit card processing terminal to accept credit cards on my web store?

No. If you plan to use your merchant account/gateway service exclusively for online transactions, you will not need a POS system or keypad.

Many online gateway services now offer an online "virtual" terminal that allows you to process offline transactions in addition to your online store payments. If your provider does not offer this, then you may still need a POS terminal to process offline transactions.

Does ProStores support electronic check/ACH processing?

Yes, both ProStores tiers include integration for electronic check/ACH processing services provided by Electracash.

Product Catalog

Is it possible to import or convert inventory from my current online web storefront?

If the inventory content can be exported from your current web storefront into an Excel or CSV file, you can easily reformat and import the file into your ProStores web store. To get the correct format, you can export a blank spreadsheet from the ProStores support area inside Store Administration. This will show you how to arrange the data from your web storefront export into the correct columns for import into your ProStores web store.

Can I use a “flat file” to upload inventory into my ProStores web store?

Yes, simply access the import feature from the ProStores support area inside Store Administration. To get the correct format, you can export a blank spreadsheet from the ProStores support area inside Store Administration. This will show you how to arrange the data from your web storefront export into the correct columns for import into your ProStores web store.

Do I have to enter my web store products individually?

No. While you can enter web store products one at a time, you can also transfer product information in bulk directly from a flat file generated from a database or spreadsheet software like Excel using the ProStores Import Data feature. If you are a QuickBooks® user, you can upload all your product-related information - description, cost, sale price, quantity in stock - into your online store with just a few clicks.

I currently have all my products in eBay’s Turbo Lister. How do I get these items into to ProStores?

The ProStores QuickStart feature automatically imports all of your live eBay listings and other settings from eBay when you sign up.

Then, our eBay Sync feature continues to mirror your live eBay listings and keeps your inventory levels in sync automatically.

Alternately, you can export items you have in eBay’s Turbo Lister to a CSV file and then import the CSV file directly into your ProStores web store using our Import Data feature.

I use eBay's Picture Manager to host my product images. How can I transfer my photos to ProStores?

Currently, there is no direct way to move your images hosted by eBay's Picture Manager directly to your ProStores web store. However, you can easily upload both single image files, and archived zip files into your ProStores web store.

How many pictures can I list per item using the ProStores eCommerce design templates?

How many products or SKUs does ProStores support?

ProStores Professional eCommerce solution allows you to display up to 5,000 unique products. ProStores Professional eCommerce solution allows you to display up to 100,000 products. If you plan on setting up your web store with more than 100,000 products, please contact us.

Web Store Inventory Management

Can ProStores eCommerce solutions help me manage my web store inventory?

Yes. both ProStores tiers allow you to manage web store inventory by product details like size and color. When items are purchased on your web store, ProStores automatically deducts the quantity purchased from your inventory.

ProStores inventory tracking also allows you to control what gets displayed on your web store. For example, if an item is sold out or reaches a low inventory threshold, you can set your web store to not display that item.

How can I enable the inventory management functionality?

You can enable the inventory tracking functionality in your ProStores Web Store Administration Panel. To access this, go to Store Administration>Store>Product Preferences, and ensure that inventory tracking features are active.

Is it possible to synchronize inventory quantities between ProStores and eBay listings to prevent over selling items when they are marketed on both platforms?

Yes, with Multi-Channel inventory enabled and eBay listings created from ProStores or items created in ProStores by the eBay sync function, inventory quantities will be updated in both places (eBay and ProStores) when transactions occur in either sales channel.

Storage Space

What is the email storage capacity of the ProStores email boxes?

Email storage is a component of your ProStores eCommerce solutions hosting package disk space quota. Disk storage quotas and allotted email accounts vary by store type:

ProStores Professional eCommerce solution includes 5GB of storage space and 5 email accounts.
ProStores Professional eCommerce Plus includes unlimited storage space and 20 email accounts.

Account comparison details are available here.

Security

What is SSL and does ProStores support SSL encryption?

Developed by Netscape, SSL is a protocol for securely encrypting and transmitting electronic information between web servers across the Internet, and is the most popular method for ensuring the secure transmission of credit card data and consumer information. Your web store customers will see a locked security icon on their browser when making payments, so they will know it is encrypted.

SSL encryption protects your and your customers’ sensitive information when accessing the ProStores Control Panel, store administration and web storefront pages that contain personal data.

Yes. All ProStores transactions are supported by Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption, also known as secure order protection, secure certificate or digital certificate.

What kind of SSL data encryption security is available?

ProStores includes a shared SSL for eCommerce merchants who do not wish to purchase their own. This is a 128-bit encryption shared SSL certificate provided by the Certificate Authority Verisign.

A ProStores merchant does have the option to upgrade to a dedicated SSL certificate. Details for purchasing a dedicated SSL certificate are available in the ProStores Account Control Panel.

I already have my own SSL certificate. How can I install it on my ProStores web store?

Under certain conditions, it is possible to install a previously purchased GeoTrust QuickSSL Premium certificate into your ProStores account. These conditions include:

Possession of the SSL certificate and private key
The certificate must be current and valid
The ProStores dedicated domain must match the domain of the SSL certificate
The certificate must be a GeoTrust QuickSSL Premium certificate

ProStores eCommerce solutions offer GeoTrust SSL certificates at a discounted rate of only $69 when purchased though the ProStores SSL Certificate Administration panel of a ProStores account.

Contact ProStores customer service department if you need assistance transferring or purchasing an SSL certificate.

Notes: Your ProStores account must have a dedicated domain name that matches the domain on your private certificate in order for SSL to function. As a reminder, ProStores only supports GeoTrust QuickSSL Premium SSL certificates.

Other ProStores Functionality

How can I access the "create buyer's group" functionality in ProStores Professional eCommerce Plus product?

Simply select the "create buyer's group" option under Customers/Groups from within the ProStores Store Administration pages. This feature is available only on the ProStores Professional eCommerce Plus tier.

How can I charge tax to buyers based on their geographical location?

ProStores eCommerce solutions allow you to enter a tax table with tax by location so that tax will be calculated automatically upon checkout. This feature can be accessed through the Store/Sales Tax category from within Store Administration.ProStores is also integrated with Avalara’s Avatax program which has sophisticated and automated tax calculations for advanced merchants.

Are Canadian taxes supported?

Yes, Canadian taxes are supported. This includes the ability to include the tax in the listed price (VAT). To access this feature, go to Store/SalesTax section within Store Administration.

Does ProStores allow for international shipping?

Yes. In addition to the integration with FedEx, UPS, USPS and Canada Post, you can build your own shipping tables including foreign shipping. To access this feature, go to Store>Shipping within Store Administration.

I use QuickBooks to manage my business. Is ProStores compatible?

Both ProStores tiers are fully integrated with most versions of QuickBooks, so moving your business online is easier than ever. You can use information already in your QuickBooks database to build your web store. Once you're up and running online, ProStores' two-way link with QuickBooks allows you to manage your finances, your online store and your customer relationships in a seamless e-business system.

Supported Versions of QuickBooks

United States editions

QuickBooks Pro Edition 2002 and above*
QuickBooks Premier Editions 2002 and above*
QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions 2.0 and above*

Canada editions

QuickBooks Pro Edition 2003 and above*
QuickBooks Premier Editions 2003 and above*
QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions 2.0 and above

*The StoreSync utility is currently not compatible with 2007 versions of QuickBooks running on the Microsoft Vista operating system.

Does ProStores have an Affiliate Program?

Yes. Learn more about the ProStores Affiliate Program.

I have regular customers that like to shop in my physical store or place orders over the phone. Can I manage those orders with ProStores eCommerce solutions?

Yes, both ProStores tiers have a built-in virtual POS system. You can enter any phone or other off-line order directly into your customers' existing online accounts, or even create new accounts for them, helping you consolidate all your business operations.

How do I know if an order has been placed in my web store?

Your ProStores account can be configured to automatically send an email to both you and your customer once an order has been confirmed. ProStores eCommerce solutions also include the Store Monitor tool which can be used to create pop-up notifications of new web store activity on your desktop computer. There is also a "Quick Stats" screen that is displayed when you log in to the web store administration area. This screen summarizes important business activity that may require your attention, such as pending web store orders.

Will ProStores eCommerce solutions help me manage my suppliers?

You can configure ProStores Professional eCommerce Plus to automatically notify suppliers of orders by e-mail, EDI or fax. You can even set up a virtual inventory process that sends web store orders automatically to a supplier or fulfillment house for drop shipment.

Can I generate reports from my ProStores web store?

Yes. ProStores eCommerce solutions include all the reporting tools you need to monitor and manage your web store. You will have access to detailed tracking and reporting, and you can export to QuickBooks and other applications to integrate your web store with your current business tools.

Existing Web Domains, Web Stores and Websites

Can I use my own domain name for my new ProStores web store?

Yes. When you sign-up with ProStores eCommerce solutions, you’ll have the option to register your own domain name or transfer an existing domain name.

Can I use my existing eCommerce design with ProStores?

Yes. You can upload the eCommerce design from your current web site, create completely original content, or choose from more than 150 eCommerce design templates. This will enable you to easily customize the design of your web store any way you want. In addition, you can give your own look and feel to everything seen by the shopper, including products, shopping cart, invoices, and shipping notices.

Can I keep the rest of my site on my own server and have the web store on ProStores?

Yes, it is easy to have links from your website to ProStores for the purchase process.

I already have a hosting company and I don't want to switch, is there a way I can keep my current hosting company and still use ProStores eCommerce solutions?

Yes. It's easy to create links from your existing website that direct customers to specified areas of your ProStores web store. Since your ProStores web store is easy to customize, you can mirror the look and feel of your current website so the transition from one website to the other is seamless to your shoppers.

Can I choose a shared name like http://store.prostores.com/yourstorename and then upgrade later to a dedicated domain?

Yes, you can select a dedicated domain at any time. When you are an existing ProStores eCommerce solutions subscriber, simply call the ProStores technical support phone number to select a domain name. You are allowed one free domain with each subscription, but you can also purchase additional domain names and have them point to your ProStores web store. If want more than one domain name, the appropriate additional charges will apply for the domain names beyond the one domain name that is included with your subscription.

Does ProStores provide a static IP?

No. ProStores hosting accounts are not assigned a static IP. Static IPs are only available if an SSL certificate is purchased or transferred to the ProStores hosting account.

Policies

Where can I find details on the ProStores trademark policies?

You can find information on the ProStores trademark policies here.

Are eBay item restrictions enforced on ProStores?

You can find information on ProStores prohibited and restricted items here.

Customer Support

What if I need technical support?

All ProStores merchants have access to online help, priority email assistance, and. 24/7 toll free phone technical support.

In addition to contact information for technical and customer support departments, a wide variety of support resources are available to ProStores customers through Store Administration and in the Know-how section of ProStores.com.

Marketing Your ProStores Web Store

Can ProStores help me get new customers?

Yes. Several features and services designed to drive more customers to your web store are available:

List directly onto eBay from your ProStores web store
ProStores automatically submits your product catalog to Google Base and thefind.com
You can also submit your products to major shopping engines, including Shopping.com®, Shopzilla.com®, and Yahoo! Shopping®
Use ProStores’ built-in Search Engine Optimization tools like url tuning, site maps, and keywords to help improve your ranking on major search engines
ProStores Marketing Head Start Service can help provide additional Search Engine Optimization and help with setting up all of ProStores marketing tools

Can I run promotions in my web store?

Yes. You can put individual products on sale, run storewide sales, and additional promotions like quantity discounts and the ability to target specific buyer groups with a variety of coded promotions. Promotions reports let you easily track and compare the success of the promotions you run.

What if I want to offer special pricing for certain customers?

ProStores Professional eCommerce Plus allows you to set up customer groups that see special pricing after login, so you can create loyalty pricing programs or offer wholesale pricing on the same store where you show suggested retail pricing to the general public.

Can I set up an affiliate program?

ProStores Professional eCommerce Plus lets you easily set up and manage an affiliates program to drive traffic to your web store and help increase sales.

Miscellaneous

Do I need special software to run my web store?

No. You can manage your web store from most newer web browsers with Internet access.