My Web site uses your shopping cart for orders, and PayPal for payments. How do the orders get processed by PayPal, and what do I have to do to check that they are processed correctly?
Answer: Read the answer here.
Reading mail from a new e-mail address
If there's a new mailbox for you at our new host ICDHost, these instructions will show you how to read from that new mailbox.
This is easy - it's just a matter of creating an account in your e-mail program. We'll describe the process for Microsoft Outlook; it will be similar for other e-mail programs.
What you need to know
Before starting, you need to know:
You also need to know the outgoing mail server. This will be the same for all your e-mail accounts. In Outlook, to see your e-mail accounts, go to the Tools menu and choose "E-Mail Accounts". Then click "View or change existing accounts". This shows you all your existing accounts (there might be only one). Select any of them and click the "Change..." button. This displays a properties window for that account. Make a note of the outgoing mail server (click picture for larger version):
Test the settings in Webmail
This is an optional step that ensures the new mailbox is active, and that you've got the right user name and password.
First, send a test message to the e-mail address. We'll now check the new mailbox using your Web browser rather than your e-mail program. The Webmail address is "webmail." followed by your domain name - e.g. webmail.example.com. Go to this page in your Web browser and log in using the user name and password from above (click picture for larger version):
If you can't log in, it means either the user name or password is wrong, so try again, and if it still doesn't work, get the correct details from somebody who knows them.
If it does work, you should see the test message sitting there in the mailbox (click picture for larger version):
Keep it there and log out of Webmail. Now you're ready to change the settings in Outlook.
Changing the settings
In Outlook, go to the Tools menu and choose "E-Mail Accounts". Then click "Add a new e-mail account". Choose "POP3" and you'll get a blank page to fill in (click picture for larger version):
Fill in the form as follows:
Save the settings and you're done!
Testing
Do a "Send and Receive" in Outlook, and make sure that you receive the test e-mail you received earlier. Also send a new message from this account, to yourself, and make sure you receive it with the correct name and e-mail address.
This is easy - it's just a matter of creating an account in your e-mail program. We'll describe the process for Microsoft Outlook; it will be similar for other e-mail programs.
What you need to know
Before starting, you need to know:
- The e-mail user name: This is usually the bit in front of the "@" in your e-mail address. For instance, if your e-mail address is joe.bloggs@example.com, the username is joe.bloggs.
- The password
- The incoming mail server: This is "mail." followed by the domain name - e.g. mail.example.com.
You also need to know the outgoing mail server. This will be the same for all your e-mail accounts. In Outlook, to see your e-mail accounts, go to the Tools menu and choose "E-Mail Accounts". Then click "View or change existing accounts". This shows you all your existing accounts (there might be only one). Select any of them and click the "Change..." button. This displays a properties window for that account. Make a note of the outgoing mail server (click picture for larger version):
Test the settings in Webmail
This is an optional step that ensures the new mailbox is active, and that you've got the right user name and password.
First, send a test message to the e-mail address. We'll now check the new mailbox using your Web browser rather than your e-mail program. The Webmail address is "webmail." followed by your domain name - e.g. webmail.example.com. Go to this page in your Web browser and log in using the user name and password from above (click picture for larger version):
If you can't log in, it means either the user name or password is wrong, so try again, and if it still doesn't work, get the correct details from somebody who knows them.
If it does work, you should see the test message sitting there in the mailbox (click picture for larger version):
Keep it there and log out of Webmail. Now you're ready to change the settings in Outlook.
Changing the settings
In Outlook, go to the Tools menu and choose "E-Mail Accounts". Then click "Add a new e-mail account". Choose "POP3" and you'll get a blank page to fill in (click picture for larger version):
Fill in the form as follows:
- Your Name: Your real name
- E-mail Address: The e-mail address you'd like people to know
- User Name, Password, Incoming Mail Server, Outgoing Mail Server: The settings you noted earlier
Save the settings and you're done!
Testing
Do a "Send and Receive" in Outlook, and make sure that you receive the test e-mail you received earlier. Also send a new message from this account, to yourself, and make sure you receive it with the correct name and e-mail address.
Reading e-mail from a different mailbox
If we moved your Web site across to our system, and you were previously reading e-mail from a mailbox on the old Web host, you'll have to change your e-mail settings in order to read it from the new Web host. You won't have to do this if the e-mail was just being forwarded to you at some other address, but you will have to do it if you were reading e-mail directly from that address.
Briefly, what's happening is that the e-mail address is the same, but the e-mail is being delivered to a different place. So you just have to change your e-mail program's settings so you start reading from the new mailbox.
This isn't difficult, but you must do it at the right time. If you do it too soon, before we move the Web site, you'll miss out on e-mail that's arriving in the old mailbox. So we recommend you wait until you're sure the new Web site is live, and then change the settings. Keep a note of the old settings so you can change back if necessary, just in case you want to check the old mailbox for any lingering e-mail that still got delivered there.
We'll describe the process for Microsoft Outlook; it will be similar for other e-mail programs.
What you need to know
Before starting, you need to know:
Test the settings in Webmail
This is an optional, but recommended, step. It ensures the new mailbox is active, and that you've got the right user name and password.
First, send a test message to your e-mail address, do a "Send and Receive" in Outlook, and ensure that it does not arrive in your normal inbox (If it does arrive, that means the new mailbox isn't live yet, so you'll have to wait until it is).
We'll now check the new mailbox using your Web browser rather than your e-mail program. The Webmail address is "webmail." followed by your domain name - e.g. webmail.example.com. Go to this page in your Web browser and log in using the user name and password from above (click picture for larger version):
If you can't log in, it means either the user name or password is wrong, so try again, and if it still doesn't work, get the correct details from somebody who knows them.
If it does work, you should see the test message sitting there in the mailbox (click picture for larger version):
Delete it and log out of Webmail. Now you're ready to change the settings in Outlook.
Changing the settings
In Outlook, to see your e-mail accounts, go to the Tools menu and choose "E-Mail Accounts". Then click "View or change existing accounts". This shows you all your existing accounts (there might be only one). Select the relevant account on the left-hand side and click the "Change..." button. This displays a properties window for that account.
On this page, you're going to change three things: User Name, Password and Incoming Mail Server (click picture for larger version):
Make a note of the current settings first (and if you don't know the password, ask somebody who does know).
You only need to change three things: User Name, Password and Incoming Mail Server. Set these to the settings above for the new mailbox, and save the settings.
Testing
To test this, send a test message to the new e-mail address, do a "Send and Receive" in Outlook, and make sure that you receive it. That completes the testing.
Briefly, what's happening is that the e-mail address is the same, but the e-mail is being delivered to a different place. So you just have to change your e-mail program's settings so you start reading from the new mailbox.
This isn't difficult, but you must do it at the right time. If you do it too soon, before we move the Web site, you'll miss out on e-mail that's arriving in the old mailbox. So we recommend you wait until you're sure the new Web site is live, and then change the settings. Keep a note of the old settings so you can change back if necessary, just in case you want to check the old mailbox for any lingering e-mail that still got delivered there.
We'll describe the process for Microsoft Outlook; it will be similar for other e-mail programs.
What you need to know
Before starting, you need to know:
- The e-mail user name: This is usually the bit in front of the "@" in your e-mail address. For instance, if your e-mail address is joe.bloggs@example.com, the username is joe.bloggs.
- The password
- The incoming mail server: This is "mail." followed by the domain name - e.g. mail.example.com.
Test the settings in Webmail
This is an optional, but recommended, step. It ensures the new mailbox is active, and that you've got the right user name and password.
First, send a test message to your e-mail address, do a "Send and Receive" in Outlook, and ensure that it does not arrive in your normal inbox (If it does arrive, that means the new mailbox isn't live yet, so you'll have to wait until it is).
We'll now check the new mailbox using your Web browser rather than your e-mail program. The Webmail address is "webmail." followed by your domain name - e.g. webmail.example.com. Go to this page in your Web browser and log in using the user name and password from above (click picture for larger version):
If you can't log in, it means either the user name or password is wrong, so try again, and if it still doesn't work, get the correct details from somebody who knows them.
If it does work, you should see the test message sitting there in the mailbox (click picture for larger version):
Delete it and log out of Webmail. Now you're ready to change the settings in Outlook.
Changing the settings
In Outlook, to see your e-mail accounts, go to the Tools menu and choose "E-Mail Accounts". Then click "View or change existing accounts". This shows you all your existing accounts (there might be only one). Select the relevant account on the left-hand side and click the "Change..." button. This displays a properties window for that account.
On this page, you're going to change three things: User Name, Password and Incoming Mail Server (click picture for larger version):
Make a note of the current settings first (and if you don't know the password, ask somebody who does know).
You only need to change three things: User Name, Password and Incoming Mail Server. Set these to the settings above for the new mailbox, and save the settings.
Testing
To test this, send a test message to the new e-mail address, do a "Send and Receive" in Outlook, and make sure that you receive it. That completes the testing.
Create a "how to" manual of what you know
One of my clients wants to create products she can sell to her market. We settled on a "how to" manual in her area of expertise. She's got a lot of experience and expertise in that area, and other people would love to duplicate her success.
The package she's planning consists of:
Can you do the same with your expertise? What do you know that other people would love to know? It might even be something you take for granted because it's so familiar to you!
The package she's planning consists of:
- A "How To" workbook with a step-by-step process for somebody else to duplicate one of her projects.
- An audio CD, where I interview her about the process, the mistakes people make, and how they can avoid those mistakes.
- A second audio CD of "success stories", where she interviews other people about how they have succeeded in similar projects.
- A CD-ROM with Microsoft Word templates for the various forms, letters, checklists and other documents she uses.
Can you do the same with your expertise? What do you know that other people would love to know? It might even be something you take for granted because it's so familiar to you!
What will influence on-line shoppers this Christmas?
A new survey of U.S. consumers reveals some of the factors that will affect on-line buying decisions this Christmas.
In addition to having all the basics of an e-commerce site, some users will be swayed by user reviews, professional site design and alternative payment methods. And the results vary by age group, so it might make a difference if you're dealing with a younger target market.
Of course, these results don't necessarily translate elsewhere in the world or at other times of the year. But it's worth following these principles - they are good Web design practice anyway.
In addition to having all the basics of an e-commerce site, some users will be swayed by user reviews, professional site design and alternative payment methods. And the results vary by age group, so it might make a difference if you're dealing with a younger target market.
Of course, these results don't necessarily translate elsewhere in the world or at other times of the year. But it's worth following these principles - they are good Web design practice anyway.
When I paste text into a Web page, the fonts go all strange
If you're using the Easy Edit function on your Web site, be careful when pasting text from, say, a Microsoft Word document, a PDF file or even from another Web page. These programs often insert their own styles and formatting, which might make your Web page look odd.
The best way to avoid this is to prepare all your text without formatting, paste it into the Web page, and then do the formatting.
However, this isn't always feasible. If you have already pasted in the text, you have to manually remove the weird formatting. Go to the Details box, which shows all the HTML code for the page, like this:
Typically, these are the things to change:
Paragraph tags: If you see some code <P ...>, remove everything between the P and the >. For instance, remove the bold code in this example:
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt">
This will end up as just this:
<P>
Span tags: Similarly, if you see some code <SPAN ...>, remove everything between the SPAN and the >. For instance, remove the bold code in this example:
<SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">
This ends up like this:
<SPAN>
Styles: If there are any remaining occurrences of style="...", remove them - e.g. the bold in here:
<I style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">
This will end up as:
<I>
Classes: Do the same for occurrences of class="...".
The best way to avoid this is to prepare all your text without formatting, paste it into the Web page, and then do the formatting.
However, this isn't always feasible. If you have already pasted in the text, you have to manually remove the weird formatting. Go to the Details box, which shows all the HTML code for the page, like this:
Typically, these are the things to change:
Paragraph tags: If you see some code <P ...>, remove everything between the P and the >. For instance, remove the bold code in this example:
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt">
This will end up as just this:
<P>
Span tags: Similarly, if you see some code <SPAN ...>, remove everything between the SPAN and the >. For instance, remove the bold code in this example:
<SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">
This ends up like this:
<SPAN>
Styles: If there are any remaining occurrences of style="...", remove them - e.g. the bold in here:
<I style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">
This will end up as:
<I>
Classes: Do the same for occurrences of class="...".
How do I stop people copying my course material?
I've got an e-mail course with a password, that people pay for. How do I stop people registering for the course and then forwarding the material to all their friends?
Answer:
There's no practical way to prevent them from doing that, because they are just getting e-mail messages, which of course they can forward to others. You can password-protect PDF documents, but that is no help either, because people just pass on the password.
The best solution is to have some form of accreditation process. This can be as simple as sending them a certificate at the end of the course, which is proof that they've completed it. Only the person who buys the course gets the certificate in their name, of course. Even if others get the material, they don't get the formal qualification.
A client of mine works with financial planners, and does a similar thing. He has arranged with the Financial Planners Association of Australia for his course to be worth a certain number of continuing education points. The financial planners have to get a certain number of points every year to maintain their licence, so there's an incentive for them to buy his course, not just read somebody else's copy.
Another option is to put lots of promotional links in your course material, so that even if it does get passed around, it's doing some good for you by giving people a chance to visit your Web site.
Answer:
There's no practical way to prevent them from doing that, because they are just getting e-mail messages, which of course they can forward to others. You can password-protect PDF documents, but that is no help either, because people just pass on the password.
The best solution is to have some form of accreditation process. This can be as simple as sending them a certificate at the end of the course, which is proof that they've completed it. Only the person who buys the course gets the certificate in their name, of course. Even if others get the material, they don't get the formal qualification.
A client of mine works with financial planners, and does a similar thing. He has arranged with the Financial Planners Association of Australia for his course to be worth a certain number of continuing education points. The financial planners have to get a certain number of points every year to maintain their licence, so there's an incentive for them to buy his course, not just read somebody else's copy.
Another option is to put lots of promotional links in your course material, so that even if it does get passed around, it's doing some good for you by giving people a chance to visit your Web site.
How to specify colours in HTML
This page shows the 216 standard colours that are safe for use on Web pages. To find out the code for any of the colours above, move the mouse over the colour. If this doesn't work, click here for another Web site that shows the same information.
To use this in changing the colour of text on a Web page, you use the code in an HTML <font> tag like this:
Please <font color="#ff0000">read the instructions carefully</font>.
The six-letter code (ff0000 in the example above) is the colour.
To use this in changing the colour of text on a Web page, you use the code in an HTML <font> tag like this:
Please <font color="#ff0000">read the instructions carefully</font>.
The six-letter code (ff0000 in the example above) is the colour.
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How do I stop the shopping cart from showing a currency converter?
All my orders are from Australia, so I don't want to show a currency converter at all. It will only confuse people. How can I remove it?
Answer:
In the e-commerce settings on your administration page, for the Currency field, remove the last two fields - e.g. change
$,Australian Dollars,AUD,USD
to just
$,Australian Dollars
Answer:
In the e-commerce settings on your administration page, for the Currency field, remove the last two fields - e.g. change
$,Australian Dollars,AUD,USD
to just
$,Australian Dollars
When in the day do CourseBot messages actually go out?
Course units go out at the start of a day, just after midnight Western Australian time (8 hours ahead of GMT; 9 in summer). So if you've got a course unit scheduled for, say, tomorrow, it will go out tonight when the clock ticks over.
This is important if you're scheduling a unit to go out "later tonight". Don't schedule it for today's date, because that will already have passed. Schedule it for tomorrow.
Note: If you've got a unit scheduled for "0 days" (i.e. a welcome message), none of this applies. The unit goes out immediately when somebody subscribes to the course.
This is important if you're scheduling a unit to go out "later tonight". Don't schedule it for today's date, because that will already have passed. Schedule it for tomorrow.
Note: If you've got a unit scheduled for "0 days" (i.e. a welcome message), none of this applies. The unit goes out immediately when somebody subscribes to the course.
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