e-Commerce for ISPs

Mercantec's client-side application is now available for download.

by Wayne Kawamoto [September 22, 2000]

Mercantec Inc. announced that it is now distributing its SoftCart Encryption Software to licensed SoftCart merchants via digital download.

SoftCart is a solution for building and maintaining an online storefront and is designed to give a merchant the tools needed to create and manage a virtual shopping environment.

According to the company, Mercantec's SoftCart Encryption Software is the only client-side order-taking application available to merchants that resides on their ISP's server. The company says that its solution provides merchants unparalleled protection to ensure shoppers' online order data is secure.

Public and private keys
Mercantec provides security of order data through its use of public and private encryption keys that reside on separate computers. When a merchant builds a SoftCart store, the Store Builder Wizard directs him through the process of generating encryption keys for his store. This process creates two separate keys: the public key that resides on the ISP's server and encrypts order data, and the private key that resides on the merchant's computer and decrypts order data.

The primary benefit of SoftCart Encryption Software solution, according to the company, is that the merchant holds the private key and is the only one who can decrypt the order data. Mercantec claims that other products on the market offer encryption with both the public and private keys residing on the ISP's server, which may create a higher potential for fraudulent use of order data. As a result, the company says that ISPs can benefit by offering one of the most secure solutions available.

Mercantec will distribute the encryption software and make its download website available in the following nine languages: English, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Dutch, Japanese, Korean, and Mandarin Chinese.

"Mercantec's Softcart allows an ISP to extend the range of services that are available to any participating merchant," said Andy Parker, CEO Mercantec. "With access to the downloadable version of Mercantec's SoftCart Encryption Software, merchants can begin taking secure online orders immediately after registering and building their stores."

Sample implementations
You can see this software being used all over the Internet (here's one store, for example, that clearly uses SoftCart).

Here is an example of how one consulting firm, ITS Inc., offers SoftCart as part of its services: Mercantec SoftCart E-commerce Plans.

Here is MindSpring's SoftCart FAQ.

Availability and pricing
The SoftCart Encryption Software is made available from Mercantec only after a merchant has purchased the SoftCart e-commerce storefront software from the ISP and signed the End User License Agreement.

The price for the SoftCart Encryption Software is included in the price of the SoftCart e-commerce storefront software to the ISP, but is distributed to the merchant at no cost.

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