Whilst at today’s Merchant Agent Risk Forum (www.merchantagentriskforum.com) in London, a topic that frequently came up was that of the types of due diligence merchants* should be undertaking when evaluating an agent* to build and operate a website on their behalf that accepts payments.

Creating an ecommerce website that supports multi-currency transactions is a monetary minefield. Looked at and discarded as too complicated by many website owners, especially smaller companies, here’s my ten point check-list of the key areas you need to consider when selling outside the UK.Creating an ecommerce website that supports multi-currency transactions is a monetary minefield. Looked at and discarded as too complicated by many website owners, especially smaller companies, here’s my ten point check-list of the key areas you need to consider when selling outside the UK.

Despite the country slumping further into recession, it seems we won’t find any sympathy from our old friends, Google. The Internet giants last week announced plans to increase the service fees it charges to its online merchants using their Google Checkout service – leading to fierce criticism from angry vendors.

It is not so much eMarketing’s best kept secret as its most under used asset. Despite the variety of benefits of sending out newsletters, a remarkably large number of online businesses are still not utilising this promotional avenue.

To some their life would be empty without it, while for others it is something to avoid like the plague.For those who are already au fait with the likes of Facebook ,Twitter and My Space , you will know how easy it can be to spend hours on end joining obscure groups or seeing what that shy, yet strangely attractive, old school friend is up to nowadays.

Whilst The British Retail Consortium (BRC) this week warns that high street spending is down, it seems that there is no stopping the rise in online shopping. The BRC reports that March’s figures for high street spending were the worst since July 2005, when bad weather hit sales. The results have confounded expectations that this year’s early holiday period would boost the High Street.

We’re a nation in love with e-shopping! Come the London Olympics, online stores will also be going for Gold. Right now, we’re shopping for England (and for Scotland, Wales and Ireland) when it comes to buying online – out-shopping our European neighbours. Online sales in Britain raced ahead to £12.8 billion last year, placing us in gold medal position in the e-shopping league.