by J. Stephen Pope

ClickBank.com can offer you multiple solutions for your e-commerce business. Here are some of the advantages of using ClickBank.

1. Accept Credit Cards Without a Merchant Account

If your product is downloadable (such as electronic books or software), ClickBank may be an excellent solution for you. For a $49.95 initial fee, you can process credit cards and on-line cheques for $1.00 per transaction plus 7.5% of sales.

2. Start Your Own Affiliate Program

With ClickBank, you have your own built-in affiliate program. You decide what commission (from 1% to 75%) you would like to pay your affiliates.

3. Receive Free Advertising

You receive additional exposure through free listing on the ClickBank website and through the search facilities of other websites, such as CBMall.com.

4. Obtain Referral Commissions

Even without applying for ClickBank credit card processing, you can earn referral commissions on thousands of ClickBank Marketplace products.

5. Eliminate Sales Tax Problems

Are you registered for Value Added Tax (VAT) for online transactions for European Union (EU) countries since July 1, 2003?

Are you collecting the appropriate state or provincial sales taxes?

If you are a Canadian, are you aware of your obligation to collect Goods and Services Tax (G.S.T.) and Harmonized Sales Tax (H.S.T.) on Internet transactions?

Again, ClickBank may be your solution. ClickBank is registered for EU purposes and adds the appropriate VAT to each transaction.

As well, to deal with ClickBank, you must agree to sell your product to them. ClickBank then resells your product to their customers. Thus, ClickBank becomes the retailer responsible for collecting sales taxes — not you. Obviously, ClickBank will not be subject to sales taxes in most jurisdictions.

Since ClickBank is located in the United States and can only sell or use the products it sells from there, it would appear that Canadian G.S.T. and H.S.T. would not be applicable to them.

Of course, this is not legal advice. To determine your liability for sales and similar taxes, consult your lawyer and accountant.

Considering its many advantages, ClickBank may well be your e-commerce solution!

J. Stephen Pope, President of Pope Consulting Inc., has been helping clients to earn maximum business profits for over thirty years.