Questions about SSL (Secure Socket Layer) and also AVS

[markw10]

I am currently developing an E-Commerce website and my web host offers a shared SSL for free as part of my package. I know I can also pay elsewhere and get a dedicated SSL but had the idea it's very expensive and not necessary and have read that in a couple places.
I have read more recently that it's only around $100 to get one and gives you more credibility so it's the thing to do. My questions:
1. Should I go with the Shared SSL or get one that is dedicated? Is a dedicated one more secure or just about credibility with the public?

2. If I purchase a dedicated one which is a good company to go with? Verisign or another? What type of price should I expect?

3. Also, this is more unrelated but I read how I should use AVS (Address Verification Service). I think this verifies that the billing address of a credit card is correct at checkout time and can rule out some fraudulent payments. Is this an additional service or cost or is this part of an authorize.net account?

Thanks for any help with the above questions.

[DWells]

I am currently developing an E-Commerce website and my web host offers a shared SSL for free as part of my package. I know I can also pay elsewhere and get a dedicated SSL but had the idea it's very expensive and not necessary and have read that in a couple places.
I have read more recently that it's only around $100 to get one and gives you more credibility so it's the thing to do. My questions:
1. Should I go with the Shared SSL or get one that is dedicated? Is a dedicated one more secure or just about credibility with the public?

2. If I purchase a dedicated one which is a good company to go with? Verisign or another? What type of price should I expect?

3. Also, this is more unrelated but I read how I should use AVS (Address Verification Service). I think this verifies that the billing address of a credit card is correct at checkout time and can rule out some fraudulent payments. Is this an additional service or cost or is this part of an authorize.net account?

Thanks for any help with the above questions.

You could use your shared certificate to start with if you want, most shared are just as secure as the cheapest SSL Certificate you can buy; but having a Dedicated SSL Certificate gives you more credability because your customer see's everything on the same site, they don't get the impression of leaving your site to complete the purchase.

Shop around for the SSL Certificate... though Verisign is one of the most trusted (and used by companys like Visa & PayPal) it is one of the most expensive, I believe they start at around $800 a year and go up from there. There are a few other "trusted" companies that offer them for much less, if you search (google is a good place to start) you can find certificates starting around $30 a year, and EV (the ones that turn the address bar green) for around $500 a year.

I think the AVS is standard with authorize.net -- but that really is something you should discuss with your sales associate selling you the authorize.net account (as all resellers have a different agreement with Authorize.NET and there-for can offer different pricing, and features) before buying.

Hope this answers your questions.