Merchant Madness

My latest headache is trying to figure out how to sell my software on my website. Since I don't have any staff, I don't want to have to run credit cards by hand (which seems to be the cheapest route). I want the credit card processing done automatically online. Ideally, the user would then be able to download the software without further delay, but it's not essential that that part is automated right away. I can still ensure they get the program within 24 hours if I have to send them something once I'm notified of the payment.

I'm a Costco member, and I saw that they have partnered with NOVA Information Systems to provide members with good rates on merchant accounts.

My web host recommended osCommerce, an open-source eCommerce solution, for my shopping cart.

So there's a shopping cart and a merchant account. But how do they talk to each other? osCommerce has a list of Supported Gateways. So I guess the gateway links the shopping cart to the merchant account?

NOVA isn't listed as a supported gateway, but further research (by my web designer) discoveres that NOVA merged with ViaKlix, which is a gateway that someone using osCommerce uses with their NOVA account.

I'm so confused!

I saw another service called Share*it! that seems more geared for software publishers than the other shopping cart solutions (which are more geared for selling many products that you then ship to customers). Share*it seems to include the merchant account part, as well as distributing my software to customers after they pay for it. Sounds good to me, but how reliable are they? And will it look professional to my customers?

The research continues...