A Bermuda e-commerce provider has partnered with a company on the opposite side of the planet to deliver the first end-to-end multi-currency, multilingual shopping cart software which online consumers can use to make purchases in 58 different currencies.

Bermuda's leading e-commerce transaction and service provider, First Atlantic Commerce, and Australia's 3D3. Com, developers of award winning ShopFactory store-builder software, announced this week that they will be launching end-to-end multi-currency and multi-lingual shopping cart software to online merchants.

For the first time consumers will not only be able to shop online in the language of their choice, they will also be able to pay in the currency of their choice.

Today, many online stores display prices in multiple currencies so customers can see an example of what the charge amounts in their local credit card currency would potentially be. But online stores, until recently, were unable to bill the customer in the currency of their choice without a foreign exchange transaction appearing on the customer's credit card.

With the multicurrency functionality of First Atlantic's and 3D3's ShopFactory software, an online shopper using a Canadian credit card, for example, can view what the charge would be in Canadian funds and the online merchant can also charge this exact amount in Canadian dollars to the customer's credit card. Settlement can be performed in a range of currencies.

"This multi-currency e-commerce solution revolutionises the online shopping experience for millions of consumers around the world," said Steffan Klein, chief executive officer for 3D3. Com.

"With First Atlantic, online merchants can provide real multi-currency pricing to their customers without the problems associated with foreign exchange transactions."

First Atlantic says their solution has many benefits for both online consumers and e-businesses. The globalisation solution, allows online merchants to provide pricing in major currencies from around the world and the merchant has a choice of financial institutions in the Latin American Caribbean Region in which to fund the settlement.

This is becoming increasingly more popular as e-businesses look for ways to maximise their corporate objectives in well regulated jurisdictions.

Andrea Wilson, chief executive officer for First Atlantic Commerce, believes offering online e-businesses flexible e-commerce solutions is important as online stores strive for a competitive edge.

"Our customers are looking for sophisticated solutions to leverage the opportunities on the Internet and maximise corporate objectives using business simplification, and First Atlantic Commerce in partnership with 3D3. Com provide the services they need," said Wilson.

The companies have been working jointly on the project for the past 18 months and the software will retail for $299.

First Atlantic Commerce, a Bermuda-based e-commerce provider since 1998, specialises in consulting services to acquiring banks for Internet enablement, and secure payment solutions for online merchants.

The company provides universal payment solutions such as multi-currency and multiple jurisdiction settlements to enable merchants to access the global marketplace and through custom software systems, First Atlantic Commerce connects merchants to major international credit card processors, as well as numerous globally recognised banks, ensuring fast and secure transaction processing.

In 1995 the company 3D3. COM developed the world's first do-it-yourself online shop builder for non-programmers.

3D3. COM specialises in affordable online store software solutions under the trademark ShopFactoryT, that enables individuals and companies to easily and quickly create secure online shopping sites. Today ShopFactoryT is one of the most powerful and feature packed e-commerce solutions on the market - available in 13 languages and trusted by merchants and website developers in 54 countries.