Every website that deals with online sales should have quality hosting that answers the demands of the e-commerce business. Hosting should provide companies with all the tools and functionality they need to efficiently run a commercial website.
Why is it essential to pick the right e-commerce hosting? #
Website content and files need to be stored someplace. Website owners pay rent to hosting companies, but the hosting quality may vary significantly. If the website is not stored on the very best host, it could experience the following concerns.
Users will leave a slow website #
Today, 47% of customers anticipate a web page load in three seconds or less. Aside from the user experience, Google uses site speed as a ranking factor. The best e-commerce hosting companies will ensure that they can deliver the expected quality. This includes website traffic spikes and various other elements that can disrupt efficiency, such as caching and Content Distribution Networks.
Customers won’t purchase from unsafe websites #
Although just about any individual can begin an e-commerce website, a company must implement the proper safety and security actions before consumers can make purchases.
Every internet browser is various, and some offer extra safety and security functions than others. Google Chrome’s goal is to keep consumers secure as they surf the internet. These aids make it one of the most prominent web browsers. If the website isn’t secured with HTTPS, a website will certainly be identified as “not secure” when users use Google Chrome. Seeing this in the link bar doesn’t enhance consumer self-confidence in the brand.
For a website to get HTTPS, hosting must provide an SSL certificate.
Secure Socket Layer (SSL) certificates are small documents saved on a server that encrypts the information moved between a computer system and an internet site’s server. Without an SSL certification, Chrome will certainly alert customers before they can see the page they’re trying to open up.
Downtimes are expensive #
Server downtime might sink e-commerce company service. Unintended downtime is even more of a threat because it can take longer to remediate. E-commerce web hosting solutions will typically guarantee a specific amount of uptime. However, it is recommended to search for testimonials and determine if their clients have a positive experience with such a problem.
What to consider when choosing to host for an e-commerce server #
A website can be migrated to other hosting at any time, but site migration can create many problems for a company and its customers. Therefore, it is best to find a hosting company that can grow together with the company over time, i.e. to increase the package and improve the performance of the hosting itself. Here are factors to consider when choosing a hosting.
Security #
Security should be one of the main concerns when choosing a web hosting company. Many hosting packages offer the following security features:
- SSL certificates
- DDoS protection
- Spam filters
- Virus protection
Any scam could jeopardize the online store and its reputation. A secure hosted e-commerce platform should offer a range of security mechanisms, including one on the list above.
File size #
Every online store contains a large number of images. So many files stored on the hosting can slow down a website. Some of the biggest culprits that cause slow site loading are videos, high-resolution photos and PDFs. The hosting platform should take into account the file compression on the server.
File backup #
The online store may be hacked or not working properly after the update, so a backup is crucial for saving copies of site files. Without an easy way to back up a website, a company could lose information about customers, orders and products.
E-commerce companies should regularly back up as much data as possible; daily backups are not excluded. Backups should be kept on a server separate from the website, which can be easily accessed if the website needs to be restored. If the hosting solution has backups for the entire e-commerce platform, the company doesn’t have to do it manually.
Hosting should be chosen according to requirements – if the company has a team of its developers and has unique needs, it can use independent hosting. However, for most e-commerce companies, a ready-made hosting package that can be active within a few hours is the most efficient solution.
Do you want to learn more about e-commerce? Continue reading about → E-commerce and WordPress.