Digital Media Buzz > Match Your E-Commerce Hosting Needs With These 5 Tips

Match Your E-Commerce Hosting Needs With These 5 Tips

By Contel Bradford

Although the concept isn’t as hot as it was a few years ago, e-commerce continues to be a major force and an integral part of today’s Internet. Considering that the economy is struggling like never before, right now is perhaps the best time to start a web-based business and open up your own storefront online. In fact, statistics show that consumers are increasingly doing their browsing and shopping online during this economic downturn. With millions of potential customers surfing the Web at any given minute of any day, the opportunities are endless. 

Web hosting is what you need to get started and there are many types of services that will help you accomplish this goal. However, not all services are created equal. You will need first-class support and a special set of features in order to make your journey a success.

1. Determine Your Needs 
I’m sure you have an idea of what products or services you would like to sell but there is far more to it. For example, do you just want a website or would you like to incorporate a blog as well? Does your business require community-friendly features such as chat scripts or forum software? Do you plan to cater to a smaller market and does your product appeal to the masses? The answers to these questions are critical as they will determine the features and ultimately what type of hosting you need.

2. Eyes on the Shopping Cart 
The shopping cart is one of the most vital aspects of any e-commerce plan. Hence the name, a shopping cart is a type of software program that allows customers to purchase items from your website. Similar to its real-world counterpart, an e-commerce shopping cart lets customers navigate through your store, select items and put something back if they choose not to purchase it. That’s how it goes in theory anyway. Most e-commerce hosts will give you a variety of shopping carts to choose from and these programs are typically free to use. The key is to find one that works for you and your customers as well. Your customers should have no trouble selecting the payment and shipping options of their preference. I suggest you do a little investigating to find out what to expect from different software. This is something that can’t be stressed enough because the last thing you want to do is switch carts in the middle of trying to run your store. 

3. Keep Security in Mind 
The Internet may be the virtual land of opportunity but it is also a haven for cyber-criminals. Therefore, you want to make sure your Web host provides a secure platform for you to do business. The are numerous security elements but one of the most important is a Secure Sockets Layer certificate. SSL is an encryption protocol that provides a secure tunnel for your website transactions. This basically means that your customers’ credit card number are made unreadable instead of traveling over the Internet in vulnerable plaintext. If you want to sell products online, this is one feature you simply can’t be without. 

4. Seek Reliability and Good Support 
One thing you should know about Web hosting is that every company makes the claim of being “reliable.” Personally, I have run across services where the servers were slow and the support almost non-existent. These are two disadvantages that can send your business plummeting before it even gets off the ground. In the Web hosting industry, providers offer what is known as an uptime guarantee. The current standard is 99.9 percent but don’t just fall for that number. Find out what measures are actually being taken to ensure that your site stays up and running as well as how you are compensated if that guarantee is not upheld. Additionally, put your emphasis on a service that comes with around-the-clock 24/7 customer support. Don’t settle for a measly email address, make sure you can get someone on the phone and live chat if possible. 

5. Do Your Homework 
I strongly recommend that you DO NOT sign up with the first host you encounter. The credibility of your business is on the line so it is important to conduct extensive research and compare numerous services. There are several review and comparison sites that will provide you with golden insight from past and existing customers alike. Most importantly, be sure to contact the provider and ask as many questions as possible until you are completely satisfied with the answers. You can have the most appealing products or services but in the end, it is the e-commerce hosting platform that will either make or break your business. 

Contel Bradford is a web hosting expert who writes articles and reviews for numerous clients. More of his work can be viewed at www.webhostingghostwriter.com.