E-commerce (electronic commerce) businesses buy and sell digital goods or services online. With a wide variety of diverse market segments, e-commerce businesses trade everything from technological products to leisure experiences and health services.
As with any business, payments for goods and services will need to be transacted. There is also the issue of customer data privacy, so any web hosting provider should be delivering secure protection for payment and data safeguarding.
Contents
- What are e-commerce web hosting services?
- 8 tips for finding the right e-commerce web host.
- How Pac Web Hosting supports e-commerce businesses.
What Are E-Commerce Web Hosting Services?
So, what are e-commerce web hosting services? One of the most important aspects of e-commerce trading is availability. Customers want to shop when it is convenient for them, so e-commerce sites need to be running efficiently around the clock.
A key success factor is selecting the right web hosting service. Smart web hosting critically supports your e-commerce business to be rapid and operational at all times of the day. Customers need to have easy access and enjoy speedy site performance, otherwise your bounce rate will increase.
Ideally, a web hosting service provides appropriate server space to host your site and make it fully visible online. If you’re working with an experienced web hosting partner who specialises in the hosting landscape, then they should support you with an elevated digital presence that fosters growth and ensures data security.
Read about the 5 major benefits of web hosting services in our article.
8 Tips For Finding The Right E-Commerce Web Host
-
Assess your needs
Before finding the perfect hosting package for your business, it’s important to define your organisational needs. Are you looking for a specific bandwidth or is web hosting support more critical? Once you have a set of objectives, you’ll know when a web host is the best fit.
-
Research Reputation
If you can’t find any evidence of your potential web host’s previous client work, then this could be a warning sign. Always check user reviews or access case studies and social media threads to ensure the company is capable of delivering what you need.
-
Compare plans
Read the terms of each plan to make sure that what is available matches your list of objectives. It’s unlikely that you’ll achieve everything, but a plan that delivers your priorities is a strong contender.
-
Search e-commerce specific providers
It is helpful if your potential web host service has experience in the field of e-commerce. Typically, they should have other e-commerce clients and can point to e-commerce websites they are currently hosting. This can give you reassurance that your business will be visible and easily accessible for customers.
You can also check if they offer e-commerce tailored plans, so your online store is catered for with features that include secure payment gateways, software integration and PCI (payment card industry) compliance.
-
Select speed and performance
Crucial to e-commerce site success, speed and performance should be prioritised by your host through fast servers, SSD (solid-state drive) storage, consistent uptime and other relevant technologies which are necessary for quick page loading.
-
Opt for scaling potential
Every business considers where they might be in a few years’ time. As a result, it’s imperative that your web host service can offer you scalable options that expand as your site traffic grows. Resources that are capable of expansion, such as storage, caching or bandwidth, help your business evolve.
-
Invest in security
Security is everything when it comes to an efficient and well-run e-commerce site. Resilient and reliable security processes need to be in place, such as firewalls, malware scans and data backups to protect private information belonging to you and your customers.
-
Explore customer support
When sales are ringing in and your site is working smoothly, you won’t be thinking about customer support. Nevertheless, if something goes wrong, they are your first port of call.
Establishing a rapport with your web host’s customer support team is a smart move, so that when you need them you can connect and get the advice you need to fix your site as soon as possible. Check if they offer multi-channel support, such as live chat, phone and email, and the experience to resolve e-commerce related issues.
How Pac Web Hosting Supports E-Commerce Businesses
As an established and experienced provider of web hosting services, we work closely with e-commerce businesses. We support them with powerful hosting capabilities that evolve their digital positioning and build a standout brand presence.
With free SSL certificates that ensure secure hosting, we also offer site efficiency and performance alongside 24/7 dedicated expert customer support. Our customers report that our hosting services create speedy sites that help users navigate and complete their buying journey.
Discover your perfect e-commerce web hosting solution with our web hosting plans or contact our friendly team of experts for a chat.
Sources:
‘According to recent data, there were 60 million UK e-commerce users in 2023.’
