E-Commerce Web Hosting
What is e-commerce hosting?
E-Commerce Hosting refers to the web hosting for E-Commerce Web Applications. In
case of e-commerce hosting, web host providers provides the tools for to handle
online sales. These tools are shopping carts, Merchant Account services, SSL
(Secure Socket Layer), database support, secure transactions, web
promotion and advertising packages. In short the e-commerce web hosting services
is the web hosting solution for companies or individuals looking for conducting
e-commerce business.
Here are the important things should keep in mind before selecting and host for your E-Commerce website:
- Support: Your web hosting provider should
provide your 24 hours support
- Secure Socket Layer: Since E-Commerce web
site require credit transaction, so your web hosting server should support SSL
secure servers (128 bit) encryption
- Fast Internet backbone:
Make
sure that your server is hosted on fast data center
- Data backup: Your hosting plan must contain
daily backup in your plan
- Unique IP address: You ask for at least 2
unique IP for your website.
- Server Uptime: Since your business depends on
the uptime of the server, so choose the web host providing 99.99% network
- Email: You should go for hosing plan which
provides sufficient number of POP-3 email addresses, aliases and free
forwarding
- Email Auto responder: Your hosting server
should be supporting email auto-responders
- Web Statistic: Your web hosting control panel
should have program to show your daily and monthly statistics in
graphical formats
- FTP Accounts: Your hosting server should
provide your Full FTP access 365 days a year
- Sub domains: Hosting Plan must include free
Sub domains
- JSP/Servlet Support: Your web hosting account
should include Java Servlet support
- CGI-Perl/PHP Support: This is also very
import thing, so it should be included in hosting plan chosen.
- Database Support: Any of the database like
MySQL or postgresql should be available with the hosting plan
- SSI & Custom error page: SSI and Custom
error page should be included in the hosting plan
Many of the E-commerce web hosting companies are providing E-commerce shopping cart solutions and MySQL database support. Companies are also also helps the clients in setting-up and configuring e-commerce solutions at extra cost. It's better to choose e-commerce hosting company having expertise in setting-up of e-commence software.
These days E-commerce enabled websites is a must for every business. In some point of time it is becomes necessary to have online payment system on the website. While choosing your hosting company make sure they have enough expertise in e-commerce solutions. Hosting company must have experience in managed servers and dedicated servers. You should avoid reseller hosting companies. Since they won't be able to provide you good support.
Reliable E-commerce website hosting company having good infrastructure and technical support should be used for hosting any e-commerce enabled web portal.
E-Commerce Web Hosting Services features
-
Plenty of web space
-
Sufficient bandwidth
-
Unlimited email address with hosting account
-
Sufficient database space
-
Cpanel or other control panel with hosting plan
-
24x7 technical support for your server
-
99.9% server uptime
-
Unlimited sub domain support
-
Statics software
-
Quick account setup
-
Up gradation of account option
-
Should not be expensive
-
Public and private SSL certificate support
These days some hosting companies are also providing Cloud computing based e-commerce web hosting services. If you have any plan for hosting on the Cloud server you should check the services features.
Many hosting companies are providing payment gateway and merchant account services integration. If you don't have experience is setting up payment gateways and merchant accounts then it is advisable to find hosting company providing such services.
E-commerce hosting services should actually help you running your online business. They should have enough expertise to support your e-commerce system.