Choosing the Best Web Hosting for Ecommerce
Filed under Sourcing Tips
Web Hosting Services for Ecommerce
Your choice of web hosting, specifically ecommerce web hosting is a key element to a smooth running, trouble free online business.
This is no joke, but at the same time there is no secret to choosing, although it helps to understand some of the basic points that play an important role in selecting appropriate hosting. And the truth is,
most web hosting companies now offer a variety of packages, and you will find that many companies offer very similar features.
How do You Choose the Best for You?
To begin, there are some very basic points or questions you need to ask yourself about before you even look at hosting.
- Disk space requirement What is the planned size of your store? What kind of content will you host–text, image, video? Is your store primarily a shopping cart, or do you plan to incorporate a blog, social media integration, and user generated content (such as product reviews and profiles)?
- Bandwidth How much bandwidth you use will depend on the kind of files you host (video is bandwidth intensive, small image files and text much less so)? How much traffic do you expect over time? The numbers of people using your site will affect bandwidth requirement. Will you offer digital downloads such as .zip files and .pdf files? This will all affect bandwidth.
- Technical support Quality of tech support is essential for any hosting, but with a business site, even more so. Your support must be willing and able to offer you immediate support for any issues related to your server and account set up.
- Customer service The company you choose should have a reputation for excellent customer service. Minimally, they must offer a ticket system help desk. However, your best companies will offer you phone support as well. Customer service must always be professional, helpful, and articulate. Good customer service must be willing to help you satisfy your particular set of needs, not just sell you the most expensive hosting package.
There are many factors to consider, but in my opinion, you should address these four points before buying hosting.
Specific to web hosting plans for ecommerce I would suggest paying attention to the following:
- Reliability
- Tech support and customer service
- Variety of hosting packages and price points
- Variety of shopping cart options
- Good record for hosting ecommerce sites
- Reputation for consistent server up-time
- Affordable, competitive pricing
See my article, Best Ecommerce Web Hosting Plans, for additional information plan shopping cart options. I think the tricky part in making a hosting choice is to determine which companies actually meet the requirements listed above. Many companies now offer very affordable hosting, but don’t let cost alone govern your choice.
Best for the Money Ecommerce Website Hosting
When you begin your research, you immediately find there are vast numbers of hosting companies. You may even want to start your search locally; if you live in a mid to large urban area, you may find a local company capable of providing excellent hosting. However, my choices for the best major market ecommerce are listed below:
My post, Best Ecommerce Web Hosting Plans goes into more detail regarding the specifics of my hosting choices.
One thing you will find, however, is that each company listed above has a track record for good customer service and a solid record for hosting ecommerce sites. In addition, they offer scalable packages, meaning that you can start small and upgrade as your requirements for disk space, bandwidth, and additional features change.
