eCommerce websites are unique in comparison to other sites, in that they require a special set of tools and resources to run properly. Thus, some hosting accounts are more suited to eCommerce websites than others. It is important to realize that not all eCommerce sites are the same, and while one hosting type may be ideal for a particular website, it may not be the best for another. The optimal hosting account will dependent upon the size of the eCommerce site and the amount of products contained on that site. However, the following information should help you decide whether shared or dedicated hosting is right for your eCommerce site.

Pricing

When it comes to price, shared hosting and dedicated hosting are on either side of the spectrum. Shared hosting is considered the cheapest kind of web hosting (with plans starting at around $5 per month), while dedicated hosting is the most expensive (with plans starting at around $100 per month). However this price difference is often overstated and misunderstood in terms of how much it costs to get started. To obtain the best price for a shared hosting plan often requires that you make an annual payment, which means you would need to pay 12 months in advance. Whereas a dedicated hosting plan can be purchased with only one month paid for. So although a dedicated hosting plan costs roughly $100 more per month than a shared hosting plan, this is somewhat deceptive because you can get started with a dedicated hosting plan for only about $30 to $50 more.

Features and Functionality

The two most important aspects of an eCommerce web hosting plan are the features and functionality. The more powerful the web server is, the more functions it will be able to perform. Regardless of the hosting provider, a shared web server will never outperform a dedicated server. More tools, scripts and traffic can run through the worst dedicated server than can run through the best shared server. When it comes to performance, features and overall functionality there is no contest between dedicated servers and shared servers. ECommerce sites need shopping carts, product catalogs, SSL certificates and they need the ability to deal with traffic surges. Unfortunately shared hosting simply cannot provide these things effectively.

Support and Security

In the world of eCommerce sensitive data is transferred on a daily basis, every time a transaction is made. If this information is compromised it could be disastrous for the business owner and the customer. To prevent this from happening you should only use hosting services that are highly secure and reliable. Dedicated servers offer superb control and security that is unparalleled in the hosting industry. The support provided with a fully managed dedicated hosting plan is unmatched, and you even have full control over how the server is configured.

Recommendations

Any serious online business owner should set their goal towards purchasing a dedicated hosting plan in the near future. If you’re to succeed in eCommerce then there will come a time when your site will inevitably outgrow a shared hosting account. At that point your site performance will begin to suffer greatly before switching to a more comprehensive plan such as dedicated hosting. To save yourself this trouble, it may be best to consider purchasing a dedicated hosting plan from the beginning.

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