Riding the eCommerce Web Hosting Wave
By George Di Falco

Web hosting providers continue to see a steady influx of customers looking to sell online. This incoming wave of eCommerce seekers represents a more wide-ranging clientele, with wide-ranging needs. A couple of hosting insiders reveal the current state of eCommerce Web hosting and what it takes to ensure that these online shops thrive.

Don McLeman, Vice President of Operations for Apollo Hosting, recognizes this rising demand and says his company has already seen a 20% increase in eCommerce driven plans this year alone.

"eCommerce is the future, there seems to be no doubt about that. That means a lot of neophytes will be entering the fray," McLeman said. "Challenges will be staying ahead not just of the emergent technology in the field, but meeting the needs of the growing influx of new customers."

Recent numbers by Jupitermedia, a leading provider of IT-related information and statistics, reflects McLeman's outlook. According to the research, online retail spending will increase from $81 billion in 2005 to $95 billion in 2006, and will grow to $144 billion in 2010. The report also reveals another staggering projection: the Internet will influence nearly half of total retail sales in 2010, compared to just 27% in 2005.

Monish Sood of HostMySite.com, a leading source for eCommerce hosting, says his company has already seen a 4 to 6% increase in eCommerce sign-ups since 4th quarter 2005. Sood explained that these new customers demand a more customizable way of setting up their shops.

"We used to have an all-in-one, complete eCommerce plan for customers," Sood said. "Now, so many types of customers want to sell online... They range a lot in technical needs and other needs, so we found we had to be more flexible, more versatile in our eCommerce offers."

HostMySite professes "Ultimate flexibility" allowing customers to add a shopping cart to any plan and to layer on additional services from there. When it comes to the security of online transactions, the company recognizes differing needs among customers. They offer various levels of SSL certification (Secure Sockets Layer), which protects transmissions online and is vital to any eCommerce solution. Shared SSL goes into every plan, but for the utmost security, HostMySite offers dedicated SSL. Sood says customers appreciate this range of choices and thinks customers should look for those options when shopping for an eCommerce solution.

McLeman of Apollo also thinks options are important, especially when it comes to storage and data transfer. According to the product catalogue of an online shop, a customer's site can vary greatly because of the size of the shopping cart program. "ECommerce customers need more of the basics to start with... By the nature of their sites, they have more "overhead" in terms of a shopping cart program, whether its osCommerce or MIVA Merchant, it takes up space."

When it comes to the shopping cart program - the backbone of any online shop - Apollo supports the most trusted vendors in the industry, such as MIVA, GeoTrust and E-Commerce Exchange. He says customers should make sure Web hosts maintain TrustKeeper certification, which means a company meets the standards of all credit card companies.

But because incoming business owners can range so much in technical know-how and abilities, Web hosts need to go beyond simply offering the best shopping carts. McLeman says a hosting provider should back their eCommerce solution with the highest level of customer support. "All the tools in the world don't help if you can't get someone live to talk to you," he said. Having experts on-hand 24/7, ready to talk live, is essential to keeping an online shop going.

Sood of HostMySite also agrees customer support should be completely in-tune with all aspects of the shopping cart software offered. After all, it's the lifeblood of any online business and customers appreciate that kind of familiarity, he said.

"Many eCommerce customers coming in don't have any idea of the layers and steps needed to get a store online, so usually it's an educational process, but one we can handle," Sood said. "Our technicians are so well equipped at handling calls on the shopping carts, we can answer questions immediately 9 out of 10 times. We support not just the first level but advanced levels of MIVA Merchant."

Now to summarize how Web hosts are meeting the challenges of an ever-growing eCommerce industry, and what to look for in a solid eCommerce solution:

- Flexibility, whether it's having everything for your online shop in an all-in-one solution, or to be free to layer additional tools and resources, as needed

- Web hosts should offer a range of choices, because each online shop can differ greatly. Look for options in security, storage and data transfer

- Live Customer Support, able to handle any question from all types of customers, instantly, 24/7

- Not only customer support, but complete expertise with the shopping cart chosen for your site. It's the backbone of your shop so your Web host needs to have the answers ready

About the Author

George Di Falco is contriburing editor for TopHosts.Com. He monitors the Web hosting industry and reports on a variety of technology related news. He also has numerous pieces published on business, marketing, the evnironment, and Canadian legislation.