Small Business Ecommerce Hosting

A great idea turns into money with small business ecommerce hosting. The internet has made it possible for almost anyone with a computer, an internet connection, and an idea to set up an online store with the possibility of reaching a world of potential customers. Even a person on the skinniest shoestring budget can locate cheap ecommerce web hosting resources for setting up shop. The first step, though, in transforming that terrific idea into a regular payday requires the low tech tools of a sheet of paper and a pen or a pencil. Writing the idea down on paper helps to clarify the exact product or service that the new business plans to provide to the marketplace. This is the time and place to scribble out plans, brainstorm promotional ideas, and figure out what steps need to be taken for a successful first-day launch. All these notes, drawings, and lists can form the basis for a simple business plan with this spiritual foundation: "Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways. For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee" (Psalm 128:1-2).

One of the most important decisions will be naming the business. The vast popularity of the internet that makes an online store so appealing also makes it difficult to find a suitable domain name that hasn't already been snapped up by someone else. A good name will be easy for customers to remember and to spell. The entrepreneur can check out the availability of final name choices by going to the website of a large domain name registrar. This aspect of opening an online store can take some time, but it's a process that should not be rushed. Both the name of the business, and the website name if it will be something different, need to be carefully selected because, hopefully, they will be used for a long time. In time, the name and website will become associated with the specific product or service being offered. That connection should be a positive one so that first time visitors to the website become repeat customers who also refer friends to the online store.

Once a domain name is chosen, the entrepreneur is ready to register the choice and select a small business ecommerce hosting vendor. The registrar handling the domain name registration will likely offer additional services, including web hosting and design. While purchasing these services from the registrar offers the convenience of one-stop shopping, other options should be considered. To meet the growing needs of online entrepreneurs, an entire industry has mushroomed of cheap ecommerce web hosting businesses that are eager to help new business owners set up online stores. Some vendors provide free hosting, but, as everyone knows, there is no such thing as a free lunch. The downfall of this option is the number of advertisements that will appear on the store's website. In addition, the resources in terms of storage space and bandwidth will probably be minimal. Few entrepreneurs, even those operating on an extremely tiny budget, will seriously consider this type of service. Enough cheap ecommerce web hosting businesses exist that the budget-strapped entrepreneur can find to accommodate the store's needs.

In the standard type of service offered by most small business ecommerce hosting vendors, the entrepreneur will pay a specified fee for a set amount of allocated space on a shared virtual private server network. This can be a great option both for small businesses and for individuals who are establishing a personal website, perhaps to promote interest in a particular hobby or on behalf of a nonprofit organization. The fee may vary depending on how much space the online store requires to effectively interact with customers. Before signing up with a virtual private server, the new business owner should ask questions about any extra charges, for example, if the bandwidth allotment is exceeded because of an unexpected increase in daily traffic. The owner will also need to make sure that the network's operating system is compatible with the software applications that the owner will be using to run the store.

Entrepreneurs with bigger budgets and more grandiose plans may want to consider the services provided by a dedicated server network. Though it may cost more, the entrepreneur will have certain advantages over other options, such as root access and increased control over the management and administration of the website. With colocation, the owner buys the needed hardware, but rents space and a high speed internet connection from a data center facility. This is usually the most expensive option, but also provides the most control over one's own website. However, a new business owner who would rather concentrate her attention on the business instead of hardware and software administration may wish to leave such control to the professionals. These are factors that need to be considered when selecting a small business ecommerce hosting vendor.

For most people who start out with a great idea, a sensible plan, and tons of energy but a small budget, such options as dedicated servers and colocation are neither wise nor necessary. The needed services to launch a new store are offered by many cheap ecommerce web hosting vendors. Once the novice owner understands the software and hardware requirements for the online shop, she will be able to evaluate the specific services and select the right vendor for her start-up. Several factors need to be considered, including the design of the website. The vendor may have a site-builder program that includes templates as part of a package price while offering customized design for an additional fee. Other factors include such elements as the vendor's reliability in providing technical support and how easy it will be for visitors to make purchases. The check-out and shopping cart procedures should be simple and straightforward. The owner definitely needs to choose a vendor that offers an SSL (secure socket layer) certificate. This application encrypts sensitive financial information which increases consumer confidence when making online purchases. Once the small business ecommerce hosting vendor is selected, the process of transforming an idea to an money-making venture is a reality. Go forth and sell!



Ten years and counting | Dev release: 0.2.153.1 | What would you ask Senators McCain and Obama? | Announcing the Android 1.0 SDK, release 1 | Opening the door to geospatial data | Developer Day London videos and presentations now online | Always Be Testing Webinar on Monday

Add to: File Insurance Business article Teen Photo Images