Is Shared Hosting Good for Ecommerce?

Shared hosting offers an affordable yet reliable solution for eCommerce sites, balancing cost-effectiveness with high performance.

Providers of shared hosting manage server resources, guaranteeing consistent website functionality.

This makes it an attractive option for launching an eCommerce store that demands quick loading times and steady performance.

Shared hosting is a service where multiple websites use the same server and its resources. This allows the server to host and manage several websites simultaneously.

Check out our blog to learn more about how shared hosting works, and its advantages and disadvantages.

• Small Businesses: Ideal for under 50 employees. The owner manages the site; the host handles the rest.

• Mid-Size Companies: Suitable for daily traffic up to 30,000 visitors. Hosting plans specify visitor traffic limits, fitting for growing businesses.

• Personal Websites & Bloggers: Perfect for those who need less resources and technical maintenance than a dedicated server offers.

• Backend Control: You won't manage servers; shared hosting is managed, ideal unless you're tech-savvy and prefer self-management.

• Limited Storage: Expect less storage due to shared resources.

• eCommerce Size: Not suited for large businesses or rapid growth. Consider dedicated hosting for 250+ employees or if you need extensive resources.

Affordable

• Shared hosting is highly affordable, typically costing just a few dollars per month.
• Hosting costs are shared among users, making it more economical for everyone.
• It's an excellent choice for budget-conscious eCommerce businesses, freeing up funds to focus on growth.

Secure

• You can trust the robust security measures of reputable eCommerce hosting providers.
• Shared resources in eCommerce hosting don't mean compromised website security.

At Verpex, we provide a free SSL certificate to protect your eCommerce user data from leaks.

User-friendly/no technical skills required

Shared hosting offers affordability and ease of use. Providers typically include a control panel for simple website management, making it ideal for users without technical skills.

Shared hosting works well for basic sites with fewer visitors.

As your site grows and adds complex features like scripts and databases, it may struggle to support many users due to shared resources.

Expanding, especially for an eCommerce website with heavy backend processing, will likely require more server resources.

In shared hosting, bandwidth, disk space, and CPU are shared across users on one server.

Knowing how these are divided and what's considered fair usage is key to a smooth-running eCommerce website.

Here's the essentials:

• Resource Allocation Basics: Shared hosting divides server resources (CPU, memory, disk space, bandwidth) among websites. Providers manage this to ensure each site gets needed resources.

• Understanding 'Unlimited' Plans: 'Unlimited' hosting plans are often subject to fair usage policies. 'Unlimited' means reasonable use for average websites. Excessive resource use might prompt an upgrade request or usage limit.

• Fair Usage Policies (FUP): FUPs prevent one website from using too many server resources, ensuring fair performance for all. Providers' FUP guidelines vary and might restrict resource usage.

• Monitoring Your Usage: Regularly check your website's resource use with your host's tools. This helps understand your needs, spot usage spikes, and decide on resource scaling or site optimization.

• Optimization for Efficient Usage: Make your site more resource-efficient by optimizing images, using caching, and streamlining code. This helps stay within FUP limits and maintain performance.

• Communicate with Your Host: If unclear about resource allocation and FUP, talk to your hosting provider for insights and effective usage management.

Customizing your hosting to fit your is crucial to boosting performance, security, and user experience.

Here’s how to go about this:

Identify Your Needs

Evaluate your e-commerce needs, including traffic, product types, and growth, to choose the right resources like bandwidth and storage.

Scaling Resources Accordingly

Pick a scalable shared eCommerce hosting solution with flexible options for RAM, storage, and bandwidth to accommodate your site's growth and traffic increases.

Prioritize Security Enhancements

Prioritize security with a web hosting service that offers SSL certificates, malware scans, firewalls, automated backups, and DDoS protection to protect data and customer information.

Optimize for Speed and Performance

Target superior customer engagement and site speed. Consider including caching, CDN access, and the latest PHP in your hosting plan for quicker load times.

Prioritize Reliable Customer Support

Choose a hosting plan with 24/7 customer support and multiple contact methods to quickly resolve issues, minimize downtime, and keep your site running.

Integrate E-Commerce Tools and Applications

Ensure your hosting plan allows easy integration with key e-commerce tools and applications(shopping carts, payment gateways, etc) for a seamless and efficient shopping experience.

You can launch your eCommerce business effectively with shared hosting.

It's a budget-friendly solution where costs are shared, making it ideal for newcomers without high traffic expectations.

However, as your business expands, you might outgrow shared hosting and need to consider other options.