Website Hosting UK E-Commerce Features

Many people start their own Web sites to share their writing or artwork with friends and family. Others start their sites to share information with people that have similar interests. For these types of Web sites, a very basic Web hosting package is sufficient. However, many companies use the World Wide Web to do business each and every day. E-commerce sites allow products and services to be sold to customers all over the world and require many more features than traditional informational sites. When you are choosing a Website hosting UK provider, you need to be aware of the e-commerce features you need so you can be sure to get the hosting package that will best support your business.

Content Management

Without an easy content management interface, adding new products or changing existing product descriptions to your site would be a nightmare. Content management systems allow you to quickly upload product descriptions, pictures, and pricing information and immediately publish the information to your site. Ask each Web hosting provider you are considering if they have any packages that include content management capabilities.

Credit Card Processing

Doing business online is possible because people can use their credit cards to make purchases. If you are going to accept credit cards on your site, you will need to make sure that your Website hosting UK provider offers a package that included the ability to process merchant transactions. This will allow you to accept payment methods such as Visa, MasterCard, and American Express. Being able to accept credit cards will make it possible to make sales to customers all over the world instead of limiting your customer base to only those who have Paypal or other electronic accounts.

Shopping Cart Functionality

If you are selling more than one product or service from your site, you need to have shopping cart functionality. Having a shopping cart on your site allows customers to select several products and automatically calculates the total cost of those products. You can also set your shopping cart to automatically calculate sales tax, shipping charges, and the grand total of each customer's order. Having this functionality will make it easier to sell products and services without having to spend a lot of time manually calculating each order. Having a shopping cart will also make your site appear more professional and credible to those who are buying from you.

Secure Socket Layer (SSL)

If you plan on making business transactions and accepting credit cards through your Web site, you will need to make sure that your Web host offers SSL. The secure socket layer encrypts sensitive information so that your customers are protected when sharing their credit card numbers and personal information with you. If you do not have SSL on your site, savvy customers may decide to buy from a business that protects their information with SSL. This can mean lost sales and reduced profits for your online business.

Keep these considerations in mind when shopping for an e-commerce Web host and you will be able to build an e-commerce site that helps you conduct business transactions easily and without problems.