Are you wondering which web hosting package is best for launching an e-commerce site? The sheer amount of hosting products can be dizzying at first glance. So how can you thin out the clutter without thinking yourself into a headache?
In this article, we’ll explore…
What Kind Of Builder Do I Need For An Online Store?
When it comes to launching an online store, there are a lot of tools that let you jump right in and start plugging away. You can drag in layouts, add images and text, change colors, and track your data. All-in-one tools like Shopify let you create a site and even launch a blog and other content-related services. However, the all-in-one builders are hosted by the provider, so you don’t own the code of your site. And if you need to custom modifications (common for larger e-commerce sites) you will have to fork over extra cash.
This is why self-hosted solutions are (almost) always going to be a better investment. But what is the difference between hosted and self-hosted? It’s not as complicated as it may seem. Hosting is basically where the files of your website are stored so they can be reached through the web.
| Type of hosting | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Self-hosting | Fixed costs, relatively inexpensive, can be expanded as needed, you own your site data | Installing your site manually |
| Third-party hosted | Simple sign-up, quick launch | No ownership of site, expensive addons, professional customizations limited |
A self-hosted site can start out small on relatively inexpensive hosting packages and scale up as your business needs grow. And when it comes to building your site, most hosts will provide you a builder solution. For example, our hosting accounts give you the option to automatically install BoldGrid, a drag and drop website builder.
Picking a Hosting Package
Ideally, it’s best to pair a hosting plan with the type of e-commerce application you’ll be using. For some, this might be difficult to know in advance.
WordPress E-commerce Tools
For most users, we recommend building your site on the WordPress platform because it’s definitely the easiest to use and offers the best customization options down the road. If you ever need help with your site you’ll find a vast community and both intermediate and professional users close by.
And, WordPress has its own e-commerce plugin called WooCommerce, which you can easily install and have an online store up in a few minutes.
Because WordPress is so popular and easy to use, we have special WordPress hosting packages available to give you the best possible WordPress experience.
Pairing WooCommerce with WordPress hosting provides an ideal relationship between the type of website and the type of hosting.
Other Tools
While WordPress is certainly ideal for do-it-yourselfers, there are virtually unlimited options for hosting other kinds of applications. For many users, having a developer create a custom website is still a powerful alternative to popular content management systems (CMSs).
All of our hosting packages come with industry-leading technologies pre-installed:
- Linux
- Apache
- MySQL
- PHP
And all of these can be customized to meet the needs of your unique application.
With the Business Class hosting plans, you get all the tools you’ll need to host a powerful, dynamic website. But that’s only the beginning. You may find over time that you need more advanced customization options. That’s where you’ll make the jump to VPS (virtual private server) hosting. VPS is like having your own dedicated server but for a much more affordable price.
Basically, no matter what kind of site you want to build there’s a hosting package for you.
Take your business to the next level! Meet your customers online with InMotion’s Shared Hosting solutions.