Nowadays, consumer trust in online businesses is at an all time high worldwide. From Korea to the UK, from Japan to the US people are shopping online for everything from luxury items to groceries. This is partly due to improved online security measures and fraud prevention tactics, as well as heightened consumer awareness.
The worst thing you can do for your customers is give them an ecommerce website with terrible and faulty security. It is also one of the worst things you can do for your business. This can open your site up to a variety of crimes that include online fraud, identity theft, credit card theft and more. If your site is traced as the source of the information leak, this can damage your ecommerce business beyond repair. In fact, losing consumer confidence can cause your business to go bankrupt.
Avoid this by improving your ecommerce website's security. Increased security improves buyer confidence and propels them towards buying, because they know their information is safe.
Invest in a PayPal Merchant Account
Sign up for a PayPal Merchant Account -- it is a free service with over 110 million active users. PayPal's stellar security and easy-to-use payment system make it the go-to choice for many ecommerce sites. Merchants link to PayPal because they guarantee complex encryption, site security and they accept mobile and online payments. PayPal can also help you increase your business -- especially if you already work with credit or debit card merchants and banks.
PayPal is also a great option if you are hesitant about SSL certificates, or do not have the budget for it. You can also check out other payment gateway services that best fit your needs.
Secure Socket Layer Encryption
SSL protects your customer's data by encrypting it, therefore making it harder for hackers to steal data from your site. SSL protects the transmissions between your website's server and the merchant or bank server. Many browsers have some form of SSL detection that reads a website and then informs the user whether or not the site is under SSL protection. This means that many consumers are aware, and even actively look for the SSL certificate before they make a purchase.
Ensure your website's security and increase your customer's confidence by investing in an SSL certificate. These are often provided at budget-friendly prices and subscription packages by providers. Your professional web development team will often work with or provide this type of encryption.
Software Updates
Ecommerce sites can become vulnerable to Internet spyware or hacker attackers if the web developer or site owner forgets to update the site software. This is very important if you choose to use a software platform. Make sure you always download and install any patches or updates. Do not wait! Many updates, for example, fix known vulnerabilities or issues. This will also ensure a better user experience for your customers.
As the owner of an ecommerce website, it is also your responsibility to protect your user's information at all costs. Invest in the best virus protection and keep your website's information secure with up-to-date firewalls and web protocols.
Hosting
If you are switching to a commercial web hosting solution, make sure that the company guarantees safety and security for your website and that they are aware of any known vulnerabilities. Consider creating different website backups that are hosted on alternate servers in the event that your site is compromised so you can restore service as soon as possible.
If you host your website on a free platform, take time to review the hosting service's agreements and terms of service so you are aware of what the platform is or is not capable of.
Increase User Security
Best practices like encouraging users to pick difficult passwords when they sign up, strict log-in policies and securing their accounts can also help encourage buyer confidence in your site. Send them occasional reminders about site policies and security, such as your reset password procedure or reminders that you will never ask for their passwords.
If you prefer not to use subscriptions, make sure that your current site security is easily accessible. If necessary, create a separate page detailing all your security measures so your customers can read them at their leisure.
These simple fixes can help you increase your site's security and put your customers minds at ease, so they can focus less on security and more on what they came to your site for -- shopping.
