In choosing an e-commerce platform, which should you consider, fully hosted or self-hosted? Well, it depends on how you want to run your business or what your business needs. Read on to learn more.
Choosing an E-commerce Platform: Fully hosted vs. Self Hosted
1. Self Hosted
Self Hosted You get to have full control over your online store. You also get to learn how to operate an e-commerce site. It can be a great opportunity for you to learn new things about the online business world.
You don’t need to pay anyone for hosting purposes. You only need to pay your service provider and the tools that you use.
2. Fully Hosted
You don’t have to worry about hosting because it’s already taken care of by the platform you are using. So you just need to focus on building your business and running it by using the tools provided by the platform.
It’s easy for you as a beginner because you don’t have to worry about anything that involves technical issues since everything is taken care of by the provider.
Comparing Self-Hosted vs. Fully Hosted: Advantages of Fully-hosted Platforms
There are also many benefits when working with a fully hosted platform, here are some:
No Limits
When it comes to self-hosted sites, there are limitations when it comes to running the site. When you use a fully hosted e-commerce platform, you can run any type of business that you want.
Easy Navigation
When it comes to self-hosted sites, people often find it hard to navigate through the pages and also find what they’re looking for. On the other hand, fully hosted sites are easy to navigate through and people can easily find what they’re looking for in no time.
Free Technical Support
Unlike self-hosted sites, if your website is being managed by a fully hosted site, then there are technical support teams that will assist you with any problems or issues that may arise while using their services.
Cost-Effective
The cost of operating or owning an e-commerce site is expensive if you decide to host it on your server. But if you choose a fully hosted platform, then there would be no additional fees aside from the monthly subscription fee that you were charged by your service provider.
Drawbacks of Self Hosted Platforms
There are also several drawbacks if you decide on running a self-hosted website such as these:
High Initial Setup Costs
When setting up a website on your server, there are certain costs that you need to take into consideration such as domain name, web hosting plan and other stuff that may add up and cost too much money in the long run. If it gets too much for your budget, then maybe this option is not for you or if you want better results without having to invest too much money, then a fully-hosted platform is a good option to consider.
Needs Technical Skills
Running an e-commerce website on your server requires you to have certain technical skills on how to run one. This means that you need to learn about different technologies and also understand how they work so that you can get the most out of your site. However, if you do not have the necessary skills or knowledge, then you might end up spending too much money and time fixing technical problems that can occur from having an unprofessional setup.
Conclusion: Choosing an E-commerce Platform
If you are a beginner and you want to learn how to run an e-commerce site, then you should consider using a fully hosted platform. If you are an experienced e-commerce owner and you want to run your site, then you should consider using a self-hosted platform.