Key facts
- Online shops need HTTPS on every page, which free Let's Encrypt SSL provides.
- Using a hosted payment page or payment provider integration can reduce your PCI DSS scope.
- Shop software such as WooCommerce, PrestaShop, OpenCart and Magento needs specific PHP versions and extensions.
- Orders are stored in the database, so daily database backups matter for any shop.
- Redis object caching can help busy WooCommerce and Magento shops.
- Cron jobs handle tasks such as stock syncs, feeds and abandoned cart emails.
- dijitul Complete Hosting costs £1 a day + VAT; large or high-traffic shops are quoted.
What makes ecommerce hosting different
An online shop is more demanding than a brochure site. Every basket, checkout and order hits the database, and pages cannot be fully cached once a customer has items in their basket. A shop also handles personal data and payments, so security and backups matter more.
The best ecommerce hosting is not the one with the biggest numbers. It is the one that matches your shop software, keeps it secure and backed up, and gets you help quickly when an order goes wrong.
Technical checklist for shop hosting
- The right PHP version for your shop software, selectable per domain, with OPcache on.
- PHP extensions such as mysqli, pdo_mysql, gd or imagick, intl, mbstring, curl, zip and soap. Some modules also need ionCube Loader.
- Sensible php.ini limits, especially memory_limit and max_execution_time for imports and admin tasks.
- MySQL or MariaDB with phpMyAdmin access.
- Cron jobs for stock syncs, product feeds, order emails and abandoned cart reminders.
- Redis for object caching on busier WooCommerce or Magento stores.
- Free SSL on every page, renewed automatically.
- Daily backups of files and database, with restores included.
Matching hosting to your shop software
| Shop software | Typical hosting fit |
|---|---|
| WooCommerce | Managed hosting; add Redis for busy stores |
| PrestaShop | Managed hosting with intl, zip and gd |
| OpenCart | Managed hosting; older versions may need older PHP |
| CubeCart | Managed hosting, often with ionCube for extensions |
| Magento | Small stores on managed hosting; larger stores on a VPS or dedicated server |
Older shops on software like Zen Cart or osCommerce often need older PHP, which needs a host willing to support legacy sites where safely possible.
Security and payments
Most small UK shops take card payments through a payment provider's hosted page or integration, so card numbers never touch your server. This keeps your PCI DSS scope much smaller. Even so, a shop holds names, addresses and order history, so UK GDPR applies.
- Keep the shop software, plugins and modules updated.
- Use strong, unique admin passwords and two-factor login where available.
- Remove old admin accounts and unused extensions.
- Make sure the server itself is patched and monitored.
- Keep daily backups so a bad update or hack can be rolled back.
See website security for more.
Speed, peaks and moving a live shop
Shop speed affects sales. Product images, heavy themes and too many add-ons are the usual causes of slow shops, so fix those first. See why a website is slow.
Plan for busy periods such as Black Friday or Christmas. If traffic spikes far above normal, talk to your host before the sale, not during it.
When moving a live shop to a new host:
- Copy the shop to the new server and test it on a temporary address.
- Lower the DNS TTL a day before.
- Pause orders briefly, take a final database copy and switch DNS.
- Test a real order, payment and confirmation email straight away.
Our guide on moving a website without downtime covers this in more detail.
How dijitul hosts online shops
Most small and medium UK shops fit dijitul Complete Hosting at £1 a day + VAT. It includes managed hosting, a Plesk login with selectable PHP versions, 10 POP3/IMAP email accounts, Cloudflare DNS, daily backups kept for 14 days, free SSL, one domain a year, and migration of your shop done for you. Older shops are welcome.
Busy stores, large Magento catalogues and seasonal traffic peaks are quoted through high-traffic hosting, managed VPS or dedicated servers. Start at ecommerce hosting, or order online.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need special hosting for an online shop?
You need hosting that suits shop software, not necessarily a special product. Check it supports your software's PHP version and extensions, runs cron jobs, includes free SSL and daily backups, and keeps the server patched. Managed hosting is usually the best fit for a small shop without a technical person on staff.
Is shared hosting good enough for WooCommerce?
For a small WooCommerce shop with modest traffic, good managed hosting is usually enough, provided it runs a current PHP version with OPcache and has sensible memory limits. Busy stores with many products, frequent orders or large promotions may need Redis caching, more resources or a VPS. Measure performance at your busiest times.
Does my web host need to be PCI compliant?
If customers pay through a payment provider's hosted page or integration, card data does not touch your server, which greatly reduces what PCI DSS asks of you and your host. You still have to keep the shop secure and complete the relevant self-assessment questionnaire. Ask your payment provider which one applies.
How often should an online shop be backed up?
At least daily, because every order, customer account and stock change lives in the database. Busy shops may want more frequent database backups during peak periods. Always take a fresh backup before updating the shop software, plugins or PHP version, and test that restores actually work on a staging copy.
Can dijitul host my online shop?
Yes. dijitul Complete Hosting suits most WooCommerce, PrestaShop, OpenCart, CubeCart and smaller Magento shops at £1 a day + VAT, including managed hosting, daily backups, free SSL, Cloudflare DNS and migration. Older shops are welcome. High-traffic stores and large Magento sites are quoted on a managed VPS or dedicated server.
Related
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