The world is changing fast, thanks to advancements being made in the internet world. Most of the things that used to be done manually are now digital. one thing that is fully embracing the use of the internet is the commerce sector. E-commerce, also referred to as electronic commerce, is a business model that allows individuals and organizations to sell and purchase goods over the internet. All a person will need is the internet and an electronic device such as a phone, tablet, or computer to be a success.
E-commerce has proved to be a lucrative sector for both buyers and sellers. For buyers, it is a convenient way of shopping. Very minimal movements are involved and so a preferred mode of shopping. Many shoppers have now opted to conduct their deals online. According to research conducted by Statista, there are over 2 billion online shoppers today. The trend has seen more and more E-merchants flood the eCommerce industry. Brace yourself even for more eCommerce traders.
Starting an eCommerce shop could be a lucrative yet challenging idea. Most eCommerce enthusiasts get caught up in the whirlwind process of coming up with an eCommerce website, creating attractive product photos, product descriptions, videos, and marketing the business to gain customers. In the process, most of them overlook an essential aspect that, if not taken carefully, could bring the entire business to a halt in just a second.
Website security is what I am talking about. As I have already mentioned, the eCommerce website is a lucrative haven where vast amounts of money lie. Where there is money, cybercriminals will be there in plenty trying to layout traps that will give access to these funds. Just because you are not building a physical shop (the brick-and-mortar kind) does not mean that you should overlook the proper security measures that will protect your business and your clients.
There are several cybersecurity measures that you should install to protect your business and your clients from the problem of cyber insecurities. Any experienced cybersecurity expert will tell you that cybersecurity to your eCommerce store starts with having an SSL certificate. SSL certificates are a critical companion to the security of every website. As the great entrepreneur that you aim to be, you must understand the whole concept of SSL certificates and know some of the benefits you will get when installing the certificate on your eCommerce website. Let us now understand the meaning of an SSL certificate.
What Is an SSL Certificate?
SSL is an abbreviation that stands for Secure Socket Layer. It is a cryptographic protocol that ensures a safe connection between website servers and website visitors. Does it still sound more technical? Just think of an SSL certificate as a guardian angel that watches over your data and that of your customers, making sure that no intruder can access it. All the information shared between the website servers and the website visitors is coded, making it difficult for intruders to access or even decipher its meaning.
Required SSL Certificate?
Before you answer that question, you should perhaps figure out the answers to these two questions; Do you need to put on a mask while in crowded places during this Covid-19 pandemic? Do you need to put on a safety belt when you are inside a moving vehicle? I am sure you gave a YES to the two questions. Give a third YES to the question of whether you need an SSL certificate.
Protection of Personal Data
The first reason why you need an SSL certificate is to protect personal information. As an E-merchant, you will need to gather vital information to help with your roles’ proper execution. You will need to collect personal information from your customers, such as their debit card and credit card details, addresses, and other vital information. This information is vital, and they need to be safeguarded at all costs. No intruder or a third party should be able to access the information. To ensure that it remains safe and inaccessible, you will need to have an SSL certificate.
SSL Certificates Help to Strengthen a Good Reputation
Before someone finally chooses to go into any form of transaction with you, the client will need to make sure that you are legitimate and trustworthy. Trust is a significant success indicator, and it is your responsibility to ensure that you gain your clients’ trust. Clients will be looking out for some of the trust indicators before they go into any form of transaction with you. The presence of an SSL certificate is one of the indicators of trust. It gives a website visitor an added reason to trust your website and your business at large and believe your credibility. In the process, you get to enhance your credibility and also your reputation. You can only imagine what a good reputation could do to your business. You get to harness a broad customer base and increase your revenues in the long run.
SSL Certificates is a Perfect Defense Against Cyber Attackers and Intruders
No e-merchant will want an intruder to break into his website and steal his data and that of his customers. As I already mentioned, eCommerce websites have become so popular, and so has website intruders’ proliferation. For this reason, you need an SSL certificate to help prevent intrusions. All components of your website should have a certificate. Before you go into a panic, let me bring to your attention a special kind of SSL certificate referred to as the Wildcard SSL certificate. With it, you do not have to buy a certificate for each of your subdomains. All you will need is a single Wildcard SSL certificate, and you will be able to protect an unlimited number of subdomains.
SSL Certificate Helps to Increase Conversion Rates
In the E-commerce industry, it is crucial not just to make sure that your website traffic rises but also to ensure that your conversion rates increase. Using an SSL certificate, your customers will remain without worrying about the site’s security, making it more likely that the customers will buy from you or sign up to your website. With increased conversion rates, sales increase, and so do the revenues. SSL is a significant contributor to rising conversion rates.
Getting an SSL Certificate
Certificate authorities offer SSL certificates. You will need to have a certificate for all your subdomain. As I already mentioned, you do not need a certificate for every subdomain; you need a single Wildcard SSL certificate. You should also consider the GlobalSign AlphaSSL Wildcard certificate, which comes with several benefits, including rapid issuance, 256-bit encryption, and a clickable site seal. Buying an SSL certificate is even more comfortable with the cheap SSL coupon code. A buyer is bound to have several discounts and cheap SSL certificates starting from as low as $4 per year.
Conclusion
Before you rush into starting an E-commerce business, you should pay keen attention to some critical aspects such as security. Failure to do that, then you might sink to your knees. That said, you should check out some of the vital practices that you should do to ensure that you are safe. Having an SSL certificate is a good measure which you should prioritize. This article talks extensively about the importance of an SSL certificate to every e-merchant. By the time you are done reading, I am sure you will not choose but install one.
