Online Shop Hosting Provider Comparison UK

More and more people are choosing to do their shopping conveniently from home. It is natural that retailers want to offer their products online. Large companies have already recognized this, whether it's mail-order companies like Otto, department stores like Karstadt, supermarket chains like Lidl, or online shopping portals like Amazon. They all successfully offer their products online.

Anyone with a retail store can also use an online shop to explore additional distribution channels and ultimately attract new customers. Especially for newly established businesses, entering the online market is relatively inexpensive and carries fewer risks. To set up an online shop, special offers like those from our Hosting Provider Comparison can be used. These Application Hosting packages provide all the technical requirements you need to operate the shop. Through an online shop, you can showcase your products and services, as well as handle the entire ordering and purchasing process.

Advantages of an Online Shop

• No costs for business premises
• Saving on rent or purchasing a store.
• Lower costs for personnel
• No sales staff needed, just someone to manage the shop technically.
• No fixed opening hours
• The offering is accessible 24/7. Selling goods continuously possible.
• No local restrictions
• The offering is accessible to every potential customer worldwide.
• Extensive analysis options
• Purchasing behavior in the shop can be evaluated based on statistics.
• Ability to cater to customers
• Through online marketing measures, customers can be presented with exactly what interests them.
• Easy to start
• Only minimal investments are required, especially for startups.

Online Shop Hosting Providers

When it comes to online store hosting, we refer to web space and hosting services that are specifically tailored to online shop applications. These packages typically need to support specific scripting languages, include databases, provide sufficient storage space, and offer enough performance to handle multiple visitors on the shop simultaneously. It is not uncommon for the web host to provide the customer with the appropriate shop software pre-installed on their online shop hosting account. The shop hosting provider usually takes care of the complete server technical administration and management for the customer and is available for technical support regarding the hosting. This is why using shop hosting services from our comparison is particularly popular among smaller retailers, as it allows the business owner to focus on presenting and selling their products without having to deal with the technical aspects of server administration. Shop owners should pay close attention to the quality of the hosting provider they choose. Opting for cheap hosting may sometimes lack sufficient performance or may not offer SSL certificates to ensure secure shopping for customers. It is advisable to consider high-quality business hosting services or specialized shop hosting offers instead.

Types of Shop Hosting

Depending on personal knowledge and the functionality of the software being used, customers of the shop hosting providers in our comparison have numerous options to configure their shop individually and personalize their online presence. Shop hosting can generally be divided into two main types. Some providers offer customers a kind of modular system that allows them to set up an online shop. Others rely on professional software applications for shop hosting.

Shop Hosting with Modular System

Shop Hosting offers with a website builder system are primarily aimed at beginners in the field. Similar to a regular website builder, the user can choose from a range of templates to design the online shop. This process is usually quick and does not require a long learning curve or special programming skills. After adding the products offered, the operation of the online shop can start immediately. However, website builder systems have both advantages and disadvantages. While they offer simple design options, they lack in functionality. Special features such as integrating various payment options and desired customizations cannot be implemented with these systems. Moreover, in terms of legal compliance regarding terms and conditions, returns, pricing, and the like, website builder systems often struggle. For beginners or hobby projects, Shop Hosting with a website builder system provides a good entry point. However, for those seeking a professional online shop, opting for Shop Hosting with professional shop applications is essential.

Shop Hosting with professional shop applications

Most Shop Hosting providers in our comparison offer professional shop software. The web hosting packages provided are tailored to the needs of the chosen application, ensuring smooth operation. Due to the increasing demand, countless shop applications are now available. Here are some of the most well-known ones:

• Shop Hosting: Magento
• The shop software Magento has been available since 2008 and is now developed and distributed by Adobe. There is a free open-source version as well as paid versions that include customer support. Magento uses the PHP-based Zend Framework and MySQL databases. Magento shop hosting is the most widely used online shop application worldwide.
• Shop Hosting: OXID eShop
• OXID eShop has been available as an open-source application since 2008. Developed by the German company OXID eSales AG in Freiburg, this shop is based on the PHP 5.2 scripting language and is divided into individual modules. There are paid versions with support and maintenance contracts, as well as a free community edition. OXID eShop hosting offers excellent scalability options due to its modular structure.
• Shop Hosting: Shopware
• Shopware originates from Germany, with the first version released in 2004. Since 2010, a free community edition has also been available. While customers of the commercial version receive support from the manufacturer, users of the open-source version can rely on a vast community to solve technical issues or configuration requests. Shopware hosting is recommended for beginners due to its user-friendly interface.
• Shop Hosting: OS Commerce
• OS Commerce is an open-source shop system that has been on the market since 2001. The system offers numerous design possibilities and additional modules for various functions. OS Commerce is often used as the basis for developing independent online shop systems, such as the well-known derivative xt:Commerce from a developer studio in Austria. Therefore, OS Commerce shop hosting is best suited for experienced developers.
• Shop Hosting: Gambio
• Another shop software from Germany is named Gambio. The shop does not incur ongoing costs but must be purchased with a 12-month support package. After this period, the shop can be used for free. Gambio shop hosting is primarily aimed at beginners due to its relatively simple operation.

Never has it been easier to start an online shop business than it is now. The numerous offers from shop hosting providers offer perfectly tailored solutions for beginners with no experience as well as for seasoned professionals. Whether for a small hobby project, as an extension of your own local business, or as a professional online business, in our Shop Hosting Provider Comparison, you will find the right package for your needs. In the list above, you will find numerous offers from hosting providers for comparison.

* Please note that these are advertisements - hosttest.de has not verified whether the information provided by the companies is complete or accurate.

TIP: Find out about the most popular shop systems in comparison and the distribution of market shares in Germany.

Online Shop Hosting - What does it mean?

With online shop hosting, a provider offers a pre-configured shop solution that can then be individually tailored to the specific needs of the operators. You can choose from various pre-installed shipping or payment methods or customize the design individually. There are several providers in the webshop hosting sector, so it is advisable to compare the individual offers carefully and select the one that is suitable for your project. This way, you can choose between different shop sizes. It should be ensured that the shop can easily be expanded with increasing demand, meaning that you can upgrade to the next higher shop solution without much effort. Shop administration should be user-friendly. Some of the most well-known and largest providers in the webshop hosting market include Magento and Oxid eSales. E-commerce solutions often offer shop packages of different sizes and levels of professionalism.

Various shops with extensive product catalogs and customer databases can be managed on different domains. For example, in the B2B sector, it is possible to offer different products to different customer groups. Magento provides professional online shops for customers from every sector and can meet almost all requirements. Oxid eSales also offers pre-configured shop solutions for different customer groups. With Oxid eSales, the advantage is that the shops can grow significantly and be customized individually.

Some of the different e-commerce solutions include:

Magento is one of the most well-known and widely used international e-commerce solutions. Even large online shop projects can be managed with the help of this software. For more information, please visit: Magento Hosting

Oxid eSales is a popular e-commerce solution, especially in Germany. It is a modular system offered in several different versions. For more information, please visit: Oxid eSales Hosting

xt:Commerce is an online shop system based on osCommerce. It is known for its intuitive user interface, good scalability, and sophisticated plugin concept. For more information, please visit: xt:Commerce Hosting

A solution tailored to the specific e-commerce application used can generally prove to be the best web hosting for the corresponding use.

Why Choose Online Shop Hosting?

Why should online shop hosting be considered for an online shop? The benefits are clear - for a low monthly fee, one can operate an online shop without having to worry about programming. Many useful connections are pre-installed, allowing for the selection of various payment or shipping methods, creating a customer database, or automatically connecting products with product search engines. Webshop hosting is particularly suitable for small and medium-sized shops. Once a shop reaches a certain size in terms of products and customers, consideration should be given to programming the shop independently.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Webshop Hosting

Advantages of shared hosting include the quick, secure, and easy setup of the shop. These solutions usually have low web hosting costs and are user-friendly, with operators often benefiting from excellent customer service. However, there are also disadvantages - these solutions are often not designed for large online shops. With a large product range, loading times can be very long or the shop may crash completely. Additionally, pre-configured solutions offer limited storage space.

Advantages of online shop hosting on a shared webspace:

• Easy setup
• Cost-effective solution
• Good customer service
• Ideal for beginners and small online shops

Disadvantages of hosting an online shop on a shared webspace:

• Slow loading times
• Potential outages
• Storage space limitations
• Not suitable for extensive and complex online shops

As a shop owner, it is important to carefully research the available shop solutions and choose the appropriate one for the planned online shop.