Have you ever thought about what would happen if your online store were to unexpectedly crash? If not, you really should factor it into your e-commerce management plans. Over the years, studies about the costs associated with downtime have been conducted by a variety of groups. By all accounts, the results are collectively heart-stopping.
Take the one previously published study by Jon William Toigo for example. At the time, it indicated that at least half of all businesses who experience an extended downtime will shut their doors for good within 5 years. The reasons for the businesses’ demise understandably varied. However, one can assume that at the very least, they all had something to do with lost sales and a decrease in consumer confidence.
With that said, take a second to look at the amount of sales your online store generated in the last 48 hours. Now imagine what would happen if you lost that revenue. Add to that total how much it would cost to repair the problem, restore the data and appease the customers impacted by the downtime. When you are finished, calculate how much you may have lost in staff productivity and pre-arranged advertising too. Once you are finished doing so, it will be easy to see how taking a pro-active approach to e-commerce management can impact your firm’s overall financial success.
At this point, you’re probably wondering how to go about taking that pro-active approach to e-commerce management. We’d suggest starting the process by looking at your current service providers. Check to see if they offer continuous data protection, and server health monitoring. You’ll also want to make sure that they offer such services as PCI compliance certification and 24/7, knowledge customer support. If they don’t, it’s a good idea to find an e-commerce firm that does.
To discuss this topic and other e-commerce management best practices further, contact us. We may be reached toll-free at (800) 675-0162 or through the FinestShops’ online help desk.
To your success!
Anton Pachkine
FinestShops E-Commerce Management
Hosting | Customizations | Design | Marketing
www.finestshops.com | 1-800-675-0162
