Category Archives: Ecommerce

In general, when a customer adds a product from your WooCommerce shop to their shopping cart, they will buy it shortly after. Unfortunately, however, this is not always the case. Sometimes customers add items to their carts and then leave your site, spending days, weeks or even months without completing their purchases.

This is where abandoned cart retrieval comes in. This process reminds customers of the items they left behind and encourages them to return to your store and complete the check-out. With the right strategies, you can capitalize on the lead generation you have already done rather than losing potential customers.

This guide will tell you more about what abandoned carts are and how you can use them to attract customers again. We will also share eight plugins that can help you start the abandoned cart recovery process in WooCommerce.

Let’s get started!

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What is an abandoned shopping cart?
In short, an abandoned cart is the result of a customer visiting your online store, adding one or more products to their virtual cart and then leaving without making a purchase. It can also refer to situations where customers add items to their carts and then go an extended period of time without checking out, even though they don’t technically leave the site.

Although abandoned carts are obviously not ideal, they are not the worst thing that could happen. After all, you have already succeeded in the hard work of attracting visitors to your shop and getting them interested in your products. All you have to do now is encourage them to follow the checkout process.

This is where abandoned carts become useful tools instead of annoyances . They are opportunities to secure more sales, without having to start at the beginning of the process. Instead, you can re-engage customers who have abandoned their carts with some simple techniques.

Why do users abandon their carts?
The key to getting your potential customers to stop abandoning their carts is to first understand why they do so. Although there are several reasons why consumers might abandon their carts, research indicates that 63 percent of shoppers cite shipping costs as a primary factor. This could be due to unexpected fees or higher costs than they expected. Other common reasons why shoppers abandon carts are:

• Forced account creation before check-out
• Payment security issues
• Lengthy or confusing payment process
• Unexpected (real-world) distractions
• Lack of payment options
• Complicated return policy
• Poor mobile payment experience

In addition, it has been found that different industries experience different cart abandonment rates. Also, if you examine abandonment rates on mobile devices , you will see that they tend to be higher than on any other type of device.

Ultimately, the checkout process is a multi-step process that unfortunately provides many opportunities for consumers to get frustrated or change their minds. Some of these situations cannot be easily resolved-you can’t stop a shopper from being distracted by a nosy friend, for example. But many of these reasons for cart abandonment can be addressed.

How to recover abandoned carts (5 methods)
Some level of cart abandonment is inevitable for an online shop. Fortunately, there are several ways you can use to recover some of those consumers and retain them. Let’s take a look at five key techniques you may want to implement for your WooCommerce shop.

1. Offer free or discounted shipping
   As mentioned earlier, the cost of shipping is the main reason online shoppers abandon carts at checkout.

If your margins support it, offer free or discounted shipping (bonus tip: create a minimum order threshold to receive free shipping to increase the average order value).

2. Allow guest checkout
   Forced account creation often discourages shoppers from completing the checkout. Allowing guest checkouts will likely reduce the abandonment rate. If account numbers are really important to your business, offer an incentive after checkout for account creation, such as a free digital download or expedited shipping.
3. Offer more payment options
   To make it easier for your customers to checkout, you will need to create flexible payment options. Try offering more payment options and gateways, and make sure your site has an up-to-date SSL certificate and other security indicators. To learn more about payment options for WooCommerce, check out this article, the best payment gateways for WooCommerce .
4. Send abandoned shopping cart emails
   One of the first recovery approaches you can consider is sending abandoned cart e-mails. These emails are sent to would-be buyers who have placed items in their carts but have not completed the checkout process.

In fact, abandoned cart e-mails have proven to be very successful. One study shows that half of the recipients who interact with this type of e-mail content eventually make a purchase. This means that of the reported 46 percent of recipients who open the e-mail, about 50 percent click and make a purchase.

Below, we will examine some useful plugins that can automate the abandoned shopping cart e-mail process. Statistics show that this particular tactic has a strong return rate, so it is highly recommended for most online shops.

5. Add shoppers to a promotion email campaign
   In addition to specific abandonment emails, another key tactic is adding shoppers to a broader promotion email campaign or strategy. An email list is an excellent form of direct communication with customers and allows you to keep your business “on the radar” of your target audience.

After all, not all consumers want to use social media for retail engagement. In addition, e-mail communication gives you complete control over how your content will appear to customers. Sending periodic updates and letting your list know about new products and offers is a great way to bring back reluctant shoppers.

6. Remarketing buyers with Facebook Messenger
   Facebook opened its messaging app to outside developers in 2016. Now, there are many ways the app can be used for e-commerce, including various remarketing and retargeting opportunities. This means you can automate messages to shoppers based on the specific actions they take through Facebook:

Considering that Facebook has about 3 billion monthly active users , that’s a lot of potential customers you can access through Messenger. Users must consent to receiving messages, but once they do there are several ways you can use the feature. The good news is that Facebook Messenger is very effective at engaging users, with an open rate of 88 percent and a click-through rate (CTR) of 56 percent.

7. Send push notifications to buyers
   Push notifications are something most mobile users are familiar with and many rely on. These notifications inform users when they have a new text message, but also give them a heads-up when there is something going on with one of their apps.

Push notifications can also be implemented for desktop browsers , adding a useful tool to the shopping cart recovery toolkit . Because notifications are sent in real time, they offer a unique opportunity to interact with your shoppers at a crucial point in their customer journey.

In other words, you can use push notifications to remind customers of your business when they are in danger of abandoning their carts forever. In addition, because push notifications are sent through the browser, you can get a lot of data about them for segmentation and other marketing purposes.

8. Add social proof to the cart page
   Social proof is a powerful psychological concept when used in marketing. Among other things, it uses the Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO) feeling that people tend to feel when they see all their friends enjoying something, and they also want to have fun.

Including social proof on the shopping cart page can have a positive impact on consumer decisions. Whether it’s a testimonial, a complementary Tweet feed or a snapshot of how many people are currently looking at a specific item, these elements can create a sense of urgency in your shoppers. Social proof can also help improve the credibility of your company and your website.

WooCommerce Plugin for Abandoned Shopping Cart Recovery.
So how are you going to implement the techniques we have described? Although you can use some of them manually, it is much more effective to use the right tools. With that in mind, let’s take a look at eight abandoned cart recovery plugins that can help you encourage customers to return and check out.

1. Abandoned Cart Lite for WooCommerce

A staple of the abandoned cart recovery process is the notification e-mail, an automated message that reminds customers when they have left products in their virtual carts. Abandoned Cart Lite for WooCommerce allows you to send those emails an hour after a cart has been abandoned.

In addition, you can send them to both regular customers and guests who have entered their e-mail addresses on your site. This feature works immediately, as the plugin includes a default email template that you can use. Alternatively, you can also create your own custom templates if you prefer.

In addition to sending these reminder emails, Abandoned Cart Lite also provides valuable data. For example, you can see which products customers have abandoned and compare the total value of your abandoned orders with the value of recovered orders. In addition, this plugin is free.

2. Abandoned Cart Pro for WooCommerce

The Abandoned Cart Pro plugin for WooCommerce brings together a whole suite of tools in one plugin, all geared toward improving cart abandonment rates. Many of the techniques listed above are simplified with this plugin.

This includes setting up automated emails, sending text messages and remarketing with Facebook Messenger. Another advantage of this plugin is that you can set up these actions for logged-in customers as well as guest customers. You can get a single shop license for $119 per year.

3. WooCommerce Follow-up

WooCommerce Follow-Ups was developed by the WooCommerce team and includes many highly customizable features such as email templates, coupons, newsletters and more. Customers want personalized experiences, and you can give them that with the custom coupon feature.

For $99, you can start with a single shop license. You’ll have thousands of combinations of trigger actions to work with to set automation rules. You can also easily integrate this tool with Google Analytics and get even more value from your marketing data. In addition, the plugin has many built-in tracking and data collection features.

4. Metorik – Reports & Email Automation for WooCommerce

If you want a more comprehensive solution, Metorik – Reports & Email Automation for WooCommerce provides a variety of automated emails and reports related to several key aspects of your eCommerce shop. It generates detailed shopping cart reports that show not only abandoned carts but also open and placed orders.

You can also view product category sales reports, start a subscription service, and access various customer service tools. In addition, Metorik will send automated emails to customers with abandoned carts, as well as to high-value buyers, new customers, and a variety of other unique users.

It is important to know that you will need a Metorik account to use all the features of this plugin. Plans start at $20 per month for stores with 100 orders or less per month.

5. Jilt for WooCommerce

Jilt for WooCommerce is an email marketing-focused plugin that sends automatic messages for abandoned cart retrieval, new customer welcome campaigns, post-purchase follow-ups and more. The plugin also provides source content that you can use to create a series of personalized emails with a visual builder.

In addition, this plugin collects data on cart abandonment rates and revenue, so you can track both successful and incomplete purchases. You can use this information to improve the checkout process and future email marketing campaigns.

You will need a Jilt account in order to use the plugin, but you can choose to use the free plan if you want. Paid plans start at $29 per month and increase in cost based on the number of customers you email each month.

6. CM Commerce for WooCommerce

For a more comprehensive marketing tool that includes abandoned cart retrieval features, you can check out CM Commerce for WooCommerce . In addition to sending automatic abandoned cart recovery emails, you can use it to generate follow-up messages and receipts for your customers.

This plugin will also help you track conversion data, collect and display product reviews, and collect feedback from customers to help you improve your online shop. You can manage everything from the CM Commerce dashboard, so your data and campaigns will stay organized.

This is another plugin that requires an account to access its tools. You can register a CM account for free for 30 days. After that, the price depends on the number of clients you send messages to. For example, if you are working with a list of 500 clients, you can get the initial plan for 5,000 emails for $9 per month.

7. Push Monkey Pro

Push Monkey Pro is a plugin dedicated to providing browser-based push notifications for desktop and mobile users. Designed primarily to alert readers when new content is available, its integration with WooCommerce ende this plugin a powerful remarketing tool.

When used for notifications in the Chrome browser, you can also include images, creating an even more enticing marketing message for customers. You will need to create a free PushMonkey account to get started. The plugin allows you to connect your website to PushMonkey servers from which notifications are sent.

All features are available for free, until you reach a certain number of subscribers. Plans start at $19 per month for 2,000 subscribers.

8. WP Real-Time Social-Proof

WP Real-Time Social-Proof can help you bring a highly engaging marketing tool to your checkout process. You can create real-time social-proof pop-ups that motivate your customers to join the bandwagon and not miss out on items that other people like.

This is a plugin that does not require a third-party account and can be set up quickly. It is compatible with WooCommerce right out of the box. Also, you can configure it to display popups on certain posts and pages and exclude them from other parts of your website.

The free plugin includes some functionality, but if you want more integration options and advanced features, you will need to upgrade to the Essential package for $57 per year. This covers one website, but none of the “pro” add-ons. If you need to use it on multiple websites and want the extra add-ons, the Premium plan costs only $77 per year.

How do abandoned cart emails affect the digital experience?
The main purpose of abandoned cart emails is to convince customers to return to your shop and complete their purchases. However, they can also provide additional benefits if you use them well.

Like other marketing emails, abandoned cart notifications are an opportunity to interact with your customers and promote your brand. By using a plugin to create personalized emails with your brand and your consumers’ personal information, you can build trust with your customer base.

Customers abandon their carts for a variety of reasons, including simple forgetfulness. They may appreciate your reminder about products they left behind but still need. Also, by re-engaging absent customers and reminding them about your shop, you may get additional sales.

If you spend any amount of time browsing the World Wide Web, chances are you have come across the word e-commerce.

E-commerce stands for electronic commerce and refers to all transactions completed electronically. This includes various online tools and activities, from Internet banking and e-wallets to online ticket sales and auctions.

However, when people talk about e-commerce, they usually refer to online shopping: buying and selling goods over the Internet. A good example of an e-commerce platform is Amazon , the largest online marketplace in the United States.

If you are interested in starting an e-commerce site to sell online, this article may be for you. We will explain all about ecommerce shops: how profitable they are, the main ecommerce business models, the different types of products and services to sell online, and the advantages of ecommerce businesses.

Without further ado, let’s begin.

Ecommerce trends: how profitable is ecommerce?
The ecommerce industry is growing all the time. Here are some noteworthy statistics on the growth of ecommerce businesses:

• In 2020, online sales accounted for more than 18 percent of all retail sales worldwide. It is expected to continue to grow and reach 21.8% in 2024.
• The pandemic has led to an overall growth of $183 billion in online spending, and the figure is expected to grow to $1 trillion in 2022.
• Experts predict that e-commerce will account for 95 percent of all purchases by 2040.

In short, the e-commerce industry has inevitably become an inseparable part of many people’s lives.

The 4 main models of an e-commerce business
There are many ways to classify ecommerce businesses. This article will group ecommerce websites into four online marketplace segments based on the participants involved in the transaction.

The following are the four main types of ecommerce by business model:

1. E-commerce Business to Consumer (B2C).
   The B2C model refers to businesses that sell products and services directly to end users.

They come in various forms, such as:

• Retail : when a business sells goods or services directly to consumers for their own use, rather than reselling them to third parties. Think of buying a phone from Apple , ordering a pair of Adidas shoes.
• Dropshipping : merchants do not have to maintain inventory themselves. The seller purchases an item from a third-party supplier, who ships the item directly to the buyer. a Ease of management and low capital are some of the reasons why many small businesses have adopted this model. Examples of dropshipping providers include Megagoods and Sunrise Wholesale .
• Crowdfunding : This model requires encouraging people to fund a new business or product in exchange for a reward. The reward can be a small gift, a monetary interest, or shares in the company. Some examples of crowdfunding platforms are GoFundMe and Kickstarter .

2. E-commerce Business to Business (B2B).
   In the B2B model, both participants are business entities. Typically, this transaction occurs when a business needs to source materials to create products.

Let’s take automobile manufacturing as an example. In this case, an automobile dealer buys from manufacturers. B2B transactions might include the purchase of tires, rubber hoses, and windshield wipers, materials to build cars that will be sold to customers.

As a result, B2B e-commerce transactions typically result in more recurring high volume sales and purchases.

Wholesale e-commerce falls into this category, where companies sell products in bulk and at low prices to online retailers instead of selling directly to end users.

Some examples of business-to-business companies include Berlin Packaging , Flexfire LEDs and Bulk Bookstore .

3. Consumer to Business (C2B) E-commerce.
   C2B businesses allow people to sell goods and services to businesses. This approach gives consumers the power to choose their own prices.

To clarify , affiliate programs and freelance sites are classified as C2B.

An affiliate program is a marketing system in which a company pays someone to promote its goods or services. Companies are willing to pay for promotion because the affiliate is usually a well-known person in the industry and a following of loyal users.

Companies typically offer affiliate marketers unique links that they place on their websites. Each time a reader clicks on the link and is directed to the company’s website or online store, the affiliate receives a commission.

In contrast, a freelancer sells their services to businesses. Freelancers can come from virtually any field, from web development to financial services.

Transaction flow can vary from one platform to another. Some may require companies to contact freelancers first, while others allow companies to hire freelancers immediately without prior correspondence.

As such, e-commerce websites such as Upwork , Hubstaff Talent and Fiverr belong to this model.

4. Consumer to Consumer (C2C) E-commerce.
   The C2C business model connects consumers online, enabling one individual to sell to another individual. Similar to other models, the C2C model can be used to sell both goods and services. Many people also use this method to sell handmade or second-hand products.

This process usually takes place in online markets that achieve a reduction in profit. Examples of B2C e-commerce websites that help customers sell to other consumers by registering an account include Etsy and Craigslist .

Some e-commerce platforms such as eBay also allow customers to sell products through online auctions instead of a simple purchase.

The merchant puts a product up for auction for a certain period and people can bid on it. At the end of the auction period, the buyer willing to pay the largest amount of money can buy the product.

In addition to e-commerce sites, C2C transactions can also take place through money transfer platforms such as PayPal or social media sites such as Instagram or Facebook .

Types of e-commerce businesses based on goods and services sold
The following are the types of business ideas and services that e-commerce stores can offer:

• Physical products. These are tangible items, such as clothes, beauty products, jewelry, food, cars, and computers.
• Digital products. Non-tangible products, such as mp3s, eBooks, online courses, and computer software.
• Services. When people offer their skills to do a specific type of work and are paid by project or time. Examples of people who offer online services include graphic designers, web developers, and translators.

Online businesses can offer these products and services through a one-time purchase or a subscription system.

A one-time online purchase means that the transaction occurs only once. The transaction is complete when a customer purchases a T-shirt and the item is delivered to him or her.

In contrast, a customer will pay for a product or service monthly or annually with a subscription system. The buyer can use a service or have products delivered regularly for the period for which he or she has paid.

Another example is a meal kit delivery service such as HelloFresh . This online business offers customers pre-portioned ingredients and corresponding step-by-step recipes every week. Customers can also adjust meals according to their diet type and choose the number of recipes per week.

What are the advantages of opening an e-commerce business?
There are many advantages to entering the growing e-commerce industry.

Here are some reasons why setting up an ecommerce site may be better than the traditional physical store business.

Ecommerce unlocks the global marketplace
Ecommerce overcomes geographic barriers. It allows merchants to increase revenue by selling to anyone, anywhere. Online shopping is also made even easier by the prevalence of mobile devices, which contribute to the growth of ecommerce.

Both global e-commerce and mobile commerce have grown steadily over the years. Global mobile commerce sales from retail are expected to exceed $132 billion by 2024, while global e-commerce sales are expected to reach $5.4 trillion by 2022 .

An online shop makes products easier to discover and purchase, enabling small businesses to sell trendy products on a scale impossible to achieve with a physical store.

In addition, an online store not only has wider market coverage, but also eliminates the need to open physical stores. With physical businesses, you have to create inventory, rent store space, and hire employees. With ecommerce businesses, on the other hand, you can start building an ecommerce store as soon as you know what to sell and are ready to go online.

Open 24/7/365
Having your business on the Internet means you are always ready to sell.

An online store increases sales opportunities for merchants. Unlike a physical store, your income has no opening hours. In addition, 87 percent of shoppers start looking for products online, so setting up an online shop will expose your business to a wider audience.

For shoppers, online shopping provides them with instant gratification. Regardless of the time of day, consumers can shop online via desktop or mobile device. With just a few clicks or touches, the product can be theirs.

This convenience is especially beneficial for those who cater to a global audience. You never know what time zone people are in, and being open 24/7 reduces your chances of losing customers.

To further maximize customer satisfaction, use chatbots in your online store to provide 24-hour customer support.

Low operational costs
In addition to eliminating the need to build or rent physical stores, starting an ecommerce store also reduces several operational costs.

When selling online, you can save on warehousing and product storage costs by choosing a dropshipping business model. Let the supplier fulfill orders for you.

Depending on the e-commerce platform you choose, setting up an online store can also be quite cost-effective.

Online advertising is also cheaper than traditional channels. Many online advertising platforms are available, such as Facebook , Google and Instagram .

In addition to paid advertising options, there are also free methods to market products. Examples include creating organic social media or blog posts and improving your site’s search engine optimization (SEO). Don’t forget to adjust your marketing strategy to meet your budget.

In addition, you can eliminate the cost of staffing by starting and running the business yourself. Even if you need staff, you won’t have to hire many employees, thanks to the advanced features available in various e-commerce solutions. We will discuss this further in the next section.

Easier management
E-commerce businesses can automate inventory management with the help of tools and services. They simplify and facilitate the operational tasks associated with running a business.

For example, you can add, track, and manage product inventory from a single page.

Shipping and delivery details are also taken care of with real-time calculation tools. Therefore, there is no need to create a manual table shipping rate. Ecommerce platforms also typically offer a variety of payment options, and customers can choose one they are familiar with.

Some ecommerce platforms even come with customizable, professionally designed default templates, so there is no need to hire a graphic designer. Choose the one you like best for your ecommerce site and adjust the elements to your liking.

With the right e-commerce platform, you can easily achieve efficiency and productivity, thus focusing more on growing your business. In addition, using the right platform means that your ecommerce store is more likely to deliver an exceptional user experience to customers who shop online.

Descriptive Information and Personalized Lead Targeting
With a physical store, you can only display a limited amount of information about each product.

This is not the case with an ecommerce store. You can add detailed descriptions about products or services and display as many product variants as you want. Entrepreneurs can even provide complete information about the history of their brands to build credibility and gain customers’ trust.

These small features might seem insignificant, but they can encourage online shoppers to buy. According to one study, informed customers feel more satisfied and confident in their purchase decision.

Having an e-commerce business also allows you to use lead targeting strategies, such as personalized email marketing or targeted advertising campaigns.

Because your online store can collect customer data, you have the ability to do personalized marketing depending on the customer’s information, whether it’s purchase history, gender, or age.

By understanding your target audience, you have a better chance of increasing conversion rates. Use customer data to offer different types of marketing content and personalized recommendations to different demographic groups.

Examples of successful e-commerce sites
To help inspire you and give you a better understanding of what an e-commerce site might look like, let’s take a look at some of the best e-commerce companies in the industry.

Amazon

One of the largest players in the industry, Amazon is an American technology company and online retailer. The fields it focuses on include ecommerce, digital streaming, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence.

Amazon.com has numerous subsidiaries that provide various products and services. Examples include Amazon Fresh, a grocery delivery service that operates in the United States, and Amazon web Services, a subsidiary that provides APIs and cloud computing platforms.

Walmart

Another American retail company, Walmart provides virtually any product or service imaginable. Examples of some of the trendy products it sells include gardening tools, office supplies, movies, and books. This company also provides services such as health care and automotive services.

One of the reasons for its success is its principle of offering low prices to its customers. Walmart achieves this through various methods such as minimizing operating costs, advanced barcode technology and supply chain management, and its direct cooperation with various manufacturers.

Alibaba

Also known as Alibaba Group, Alibaba is a Chinese online retailer and technology company that focuses on various market segments of e-commerce, search engines, and cloud computing services.

It has a variety of subsidiaries to drive its online efforts in different niche markets. For example, Alibaba.com is an online marketplace focused on B2B wholesale transactions, while AliExpress caters more to B2C transactions. There is also Taobao, an ecommerce platform available only in Chinese created to facilitate C2C ecommerce transactions.

Read also: Alibaba vs AliExpress: which is better for dropshipping in 2022?

eBay

This American ecommerce company focuses on B2C and C2C transactions. In addition to allowing immediate purchases, the unique quality of this online marketplace lies in its auction function, which allows users to bid for a specific period of time.

The e-commerce website allows people to buy and sell various types of products, including electronics, beauty products, industrial equipment, clothes, and sports equipment.

Read also: eCommerce security: how to protect your shop from cyber attacks

Conclusion
To recap, although the term ecommerce can refer to all types of e-commerce transactions along with related tools and activities, it mainly refers to online shopping. As an industry, it is expected that global ecommerce will continue to be a profitable source for earning online . Examples of successful online stores include Amazon , Walmart , Alibaba and eBay .

We addressed four ecommerce business models:

1.Business to consumer (B2C). Online retailers sell online directly to end users.
Business to business (B2B). Wholesalers sell products in bulk and at lower prices to ecommerce retailers.
2.Consumer to business (C2B). Individuals offer services and expertise to businesses.
3.Consumer to consumer (C2C). Individuals offer products and services to other individuals, either through one-time online purchases or through an online auction system.
4.Online stores can also sell both physical and digital products and services. Online buyers can purchase products and services through a one-time purchase or subscription system. In addition, we explained the advantages of starting an online store instead of a physical one:

• The ability to sell to international customers.
• A 24-hour business.
• Lower operating costs.
• Practical tools for easy store management.
• More detailed product descriptions and personalized marketing.

Whatever model you choose and whatever product or service you plan to sell, don’t forget to choose the right ecommerce platform for your needs. We hope this article has been helpful in helping you get started on your Internet commerce journey.

If you decide to open an ecommerce business and have your online shop built by professionals in the field contact us for information or request a totallymemnte free ecommerce quote.

As the e-commerce market grows , so do concerns about privacy and security. According to research , 34 percent of respondents believe that cyber attacks or privacy breaches are the main digital threat.

It is easy to see why, considering that hackers are constantly trying to find holes in a website’s security to access user data.

In addition, the U.S. National Cyber Security Alliance found that 62 percent of all cyber attacks affect small online businesses. Therefore, the implementation of e-commerce security protocols is necessary to maintain a secure selling and buying environment.

In this guide, we will explore common eCommerce security threats and provide tips on how to protect your site .

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The basics of e-commerce security
Ecommerce security refers to protecting a business website and all online transactions that occur on it from unauthorized access. Therefore, you need a solid security foundation to have a secure and reliable online shop so that you can make money online without any problems.

Whether you are building a site on an eCommerce platform or a CMS, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to protecting your site from possible security problems. There are numerous regulations, standards, and industry solutions that you can follow to minimize security risks.

Below are the six e-commerce security factors that must be considered:

• Integrity-ensuring that no unauthorized entity has altered any information. This involves providing consistent, accurate and reliable information.
• Non-disclosability – confirming that both buyers and sellers have received the information sent by each other. In other words, buyers cannot deny the legitimacy of a registered transaction.
• Authenticity – both sellers and buyers must submit their identity verification to ensure the security of the transaction.
• Confidentiality – when dealing with sensitive data, only those with appropriate authorization can access, modify or use it.
• Privacy – refers to the protection of customer data from unauthorized parties.
• Availability – an eCommerce site must be accessible 24/7 to customers.

Differences between e-commerce security and compliance
Although security and compliance are closely related disciplines, they represent distinct approaches to cyber attacks.

E-commerce security focuses on the ongoing development of effective technical controls to protect your e-commerce site’s assets. In contrast, compliance focuses on third-party requirements, such as industry rules, government policies, and contract terms.

No matter how big your online business idea is, it is important that you also focus on these principles to demonstrate your commitment to digital security by meeting or exceeding industry standards.

As an eCommerce store owner, you will need to meet one or more of these compliance standards:

• PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) . All companies that process, store or transfer cardholder data must adhere to the security standards established within the PCI-DSS .
• SOC (Service Organization Control) . SOC reports show how the company handles financial or personal information. Being SOC compliant ensures that customers protect their information from unauthorized access.
• ISO (International Organization for Standardization) . The safety and quality of the products or services of a company’s business are two of the many aspects covered by an ISO certification. ISO 27001 , for example, is one of the standards that define requirements for information security management systems.
• GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation). All transactions with European residents must comply with the GDPR. In addition, the regulation protects and controls how European customer data is collected, processed, or sold.
• CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act) . The CCPA focuses on the data protection rights of consumers in the state of California. Therefore, if you sell your trending products to consumers in the state, ensure compliance with the regulations.

The 11 best security measures to protect your e-commerce site
Protecting e-commerce sites is a complex issue involving developers, business owners and customers.

Fortunately, there are several best practices and guidelines for improving your site’s overall security.

1. Protect your passwords.
   More than 23 million people have had their accounts hacked because they used weak passwords such as “123456,” allowing hackers to crack them in a second.

It is worth the extra effort to ensure that your site and your customers follow the best password guidelines, such as:

• Use a combination of symbols, lowercase and uppercase letters, and numbers to form long, unique passwords. Also increase password complexity.
• Avoid using the same password for multiple services.
• Change passwords occasionally or after your passwords have been accidentally disclosed to other people.
• Keep personal information such as date of birth, identification number, or home address just for you.
• Set up a reCAPTCHA to make logins even more secure.
• Limit login attempts to prevent a malicious user from guessing the user’s password.
• Locking accounts after several failed login attempts is an effective way to thwart brute force attacks.

Also, consider using an enterprise password manager such as the one offered by 1Password to keep track of login credentials. You can also use it to generate strong and unique passwords.

In addition, all your passwords are stored in an encrypted format that is difficult to intercept by hackers or malicious software.

2. Choose secure hosting
   A hosting provider is responsible for storing your site’s files. Therefore, it is essential to choose a reliable provider that offers secure and reliable data storage for your e-commerce store.

Look for features such as SSL certificates, DDoS protection, encryption methods and malware detection when choosing a hosting provider. In addition, make sure it also offers backups to quickly restore your site’s functionality in the event of a security breach.

Take your time to evaluate which plan best meets the needs of your eCommerce site.

3. Get an SSL certificate.
   Setting up Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) is mandatory for all PCI-compliant eCommerce activities. Given the variety of SSL certificates available, be sure to select the best solution for your website and business requirements.

A properly installed SSL certificate helps protect both your site and user data. It encrypts all information sent to your online shop, making it more difficult for hackers to read and interpret the data.

In addition, the website URL will start with HTTPS instead of HTTP once an SSL certificate is installed. The “S” stands for secure, unlike standard HTTP, which does not encrypt connections in the same way as HTTPS websites.

In addition, several browsers will display a padlock icon on the address bar, further increasing customers’ confidence in purchasing from your online shop.

In addition to improving site security, this digital certificate will help improve SEO as Google favors websites that use the HTTPS online protocol.

4. Install security plugins and anti-malware software.
   In addition to installing SSL, it is essential for eCommerce sites to add multilevel security tools such as plugins and anti-virus software.

Security plugins.
Plugins can perform several tasks to improve eCommerce security, such as detecting bots, blocking untrusted networks, and removing malware.

If you create your online store using a CMS such as WordPress or an eCommerce website builder , below are some of the most popular security plugins:

WordFence . It is probably the most popular WordPress security plugin, with over four million downloads. Using a built-in malware scanner, Wordfence identifies and blocks malicious requests containing suspicious code or content. In addition, it can also restrict login sessions to protect your site from brute force attacks….
Kevy . Instead of entering a username and password, Keyy requires users to log into WordPress using its mobile app. In addition, you can further secure the iOS and Android-compatible app by using your fingerprint or a 4-digit pin as two-factor authentication.
Sucuri . Activity control is one of the key features of this read plugin. It provides site owners with the ability to keep track of any changes made. It also includes a feature that allows users to detect malware remotely.

Anti-malware software
As e-commerce security measures have become more sophisticated, so have malware attacks. Therefore, it is essential to invest in the right protection for your business.

Below are some well-known anti-malware solutions compatible with Windows, Mac and Linux:

• ESET Endpoint Security. Known for its robust and lightweight cybersecurity solutions, ESET helps protect businesses of all sizes from the most advanced cyber attacks. Because it provides a 30-day free trial , small business owners or anyone launching an online shop can try it before investing in a plan.
• AVG Antivirus . Protects your site in numerous ways, including instantly notifying users of threats and providing remote administration tools to manage website security. Although AVG does not provide a free trial for the Internet antivirus plan , it offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
• Norton. All its plans include a password manager and a virus protection feature, for which users will receive a full refund if a virus cannot be removed from their device. Norton combines device security, online privacy and identity protection to help detect and block all types of online threats. A free trial is available7-day period that includes comprehensive protection.

5. Schedule regular site updates.
   Web developers release new security updates to fix vulnerabilities and launch new fixes. Therefore, updating your eCommerce site’s underlying software is essential to prevent hackers from exploiting these flaws.

Also, always be sure to monitor and update your site’s plugins and themes. Updates usually contain patches to fix previously known problems or add extra functionality.

Keep your website up-to-date by enabling automatic updates. Not only will it save a lot of time on your site’s maintenance routine, but it will also prevent you from running outdated basic software within your website.

6. Perform regular backups
   Performing regular website backups helps protect your site from problems such as damaged databases or security issues. Schedule website backups by considering how often you publish new content and update your website design.

Although most hosting providers offer automatic backups, it is a good idea to regularly download copies of your website’s files and database. In case of an unforeseen event, site backups prevent you from losing critical data or having to rebuild everything from scratch.

7. Add multi-factor authentication (MFA).
   With this method, users must authenticate their login attempts by entering a single-use passcode (OTP), answering a security question or using their fingerprint.

According to Microsoft , MFA can block more than 99% of possible malware. Therefore, setting up MFA is an excellent strategy to strengthen e-commerce security.

Enable MFA by installing a security plugin such as Wordfence Login Security and a third-party app such as Google Authenticator on your mobile device.

8. Use a CDN (content delivery network).
   A CDN is a network of distributed servers that routes users’ requests to servers closest to their locations. This is a great solution for an eCommerce business that operates globally.

In addition, eCommerce websites typically receive high traffic and handle requests from numerous locations. However, if the site takes too long to load , it may cause you to lose customers.

Therefore, by efficiently distributing your site’s content and providing faster response, a reliable CDN provider such as Cloudflare can avoid unexpected spikes in web traffic and server crashes. In addition, since you are likely to store many media files, using a CDN will also improve page load time with features such as image resizing.

9. Regulate user roles and permissions.
   Managing user roles is critical for security purposes, regardless of the type of Web site being managed. It is an essential security control practice to prevent any accidental configuration of the site.

By regulating user roles and permissions, you limit who can perform tasks such as installing updates, themes, plugins or modifying PHP code.

For example, WordPress allows site owners to assign six predefined roles to other users. The roles are administrator, editor, author, contributor, subscriber and super administrator. In addition, each role can only perform a specific set of tasks (known as permissions).

Before granting other users access to your website, be sure to keep the following tips in mind:

• Provide users with only the access they need. This is a key security measure to prevent users from making unauthorized changes or deleting data without permission.
• Limit the number of site administrators. Before granting people administrator access, carefully assess their job functions and whether they are competent enough to perform that type of task. Alternatively, assign them a lower level of access.
• Customize user roles and permissions. Download a free plugin such as User Role Editor to customize the activities granted to each user. The plugin is also useful when you need extra hands to control your website or eliminate user access.

10. Use secure payment gateway
    A payment gateway authorizes credit card transactions, collects the balance, and then deposits the money into your account.

In other words, it automates the entire eCommerce transaction process. Some recognized examples of payment gateways include PayPal , Google Pay and Apple Pay .

Ensure that the payment gateway of choice uses a variety of security measures to protect transactions, such as:

• Data encryption : A payment gateway uses a public key to encrypt a customer’s credit card details. Then, a different (private) key is used to decrypt the information. Along with the private key, the payment gateway also uses an algorithm to ensure that no unauthorized party has access to this data.
• Security Sockets Layer (SSL) certificates-required by many providers, it encrypts the connection between the server and the client’s browser.
• Secure Electronic Transaction (SET) ensures the secure transfer of a customer’s credit card information during an online purchase. SET prevents merchants and hackers from accessing sensitive information by masking card details. It also requires digital signatures for additional authentication and confidentiality.
• Tokenization – replaces a credit card number with random characters. A decryption key is required to keep track of the token. If a breach occurs , hackers will not be able to decrypt the token.
• PCI DSS Compliance : A secure payment gateway provides top-notch security measures as it must comply with the highest level of PCI standards.

11. Avoid storing sensitive data
    Sensitive information should not become part of a website database. Not only can it be vulnerable to hackers, but it also violates PCI standards. Leave all your customers’ information to the payment gateways.

If necessary, store all confidential data in offline storage such as USB drives or external hard drives where hackers cannot access it. Also make sure it is kept in a secure and private place.

9 most common e-commerce security threats you should avoid
A security breach occurs when buyers’ identities and financial details are accessed by unauthorized third parties.

Let’s take a look at some of the most common ways cybercriminals attack your online store.

Financial fraud
Although the theft of bank account credentials is commonly known as the main threat behind e-commerce fraud, online criminals are getting more creative these days. The following are financial fraud schemes that online businesses may encounter.

Payment fraud
Fraudsters typically use stolen credit card data, e-mail addresses, user accounts or IP addresses to impersonate legitimate customers. Fraudulent purchases, fictitious accounts, and traffic manipulation are all possible outcomes of this type of fraud.

Clean fraud
This type of fraud works by tricking cardholders into transacting on a fake website or intercepting messages between transaction participants. Then, the fraudsters will have a copy of the personal information sent. In other cases, credit card details are purchased on the dark web.

Affiliate fraud
Many companies participate in or run affiliate marketing programs to generate revenue. Therefore, cybercriminals use these programs as an opportunity to create malicious traffic and sign-ups to induce companies to pay them affiliate commissions.

Triangulation fraud
The name refers to the three-step process of luring buyers, collecting their personal information and exploiting it as part of an illegal scheme. Fraudsters create fake websites and promote nonexistent low-cost products. Therefore, once customer data is sent, it automatically ends up in the wrong hands.

Malware
Malware (malicious software) is a program or code designed to damage a computer, network or server. It is typically distributed through links to malicious websites or e-mail attachments.

Once a user clicks on the link or opens the file, the malware is activated and begins to execute its intent, such as stealing sensitive data, gaining backdoor access, or spying on the user’s online activity.

The damage caused by malware can be enormous, both in financial and reputational terms. In 2017, the ‘WannaCry malware outbreak infected hundreds of thousands of computers in more than 150 countries and cost the U.K. National Health Service about $113 million.

The malware is classified into different types, such as:

• Adware (advertising-supported software) : unwanted advertising that can harm the user’s device. Adware can affect the overall performance of your device as it consumes a lot of RAM.
• Trojan horse : unusual behavior, such as unexpected changes to your computer settings, may indicate that a Trojan horse has been downloaded into your system. Typically, it is disguised as an e-mail attachment or free downloadable file.
• Malware without files : uses legitimate programs to infect a computer. It does not rely on files and leaves no footprints, making it difficult to detect and remove.
• Ransomware : prevents users from accessing their system or personal files. To regain access, they must comply with demands and pay a ransom.
• Rootkits : designed to go undetected by antivirus software or other eCommerce security tools so it can look at and access a victim’s computer.

Bots
A bot is software programmed to perform tasks more efficiently and quickly than any human could. However, cybercriminals can program bots that simulate human behavior for financial gain and malicious purposes by infiltrating a company’s computers and servers.

A survey reported that in 2020, one in four companies lost $500,000 to bot attacks.

In addition, bots can exploit weak identity and access management (IAM) systems, a digital framework that verifies users’ identities and controls their access. A weak IAM usually cannot distinguish between a real human and a malicious bot.

Social engineering attacks
Personal involvement between the fraudster and the victim is a key component of most social engineering attacks. According to one report, more than 30 percent of successful data breaches are the result of such attacks.

Rather than targeting technological vulnerabilities, these attacks target human emotions and behaviors to obtain sensitive information. Thus, it is easy to manipulate the targeted user once they trust the attacker.

Social engineering attacks can be detected in several ways, such as suspicious attachments, poor grammar or formatting of messages, or bland greeting messages.

Let’s take a look at the three most common forms of these malware.

Phishing
The main intent of a phishing attack is to steal victims’ credentials. Typically, phishing attackers replicate a real Web server or application and distribute malicious attachments.

In addition, victims can be contacted through e-mails, text messages, or even phone calls.

If the victim is successfully inducted into phishing sites, the scammers can use the credentials sent for anything.

Some recent phishing attacks have involved impersonating e-commerce marketers and telling victims that their accounts had been compromised or that payment discrepancies had been detected.

Quid pro quo
Fraudsters pretend to offer information or assistance to the targeted user to gain access to their device or inject malware.

For example, the scammer contacts random individuals and poses as a technical support specialist responding to a problem. If the user believes it, the scammer can have the victim perform specific actions such as installing ransomware on their computers or disclosing sensitive information.

Pretexting
In many cases, pretexting scams begin with the attacker claiming to request sensitive information from their target. They pretend to be police officers, colleagues, or bank employers and tell well-conceived lies to persuade the victim to disclose personal information or complete a task.

Spam
Spam usually involves sending e-mails to large numbers of users, often employing the tactic of sending “you must act” e-mails. Spam costs companies $20.5 billion a year in lost productivity and technical expenses.

Even your website’s comments section and contact forms are open platforms for spammers to drop infected links that can lead to compromised databases. It can not only damage the security of your website, but also your credibility as an e-commerce business.

In addition, Google may penalize your site for hosting spam comments. This will negatively affect your site’s SEO ranking and even discourage users from ‘interacting with your content.

DoS and DDoS attacks
The main goal of both DoS (Denial of Service) and DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attacks is to shut down a website. Attackers flood the website with requests from anonymous IP addresses.

A key aspect that differentiates DoS attacks from DDoS attacks is the number of connections used. While the latter uses several Internet connections to disrupt a network or server, the former uses only a single connection. Therefore, it is more difficult to trace the origin of DDoS attacks since they come from multiple locations.

Entrepreneurs should pay special attention to e-commerce security during peak periods, such as Black Friday or Cyber Monday sales. The cost of a DDoS attack can reach $218,000 for a business in the United States.

Brute force tactics
Brute force tactics work by simply guessing the credentials needed to access your eCommerce site’s admin panel. Hackers use specialized software to try different combinations of letters, numbers and symbols until they find the correct password.

Once hackers have managed to brute force their way into your website, they gain access to your valuable website database. Sensitive information such as customer identity, bank account details and other confidential data can be stolen or sold for profit.

In 2016, Alibaba-owned eCommerce platform Taobao was the victim of a massive brute force attack that compromised the data of 21 million users. Hackers gained access to accounts by exploiting a database of 99 million passwords and usernames.

E-Skimming
E-skimming or a Magecart attack is a hacking technique involving hidden malicious code. The code steals customers’ transaction data as they complete purchases on a hacked site.

In addition, hackers use the captured information to conduct illegal transactions. Online shoppers’ financial details such as full names, card verification codes, and expiration dates are sold on the dark web.

In 2019, a major e-skimming attack hit the website of a famous American department store, Macy’s. The attackers installed a Magecart script on both the homepage and payment page.

Conclusion
As cybercriminals are becoming more creative nowadays , e-commerce websites are vulnerable to various approaches, such as malware injection, spam emails, social engineering attacks, and many others.

Implementing proactive solutions against cyber attacks is essential to protect your customers and your business.

To recap, here are 11 steps to keep e-commerce security threats in check:

1.Implement password best practices
2.Choose secure hosting
3.Get an SSL certificate
4.Install security plugins and antivirus software
5.Schedule regular site updates
6.Perform regular backups
7.Add multi-factor authentication
8.Use a CDN
9.Adjust user roles and permissions
10Use a secure payment gateway
11.Avoid storing confidential data

We hope this article has helped you understand the importance of staying current with e-commerce security practices to avoid potential cyber threats.