Brands across the retail sector are focused on attracting customers to their physical and online storefronts through marketing, sales and following trends closely. The online deals are particularly attractive to a generation of shoppers who seem busier than ever, always searching for the best deals.
According to the ONS, internet sales represented 18% of retail sales in 2018, compared to 4.9% 10 years ago.
Your top concerns go beyond website design and sales forecasts to the bigger questions:
Did you know...
If your e-commerce site is hosted in your on-site servers, then unexpected traffic spikes or increased demand may be too much for your network to handle. That's where managed cloud hosting can amply provide the stability your network needs. Whether your data is hosted in the SysGroup cloud, or within our racks in world-class data centres like NGD or LDeX, these data centres have an infinitely powerful capacity to easily process increased network traffic.
Working with a managed cloud provider gives you access to expertise in designing your IT infrastructure, supported by 24/7/365 network monitoring and support. With real-time visual traffic maps, they can see and respond to increased demand so your users and customers are none the wiser!
A seamless customer experience will enhance your reputation and your sales, so don't enter another holiday shopping season without reliable cloud hosting for your IT infrastructure.
As a retail business, you understand the importance of maintaining PCI compliance.
The PCI DSS levels apply to all merchants, processors, acquirers, issuers and service providers, regardless of size or number of transactions, that accept, transmit or store online any cardholder data. These regulations help to both protect consumers and prevent fraud or loss of cardholder data.
Achieving PCI compliance involves a variety of measures including a self-assessment questionnaire and quarterly external vulnerability scans or on-site data security assessments.
For many retailers, a managed services provider (MSP) can provide guidance on maintaining compliance, along with services like disaster recovery and security tools like firewalls to prevent fraud, lost or compromised cardholder data. With a secure e-commerce site, your customers can shop with confidence and ease.
A MSP can help your IT team prepare for Black Friday and the holiday shopping season with ease. Because cyber-security threats are always evolving, MSPs are on the frontlines of new firewalls, anti-DDoS tools and more, which gives you access to enterprise-grade security tools at a fraction of the cost.
Their outside perspective and expertise can help you to identify weak spots in your infrastructure where you could be vulnerable to cyber-attacks, malware or phishing, a particular concern during the high-volume shopping period coming soon.