Is your store encrypted and why you should care? 2019 UPDATE

26/07/18

With the publics increased knowledge of data breaches and security flaws in so much of the software we all use on a regular basis, data security and encryption of our information has not been more highlighted in our technological age than at present.

To be sure an online store is secure you can look out for these three signs:

1. The stores URL is prefixed with ‘https’
2. It should have the green padlock symbol

3. A valid security certificate

The above also applies to any website that captures any personal data that is sent to a server such as enquiry forms and questionnaires. In the future there is a case that all websites will be required to have a SSL (Secure Socket Layer) to exist; although no date has been set for this yet.

Considerations

Switching your site from standard http to secure https can be a lengthy process, and if you’ve not done this before you may want to use a reputable company to implement this on your behalf. Some factors to consider when making the switch include:

• The cost of an SSL certificate. There are various providers out there so you want to find the best for your situation. If your online shop is with Shopify your SSL certificate is provided free of charge.
• How your SEO may be affected. Your original URL - http://mysite.com - will now be different to your secure URL - https://mysite.com - and as such will be read differently by Search Engines. Redirects and updating any Web Master settings will be required as well as updating URLs on places such as directories.

Why you should care

The benefits in making sure your site is encrypted outweigh the work and time required to make the change. The positives for your online include:

• Customer confidence - Shoppers are savvier than ever and look out for signs of a secure shop. By increasing their confidence in your brand you’ll also increase your conversion rates. This is even more important for smaller brands that need to work harder to gain customer confidence

• Not secure - Your online shop will not be labelled “Not Secure” by browsers. Browsers such as Chrome classify all sites as “Not Secure” if they are not encrypted even if the site doesn’t collect personal details

• Rank Higher - Search engines like Google ranks HTTPS websites higher than those without

• Reduce Vunerabilities - You reduce the risk of your website being vulnerable to malicious attacks and data breaches. Not only will this certainly cause a loss in revenue and possible fines, you will also damage customer’s trust in your brand and gain a bad reputation.

As you can see there are many positives to making the switch to 'https', but planning is required before starting the process. Although it may be a lengthy process for your business, there are certainly rewards for any ecommerce retailer that make the transition.