Digitally Transform your Business with Cloud-Based eCommerce Platform
What is a Cloud eCommerce Platform?
Running an online store these days is like trying to hit a moving target. Customer expectations are constantly changing, and the technology you need to keep up can feel overwhelming. That’s where cloud eCommerce comes in. It’s like having a tech team in your back pocket, always ready to adapt and scale your online store to meet the latest demands.
Instead of relying on clunky, on-site infrastructure, a cloud eCommerce platform leverages a network of connected servers to host your online store’s files, data, and even operating systems. Everything is managed for you—hosting, security, upgrades, data storage, you name it—freeing you to focus on what truly matters: growing your business.
Why Choose an eCommerce Solution Based in the Cloud?
Cloud technology has become the go-to solution for eCommerce businesses worldwide due to its scalable nature and cost-effectiveness compared to on-premise hosting. This is especially important for eCommerce businesses handling sensitive data that requires data encryption and secure data storage.
The power of cloud hosting comes from its ability to utilize the computing capacity of multiple machines. You can benefit from network capacity and data storage that might be too expensive or unavailable when hosting on-premise. Cloud providers offer various cloud platforms with robust networking resources to ensure your eCommerce business operates smoothly.
By managing and processing data in the cloud, cloud-based eCommerce software offers a more scalable approach to online sales. This scalability allows large enterprises and growing online businesses to adapt to increasing demands. Additionally, cloud eCommerce solutions seamlessly integrate with various third-party apps, such as payment gateways and inventory management systems, further streamlining your eCommerce services. This means organizations can free up resources to focus on priorities like cost-savings, scalability, and revenue growth.
Benefits of Cloud-Based eCommerce Solutions
Scalability
By hosting an eCommerce website in the cloud, your online store is never down for maintenance, repair, or update implementation. Connected cloud servers keep the commerce platform up and running 24/7, so you can expand globally and rest assured that every online store in every location is always fully supported. This high availability ensures customer satisfaction by minimizing downtime and providing a seamless online shopping experience.
High-Availability
Interruptions to an ecommerce app can be a nightmare for business stakeholders. Cloud-based eCommerce software ensures uninterrupted operations with minimal downtime due to high availability built into such solutions. High availability maximizes system uptime, and even if unforeseen downtime happens, it guarantees your online store will recover quickly.
A lower total cost of ownership
Cloud eCommerce software offers a lower cost of ownership than on-premise solutions because you don’t need to allocate resources for more servers or secure funds to build a larger infrastructure. Additionally, cloud-based solutions help reduce human resource costs, especially for maintenance and IT. Instead of hiring IT teams devoted to keeping the system running, you rely on your vendor to maintain, upgrade, and troubleshoot the application.
Speed
Website loading speed affects your eCommerce store’s success. Visitors are more inclined to leave if loading inventory or search results takes too long. Cloud hosting is ideal for consistently good loading speed, providing more bandwidth, storage space, and processing power. Improved website performance can attract more customers and confidently handle activity surges.
Improved back-up and security
Cloud eCommerce platforms provide some of the best options for physical and data security thanks to built-in redundancy. This means potential system failures won’t cause data loss or operational disruptions for days, as with on-site hosting. Another benefit of cloud solutions is avoiding outdated legacy systems that can’t deliver the required performance. Software and hardware always remain current with cloud hosting.
Faster deployment
On-premise deployment of eCommerce solutions can’t match a hosted eCommerce platform’s time-to-market. Getting your eCommerce store online quickly means it’s available to prospects and customers as soon as possible. Compare that with the costly delays and potential downtime of the self-hosted route.
Regulatory compliance
Vendors providing cloud eCommerce software must comply with all data privacy and security regulations as they’re issued. This assures your solution is PCI-DSS (payment data security), GDPR (privacy policy), and SOC (system integrity and confidentiality) compliant. Advanced vendors also comply with HIPAA and HITECH regulations, essential for eCommerce websites in the healthcare industry
Support for multiple locations
By hosting an eCommerce website in the cloud, your store is never down for maintenance, repair, or update implementation. Connected cloud servers keep the platform up and running 24/7, so you can expand globally knowing every online store in every location is fully supported.
Types of Cloud eCommerce Service
Three main types of cloud-based eCommerce software services exist, each with specific features and functionalities. Understanding each delivery method’s pros and cons is crucial to select one that aligns with your overall goals and digital commerce strategy. Whether you need cloud-based software for storage options (SaaS), a platform supporting customized applications and integration (PaaS), or greater control over your eCommerce infrastructure without physical maintenance (IaaS), a cloud service is right for you.
Why Choose OroCloud
Security
Whether you’re running a personal store or an enterprise commerce platform, we’ve got you covered. Implement a reliable, future-proof cloud-based eCommerce solution with Google Cloud Platform (GCP) IaaS layer for OroCloud. Backed by GCP’s rock-solid infrastructure, OroCloud provides secure connections to any application running through Oro’s eCommerce cloud while keeping you safe from DDoS attacks.
Scalability
OroCloud has optimized GCP for its cloud-based platform that scales on demand to fit any custom software and business use case. You’ll never be limited to how much data your system supports since OroCloud is designed to be a future-proof solution without affecting performance or availability.
High-Availability
With Oro’s cloud-hosted infrastructure, you can run your business globally without being tied to on-site equipment, maintenance, software or hardware updates, and the accompanying downtime. Through GCP, Google continually invests in expanding its global infrastructure. For OroCloud customers, this means high-quality service, speed, and website stability regardless of data, traffic, and bandwidth usage in your enterprise eCommerce platform.
PCI-DSS Certified
Any eCommerce business accepting online payments must be PCI DSS certified to protect and secure customer payment data. By using OroCloud as your cloud-based B2B commerce software, we’ve taken care of the necessary requirements to ensure PCI-compliant cloud infrastructure. However, if you’re using an on-premise solution, review and implement the necessary PCI requirements independently.
GDPR Compliant
Oro is committed to providing “security by design and by default” to all our cloud-based eCommerce platforms and environments. We take thorough steps to comply with the latest security standards and maintain a GDPR-compliant reserved privacy policy for our services. Additionally, OroCloud has developed safeguards through encryptions with GCP, giving you peace of mind that your customer data is safe and encrypted. You can read more about being a cloud-based eCommerce software data controller in the OroCloud GDPR Guide.
Hosting Uptime
OroCloud services are included with all Enterprise Licenses using our open-source eCommerce platform. While you can use your chosen cloud service or on-premise solution, Oro’s cloud-hosted solution gives you access to round-the-clock support from our dedicated technical engineers. You can count on us to monitor, prevent, and fix any technical issues your application might have.
OroCloud Services Include
Highest Security Standards
Your data is protected by isolated network segments, advanced firewalls, and built-in DDoS protection that block unauthorized access and safeguard business operations.
Onboarding
From license purchase to go-live, OroCloud provides step-by-step guides and expert assistance to help your team set up quickly and confidently.
Maintenance
OroCloud automates and manages routine maintenance tasks, ensuring updates and complex operations run reliably without disrupting your business.
Support
The OroCloud support desk operates 24x7x365 with SLA-backed response times. Every request is prioritized by urgency and handled by B2B commerce experts.
Monitoring Tools & Incident Response
Top-tier tools like Blackfire, Quanta, Stackdriver, and NewRelic track system health around the clock. Oro’s 24/7 SWAT team is immediately alerted to resolve issues.
Backup & Recovery
OroCloud includes scheduled backups and tested recovery processes, ensuring your data can be restored quickly in the event of an incident or outage.
Commerce Cloud: Questions and Answers
What is a cloud-based eCommerce platform?
A cloud-based eCommerce solution is an online selling platform where data, files, and infrastructure are hosted off-site by a third-party provider. Access to the cloud eCommerce solution and its data is provided through the Internet.
What are the benefits of cloud computing in eCommerce?
Digital commerce can benefit from cloud computing in multiple ways. First, cloud computing offers scalability to accommodate any digital commerce growth needs. Second, a cloud eCommerce solution is cheaper to operate than an on-premise hosted solution. Finally, cloud computing generally has higher availability, meaning minimal downtime for your online store.
Is cloud computing the same as eCommerce?
No, eCommerce is a sales transaction of goods and services online. On the other hand, cloud computing describes delivering on-demand computing services – from applications to storage and processing power.
What are the implications of cloud computing for eCommerce?
Cloud-based commerce software is the future of the eCommerce business. Its popularity grew in response to the ongoing digital transformation effort to replace or update old IT infrastructure and drive digital innovation.
The flexibility of cloud services and technology enables digital commerce companies to respond better to market opportunities and challenges. A cloud solution provides the resources to expand and operate globally. Most importantly, cloud computing supports advanced data-driven business models, like unified commerce, enabling companies to provide radically new experiences for their customers.
What are some examples of cloud eCommerce solutions?
Cloud eCommerce solutions come in various forms to cater to different business needs. Some popular examples include:
- SaaS providers like Shopify and BigCommerce offer an all-in-one solution for launching and managing your B2C online store. They handle everything from website hosting and design to payment processing and inventory management.
- As a PaaS software, OroCommerce provides a robust framework for businesses needing greater customization and control over their eCommerce platform. PaaS allows for complex integrations, custom features, and scalability for growing businesses.
- Industries like fashion, food, or healthcare often have tailored cloud eCommerce platforms catering to their unique needs. These platforms often offer features specific to managing product data, inventory, and customer relationships within those industries.
What's a better alternative to Salesforce Commerce Cloud in B2B digital commerce?
Looking for a robust B2B alternative to Salesforce Commerce Cloud? OroCommerce offers a powerful, tailored solution:
- Built for B2B: Native features for corporate accounts, complex pricing, quotes, and ERP/CRM integrations.
- Unified Commerce: Launch multiple online stores and manage B2B, B2C, and marketplaces all from one platform.
- Open Source Power: Customize every aspect of your platform for ultimate flexibility.
- Future-Proof Scalability: Grow your business without limits thanks to a robust architecture and all essential features available under one license.