Changing Your Ecommerce Web Hosting? Tips for Making the Move!

A Home Business Article Contributed by Elizabeth Fox-Wise

There May Come a Day When You Change Your Ecommerce Web Hosting

Moving Day has come for your online business - you are changing the company you use for your ecommerce web hosting.

Since your business is built on electronics, you might think that it would be easy to move a "virtual business" from one "virtual space" to another in a "virtual world". Don't be so sure about the ease of the move because with it comes a lot of "not so virtual work"

Think of your ecommerce move the same way you would plan for a move if you were moving the "physical portion" of your business (the inventory, equipment, etc). Many of the things that you will need to do are the data or electronic equivalent of what you do for a physical move.

When Changing Your Ecommerce Web Hosting Give Yourself Time to Prep for the Move

In all moves it requires time to pack up your belongings. Moving your ecommerce web site means making copies of all of your site pages and packing them onto CDs. Arrange for current services that you will no longer be using to be disconnected. It is typically recommended that although it means for one month you pay two sets of overhead expenses, you keep old services running for one month after switching to a new ecommerce web hosting company.

This gives you thirty days to make sure that the move is successful and thirty days in which to notify customers and others of new email address. Also be sure to set up mail forwarding with your new ecommerce web hosting company.

Don't forget to notify your domain name registrar of your move. The domain name registrar is the company that you registered your ecommerce web site name with. You will have to provide them with both your current ecommerce web hosting and new ecommerce web hosting primary and secondary Domain Name Server and each of the current and new IP addresses. Think of them as the moving company - they need to know where they are moving you from and to.

When You Get to the New Ecommerce Web Hosting it is Time to Set Your Business Back Up.

Now that you are at your new location, it is time to "unpack" your business. All of the files that you downloaded and packed will now need to be unpacked and uploaded at your new ecommerce web site. The layout (or web design) of your businesses new home might be different from the one you just moved from, you may need to get help from the new ecommerce web hosting company to set up shop. Portions of your web site may need to be redesigned to fit the new layout. Files may have been somewhat jumbled or compromised in the move. All of this will need to be worked out.

After you are all unpacked, think of any one who may have to know about your move. If email is changing send a notice to customers list with new email. You may have to notify affiliates and other associations of your new IP address.

Then your business is ready to settle into it's new home.