eCommerce Businesses are 2-3 times more common than in-store businesses. This is because eCommerce businesses bypass a lot of problems that in-store businesses face.
And with the use of proxy servers, eCommerce businesses can experience an even wider array of benefits. In this article, you will learn what proxy servers are, the benefits you get as an eCommerce business, and how to get proxy servers. Without further ado, let’s get started.
What Are Proxies? (Residential Proxies vs. Datacenter Proxies)
Proxies are a tool that reroutes your internet connection to multiple places, allowing you to virtually log in from anywhere on any device. Proxies allow you to mask your identity while also allowing you to access restricted websites.
There are two types of proxy servers: residential proxies and datacenter proxies. In comparison, residential proxies provide better performance, locations, and ease of use. Datacenter proxies, on the other hand, are far less expensive, quicker, and more reliable.
Residential proxies are normally offered by your Internet Service Provider (ISP), which means they give each of your devices (laptop, phone, watch, etc) a unique IP address.
Datacenter proxies are offered by data centers, making them less expensive and more stable because data centers often have superior technology.
Before making a decision, consider what you require and make the best decision depending on your situation.
Ways to Benefit from Proxies as an eCommerce Business.
Now that you have a good understanding of what proxies are and the two types that come with it. It’s time you learn about the awesome benefits you get by using proxies for your eCommerce business.
1. Competitor Research
Competitor research requires an abundance of data about competitors, target markets, goods, services, etc. Some websites that save this data, however, are geo-blocked, which means you can’t access them from certains regions of the world.
You can get around this by using proxies, which alter your IP address to a different place and allow you to access these websites. Keep in mind that a residential proxy is better for this function than datacenter proxies since it has more locations. And the best proxy to use for this situation are rotating residential proxies which rotate or change your IP address every time you visit a website. This keeps your anonymity and allows you to access restricted websites by virtually logging in from a different part of the world.
2. Performance
Whilst your information gathering; speed is a key component because the faster you gather information, the faster you can use that information for something useful. Proxy servers help with this by caching websites you visit. This means when you visit the same website, it will save all its assets (fonts, text, images, etc). When you visit this website again, it will be faster since you’ve already saved its assets.
3. Security
Keeping your information secure is something everyone should prioritise and especially eCommerce businesses. Since your business is run online, there’s a higher chance of it being hacked or infected by malicious software. The most common way this happens is through downloads. With the use of proxy servers, you gain an extra layer of protection because your IP address changes every time you visit a website. Therefore, your data also gets encrypted which prevents hackers from breaching into your data servers. This is extremely important because in the event of a data breach, you will lose monetary value and reputation and that’s the last thing you want.
4. Anonymity
Perhaps the best benefit of using a proxy server is the level of anonymity you receive. Proxy servers conceal your identity by changing your IP address for every login. This is crucial because if you are carrying out confidential tasks such as market research. You don’t want your competitors to see this because it was leaked. If you’re dealing with confidential financial information about the company such as bank accounts, financial statements, etc. You want to keep these information safe and one of the best ways to do that is to use a proxy server.
How to Get a Proxy?
To get a proxy server, you need to find a proxy server provider and this can be done by a quick Google search. However, there are a few things to keep an eye out for in order to prevent getting scammed.
Terms of Service (TOS) – Almost everyone ignores the TOS or the fine print. However, keep an eye out for anything harmful, as if we’re not careful we might be giving away sensitive information like passwords, names, and other personal details that may be exposed on the internet. And remember! It can’t be taken back once it’s out there.
Domain Age — A decent proxy server should have at least a two-year-old domain. To figure out a domain age. Go to whois.domaintools.com.
Privacy – Private proxy servers provide the most privacy because they are solely linked to your IP address. Never use public proxy servers because, well, they’re public! This indicates they aren’t at all private, so try to stay away from them.
Conclusion
In conclusion, you now know what residential proxies and datacenter proxies are and the differences between them, the benefits of using proxies as an eCommerce business, and how to get proxies.
Word
Keyword Density
Used
datacenter proxies
1.65%
6 times
residential proxies
1.65%
6 times