What is a Store SSL Certificate? SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is a technology used to establish an encrypted link between a server and a client – usually a web server hosting your store and a visitor’s browser. Normally, data sent between browsers and web servers is sent in plain text and a hacker watching your traffic can see all the information. SSL allows sensitive information like credit card numbers and login credentials to be sent securely.
Why is a Store SSL Certificate vital for your website? It is essential for your own and your customers’ security to use secured connection for logins, registrations and checkouts but I still see websites and stores using unsecured forms for this, some even ask for credit card information on unsecured pages.
If you collect credit card information, you are required by PCI standard to use a Store SSL Certificate, or if your site has a login section or form collecting private information like street address, phone number, etc., you should use SSL certificate to protect submitted data. As a business owner or manager, you do not need to worry about technical details on how SSL certificates are issued and installed, your host or webmaster will take care of it, but you do have to understand that this is a very important part of your e-commerce setup, and you should be able to identify if there is a problem with your certificate because it can cost your business a lot of lost orders.
How to Check if you have a Store SSL Certificate
Any page collecting personal or payment information has to be secured, and you can check this by looking at URL of the page. Open your store and click on “Register” link to go to a new account registration page or add a product to the shopping cart and click “Checkout”. If you see HTTPS:// (vs HTTP://) in front of domain there, you are on a secured page. To keep information safe, form still has to submit to a secured script but most e-commerce systems have this built-in and most browsers will show a warning if you are submitting sensitive information to an unsecured script.
Store SSL Certificate
Do not let your Store SSL Certificate expire!
All SSL certificates have an expiration date. If you let your Store SSL Certificate expire, your customers will see an unpleasant warning message if they try to login or checkout in your store. It will ask if you still want to proceed and you can ignore that warning but many customers will get spooked and close the page.
To check your Store SSL Certificate expiration date, click on the lock icon in URL field -> click “Connection” tab -> click “Certificate information” (this is in Google Chrome browser but similar procedure works in other browsers).
You will see a new window with information about your store SSL certificate, including an expiration date.
A simple store SSL certificate can be ordered and installed the same business day but some more sophisticate certificates with third party validation seals can take up to two weeks to get, so allow enough time to initiate renewal process if your certificate expires soon.
Your host or webmaster will take care of your store SSL certificate renewal, but make sure you have access to messages sent to email used for your domain registration (domain owner email address) or messages sent to admin@, administrator@ or info@. For security reasons, certificate approval email can not be sent to any other address and you have to be able to receive that email to click on the approval link to get new certificate issued.
Next week: Different types of SSL certificates and how to save $1,500/year and increase your store conversion rate
Learn more about FinestShops.com Managed e-Commerce package and your store SSL certificate at www.finestshops.com or call us at 800.675.0162.
To your success!
Anton Pachkine
FinestShops E-Commerce Management
Hosting | Customizations | Design | Marketing
www.finestshops.com | 1-800-675-0162
