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Best Web Host for Apple Users

jusacruiser

jusacruiser

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Mar 15, 2009
343
14
Palm Beach, Florida
Which is the best Web Host for Apple users?

If I want to run an online business and build a website that has a shopping cart, which web host would be best?
 
It's irrelevant what computer you have. You just want a decent web host. The choice will depend on the level of hosting you need - a small, low traffic site will be fine with shared hosting. A high-traffic site may need a dedicated server.

Alternatively, you may prefer to go for a pre-configured e-commerce solution such as shopify. You need to identify your needs first - without knowing your requirements, it's very difficult to make recommendations.
 
Here are my requirements

tersono said:
It's irrelevant what computer you have. You just want a decent web host. The choice will depend on the level of hosting you need - a small, low traffic site will be fine with shared hosting. A high-traffic site may need a dedicated server.

Alternatively, you may prefer to go for a pre-configured e-commerce solution such as shopify. You need to identify your needs first - without knowing your requirements, it's very difficult to make recommendations.
Click to expand...

- I am going to have a informational website where I will be selling several products as a Market Affiliate.

My requirements are:

1. Since I am running the website as a newbie, ease of use will be important to me.
2. I am going to be using iWeb to actually build my website, so would like to easily upload my website to the webhost.
3. Need a shopping cart.
4. Built in billing support.
5. Web Host should have strong ability to drive traffic to my website.


Hopefully this helps. Thanks.
 
I'd second tersono's recommendation, check out a hosted solution like shopify.com or goodsie.com It'll pretty much cover steps 1 - 4 for you.

Not sure what you mean by
5. Web Host should have strong ability to drive traffic to my website.
Click to expand...
though?
 
Web Host Recommendation

TinyTears said:
I'd second tersono's recommendation, check out a hosted solution like shopify.com or goodsie.com It'll pretty much cover steps 1 - 4 for you.

Not sure what you mean by though?
Click to expand...

Ok, for step 5, I think what I meant is a strong web host that could give me high visibility. For example, a high listing in google searches.

Thanks for your input.
 
jusacruiser said:
Ok, for step 5, I think what I meant is a strong web host that could give me high visibility. For example, a high listing in google searches.

Thanks for your input.
Click to expand...

I use JustHost for several local non-profit websites. They claim to be very good about improving search engine visibility. We don't use them though as that isn't a nonprofit goal for us.
 
jusacruiser said:
Ok, for step 5, I think what I meant is a strong web host that could give me high visibility. For example, a high listing in google searches.

Thanks for your input.
Click to expand...

High visibility in Google and other search engines is dependent on your Page Rank. Not a thing a webhost can do for you there. I suggest you do some research on how websites are actually made instead of using iWeb.

I wouldn't recommend using iWeb for business purposes. It is a consumer product so ma and pa can make their own photo albums and put them on the internet. It isn't a business tool.

I'd suggest really doing some more research. I wouldn't say this forum is the place to get it.
 
jusacruiser said:
3. Need a shopping cart.
4. Built in billing support.
Click to expand...

While your webhost may have these packages available to install on their servers (generally you just need a host that supports php/mysql or somesuch), they won't have anything to do with setting it up. Especially integrating it with your website. If you're using iWeb, it's going to be hard to integrate a shopping cart system into it. You'll probably have to skip iWeb and use some all-in-one web solution.
 
Please recommend "all in one web solution"

Dimwhit said:
While your webhost may have these packages available to install on their servers (generally you just need a host that supports php/mysql or somesuch), they won't have anything to do with setting it up. Especially integrating it with your website. If you're using iWeb, it's going to be hard to integrate a shopping cart system into it. You'll probably have to skip iWeb and use some all-in-one web solution.
Click to expand...

Can you recommend an "all in one web solution?"

Also let me know if you have good things or bad things about "GoDaddy".

Thanks!
 
jusacruiser said:
Also let me know if you have good things or bad things about "GoDaddy".

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Avoid this at all costs. Ignore the part of your brain that thinks that Danica Patrick will sent to a personal SWAK for signing up with them.

Their web offerings have become so convoluted that, for a beginner with hosts especially, you'll never be able to see the light of day. They have no many piecemeal offerings that they bug you about; that you really don't need any of. And don't even try contacting support. It's offshore and scripted. I actually got through once by faking a Hispanic accent and making the offshore rep transfer me back to the states.
 
jusacruiser said:
Can you recommend an "all in one web solution?"

Also let me know if you have good things or bad things about "GoDaddy".

Thanks!
Click to expand...

They're probably going to be fairly convoluted if you don't have experience. If I was going to set up an online shop, I'd use OSCommerce. It's a free, open-source shopping cart system. But installing it, configuring it, and customizing it can take a while.
 
The only thing that a Web host can do to improve your SEO is to give you a dedicated IP address (one that's not shared with other sites), which is a teeny tiny piece of the Google puzzle. Bigger fish to fry, imo.
 
I do not recommend being a newbie at this and handling credit card processing or any of the security that goes with it. Use a hosted solution so you don't get yourself and your clients into a crapload of problems when information is stolen.

Use what someone else suggested, something like Shopify.
 
gks said:
I do not recommend being a newbie at this and handling credit card processing or any of the security that goes with it. Use a hosted solution so you don't get yourself and your clients into a crapload of problems when information is stolen.

Use what someone else suggested, something like Shopify.
Click to expand...

Several people mentioned Shopify. I will consider using that one. thanks.
 
I've used Shopify,1and1,Dreamhost and HostRocket within the last year. Shopify is probably the most user friendly.
 
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