Platform Selection
Part of Choosing an ecommerce platform for an Australian store
Hosted ecommerce versus self-hosted software
Compare hosted and self-hosted ecommerce by assigning responsibility for hosting, updates, backups, support and store changes.
The practical difference is who operates the commerce service and its hosting. A hosted provider supplies the hosting and manages the parts covered by its agreement. With self-hosted software, the merchant chooses a host and must arrange maintenance of the installed stack. Either way, product data, payment settings, extensions and customer problems need owners.
Map the responsibilities
The label “hosted” does not explain every duty. Complete this table for the service, host and support agreement under consideration.
| Work | Hosted service: confirm who does it | Self-hosted store: name the owner |
|---|---|---|
| Core service and servers | Provider's included service and support boundary | Host, developer or internal team |
| Theme and extensions | Merchant or supplier responsibilities for added code | Who updates and tests each component |
| Backups and recovery | What can be restored, by whom and how | Backup scope, storage and restore operator |
| Payment and delivery settings | Who configures and checks them | Who configures and checks them |
| Incident response | Provider support versus merchant's first responder | Host, agency and merchant escalation path |
A hosted provider's core-service maintenance does not establish that it maintains a third-party app, custom theme or stock feed. A managed host may take on some server work for a self-hosted store. Record the actual division of work in the proposal.
What each route asks of the team
A hosted subscription can include web hosting, as Shopify's and BigCommerce's services do. The merchant still needs to configure the store and check the purchased plan's limits. Ask which changes staff can make in the admin, which require an app or developer, and what support will troubleshoot.
Self-hosted software offers a choice of host and control over the installed application. It also needs an update and compatibility process.
WooCommerce, for example, advises backing up both files and the database, testing updates on staging where possible, and checking product pages, checkout, payments, shipping and order emails. A host or agency can take on this work if its agreement says so.
Some arrangements divide responsibilities more finely. Adobe Commerce on cloud infrastructure uses a shared responsibility model: Adobe develops and maintains secure core application code and responds to security issues concerning the core platform, while the merchant maintains security for custom code and integrations with third-party applications and keeps third-party dependencies on supported versions. Check the actual deployment rather than assuming every hosted arrangement assigns the same work to its provider.
Key Metrics for Hosting Decisions
- Average uptime (self-hosted)
- Varies – dependent on host and maintenance
- Backup frequency (recommended)
- Daily for files and database (WooCommerce)
- Security responsibility (Adobe Commerce)
- Shared model: Adobe maintains core; merchant handles custom code
Use a change and a failure to decide
Ask each supplier how the proposed store would add a product field, update a payment integration and restore an accidentally changed product. Who approves the change, checks checkout afterwards and can reverse it?
Consider a failed order notification during a busy trading period. Record who answers the customer first, who investigates the integration and what information each party can inspect. A contract covering servers can still leave an order feed without an assigned owner.
Compare subscription or hosting, extensions, maintenance, support and internal staff time. A hosted service is a good fit when its supported configuration meets the store's needs and its responsibility boundary suits the team. Self-hosted software is viable when the required control has a funded maintenance owner.
