Avoid Malicious Attacks & Lost Ecommerce Revenue: The Benefits of a Proxy Server
An e-commerce website is very much like a physical store but in the digital space. If you were operating the latter, you would do everything you can to secure the premises. Such include installing proper locking systems and mounting monitoring cameras.
You would also invest in hiring security personnel. Their work would be to check people walking in and out of the establishment. They may also run extra checks, such as scanning visitors and whatever they are carrying.
That, in its simplest element, is what you get with a proxy server on your e-commerce website. The proxy acts as a middleman, between your browser and remote servers.
We will make the comparison clearer as we explore the benefits of proxies in e-commerce websites.
1. Online Anonymity with Proxies
When operating an online business, it helps to have some level of anonymity. You want to be able to use the website without revealing your location. Installing a proxy server gives you anonymity and privacy while online.
It does this by hiding, masking, or assigning you a different IP address. An IP address is like a physical address but online. When you send out internet search requests, the remote servers see the proxy address.
Let's take the example of residential proxies. The ISP (internet Service Provider) assigns an alternative IP address that ties it to a physical location and devices, like a computer or phone.
All search requests go to the remote server via the intermediary server. The server changes the IP, keeping yours hidden.
2. Research and Marketing
Research and marketing are critical if you hope to stay afloat in the business world. Both processes need to collect a lot of data. But therein lies some challenges. Some sites will flag repeated requests for information as suspicious. They may end up blocking you, thus denying you access to critical information.
When performing web scraping, proxies give two main benefits. The first is to hide your IP address, and the second is to pass rate limits. By assigning different IPs, it looks like the requests are from different users. The remote server will not be able to pinpoint the exact source of the requests.
Proxies also make it possible to use social media networks more. Companies have a limit on the number of accounts they can open from one IP address. With social media proxies, you get protection for each account connection. It helps avoid the risk of banning.
You can also scale your marketing so that you reach a wider audience. Proxy settings for specific countries allow for location tags. You can then use it to target specific audiences.
3. Proxies for Competitor Analysis
The e-commerce platform is rife with competition. It helps to keep track of what they are doing. You need the data and insights to know how to break above the clutter. Web scraping provides the perfect way to mine data.
But, some e-commerce websites have ways to hide information from the competition. As we have stated, they may flag your requests as suspicious and block your IP address. They also use other methods like CAPTCHA or data skewing to create a shield.
One way of passing such restrictions is to use proxies. Residential proxies use IP addresses from ISP providers and not data centers. Users get the benefit of looking local and more authentic. The remote sites will not confuse you for data mining bots and block your activities.
Rotating proxies will give you a different IP address with every request you send out. It helps balance or distribute the requests over different proxy servers. Further, the requests look like they are coming from real devices from all over. You get anonymity and can also access geo-blocked content.
4. Proxies Provide Security
Installing a proxy server gives you a buffer between your browser and remote servers. Any traffic coming in or going out must pass through the proxy. The proxy will scan or filter the content. It is crucial for determining whether it contains anything harmful.
Let's go back to the analogy of the security personnel you would hire for a physical, brick-and-mortar business. If they find anything illegal on you, they may confiscate it, and only then allow you entry. In other cases, they will deny you entry. You could also get into trouble if you refuse to cooperate with the security personnel, and they may involve the police.
E-commerce websites are prime targets for hackers. They look for and exploit vulnerabilities in your website to get access and often inject malicious code (if you run WooCommerce we recommend these WooCommerce security plugins).
The malicious code can have a serious impact on your business leading to downtime, lost sales, and eroded trust in your brand. The proxy will not let any malicious content or code through, thus giving security.
5. Proxies Boost Web Performance and Help with Internet Monitoring
Caching proxy servers are essential for ensuring fast loading speeds. If you visit some sites many times, it downloads and saves the information. The next time you send a request, it gets the information from the downloads.
You save time by not having to connect to the remote server. You will also notice less bandwidth consumption. The result is savings in operational costs for your business.
Proxy servers also help with load balancing. When running a promotion, the amount of traffic to your website may be very high. Some hackers may also send tons of traffic to the website. It is a common tactic with DOS (Denial of Service) and DDOS (Distributed Denial of Service) attacks. The former technique uses lots of rogue computers working simultaneously to attack your ecommerce site. It will likely crash because it cannot handle the volume of requests.
A proxy server will reroute some of the traffic to other web servers. This avoids traffic jams on your servers and prevents them from crashing.
6. Check Internet Usage with Proxies
Internet usage at your company can also expose the company to attacks. You may not control which sites your employees visit. An unsecured website can give hackers a way into your system.
Proxies help with monitoring and control of internet-connected devices. You get to block out any website you view as inappropriate. The proxy also provides records of suspicious or illegal activities.
Final Thoughts
Proxies provide a lot of benefits to e-commerce websites. We have looked at the main ones above.
You get online anonymity and security. It allows for data mining, which is critical for marketing, research, and competitor analysis. You can also get access to content that will not be available in your geographic location.
These are benefits that can improve your e-commerce website - all possible because of web proxies. But always take precautions because not all security threats are actionable by proxy servers.
