Toronto, Canada - (Cheap Web Hosting Directory) - October 4, 2007 - Web hosting solutions provider, Netfirms, has reported that online stores are gaining popularity, as over 20,000 small businesses indicate revenue increases through hosting at the e-commerce services based company.

Selling products through online stores is becoming more and more popular among small businesses in the United States. Internet technology has advanced since the beginning of the dot-com era, making online stores much easier to setup and manage, more reliable and affordable. This explains why 53% of small businesses in the United States sell their products or services through their own online stores and have seen a 4.3% increase in online sales revenue between 2001 and 2006.

E-commerce web hosts aim to make it easy for small business owners of any skill level to startup and manage their own online stores. Over 20,000 online stores are powered by Netfirms Commerce Pro, a complete e-commerce solution that gives customers the ability to setup their online stores with total control of product catalogues, shipping rates, and methods of payment (PayPal, Credit Card, Authorize.Net). CommercePro also gives small businesses added features including marketing tools, secure transactions, and customizable sales reports to help maximize their online sales revenue.

According to information released by the company, Jeannine Ranni, Owner of Embellished Bean, has been selling gourmet coffee and tea online from her home in New York since 2005. Her secure, reliable online store keeps her customers coming back. Using CommercePro has also helped Ranni reduce her costs by a couple thousand dollars each year because she can make changes to her store without the help of a web designer. Many small businesses owners like Ranni are keeping their costs to a minimum by choosing Netfirms CommercePro for their online stores. CommercePro is included in Netfirms Advantage and Business Web Hosting plans starting at $9.95 per month.

Online stores powered by CommercePro have secure and reliable features that make it easy for shoppers to purchase the products they desire without a glitch. Searching for products is easy, the shopping cart has smooth navigation, and shoppers have the opportunity to read or post reviews of their favorite products and access their order status and purchase history. I Buy Direct, an online store specializing in business hardware, electronics, and IT services, has been hosted at Netfirms since February 2007. Lawrence Wong, Owner of I Buy Direct, finds that selling his products through his own online store has helped him keep his costs down and increase his sales. He plans on starting up a couple more online stores at Netfirms in the near future.

Philbert Shih, Analyst at Tier 1 Research stated, ”The e-commerce hosting solutions available to small businesses are becoming easier to use, more secure, and affordable - one of many reasons why businesses are choosing to sell products through their own online stores.”

Although many small businesses are already selling their products online, it will become a must-have capability for in the next two years. As online selling becomes more of a necessity, it is also becoming more profitable as 97% of small businesses expect their revenue from online sales to stay the same or increases over the next one to two years. E-commerce web hosts help small businesses with small budgets generate revenue from their own online stores with reliable solutions that are easy to setup and manage.

Earlier this month, Netfirms was named to the PROFIT 100 List, for its second straight year, recognized as one of Canada’s Fastest Growing Companies. Citing a growth rate of over 800% in the past five years, Netfirms placed 71 in the 19th annual PROFIT 100 ranking of Canada’s Fastest-Growing Companies. The PROFIT 100 profiles the country’s most successful growth companies and is Canada’s largest annual celebration of entrepreneurial achievement.

Netfirms, Inc., founded in 1998, provides web hosting solutions and technology to successful small and medium-sized businesses, home office, entrepreneurs and individuals worldwide. Netfirms hosts over 1,000,000 websites, with offices in the U.S. and Canada. Netfirms was selected in 2006 as one of HostReview.com’s Top 10 Fastest Growing Web Hosting Companies.

Last month, to celebrate web hosting domain name provider for small to medium-sized businesses (SMB), Netfirms’ debut of its Web Design service, the company planned to give away five free website makeovers, to website owners.
Developed as a cost-effective professional website design service, including small businesses success tools, businesses may choose from three packages ranging in price from $399 to $1199. The Starter package includes six pages; Standard package, fifteen pages; and Ecommerce package, a fully functional e-store. All packages include a professionally designed website, free hosting, a domain name (website address), and optional maintenance. Also included is one on one consultation with a professional web designer throughout the design process. Websites are powered by an intuitive web-based content management system that allows business owners to easily make updates, and are typically built within five business days.

Netfirms, Inc., founded in 1998, provides web hosting solutions and technology to successful small and medium-sized businesses, home office, entrepreneurs and individuals worldwide. Netfirms hosts over 1,000,000 websites, with offices in the U.S. and Canada. Netfirms was selected in 2006 as one of HostReview.com’s Top 10 Fastest Growing Web Hosting Companies.

To learn more about Netfirms Commerce Pro, please visit: www.netfirms.com/ecommerce-about.

For more information about Netfirms, please visit: www.netfirms.ca.