Major credit card issuers created PCI (Payment Card Industry) compliance standards to protect personal information and ensure security when transactions are processed using a payment card. All members of the payment card industry (financial institutions, credit card companies and merchants) must comply with these standards if they want to accept credit cards. Failure to meet compliance standards can result in fines from credit card companies and banks and even the loss of the ability to process credit cards.

PCI DSS Compliance is mandatory

E-commerce hosting solutions are becoming increasingly important for small and new businesses. Established business are opening up online channels and new businesses are being opened with the intention of operating only online. E-commerce solutions are becoming more affordable and offer businesses additional and expanded opportunity for enhanced customer service.  E-commerce solutions however require careful considerations particularly given the large number of service providers entering that space.

A  Payment Card Industry compliance protocol, better known as PCI compliance aims to protect personal information and to offer security when using payment cards in an online environment.  As important and significant move for sure and one which will impinge on  the entire payment card industry to comply. For an industry moving to engage with many more people in conducting transactions online it is an imperative as credit cards remain the preferred choice for consumers. A failure to meet the standards may mean fines from banks and credit card companies, or even the loss of the ability to process credit cards.

E-commerce hosting needs to provide the necessary software and hosting services that enables a  business to sell its products and services online. Regular web hosting services will offer server space, email accounts, technical support, and data security services. An  e-commerce hosting service needs to include shopping cart software and connection to a secure transaction service for the delivery and management of online payments.