Published by Rewind
22.07.21
Think about what it takes to run your ecommerce business. How many files, apps, and programs do you have running? If disaster does strike, whether it’s because of human error, or a technical fault, and you delete your products, customer data, web pages, blog posts, orders or inventory, this can cause a lot of stress and in more severe cases downtime. When a customer can’t access your website, or it’s not functioning properly, it will directly affect your revenue and your brand’s reputation.
So, how do you ensure that your business’s data is safely backed up and accessible in the event you need to restore it?
Here, leading backups app, Rewind discusses everything you need to know about backups to ensure your Shopify store is fully protected, no matter what…
What is a data recovery app, and what does it do?
Any online retailer that has experienced data loss knows that feeling of panic and desperation. At that moment, all you can think about is how to recover that data. If you don’t have a data recovery app, the process will be much more complex, and sometimes impossible.
A data recovery app runs continuously in the background to back up the data on your devices. Backups are stored in the cloud and are available on-demand. So if you experience data loss for any reason, you can quickly and easily restore it from a backup and carry on.
Of course, there are other ways to recover your data, but not all are reliable, cost-effective, or user-friendly. If you don’t have a data recovery app, you could restore your data from a hard drive or optical media backup if you have one. But this will depend on how regularly you backup your store, otherwise you’ll likely miss some files.
If you don’t have a backup, you might still be able to retrieve your files, but you’ll need to invest in data recovery software or take your device to a professional, which will, let’s face it, eat into your bottom line.
In either scenario, there’s no guarantee that your files are retrievable, and the likelihood is your file names and hierarchies will not hold—meaning you’ll have the data back, but it’s up to you to sort through it, rename the files, and put them where they need to be. If it sounds incredibly tedious and frustrating, it is. And depending on the volume of data you’re trying to restore, it can end up being expensive too.
All in all, a data recovery app is a more reliable method of protecting your systems and files as it helps you avoid the anxiety, time, and expense of restoring by other methods.
How and where is your data stored?
Your computers are equipped with hard disc drives (HDDs) or solid-state drives (SSDs), where data is stored locally. Because they are inside your computer, they are protected to a certain degree, but drops, impacts, or liquids can destroy them, especially in the case of HDDs.
SSDs use memory chips similar to the ones that store data on your mobile devices. They are generally more durable than HDDs, but after a few years of constant use, the potential for malfunction increases.
Lost data from SSDs and HDDs are recoverable if they have not been erased or overwritten. Usually, this means that if you delete a file accidentally, it’s still there on the system. The operating system continues to store the files in an inaccessible state until new data overwrites them. Suffice to say, the sooner you act, the better the restoration result will be.
What are the most common causes of data loss?
There are multiple reasons why and how data loss happens to ecommerce businesses.
But here’s a list of the most common reasons:
- Hard drive failure: Whether it’s from overheating, physical damage or an aging drive, these can all cause a drive to fail.
- Viruses or malware: Cybercriminals can and will exploit unpatched software and unprotected systems to gain access to your business and customer data. Others will use tactics like phishing to convince employees to give up their credentials.
- Human error: Accidental or intentional deletion of files or systems can leave your business vulnerable. In fact, human error is responsible for 90% of all business data loss.
Disasters: A fire, flood, vandalism, power shortages, and terrorism can all lead to a loss of physical premises or anything that destroys the physical computer.
What is the cost of data loss?
Whatever the root cause of data loss, the results are always the same. The annual costs of data loss to businesses are difficult to measure. IBM and Ponemon Institute’s Cost of a Data Breach Report estimates an average of $8.64 million per incident. Almost half of that amount is directly because of loss of business – in other words, the time it takes for a company to recover from data loss, the work interrupted while systems are being restored, and the loss of trust from customers.
Smaller ecommerce businesses that lack the resources to recover from a devastating loss might be forced to completely shut down altogether.
How to prevent data loss?
When it comes to effectively managing data loss, a provocative prevention approach is best. This allows you and your business to be prepared for any eventuality, so you can avoid downtime and the expense of restoring your systems.
Your backup plan is the foundation of this. It’s best practice to have more than one copy of your backup, just in case your primary source fails. The 3-2-1 backup methodology suggests three copies, two of which are on different storage mediums and one stored offsite in case you lose your physical premises.
Another essential part of this plan is having a data recovery app, as it enables you to restore quickly from the cloud – meaning you won’t waste time trying to search for a backup copy or gain access to local drives to do so.
Of course, it goes without saying, data loss prevention should be built into your ecommerce business’s DNA and written into policies that all employees are trained on and follow.
Here are some strategies that you can start implementing right away if you’re not already doing so…
Having a data recovery app is a vital aspect of this plan, as it enables you to restore quickly from the cloud—meaning you won’t have to waste time searching for a backup copy or gaining access to local drives to do so.
Of course, data loss prevention should be built into your company’s DNA and written into policies that all employees are trained on and follow. Here are a few strategies you can put into play today:
- Establish and enforce company policy around data privacy and security
- Educate your staff on risks and threats
- Set up role-based access for your systems
- Enable multi-factor authentication for all users
- Use a secure password manager, like 1Password
- Use strong passwords—ideally, ‘passphrases’ with 12-16 characters
- Ensure all third-party apps and plugins are up-to-date
- Read and understand all service agreements with third-party SaaS to be sure they comply with company policies
- Deploy a regular maintenance and replacement protocol for devices and connected equipment
- Use a cloud backup service for ultimate peace of mind
What are the benefits of using a data recovery tool for my Shopify store?
Data recovery apps offer lots of great benefits, including:
- Ease of use: Data recovery apps are designed to be user-friendly, meaning that just about anybody can be trained to leverage its features, even if you’re not the most tech-savvy.
- Time-saving: As we discussed above, downtime is costly. But with a data recovery app you don’t have to worry. They give you the security of being able to restore your data quickly and easily.
- Cost-effective: Data recovery apps deliver incredible value. The low monthly subscription fee pays for itself when you consider the cost of data loss – from low productivity fines and data recovery fees.
- Customisable return point: Your return point is critical, especially when you’re attempting to recover from a malicious attack. You’ll need to identify a point in time when your systems were clean so that you can restore from that moment. A data recovery app offers that level of customisation, minimising data loss and all associated costs.
Why should I install Rewind on my Shopify store?
Installing a data recovery app to protect your business systems brings with it a sense of security and peace of mind. Choosing the right solution for your needs is critical, as not all data recovery apps offer the same features.
With Rewind, you can restore information with just a few clicks. You can restore an individual item, a group of items, or your entire store.
Rewind backs up more item types than any other solution. This includes:
- Products and product images
- Customers
- Orders and collections
- Blogs and blog posts
- Pages
- Themes and theme files
- Menu navigation
- Store policies
- Locations
- Shipping zones
- Gift cards
- Customer saved searches
- Metadata
(Certain plans may be ineligible to stores with higher product counts).
What’s more, Rewind automatically backs up your store’s data every 24 hours, so you always have an up-to-date backup to fall back on. If something goes wrong, simply restore your data from an earlier backup, and get back to business.
And, Rewind’s team of experts will help your store get back up and running as quickly as possible after a data loss. Available by chat, email, and phone, their support team are always on hand to help.
Need to backup your Shopify store?
If you’re a merchant, data loss is not a question of if, it’s a question of when.
Whether it’s a malicious hacker or simply human error, your store’s data could be compromised at any moment, costing you time, money and customer trust.
You can protect your Shopify store from data loss by performing a backup every day. Rewind makes this simple, all you need is to install it and forget about it.
Reach out to Velstar’s Shopify experts and install Rewind in no time.
About Rewind
Rewind’s suite of apps offers data security and control for businesses looking to secure their data. With Rewind, you can backup, restore, and copy the critical information stored in your Shopify store.
