What is an SSL certificate (HTTPS)?
An SSL certificate is a file on the server that proves a site is the one it claims to be and scrambles everything sent between it and the visitor. It is what makes an address begin with https, and what stops a browser labelling the page as not secure.
Why it matters to a shop
This is not a technical detail customers never see — it is a warning printed on your own page. On a site without a certificate, the moment there is any field to fill in, the browser writes "Not secure" beside the address, and in some cases puts a full red interstitial in front of the site before it loads at all. Someone halfway through booking a table reads that and leaves. Payment providers will not process on an uncertified page either. Naratake handles HTTPS automatically on published sites, so this one is usually not yours to install — but still look at it yourself once you are live.
How to check your site has one
- Open your live site on a phone. Phone browsers hide the https:// part, so what you are looking for is the absence of a warning: no "Not secure" label, no red screen before the page loads. Tap the address bar once and the full address expands — it should begin with https.
- Type the http version of your address by hand. It should jump to the https version on its own, rather than loading a second, unprotected copy of the site.
- Find out who renews it. Certificates expire in months, not years; most modern hosts renew automatically, and if yours does not, put the date in your calendar — an expired certificate puts a warning in front of every visitor.
Common mistake: Assuming https is only for sites that take payments — browsers now flag every uncertified page, including a one-page site whose only form is a phone number.