It's not a matter of "cutting corners." Think of all of the small businesses that recently moved online due to store closures. These businesses simply do not have the budget required to create something comparable to, say, Best Buy's e-commerce. Sure, Shopify might come close, but how do you think Mom and Pop will find and create an e-commerce solution?
That’s the very definition of cutting corners. If they aren’t confident of their ability to operate safely they need to either hire a professional or go without - just as not wanting to pay a plumber doesn’t exempt you from meeting the health code or saving on accountants will be a get out of jail free card when you get audited.
If it sounds like I’m unsympathetic, yes, that’s true. Playing around with building your own database is a good learning experience but that changes once you expose other people to your mistakes. I’ve also dealt with a few small businesses and the people trying to run a business like this are always trying to save a buck - they’re the same ones who stiff contractors, avoid paying overtime, do their own taxes creatively, etc. If you have a successful business, you’ll drop a few bucks on Shopify, Wix, etc. to focus on the business rather than a distraction.
Think how easy it is to take advantage of grandma for "tech support," whether it be from India or at a seedy computer repair shop. It wouldn't surprise me to hear that the majority of small business owners have never heard of Shopify or Wix, as they are more likely to turn to someone they trust, whether that be a "tech-literate" cousin or a local service. Keep in mind that many of these businesses didn't even have websites a few months ago, let alone e-commerce solutions. Not everyone lives in SV or NYC and is perennially exposed to their ads.
I agree that these businesses shouldn't be doing this by themselves, but the tech industry shares some culpability. It should be ingrained in people's heads to think of security first. Most people outside the SV bubble are still using [SO or pet's name]123 as their password. I go to a university in NYC. I've tried to convince several (college) friends to use password managers to no avail. This isn't just a problem endemic in old people. Someone needs to "mainstream" good security. A good start would come from, say, Apple, by including security keys with new iPhones, as much of a pipe dream as that might be.
