There’s never been a much better time to open an online business, and WordPress makes it easy. WordPress has many tools to help website owners set up a complete eCommerce site for selling products of all kinds.
Whether you’re an experienced web developer or a complete newcomer to online selling doesn’t matter. You can turn your WordPress website into an online storefront in just a few steps.
And the best thing is that many options suit every budget.
Can WordPress be used for eCommerce?
WordPress can certainly be used for eCommerce, making it an ideal solution for small businesses looking to expand their online presence. With the integration of popular eCommerce plugins like WooCommerce, you can effortlessly transform your WordPress website into a fully functional online store.
WooCommerce offers a seamless way to showcase products, set up a shopping cart, manage inventory, and process secure payments. It provides customizable templates, allowing you to design your store to align with your brand’s aesthetics. Furthermore, its user-friendly interface empowers you to manage orders, track sales, and engage customers effectively.
By leveraging the power of WordPress and eCommerce plugins like WooCommerce, you can create a robust and scalable online store, enabling you to tap into the vast world of online retail while retaining the familiar WordPress environment you’re accustomed to.
Why use WordPress for your eCommerce business?
WordPress powers nearly 43% of the world’s websites, from personal blogs to many of the Internet’s top 100 websites. This free and open-source platform consists of a set of core codes that defines the basic framework of a website.
You have virtually limitless ways to create unique sites from this basic website framework. And that’s all thanks to the help of thousands of WordPress themes, plugins, and plugin extensions.
The “mix and match” versatility of WordPress makes it possible for users of all skill levels to build a fully functioning online storefront. You can even transform an existing WordPress site into an online store in almost no time.
Because WordPress is the world’s most popular site builder and content management system, there’s a massive community of users, contributors, and developers behind it.
They come together and develop many premium and free WordPress themes and plugins. Anyone can use these tools to optimize any WordPress site for showcasing goods, services, and memberships.
Another essential benefit of having a large community is the available resources and help. Should you need any help with setting up an online store, you will certainly find it online. In addition, many online courses, forums, blog posts, and webinars are waiting for you to check them out.
At Bluehost, we also write a lot about eCommerce for WordPress sites, and our experts at Blue Sky are always available to answer your questions.
Setting up an online store: The storefront essentials
The configuration of your WordPress eCommerce website depends on the nature of your business, your goals, and the kind of products and services you plan to sell.
Generally speaking, a full-service eCommerce website needs a set of core functions that make it easy for site owners to manage the store. And it should also be easy for visitors to find and buy what they’re looking for.
For that, your WordPress eCommerce website should offer the following:
- Easy to manage product pages, with options for promoting featured products and special opportunities.
- Product description, images & product categories.
- Shopping cart and checkout pages that include essentials like currency converters, shipping calculators for physical products, or download links for digital products.
- Secure payment portals that protect buyers’ payment information.
- Design that reflects the business brand.
- Contact features include contact forms, live chat, or a support number for handling customer issues and questions.
- Mobile responsiveness to reach the growing number of users who shop from tablets and smartphones.
- A link to social media to share content and allow your users to engage with your brand.
- A secure website with an SSL certificate.
The best eCommerce setup for your WordPress site will depend on your budget, technical skills, and the scope of your venture.
How to make an eCommerce website with WordPress
Before you can start designing your online store, you must pick a domain and WooCommerce hosting provider.
It’s easy to do so, especially with a quality hosting provider like Bluehost. To build a WordPress eCommerce website, check out the WooCommerce hosting packages.
Besides the basics, like buying a domain name and web hosting plan, these offers are equipped with features specifically for online stores. These features include discount code creation, product review collection, payment processing, and many more.
1. Pick a WooCommerce hosting plan
Choose among these affordable plans to start creating your online store.
2. Choose a domain name for your WordPress eCommerce store
Purchase and register a domain name for your online store. This allows users to find your website easily. Moreover, check a separate article on how to choose a domain name for your brand wisely.
3. Check your email address for instructions to secure your account
After a successful registration, check your email account. You’ll receive a link to reset your password. Follow the instructions there to secure your account.
4. Log in to your Bluehost account.
Once the password has been reset, log in to your Bluehost account. Click Create your website to kickstart your online store-making.
5. Proceed with the onboarding process with WonderStart
With WonderStart, you can access a range of features and design options for your eCommerce store. You’ll be able to see quick snapshots and the backbone of your online store—your content, powerful features, and modern design. Next, click Start Setup.
6. Answer the questions by WonderStart
Provide the crucial information to the Wonderstart onboarding wizard to receive a tailor-made setup process and the appropriate help and guidance with each step. You’ll be asked about your experience with WordPress, and you must answer this truthfully to make your entire building process easier. After choosing your experience level, click Continue Setup.
7. Select the category that best represents your eCommerce store
Choose the industry or category that best describes your eCommerce store to customize the setup and design. If you don’t find a perfect match, type in the correct category to let WonderStart know what type of store you’re building. When you’re ready, click Continue Setup. This will help Bluehost WonderSuite curate visuals and content tailored to your business.
8. Configure your tax information
Provide your business address and configure your initial tax settings. Don’t worry, you can adjust this later on.
9. Indicate what types of products you’ll be selling on your online store
Specify the types of products to be sold in the eCommerce store and select the range of product quantities. Then, click Continue Setup to proceed.
10. Check your store’s appearance on the web
Review the store’s appearance on the web and make any necessary design adjustments.
11. Set up your store’s identity
Provide your eCommerce store’s title and description, upload your official logo, and link to any social media platform. Once done, select Finish.
About WordPress eCommerce themes
Themes are a core component of the WordPress system. Thousands are available in both free and premium versions.
You can get themes directly from the WordPress theme directory or from third-party developers worldwide. Themes define a site’s appearance and layout, and some themes are designed to support specific functions, including eCommerce.
Related: View our recommended WooCommerce themes
Free and eCommerce-friendly themes offer users various ways to showcase products. They can add landing pages, display featured product images in galleries and even run a blog. Premium versions of these themes include more features to round out the essentials of an online store.
Choosing the right WordPress eCommerce plugins
Along with themes and the core code, eCommerce plugins for WordPress round out the list of essentials that make up a site. And like themes, countless plugins are set to perform specific functions on a basic WordPress site.
eCommerce-related plugins for WordPress range from full storefronts to dedicated plugins that allow you to set up individual features like shopping carts, payment portals, and more.
Of course, we can’t talk about eCommerce plugins without mentioning WooCommerce. It is the most famous WordPress eCommerce plugin and powers over 8.7% of all known websites. WooCommerce is popular because it can be installed on any compatible WordPress site.
It adds the full spectrum of eCommerce-related features to a basic WordPress website and theme. The free version of WooCommerce offers all the essentials, and the premium version adds additional features plus extended support.
WooCommerce may be the best-known and most widely used WordPress eCommerce plugin, but it isn’t the only one. Many other plugins, such as WP eCommerce and EStore, add a fully functioning online store to WordPress sites. Some, like Easy Digital Downloads, support a particular product or service, while others are designed to build a membership or subscription site.
Add security features for your WordPress site
Every online business must deal with a certain amount of sensitive customer data, such as identity, location, and credit card information, and your customers need to trust that this information will be protected from theft and hacking.
Your WordPress eCommerce solution includes tools for safeguarding payment information and storing credit cards for future purchases, and your web hosting service also provides basic security features. You can also take additional steps to protect your customers’ personal information.
Consider adding an SSL (Secure Socket Layer) certificate (designated by HTTPS) to the site, and keep your site and all its related eCommerce plugins updated, too, since WordPress updates are often aimed at fixing security issues, both large and small.
Common questions regarding building an eCommerce website with WordPress
WordPress eCommerce is a method of building an online store using WordPress, typically by integrating eCommerce plugins like WooCommerce. It’s a flexible platform allowing customization of storefronts, products, and user experiences.
WordPress is excellent for eCommerce due to its flexibility, extensibility via plugins like WooCommerce, and wide range of customizable themes. It can scale from small to large eCommerce operations, making it a versatile choice.
Yes, you can sell digital products on a WordPress eCommerce site. Plugins like WooCommerce allow you to list digital products, set a download method, and manage access after purchase.
Secure your WordPress eCommerce site by regularly updating WordPress, themes, and plugins, using secure hosting, implementing strong login credentials, installing security plugins, and ensuring your site has an SSL certificate for secure transactions.
Optimize your WordPress eCommerce site for SEO by creating quality content with keywords, improving website speed, using SEO plugins like Yoast SEO, creating a sitemap, and optimizing product descriptions, tags, and images.
Final thoughts
Online shopping is the fastest-growing retail sector worldwide. Many users say they’d never shop any other way.
Now, anyone with products to sell can set up an online store. If you want to do so as well, consider using WordPress. WordPress makes it easy for you, with eCommerce options to suit every budget and level of expertise.
To learn more about our website hosting packages, including our new Managed WordPress hosting plan, check out our extensive resources on Bluehost.com.
