How To Build an E-commerce Website With Wordpress

Everyone knows that WordPress is the best platform for managing content. Content is the best way to start a business and sell it online. Now, everyone knows that content is the base of every successful business on the Internet these days.

Wordpress is also the best platform for creating an e-commerce website and getting business from the vast internet. In this blog, we know how to add ecommerce to WordPress.

E-commerce platforms are the systems that allow you to create and manage online stores. There are two main types of e-commerce platforms. You can create:

1. Proprietary SaaS Ecommerce Platforms: SaaS platforms function similarly to websites, with everything controlled from a single panel. You can manage your product, content, and technical maintenance from one place. Also, it can handle your website hosting. You can manage your SEO optimization requirements on this platform.

• Pros: They take care of all your technical tasks, so you can focus on selling your products.
• Cons: Since they're like closed boxes, you might have less freedom to customize your store exactly how you want. And sometimes, they could better get your store to appear on Google.

2. Open-source e-commerce platforms (like WordPress): It give the online store more control and flexibility over the webiste. However, you must acquire more technical knowledge to manage this type of store.

• Pros: You have more control over how your store looks and works. You can add all sorts of fancy features if you want.
• Cons: Setting things up can be complicated, and you need some tech skills. Plus, you'll need to handle things like hosting yourself.

The advantage of using a proprietary e-commerce platform is that you don't have to worry about the technical details, so you can focus on marketing and selling your products.

However, there are some downsides, too. For example, you need more control over your website's SEO and features. Some closed platforms might not allow you to add specific desired features. The SEO capabilities of closed platforms can vary. Some offer good options for improving search performance, while others may need to be more effective.

WooCommerce is a valuable tool for converting regular WordPress sites into online stores. It was created by Automattic, the same company that made WordPress.

Consider WooCommerce to be a plugin similar to WordPress extensions. The best part? It is free for everyone because it is open-source.

WooCommerce is changing the online business for small business owners. With payment options, shipping features, and even automated tax calculations, it offers everything you need to get your online store off to a great start.

What's great is that WooCommerce-approved free or premium add-ons, such as additional payment options or stylish marketing tools, let you further personalize your store.

One of the advantages of using WooCommerce is its flexibility. You can easily add new features whenever you want to.

First, it offers endless possibilities for what you can create using WordPress. Plus, it's budget-friendly and has a massive community of developers backing it up.

Launching an online store with WordPress depends on your website-building skills. Hiring a WordPress developer, particularly for larger projects, can be beneficial.

But don't worry if coding isn't your skill. Some web hosts offer a simple point-and-click option for WordPress, making store setup as simple as answering a few questions.

Once your store is up and running, maintaining it daily is a straightforward task. The best part is that running a WooCommerce site can be surprisingly cheap compared to other e-commerce platforms.

Now, you understand the WooCommerce platform and why it is best for creating your online store. Do you want to build your website with WordPress? So note this step and understand it in detail in this blog.

Your domain name is like your website's unique address, found in your URL after 'www.'. For example, ours is 'elightwalk.com.'

You can buy a domain name from sites like Godaddy and Hostinger. Sometimes, you'll get lucky and find your desired name available for the standard low rate ($5 - $20/year). But if not, it might be unavailable or cost more, especially if it's being resold for hundreds or thousands of dollars.

Remember, this high price is usually just for the first year. After that, even pricey domains renew at the standard rate ($5 - $20/year).

It's beneficial to choose a domain name close to your brand name, keeping it short and easy to remember.

Now that you've sorted out your domain name, it's time to find a web hosting provider. Consider web hosting to be similar to renting an online space. You should select a provider who will give your website enough space to showcase your products online.

When selecting a hosting provider, keep the type of store you're creating in mind. But here's a tip: use something other than shared hosting because you must have good transaction and customer details online. If one site on the same server is hacked, yours may also be at risk, mainly if you handle sensitive information such as credit card information.

The easiest option for setting up WordPress is to choose a hosting provider that offers 'one-click' installs. We recommend this because it's hassle-free. Look for providers listed in our best WordPress hosts.

WordPress installation is simple once you've signed up with one of these services. Simply access your hosting dashboard and select 'Install WordPress.'

Don't worry if your provider does not offer one-click installation. You can still do it manually by downloading WordPress to your computer and then uploading it to your hosting account. It's a little more complicated but still manageable. For more information on manual installation, see this WordPress guide.

WooCommerce is the most popular plugin for converting your WordPress website into an online store. It has a 4.6/5 rating from over 3,600 users and over 4 million active installations.

You can set up your online store for free using a platform built by a community similar to WordPress. It provides everything you require, from product pages to secure payment and shipping options. It also integrates seamlessly with tools like Google Analytics and Facebook.

Now you have to follow some basic configuration steps for active WooCommerce:

Step 1: Log in to your WordPress dashboard and find the plugin menu on the left side.

Step 2: Click on the search bar, type “WooCommerce” and install from there.

Step 3: After installing the plugin in your store, activate it to set your business details.

Step 4: Add your business details. Make sure to select what kind of product you want to sell (Digital or Physical).

Step 5: Choose the payment methods you'll accept, like Stripe and PayPal.

Step 6: Confirm your shipping options, set fixed prices, offer free shipping or integrate with carriers like UPS.

Step 7: Decide on additional plugins and themes, but you can add these later if you need clarification.

Step 8: Activate Jetpack to help with payment setup and taxes.

Step 9: Activate Jetpack to help with payment setup and taxes.

Once you've finished registering WooCommerce by installing Jetpack, you'll be prompted to add your first product. Go to the 'Products' menu on the left and select 'Add New.'

1. Product name (e.g., Flower vase, Watch)
2. Price (e.g., $4.95)
3. Main product image (showing the entire product from the front)
4. Additional product images (optional but recommended, showing different angles and close-ups)
5. Long product description (providing detailed information about the product)
6. Short product description (a concise summary)
7. Product category (if applicable, such as 'Plant Pots')

WooCommerce provides a variety of product types, including simple, group, external/affiliated, variable, downloadable, and virtual. You can select the kind that is best for your product.

If you need clarification about product types, our well-explained blog will help you clear the product type and set it up in the e-commerce platform.

For example, if your product is simple without variations, like our Flower vase, you'll select the simple product type.

After adding the basic information, you'll need to navigate through the tabs to provide more specific details:

• General: Covers price and tax information.
• Inventory: Allows you to track inventory with SKUs if needed.
• Shipping: This includes product dimensions and shipping costs.
• Linked Products: Here, you can update complementary products for upselling.
• Attributes: If your product has variations (like different sizes or colors), you can add them here.

Once you've filled in all the necessary details, click the 'Publish' button on the right to make your product live on your site.

It is very simple to add plugins to your website! Just follow these simple steps:

Step 1: Log in to your WordPress.

Step 2: Go to 'Plugins', then click 'Add New'.

Step 3: Use the search bar in the top right corner to find the specific plugin.

Step 4: Check its reviews and ratings to confirm its confidence.

Spet 5: When ready, click the 'Install Now' button.

Step 6: You'll see a completion message once it's finished. Click 'Activate Plugin'.

Step 7: Each plugin will have its configuration process, so install it properly.

You can install as many plugins as you want, but make sure they are trustworthy before installing them in your store.

Here are three plugins that we like for online stores with WooCommerce:

1. Yoast for SEO Guidance: Do you want your online store to be easily found by search engines? This helpful plugin increases the probability that search engines will find and display the content on your website on the first page of results. It's all about changing your site to increase its online visibility.

2. Securi for Security: Security is important when accepting online payments. While some free security plugins, such as Wordfence, are available, we believe investing a little more is worthwhile. Activating the free plugin requires installing it in the WordPress directory.

3. Site Reviews for Reviews: Users must be convinced to purchase social proof. Your website can gain authority and trust from prospective customers by allowing them to leave reviews directly on it. It's a simple yet helpful way to display positive customer feedback.

Provide the basic details, introduction, and description by writing the best content. Content is the right way to convert customers into sales. Let's see which content you need to upload to your store.

1. Microcopy: Microcopy means the small text on your site, like buttons and messages. It's important because it guides users and motivates them to take action. For example, use friendly phrases like "Learn more" on your homepage instead of pushy ones like "Buy now."

2. Product Descriptions: Provide brief but informative product descriptions. Include all the details a buyer would want to know. Use bullet points to make it easy to read, and keep the style consistent for all products.

3. Product Images: Good-quality product images are a must. Use a good camera and simple backgrounds for clear photos. Remember, the more pictures, the better. Keep them all looking the same for a neat website.

4. Privacy Policy: Your privacy policy is also essential. WordPress will ask you to choose one before your site goes live. Luckily, there's a guide to help you write it. Go to Settings,' then Privacy,' and follow the steps.

However, we will focus on a few particular categories of content for the time being. Content can make your product shine in the international marketplace and match the customer keywords.

You can now confidently publish your website, knowing that you have taken the necessary precautions to protect your users' privacy while effectively presenting their content. Remember to update your content regularly to keep it interesting and relevant to your target audience.

We saw how simple it is to create an online store using WordPress and WooCommerce. You can customize your store and business as per your requirements. You can build your online store by following the step-by-step instructions in this guide, regardless of your experience level. Small text, product descriptions, and attractive images are all important factors influencing how much customers like and want to purchase from your store. There are no limitations to what you can create with WordPress.

Contact Elightwalk for expert Wordpress developer support to create your store with proper guidance and assistance. With the correct assistance, you can expand your potential customer base and optimize your online store for success. We have hands-on experience creating online stores. We can help you manage your store with a satisfied WooCommerce development service, or you can get content-writing services for your e-commerce store.