How to Start an Online Store With WordPress: The Ultimate Guide
Wondering how to create an ecommerce website on WordPress? An online store is a great way to start a profitable business. Working in the digital space takes relatively little effort, but that doesn't mean it's easy: when you sell products online, your website has to work flawlessly.
Today, creating an online store isn't a big challenge, and WordPress makes the process even easier than it sounds. In this easy-to-follow guide, we'll walk you through how to build an ecommerce website with WordPress.
Online store on WordPress: where to start?
Whether your business is brick-and-mortar or entirely digital, you should approach its launch seriously. If you want to get up to speed quickly, you'll need at least intermediate WordPress skills. If someone else is building the store for you, you don't need to know the theory. Now let's talk about building an ecommerce website with WordPress.
First, you should have a clear concept for your store. With a concept in place, creating an ecommerce website on WordPress becomes much easier. Come up with a name for your project and get creative with it. If all else fails, you can use your own name. But the name matters less than reliable hosting and a domain. Without them, your site is unlikely to work. Get advice or decide for yourself which services are worth paying for. Beyond that, the rest is less important. Put your enthusiasm and motivation to work, and you'll be able to create an online store on WordPress.
A WordPress website for ecommerce: step-by-step guide
Let's talk about how to set up ecommerce on WordPress. If you've decided to create an online store on WordPress, we've prepared some recommendations to make the setup process clearer and more convenient.
Step 1: Set up your online store platform
Every online store runs on some kind of website. Large, unique projects use their own custom-built systems, but in that case WordPress isn't the right fit. So if you're a beginner, you can't build a business without a dedicated ecommerce platform.
Fortunately, there are two popular ecommerce platforms: Shopify and WooCommerce. WooCommerce is built specifically for WordPress, so it offers seamless integration and ease of use. Shopify, in turn, is a popular platform used by thousands of people just like you. Use the platform you like best. We think both are great for an online store, but the decision is always yours. All we can say is that WooCommerce is much cheaper, while Shopify is more focused on online sales.
Next, you'll need a domain, hosting and an SSL certificate. You probably already know what these are, but just in case: a domain is your store's name, and hosting is where your website lives, a kind of apartment for it. One can exist without the other, but for a working online store, you need both. SSL is what keeps your website safe for customers.
If you're not sure what's what, don't worry. You can buy hosting, a domain and SSL all in one place. We recommend Bluehost. When you buy a plan, you get access to the web hosting control panel, where you can connect WordPress and start working with the platform. And that's it: you're ready for the next step. Many ecommerce platforms are paid. Avoid both free services and overpriced ones. And again, which platform you work on is always up to you.
Step 2: Configure WordPress for ecommerce
Take this step seriously, because mistakes can cause your site to malfunction. That said, there's nothing complicated here, and WordPress even gives you hints along the way.
First, go to General Settings to set up your website. Here you can change your business name, tagline, site URL and WordPress address, as well as your admin email address. You can also change SSL settings here. SSL is usually included in your plan, so you don't need to worry about it.
Once you've made all the necessary changes, be sure to save your settings before closing the window. As you can see, this step isn't hard. Let's look at what to do next.
Step 3: Set up your WooCommerce store
For this step, go to the Plugins section and find the WooCommerce plugin. WooCommerce is considered the most popular tool for building an online store. It runs on top of WordPress, so it delivers the best experience on this platform. Click "Install Now" and then activate the WooCommerce plugin.
Next, you'll see a window where you can enter settings such as your country, address and region. It's very important to fill in this basic information carefully. Then choose your store's industry and tell WooCommerce what types of products you sell: physical or digital. Of course, you can sell both. After that, fill in your business details and take advantage of the free features the platform offers.
In the next window, choose a theme for your website. You can use either a paid or a free one. If you're still unsure about any settings, you can change them at any time. All the steps we've described are very easy, and there are clear tips at every stage, so you'll have no trouble following along.
Step 4: Set up payment options for your online store
What sets an online store apart from a regular website is that it can accept payments from customers directly online. Customers should be able to choose any available payment method, from credit and debit cards and digital wallets to even cryptocurrency. Asking customers to send money manually using your bank details is inconvenient and looks odd. That's why there are dedicated payment platforms that process transactions online, right on your site.
WooCommerce has very advanced payment features, which is no surprise for an ecommerce platform. To open the payment settings, go to WooCommerce, then to Settings, and select Payments. Here you can activate Stripe, which automatically collects payments from customers for everything they buy on your site. You can also accept payments via PayPal or credit cards. For each payment gateway listed, click the "Set up" button and provide the required information. For example, you can enable Stripe and enter your API keys. Naturally, you'll need a Stripe account to change these settings and find all the information you need.
Step 5: Add products to your online store
Finally, it's time to add all the products you plan to sell to your online store. There should be a dedicated section where all your products, physical or digital, are listed. First, go to the Products section and click "Add New." In the window that opens, enter the product name, write a short (or not so short) description and choose a category. Categories help customers find the most relevant items, so assign them carefully. For instance, T-shirts should go in a "T-shirts" category. If you're not sure which category to use, just leave the "Uncategorized" option.
Then add more information about your product, such as stock levels, related products, shipping terms and so on. Keep in mind that the more detailed the product page, the easier it is for customers to make a choice. Missing an important detail can cost you a potential customer. Pay special attention to the product gallery, especially the main photo: the more attractive it is, the better your sales will be. Use only high-quality content and make your product look presentable and stand out from the competition.
When you're done, save your changes and exit the section. Check how the product looks on your website. If you spot any mistakes, fix them in the same settings window.
Step 6: Choose and customize your WordPress theme
Your WordPress theme determines what your site looks like. In other words, it's essentially your design, and how it looks is entirely up to you. As you probably know, design plays a huge role in sales. People prefer to buy from stores where every detail has been thought through, not from ones that look like they were put together in five minutes. You need to show that, as the site owner, you truly care about both your business and your customers. Choosing a good design is an art in itself: you need to think carefully about how to make it both attractive and different from your competitors.
The platform offers thousands of ready-made themes, both paid and completely free. To see the available options, go to the Appearance section and click Customize. You can always preview how a particular theme will look on your site, adjust the settings and save them. Paid themes tend to look not only better but also more distinctive than your competitors' sites. However, how your online store looks is always your call.
Step 7: Extend your online store with plugins
Once you've set up your online store, it's ready to go. However, plugins let you greatly expand its functionality and add features that help you run your business more professionally and improve your customers' experience.
With plugins, you can do almost anything, for example, add customer support to your store or promote your business on social media. Fortunately, there are thousands of plugins available for WordPress, both paid and completely free, and each one has its own unique set of features.
The plugins we recommend
Here are some essential plugins to help you run your first online store.
OptinMonster
This plugin is ideal for boosting sales, increasing conversions and getting customers interested in your products. With OptinMonster, you can easily add lightboxes, pop-ups, a spin-to-win wheel (to offer discounts), a countdown timer and more. This free plugin helps you monetize all your website traffic. What's more, OptinMonster offers geotargeting.
Other features are paid, and you can check the pricing on the official OptinMonster website.
WPForms
WPForms is a free WordPress plugin that lets you create all kinds of forms, from contact and registration forms to payment forms. With WPForms, you can survey customers or site visitors and send promotional emails. The plugin's functionality is so diverse that it's impossible to describe in a couple of sentences, so check out everything WPForms has to offer on its official website. The plugin is available in both free and paid versions.
AffiliateWP
This plugin works perfectly with WordPress. Unlike other similar plugins, it lets you create an affiliate program for your online store. AffiliateWP helps you promote your products and partner with affiliate marketers.
Advanced Coupons
This is an excellent plugin that works seamlessly with WooCommerce. It lets you create a variety of coupons, for shipping, specific products or product categories, as well as scheduled coupons. You can also use it to build a loyalty program for your customers.
SeedProd
What makes SeedProd special is that you can use it to create landing pages for your online store. The plugin is free and includes more than 100 ready-made templates. With SeedProd, you can significantly increase conversions, customize your home page and checkout page, and send emails to your customers.
PushEngage
PushEngage is a handy plugin that helps you monetize your site. Its convenient tools let any online store owner announce new products, promote blog posts, and send emails and personalized messages. PushEngage offers a free-forever plan, easy WordPress setup and 24/7 support.
Conclusion
Now you know how to create an online store with WordPress. Believe us, it's not that hard if you have a clear understanding of your business concept and approach every step with genuine interest and motivation. Use the tips in this article to create your ideal online store.
FAQs about starting an online store
Here are answers to the most common questions about starting an online store.
Where do I find products to sell in my store?
Obviously, an online store without products makes no sense. To start your business, you need to think carefully about what you're going to sell.
There are several ways to find products for your business. If you run an art store, you can sell your crafts, paintings, handmade home goods and so on. In this case, product availability will always depend on you.
If you simply want to resell products, you'll need to buy them from wholesale suppliers or bulk marketplaces. Wholesale prices are much lower than retail, which is a big advantage for you.
You can also sell digital goods such as music, books and anything else available online. Keep in mind, though, that you must have a license or permission to sell these goods. Otherwise, running your online store will be against the law.
Can I start an online store for free?
Yes, you can create an online store for your business for free. However, it's very difficult to do it completely free of charge.
Creating an online store on WordPress itself costs nothing. However, hosting, a domain and SSL all cost money. You can use free hosting or a free domain, but we don't recommend it. They'll be of the lowest quality, which may cause your site to go down intermittently, and your site's name won't look very professional. It will be very hard to succeed with a business like that.
So keep in mind that creating an online store is free, but you'll have to pay for additional features if you want your store to look perfect.
Can I build an ecommerce store myself?
Yes, there's nothing complicated about it. You can build an online store yourself because WordPress is convenient and simple. But if you run into any difficulties, it's best to contact a specialist to avoid mistakes.
You may run into some issues with hosting, plugins and domains. But with a bit of online research, building an ecommerce store yourself won't be that difficult.
How much does it cost to start an online store?
It depends on whether you plan to use paid plans and buy additional features. We believe a reasonable minimum is $100. That's enough to buy hosting and a domain, or a plan that includes both. There's no upper limit; you can spend as much as you like. You can always upgrade your plan and buy various plugins and themes.
