How to build the first eCommerce store using WooCommerce?
WooCommerec is an open-source eCommerce plugin designed and developed for WordPress. Whether it’s small or large online businesses, WooCommerce suits any size and comprises a variety of tools through which you will get the flexibility to serve existing consumers by making the shopping experience relatively simpler.
The development of a WooCommerce store with WordPress may sound complicated, despite that, the advantages it offers with the best WooCommerce plugins and themes outshine all the complexities. Here you will learn how to build your first eCommerce store using WooCommerce plugins.
#1. Choose Domain Name and Web Hosting
A domain name is the unique address of your online store. For example, “www.myfirststore.com”.
Web hosting means a remote computer that saves your website online and serves everyone who wants to visit.
There are multiple hosting or domain providers available, but usually, individuals prefer Bluehost.com as it offers very affordable web hosting and dependability.
Go to bluehost.com. Click on the button “Get Started Now”.
Next, they will provide you with different pricing models, through which you need to pick the BASIC one, priced at $2.75 per month.
In the next step, you need to decide on your domain name that must be unique, eye-catching, easy to remember, and relevant to the business industry.
Once you pick out your domain name, you can complete the setup and pay the initial hosting fee.
#2. Setting up WordPress
You can now start creating your website. There are many hosting organizations providing one-click WordPress installation. So choose wisely after all the research.
The other option is you can download from WordPress.org and install according to the direction provided at” how to install WordPress”.
#3. Install and Activate WooCommerce Plugin
Now it’s time to install all the eCommerce functionalities with WooCommerce plugins. There are three different ways for that.
- Create a free account on WooCommerce.com
You need to choose from,
- A pre-installed solution with a reliable host
- WooCommerce auto-installation on already having WordPress site
- Download the WooCommerce Plugin
Download the WooCommerce plugin and go to our website.
Go to the Dashboard > Plugin > Add New > Upload.
Next, select the downloaded plugin and then install it and activate it.
- Go to your website and search for the WooCommerce plugin.
Open your website dashboard > Plugins> Add New > Search Plugins
Next, search the term “WooCommerce” then install it and Activate.
Once you have activated the plugin, you will get a setup wizard.
#4. Choose a Theme
WooCommerce works well with any of the WordPress themes by default. You can also choose a particular WooCommerce-optimized theme. These are the themes having pre-set styles that will make integration easy into your site.
WooCommerce Storefront and its child themes are most likely to work properly with your store as they are built and optimized for WooCommerce. You can use Storefront without any cost, and if you want to add more functionalities, you can buy Storefront extensions.
If you do not want to go with the Storefront, there are plenty of themes available for your store that work extremely well with WooCommerce.
#5. Build your Store
Before you start adding products, create multiple pages like homepage, about, contact, privacy policy, and FAQs through which your customers will interact with your website.
Next, add products and its description with multiple images, videos, categories, and tags.
#6. Enhance WooCommerce
Extend your eCommerce store by integrating different extensions that will add more functionalities and features to your website. There are extensions for everything such as payment gateway, shipping, subscriptions, tax, memberships, bookings, and whatnot!
You can launch your eCommerce website for free and extend it according to the growth of your customers and revenue. You need to subscribe yourself when you buy any extension so that you can get support and product updates.
Summing Up
WooCommerce is a great platform if you want to start an e-store. You can make it more powerful when you choose the right theme and extension that drives more conversions. The best part of WooCommerce is that you do not have to be a technology and coding expert to sell products online. Follow these steps properly and get set GO.