Updated on: 22-08-2022 by WEB-ROI
Starting an online e-commerce website may seem like a difficult venture, but with readymade tools like WordPress and WooCommerce, it certainly doesn’t have to be. This blog will walk you through the basics of constructing an online store with these specific tools. Plus, the advice here may be helpful to online entrepreneurs regardless of their specific platforms or plugins.
If you plan to sell your products and services via WordPress, you’ll want to visit their site and install the WordPress software. Their installation process is fairly straightforward and involves following a few simple prompts. You’ll want to ensure that once you have WordPress installed, you choose a hosting provider that is compatible with WordPress. Check out some of the top options here.
Before we get ahead of ourselves, remember that you need to buy a domain first. Choose a domain name similar to your brand name to help guide customers and optimize SEO. Keep in mind that you may need to make some tweaks if your ideal domain is already in use. Once you’ve purchased a suitable domain, installed WordPress, and chosen a hosting provider, it’s time for an e-commerce plugin.
Technically, you can choose any plugin, but WooCommerce is the most popular e-commerce plugin for WordPress– plus, it’s free! Of course, there are specific features and extensions you can pay for. Still, WooCommerce offers a competent plugin backed by a supportive community for getting started and learning to operate an online store. Besides, without paying for anything, you’ll already get access to features such as:
To install WooCommerce, you’ll want to go to the plugin directory in your WordPress dashboard. You can get here by choosing the “Plugin” option on the left-side menu. Then, search for “WooCommerce” in the directory, and you’ll find an “Install Now” button. After selecting the button, it’ll take a moment to load, but then you should see that it now says “Activate.” Click this and follow the setup wizard. Although this part is intuitive and straightforward, it’s also an important section where you’ll be required to provide business details such as acceptable payment options and shipping rates.
During this phase, you’ll also be presented with several integrable plugins, but you can skip this for now. More important is finishing the WooCommerce configuration by connecting your store with Jetpack. This is the final step, so don’t hurry through the setup wizard. By activating Jetpack, you’ll be able to set up payment options and automated tax calculations.
With the more technical steps out of the way, you can start thinking about your presentation and design. Begin by choosing from one of WordPress’s customizable themes. They may not be exactly what you’re looking for, but you can always adjust the HTML to create a unique storefront for your business. If none of the WordPress templates pique your interest and you’re not much for programming, consider buying a theme from a third-party site.
Now, to activate your chosen theme,
Next, you’ll want to add your products. The WooCommerce configuration should prompt this, but you can also go to “Products” on the left-hand side of the dashboard and select “Add New”. When uploading a product, you’ll be asked to specify the details. Here, you need to enter the product’s name and price, upload an image, provide a description, and place it in a category.
WooCommerce will also ask you to select which product type your product is from a list of six possible choices. They are:
After you’ve added all the basic product information and categorized it as a certain product type, you’ll need to enter more details in the product data section, of which there are five tabs:
You’re close to launching, but first, WordPress needs you to choose a privacy policy. Go to the “Settings” section, then “Privacy,” and you’ll find WordPress’s privacy guide. This will show you the different privacy policy pages which you can select.
If your products are ready, your copy is written, your images are stellar, and your site is fully operational, it’s time to go public! After you’ve selected your privacy policy, go back to that “Privacy” section, and you should find an option to turn your site from “Private” to ‘Public”.
Congratulations! You’re officially online. As you continue your journey into the world of e-commerce, you’re sure to learn a few things along the way and soon may require some extra plugins to boost your site’s performance–think SEO.
If you find you’re still not getting the traction you need, or if you could just use a helping hand, consider reaching out to us at WEB ROI. At WEB ROI, we can help you with website design and development, search engine optimization, advertising, and social media strategy. Get in touch today to learn more about how we can help you succeed online.
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