{"id":42877,"date":"2018-11-06T16:08:06","date_gmt":"2018-11-06T22:08:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/?post_type=resource&p=42877"},"modified":"2021-10-18T09:22:53","modified_gmt":"2021-10-18T14:22:53","slug":"the-ultimate-wordpress-ecommerce-guide","status":"publish","type":"resource","link":"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/case-studies\/resources\/the-ultimate-wordpress-ecommerce-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"The Ultimate WordPress eCommerce Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Building a WordPress eCommerce website can be both viable and profitable if done right. While this isn\u2019t an easy task, it can be made less burdensome. In a nutshell, there are multiple things you need to consider and approaching each of them separately will help make the process much more manageable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Given this, in this article, we\u2019re going to talk about practically everything you need to know about building an eCommerce website using WordPress. We\u2019ll discuss which themes and plugins to use, give advice on Search Engine Optimization (SEO), and much more. Let\u2019s get started!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

eCommerce Themes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A solid theme can make or break the user\u2019s Digital Experience (DX). Your theme determines the overall look of your site, so it becomes an important factor in your users\u2019 first impression of your business. As such, looking at what a theme can offer with regard to customization and specific functionality should be a primary concern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the ins and outs of choosing a theme is beyond the scope of this piece, we\u2019ve previously discussed some of the considerations you\u2019ll need to make in a Resource Center post<\/a>. We encourage you to check that out before selecting a theme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Top eCommerce Themes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

While there are plenty of themes to choose from, we think the following three are standout options regardless of your needs. Let\u2019s take a look!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Storefront<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\"top<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ll get onto WooCommerce<\/a> later, but for now, this is the plugin\u2019s \u2018default\u2019 theme. It\u2019s a clean and functional option that\u2019s going to showcase your products well enough out of the box. Since it\u2019s developed by WooCommerce themselves, you can also be sure it\u2019ll always be compatible with WordPress, WooCommerce, and its extensions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, many see this as a \u2018gateway\u2019 to other themes. To put it another way, Storefront<\/a> is usually suitable for learning the platform and putting a basic site together, but you\u2019ll likely want something more feature-heavy and less generic in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shopkeeper<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\"best<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Speaking of which, Shopkeeper<\/a> is a good example of a premium eCommerce theme with plenty of features, yet simple functionality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ll find plenty of clean lines and bold typography here, which will give your site a modern, stylish look. We\u2019d argue that there are no standout negatives either. Ultimately, checking out the demo will show you exactly what you can achieve with the theme, and whether or not it ticks your requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jessica<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Finally, Jessica<\/a> is a \u2018child theme\u2019 only available for use with the Genesis framework<\/a>. We\u2019ll talk more about this throughout the rest of the article, but suffice to say, StudioPress is a leading premium theme developer. Fittingly, Jessica is also a leading eCommerce theme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unlike other themes on this list, Jessica is the only solution to work with multiple eCommerce platforms, meaning it\u2019s arguably more flexible than the rest. Also, given the stellar codebase of Genesis, you\u2019ll be safe in the knowledge that a top-notch foundation is powering your eCommerce store.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

eCommerce Plugins<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Plugins are like bolt-on functionality for your website. In short, they enable you to add new features to your site with a few clicks. As such, finding the right plugins is vital for both the sake of your visitors and development team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to creating an online store with WordPress, you\u2019ll want to use a dedicated eCommerce plugin to do the job. Given this, let\u2019s talk about some of the very best eCommerce plugins available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Top eCommerce Plugins<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

What functionality you need on your site is naturally subjective, but we still feel the following plugins can bolster and improve the majority of eCommerce sites. Let\u2019s start from the top with arguably the most popular solution available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WooCommerce<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\"woocommerce<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

WooCommerce is by far and away number one when it comes to WordPress eCommerce. This is largely thanks to easy it is to get started, and how fast it makes the journey from nothing to a full-fledged eCommerce store. We\u2019ll talk more about WooCommerce later, so stick around if you want to know more about what this plugin can offer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Easy Digital Downloads<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\"Easy<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Much like WooCommerce, Easy Digital Downloads<\/a> is a highly-popular solution, but this one is specifically for digital-only products. You\u2019ll find the same positives here as with WooCommerce, when it comes to easy-of-use. The plugin also offers extensions, but some may take issue with the aggressive pricing of these.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MemberPress<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\"ecommerce<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This plugin is slightly different than the others we\u2019ve mentioned, as it\u2019s mainly focused on creating a membership website. However, we\u2019d argue this still comes under the banner of eCommerce since you\u2019re still essentially selling products to customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MemberPress<\/a> is run by an expert team and, much like any good solution, it\u2019s easy to use and flexible with regard to customizations. It\u2019s also reasonably priced, even if offers no free version.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

eCommerce Payment Gateway Options<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Of course, any eCommerce site worth its salt will need multiple methods to process payments. What\u2019s more, making sure they\u2019re properly integrated is vital, as not doing this can erode trust in your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With this in mind, let\u2019s quickly run through three payment gateways, and discuss why they\u2019re so popular.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stripe<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\"stripe<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Stripe<\/a> is an immensely popular payment gateway, with a number of standout features. For example, it\u2019s a global solution that works in over 100 countries, with many more currencies supported. It also accepts multiple payment options, including Apple Pay and even direct bank transfers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Given that the solution is so popular, a real bonus is that there are no costs to incur, other than transaction fees on each purchase. This makes Stripe a solid and stable option regardless of where your customer base is, and how they pay for purchases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PayPal<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\"paypal<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019d be inclined to say that PayPal<\/a> needs no introduction, given how ubiquitous it has become in practically all manner of online purchases. This is usually a free and default payment gateway, and also offers a more feature-heavy Pro version.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The main benefit is that you can keep customers on your site, but route them through the PayPal gateway under the hood. However, there\u2019s a fairly hefty cost attached \u2013 $30 per month in addition to a transaction fee per purchase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Braintree<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\"how<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Our final payment gateway is less well-known than others, but no less powerful. Braintree<\/a> is a PayPal subsidiary, and provides more of a Stripe-style solution for processing payments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, while there\u2019s no cost attached (other than the transaction fee, of course), the feature set is slightly underwhelming compared to Stripe. For example, Braintree is only available in around 40 countries, although there are still myriad payment options at your disposal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WooCommerce for WordPress<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As we outlined earlier, WooCommerce<\/a> is the leading eCommerce plugin for WordPress \u2013 and it remains a favorite of both end users and developers. What\u2019s more, it\u2019s incredibly powerful and user-friendly<\/a>, and the stacked extension library means your WooCommerce installation is almost-infinitely extendable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, for those with coding knowledge, the WooCommerce codebase is easy to understand, and is just as intuitive as the WordPress platform itself. This gives you a lot of freedom if you want to customize the software beyond the default settings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

eCommerce SEO<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You may already be familiar with SEO<\/a>, but this is also important when it comes to eCommerce. In short, you can optimize your eCommerce products<\/a> for search engines in the same way you would any other type of content. Here are just a few ways you can do so:<\/p>\n\n\n\n