{"id":138616,"date":"2015-03-16T08:00:10","date_gmt":"2015-03-16T12:00:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/premium.wpmudev.org\/blog\/?p=138616"},"modified":"2022-04-06T02:32:05","modified_gmt":"2022-04-06T02:32:05","slug":"wordpress-ecommerce-must-haves","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wpmudev.com\/blog\/wordpress-ecommerce-must-haves\/","title":{"rendered":"8 Must-Haves When Adding eCommerce to Your WordPress Site"},"content":{"rendered":"

Thinking of using WordPress for eCommerce? In this post, we show you what to look for, what you will need, and what to avoid.<\/p>\n

WordPress is an all-round solution, offering so much more than a robust content management system (CMS).\u00a0No longer just the choice for bloggers, you can now add WordPress eCommerce features and build a beautiful, responsive, and functional online store for your business.<\/p>\n

Read on to learn how to add eCommerce to WordPress and the 8 must-haves you need to consider:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Dynamic Content<\/a><\/li>\n
  2. eCommerce Plugins<\/a><\/li>\n
  3. eCommerce Theme<\/a><\/li>\n
  4. Ramped-Up Security<\/a><\/li>\n
  5. Optimized Digital Downloads<\/a><\/li>\n
  6. Leverage<\/a><\/li>\n
  7. Monitor Your Analytics<\/a><\/li>\n
  8. Social Media Integration<\/a><\/li>\n
  9. Other Must-Haves<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Let’s get started…<\/p>\n

    Must-Have #1… Dynamic Content<\/h2>\n

    Running an online store is a highly competitive business. One way to make sure that your website stands out from the crowd is to think through the user experience and choose a theme that\u2019s eye-catching but also functional. Drawing your customers in and making sure they can easily use your website is a sure route to more sales.<\/p>\n

    The following trends are great for creating dynamic content, and various themes and plugins will give you this functionality:<\/p>\n

    Interactive Content<\/h3>\n

    Perhaps you could create an animation or illustration of the product that explains the features and benefits. For example, a sports t-shirt can look pretty\u00a0on a model, but it won\u2019t show you how the technology works when they go running. Let customers explore complementary items and visually build a set of products. For instance, if a customer goes to buy a tent, of course you\u2019ll want to show them related products. However, if you let them drag-and-drop a groundsheet onto the visual, it\u2019ll build up a camping picture.<\/p>\n

    A simpler way to add interaction to your store content is to use 360\u00b0 imaging technology like webrotate360<\/a> for your product images.<\/p>\n

    Add interactive product images to your eCommerce store.<\/small><\/p>\n

    Product Sliders<\/h3>\n

    As the above animation shows, movement on a page catches the eye of your customer and decreases bounce rates. Animated slides can do this. Visitors will want to see what\u2019s on the next slide, so they will stick around to see it or click through the slides. Sliders also give you the opportunity to display more than one promoted product. If your page is static, you\u2019ll need to update your content more frequently to ensure returning customers don\u2019t get bored with\u00a0seeing the same thing.<\/p>\n

    Use product sliders to attract attention and showcase multiple items.<\/small><\/p>\n

    Parallax Design<\/h3>\n

    Websites that scroll while showing new panes of information are the current design trend. The look is very modern and shows all the information in one place. Customers don\u2019t need to leave a page to view other information, which could result in the loss of a sale if they navigate away from a product. If you have a static background image with scrolling panes on top, it adds another dynamic to the design, as it appears like you\u2019re moving the panes across the image. Again, this is useful for catching the attention of customers and making them want to see more. It makes interacting with your site or products more exciting.<\/p>\n

    Choose a WordPress theme for your store that supports parallax effects.<\/small><\/p>\n

    Must-Have #2… eCommerce Plugins<\/h2>\n

    By far, the quickest way to add eCommerce to your website is to use a plugin.\u00a0Plugins add to the experience and certain plugins can take your site from a simple web presence to a full-fledged online shop or eCommerce behemoth.<\/p>\n

    Your eCommerce plugin needs to offer a payment gateway<\/a> (PayPal is usually a standard payment option, as is Stripe) that works in different currencies, offers the choice of making payments using all the major credit card providers, plus the option to add tax and shipping costs.<\/p>\n

    You might have an existing WordPress site that you want to expand and sell products or services from, or you might plan to set up a brand new online store and build the site from scratch. Using WordPress to power your site with an eCommerce plugin that takes care of selling and payment processing is a great option, as this will give you an integrated, easy-to-use CMS that lets you blog and promote your store, products, special offers, etc. Plus you\u2019ll be part of a friendly, supportive, and growing community.<\/p>\n

    WooCommerce<\/a> is the most downloaded eCommerce plugin for WordPress.<\/p>\n

    \"WooCommerce
    WooCommerce WordPress eCommerce Plugin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    There are, however, various other WordPress eCommerce plugins<\/a> you can choose from.<\/p>\n

    eCommerce Platform Alternatives<\/h3>\n

    We advocate WordPress as it\u2019s so simple to use, has a plethora of themes and plugins to choose from, and an awesome and supportive community of passionate users and developers. Most WordPress eCommerce plugins are reasonably cheap to purchase, making the risk of starting up low and the likelihood of recouping your initial investment through sales sooner. And if you find that the plugin you’re using to power or enhance your online store is not giving you what you need, it\u2019s easy to switch to other plugins (or even customize what you’ve got).<\/p>\n

    Similarly, if you have an existing WordPress site and want to branch out into selling online, you can easily add a plugin and start making money. You just need to make sure that the plugin integrates with your existing WordPress theme (which is the next must-have we discuss below).<\/p>\n

    Having said that,\u00a0there are other options to build an eCommerce site from scratch.\u00a0An alternative to consider is to download and use apps for other sites that integrate with your WordPress site. Let’s take a look at some of these alternatives:<\/p>\n

    Shopify<\/h4>\n
    \"Shopify\"
    Shopify eCommerce platform.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    Shopify<\/a> generates a buy button code you can copy and paste to add products to your WordPress site. Once you drop the Buy Button into place and choose the product you\u2019d like to feature,\u00a0a standalone mini-storefront is created on your WordPress blog or website that connects directly with Shopify\u2019s secure shopping cart platform to display\u00a0product images, details, and prices automatically. This can be a good option for those who already have an existing WordPress site and Shopify shop.<\/p>\n

    And the benefits of using Shopify? Many are similar to the WordPress plugins, such as a secure shopping cart, various payment gateways, controlling taxes and shipping, and the ability to use CSS and HTML to build and style your website to match your brand\u2019s look. It also lets you choose from over 100 professional themes and present your shopping cart as mobile or tablet-ready.<\/p>\n

    BigCommerce<\/h4>\n
    \"BigCommerce\"
    BigCommerce.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    BigCommerce<\/a> provides\u00a0scalable headless commerce on WordPress via a plugin.<\/p>\n

    The plugin allows you to link to your BigCommerce account and display products with embedded store images within your WordPress site on the front-end while handing things like catalog management, processing payments, and managing fulfillment logistics on the back-end from BigCommerce.<\/p>\n

    This is a good option for a standalone eCommerce site if you\u2019re not too familiar with CSS and HTML, as the plugin\u00a0supports WordPress\u2019 standard method of overriding template files so you can modify out-of-the-box designs, customize product cards, lists, and cart without risking plugin updates that will undo your changes. Big Commerce gives you full catalog access, allows you to choose a theme, and use the point and click design features to make it your own. It\u2019s also got built-in marketing and SEO tools, so you don\u2019t need to be an expert in this either. Your site will be securely hosted, PCI compliant, and you\u2019ll get a CRM to communicate with your customers.<\/p>\n

    So, why do we suggest going with WordPress over these other options?<\/p>\n

    WordPress gives you a whole lot more control and ownership of your site (and did I mention that WordPress is 100% Free?<\/a>), whereas other eCommerce platforms don’t give you ownership of your site, provide limited options, and can charge you\u00a0monthly and transaction fees.<\/p>\n

    Must-Have #3… An eCommerce Theme<\/h2>\n

    Choosing an established WordPress theme will allow you to build a professional-looking site quickly and without the associated cost of designing and developing an eCommerce site from scratch. You\u2019ll also have a lot more control over your site, particularly if you have some CSS and HTML knowledge.<\/p>\n

    Because WordPress isn\u2019t\u00a0just <\/i>an e-commerce platform, with a WordPress theme, you get all the ease and flexibility of a powerful CMS that lets you quickly add new posts and pages, plus rearrange your page layouts, add new features and functionality, and so much more.<\/p>\n

    Choosing the right WordPress theme is important, as there are many beautifully designed\u00a0themes that aren’t built with eCommerce in mind. Having said this, there are many great eCommerce themes available for WordPress-powered online stores. To learn more about WordPress eCommerce themes, see our guide to planning an eCommerce store with WordPress<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    \"Elementor
    An example of an eCommerce site built using the Elementor WordPress theme.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    Must-Have #4… Ramped Up Security\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

    Security is paramount for an eCommerce site, especially now that millions of people are shopping and transacting online. Your customers trust you to keep their payment details secure. Security is obviously important for them, and it can make or break your reputation, not to mention that it’s a legal requirement if you sell anything online.<\/p>\n

    Some WordPress plugins offer security as a feature, as payments are processed through them in the cloud. Otherwise, you\u2019ll need to get an SSL certificate<\/a> and make sure you\u2019re PCI compliant<\/a>. If you\u2019re not sure how to proceed with this or you just want to get your shop up and running as quickly as possible, then choose an eCommerce security plugin<\/a> that will take all the hassle away.<\/p>\n

    Additionally, don’t forget to choose\u00a0secure hosting<\/a> for your eCommerce site.\u00a0WordPress is a safe and secure platform for eCommerce<\/a>, but when it comes to the security of your business and your customers, you can never take enough precautions, so make and make sure to go through our ultimate security checklist for WordPress<\/a>\u00a0when setting up your eCommerce store.<\/p>\n

    Must-Have #5… Optimized Digital Downloads<\/b><\/h2>\n

    Selling digital downloads or access to digital information products like video courses or ebooks can be a very lucrative business. If this is the type of\u00a0business you plan to build instead of selling physical products, you may need a more specialized plugin (although most eCommerce plugins will work just fine with virtual downloads).<\/p>\n

    Options like being able to re-download a digital file and allow users to download multiple files are a must-have for a successful digital download store.<\/p>\n

    Easy Digital Downloads<\/h3>\n
    \"Easy
    Easy Digital Downloads is designed for selling digital downloads with WordPress securely.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    Easy Digital Downloads<\/a>\u00a0is designed specifically for selling digital products. There are no other confusing options. This plugin\u00a0is free to use\u00a0with the option to buy extensions and themes.<\/p>\n

    EDD integrates with many kinds of services like email marketing, cloud storage, payment processors, and business productivity tools and is fully supported by an active community of developers. It also comes with built-in features like discount codes, full shopping cart, unlimited file downloads, file access control, download activity tracking, full data reporting, customer account page shortcode, and REST API. Just like the fuller eCommerce options, Easy Digital Downloads allows your customers to input discount codes and see their purchase history, download multiple files, purchase bundles, and re-download files. It also lets you see your sales log to manage your business effectively.<\/p>\n

    Must-Have #6… Leverage\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

    Growing an eCommerce business involves coordinating many moving parts, including sales, marketing, and promotion. The key to getting ahead in this area is to create leverage.<\/p>\n

    Marketing Blog<\/h3>\n

    Adding a marketing blog to your eCommerce site not only gives a friendly voice to what could otherwise be a faceless website, but it also gives you a dynamic and interactive presence. Your eCommerce store blog<\/a> can include all kinds of useful content, from informal topics, such as what your staff have been up to or industry trends, to education and training for your products, how-to videos, before and after pictures and customer stories and testimonials.<\/p>\n

    Blogs are usually written, but you can also add videos, create imaginative infographics and pepper your writing with striking imagery.\u00a0Blogs can also be used to be\u00a0informative, such as providing how-to guides. What\u2019s important about informative content is that it establishes you as an authority in the industry. Showcasing your knowledge about topics that are influenced by your products means you\u2019ll become the go-to business to enquire about those products.<\/p>\n

    \n
    \"man
    Leverage your eCommerce business with a marketing blog and regular content.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    <\/div>\n

    Regular Content<\/h3>\n

    Whatever the topic, the important thing is to continually provide your customers (and potential customers) with valuable content. When someone visits your site, they don’t have to get hit with products and a hard sell. There are so many ways to provide users with additional value and give them something more that they can take away and remember you by. Users can share links from your blog with others if they find it useful, entertaining, or interesting. Sharing, as we all know, leads to more customers.<\/p>\n

    Content marketing is\u00a0providing content of value that users can appreciate and share. It also keeps search engines happy. One tactic of SEO is to get your website linked to other websites. So if your blogs are shared, this will link them up\u2014hopefully to websites that are getting high impressions and can refer you more traffic. Also, if you’re an active business constantly publishing and updating content on your site, Google will pick this up and push you higher up its rankings than static sites.<\/p>\n

    You can also easily integrate a WordPress blog with your social media networks and<\/em> your eCommerce store (and a business directory, and a calendar of events with\u00a0bookings and registrations, and a membership site, and an affiliate program, and, and, and…). All this leverage and interactivity allows your customers to get to know your business better and develop a relationship that will see them returning for repeat visits… even promote your site and products for you.<\/p>\n

    So, publish valuable stuff on your blog to maximize your leverage. Don\u2019t just regurgitate what everyone else is saying. Plus, share your content on your own social media channels to encourage others to read and share it too.<\/p>\n

    Must-Have #7… Monitor Your Analytics<\/b><\/h2>\n

    Most WordPress themes and eCommerce plugins integrate with reporting and analytic tools. Google Analytics<\/a> is one of the best (and free) ways to find out what your customers are doing. You can track their journey across your site and see if there any stumbling blocks preventing them from making a purchase. Perhaps certain products are being clicked on but aren\u2019t selling. Your next step from this information is to work out why.<\/p>\n

    KISSMetrics<\/h3>\n
    \"Kissmetrics\"
    Kissmetrics provides deep insights and analytics about your customers.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    Another option is KISSmetrics, which will take some of your budget, but you can get started with a 7-day free trial. It\u2019s a popular choice for many websites \u2013 eCommerce or otherwise \u2013 and it\u2019s easy to see why. The analytics tool allows you to deeply understand your customers. You can learn where your best customers come from and tell you who your repeat customers are. All you need to do is install the tracking code into your WordPress site and you’ll be all set to receive actionable insights. With KISSMetrics, you can import shopping history, segment customers, and follow them from the first visit to purchase and beyond.<\/p>\n

    Must-Have #8… Social Media Integration<\/b><\/h2>\n

    Think about the social media aspects of your marketing strategy. If customers see a product they like, they can share the link with friends and family hoping they\u2019ll buy it for them.<\/p>\n

    The very act of sharing a link online means that others will see it too, which can result in a new customer. Make sure that your plugin has built-in social media features or social media integration. Also, consider using a link shortener so that links shared by customers aren\u2019t monster-sized.<\/p>\n

    Learn more about integrating social media with WordPress<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    Other Must-Haves To Consider\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

    As well as the must-haves listed above, here are some key things to consider and avoid when adding eCommerce to your WordPress site:<\/p>\n