Currently, 39.5% of all websites in 2021 are powered by WordPress. Based on the number of sites that use a content management system, WordPress has acquired a market share of 64.1%. So, if you’re considering building a WordPress eCommerce website, then you have made one of the best decisions because it is a robust, user-friendly, scalable platform, and most importantly, it’s free!  If you’ve decided to use WordPress to build an eCommerce website, then here’s a step-by-step guide to building a WordPress eCommerce website. A WordPress website can be converted into a sales-driving eCommerce store using the WooCommerce plugin. With WooCommerce development, you can add a wide range of eCommerce functionalities to your website. WooCommerce allows you to customize themes and plugins, add integrate payment methods, and do a lot more. Now, let’s take a look at the following steps to build an eCommerce website using WooCommerce and WordPress.

How to Develop a WordPress eCommerce Website?

1. Choose the Perfect Domain Name A domain name refers to the unique address of your website. It comes after the ‘www.’ in your website’s URL. One of the easiest ways to choose a perfect domain name for your website is to use the name which is related to your brand name or niche. It is best to choose the .com extension and keep the domain name short and memorable. You can check the domain name’s availability and purchase it from sites like Namecheap. 2. Choose a Reliable Hosting Service Provider Web hosting is like a spot on the internet land where your website data is kept. With numerous web hosting service providers on the market, choosing the best one can be a challenging task. For choosing the right hosting provider as well as the type of hosting you need, you should think about your WordPress eCommerce store first. You should skip shared hosting as far as possible because if one website on the shared hosting gets hacked, your website will become vulnerable too. One of the best hosting providers for those going with WordPress development is Bluehost. The reason why it is the number one choice of WordPress users is that it automates a lot of things while offering reliable hosting in its own right and at a decent price. 3. Install WordPress WordPress can be installed in two ways:

• One-click installation of WordPress through hosting dashboard
• Download WordPress manually and then upload it to your web hosting account

One-click Installation The first option is the easiest option to install WordPress software. You should consider choosing a hosting provider that offers the advantage of ‘one-click WordPress installation’. When you select that hosting provider, you need to go into your hosting dashboard, and click on the button that says ‘Install WordPress’. Manual WordPress Installation If your hosting solution does not provide one-click installation, then you need to download WordPress to your computer and then upload it into your hosting dashboard. 4. Install and Setup WooCommerce Plugin WooCommerce development helps WordPress users to turn their website into a fully functional eCommerce store. Just like WordPress, WooCommerce is an open-source platform. You can convert your website into an online store without spending a dollar. However, you may need to pay for some ‘extensions’, for example, to allow customers to book an appointment, etc. That includes:

• Product pages
• Secure payments
• Cart and checkout
• Automated tax calculations
• Shipping options and label printing
• Easy integration with Facebook, Google Analytics, MailChimp, and more.

Here are the steps that you need to follow to install and configure WooCommerce: A. Install and activate WooCommerce plugin Go to WordPress dashboard -> Plugins directory -> Search ‘WooCommerce’ -> Click the gray button that says ‘Install Now’. Once the button changes to the blue one that says ‘Activate’, you need to click on the button. WooCommerce’s setup wizard will guide you through the setup process. B. Fill in Business Details The next step is to fill in your business details and make sure to choose the right option under ‘I plan to sell both physical and digital products. C. Choose Payment Methods Now, select the appropriate payment options that you will accept through your online store. You may select PayPal and Stripe as both are popular payment methods. You may add your accounts later if you don’t have one yet. D. Select Shipping Options After that, you need to choose your shipping rates. Based on your current location, WooCommerce sets your area as your main ‘shipping zone’ and with the other option being ‘the rest’. You can set a fixed shipping charge for each zone, or set free shipping, or integrate with specific carriers including UPS to receive ‘live’ shipping rates. E. Select a Suitable Theme or Plugin Now, you need to decide on suitable plugins that you want to add to your store and whether you want to select WooCommerce’s theme. You can add these later on so you don’t need to commit to anything. F. Enable Jetpack Lastly, you can activate Jetpack by clicking on ‘Continue with Jetpack’. It will enable payment setup and automate taxes. If you need help with WooCommerce installation and configuration, we have a dedicated WooCommerce development team that will get the job done easily. 5. Pick a Suitable Theme The next step is to choose the most relevant theme for your online store. You can either choose from the WordPress theme directory or purchase one from third-party sites like ThemeForest and Elegant Themes. To Install Free WordPress Themes in the Theme directory

• Go to your WordPress Admin Panel
• Hover over ‘Appearance’ -> Click on ‘Themes’ to go to the theme dashboard.
• Above the themes, you’ll find the button that says ‘Add New’, click on it and then browse themes under ‘Features’, ‘Popular’, etc. You can even use the search bar to find industry-specific themes.
• Preview and check a few themes and select the one that you like, then click ‘install under the theme to download it.
• When the button under the theme says’ ‘Activate’, click this, and a new theme will be installed.

To Install a Premium Theme on Your Website

• Download the .zip file of your purchased theme.
• Go to your WordPress Admin Panel.
• Hover over ‘Appearance’ -> Click on ‘Themes’ to go to the theme dashboard.
• Above the themes, you’ll find the button that says ‘Add New’, click on it to go to the theme dashboard.
• At the top, you’ll find the blue button that says ‘Upload Theme’, Click on the button.
• Then, you’ll be prompted to choose the .zip file from your computer. Select the theme file to upload.
• You’ll receive a success message along with an activation link for your new theme. Once you activate it, you’re good to go.

However, if you’re looking for something more in your theme, you may contact our WordPress developers for WordPress theme development, customization, and integration services. 6. Upload Products on Your Site After you’ve installed Jetpack in the last stage of WooCommerce configuration, you’ll be prompted to add your first product. If you don’t want to upload products at that time, you may add them later. All you need to do is go to your admin dashboard -> Products on the left-hand side -> Add New. There are a few prerequisites that you need for each product that you upload.

• Product Name
• Product Price
• Main product image
• Additional product images, it is optional, but recommended
• Long product description (long)
• Short product description
• Product category, if you have more than one
• Add product tags to organize your product database

Once you’ve added every detail, click on the ‘Publish’ button to make your first product live. 7. Install Other Essential WordPress Plugins Next, you can add other essential WordPress plugins to extend the capabilities of your store. You can easily add the plugins from your admin dashboard. Some of the popular WordPress plugins that you should install and use include:

• Yoast SEO plugin to optimize your pages for search engines.
• Site Reviews for reviews.
• Securi for ensuring security.

If you need to add unique functionality to your WordPress eCommerce website, you may hire WordPress developers from us to build custom WordPress plugins and stay ahead of the competition. 8. Add Content that Increases Engagement and Conversions Now, it’s time to add relevant, engaging, and informative content to your WordPress eCommerce website. There are different types of content that are added to a web page or website. These may include microcopy (UX copy), product descriptions, product images, privacy policy, terms and conditions, disclaimer, and other important information. You should create persuasive CTAs and useful navigational copy. Also, you can personalize your web content, including the main cart and shopping pages. WordPress also asks you to select the privacy policy page before you make your WordPress eCommerce website live. Fortunately, it provides a template for you to follow. Go to Settings -> Privacy -> Click ‘Check out our guide’. Once the privacy policy is written, simply select the right page from the dropdown menu given below. 9. Launch Your WordPress Ecommerce Website Once you are happy and satisfied with how your eCommerce store looks and works, you can now make it public. Go to Settings -> Privacy. Once you’ve added the privacy policy to your website, you will see an option to make your website ‘Public’. Just click this and there you go! If in case you get stuck at any stage during the installation and setup of your WordPress eCommerce website, you may approach our WordPress development team at any time without any hesitation.

Wrapping Up

We have tried our best to make this step-by-step guide as simple as we can. Although WordPress is simple and easy to use, it is ideal for users with some technical knowledge and experience. If you need help with WordPress development, you can always count on our WordPress developers. As a full-service WordPress web development company, we are always ready to undertake any project or problem no matter how complicated they are. We have mastered WordPress and other leading web development technologies to create future-proof websites and applications for our global clients. You may share your requirements with us and we will provide you with the best-fit solution.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q.1. Is WordPress secure for eCommerce websites?

Your WordPress eCommerce website can be made as secure as you can make it. The WordPress security team constantly works to identify and patch security issues in the WordPress core, however, as long as you don’t keep your software, theme, and plugins up-to-date r require all users to adhere to better login practices, your site can be vulnerable to risks.

Q.2. How much does a WordPress eCommerce website cost?

On average, the total cost of developing a WordPress eCommerce website may range from $1000 – $3000. However, the cost could be higher depending on the number of paid add-ons, plugins, and services you add to your website.

Q.3. Can you help me migrate my existing website to WordPress?

Yes, of course. Our team of WordPress developers can efficiently migrate your website to WordPress, ensuring zero data loss and disruption. For Further Queries, You May Contact Our WordPress Developers Without Any Hesitation.

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