WordPress is one of the most popular CMS in the world today. Hundreds of websites use it to launch their content and maintain it. Ecommerce is also quickly rising to the top of the charts. Selling your products online is far easier, safer, and more efficient than using a physical storefront. WordPress recognizes that people need special tools, like an eCommerce plugin, to perform these sales. Multiple plugins exist and are available for download. However, before you get one of them for yourself, you need to think about whether it works well for your site. Consider all the factors before you engage in a decision.
Think About What You’re Selling
As the owner of an online store, you’ll be selling products online. These products aren’t always physical items. Sometimes you’re going to have to sell virtual products too. These include software and images available on your store. Consider the type of product you’re planning on selling before you get yourself an eCommerce plugin. Some of these plugins only work if you’re selling physical goods, while others are only made for digital products. There are also a few out there that are hybrid, but these can be more expensive than the rest.
Consider the Theme You Use with the eCommerce Plugin
WordPress shopping themes are available in abundance online. Every day, you find new themes to use on your website. An eCommerce site must have a specialized eCommerce theme. These are usually compatible with certain plugins and aren’t universal. For example, some themes will only support the Magento platform while others work only with WooCommerce. Consider the theme you currently have for your website. Is it compatible with the ecommerce plugin you’re looking at? If it isn’t, you need to figure out whether to change the theme of your site or your choice of plugin.
How Will You be Accepting Payment?
This is another important question to ask yourself. Different store owners want to get paid in different ways. For example, some people would rather see all their payments come through on PayPal whereas others would prefer bank account transfers. You might want to make credit cards usable on your site too. A good way to make the decision on what payment methods to accept is to figure out what is the most common type among your customers. Choose a WordPress shopping plugin that supports the main types of payment your customers use. This way you keep them satisfied and you keep your store fully compatible.
Additional Features Your Store Needs
While the bare essentials will get your store up and running, you need more. Stores that don’t have basic amenities tend to sink into nothing after a while. These include features like a WordPress shopping cart, wishlist, and email notifications. Others include visual aids like slideshows and more. You should obviously prioritize the features that are essential to the health of your online store. Those features that add more to the likeability of the plugin aren’t nearly as important. Classifying which ones you truly need and which you don’t is very important because it can be the difference between spending hundreds of dollars on a plugin or spending less than $100.
Choosing the right WordPress shopping and ecommerce plugin is a daunting task. It is definitely not one that should be taken lightly. Take your time with this decision and make the right one after considering all the factors involved. Be sure to factor in extra features, payment methods, themes, and the types of goods you’re going to sell. With all these in mind, you can be sure that the decision you make is an awesome one!