Break Free of Online Marketplaces and Sell on WooCommerce

Selling your products online really shouldn't be such a pain.

And yet, every day, it seems like something else gets just a little more difficult. Especially if you're using a third-party platform like Etsy, Vinted, eBay or Shopify.

The layout's changed and you can't find the button to email your customer. There's a brand new commission rate on each sale. No matter how perfectly you write your title, arrange your images and put everything into the right categories, a drop-shipper with an unlimited budget is ahead of you in the listings, peddling flimsy garbage.

It's infuriating. It's damaging your business. And there doesn't seem to be a better way.

But there is.

You can host your own online store. And you can do it using WooCommerce.

What is WooCommerce?

WooCommerce is, essentially, a plugin for WordPress that allows you to sell online.

And that's it.

Although, that's not quite it, as that's like saying dinner at a Michelin-starred restaurant is the same as dinner at the chip shop round the corner. WooCommerce might start out as a plugin, but the sheer range of possibilities it unlocks for you are endless.

Get a good WordPress hosting package (we recommend our Managed WordPress or our Business Hosting — both of which have more than enough processing power and built-in security for e-commerce), install the WooCommerce plugin and get selling today.

What can I do on WooCommerce?

No matter how you sell your product, there'll be something on WooCommerce to help you sell it.

You can set up your inventory, choose your payment options, arrange shipping straight from the WP admin interface, and then add in any other extensions you need to tailor your store specifically for your needs — from search engine optimisation and analytics to product bundles and selling event tickets.

From Bjork to water bottles, hot dogs to parking spaces, WooCommerce can handle it.

How do I set up WooCommerce?

Installing WooCommerce is easy. We do recommend you take a backup of your site before you install it, and you might want to do this on a staging site as an added precaution.

Just log into your WP Admin, go to Plugins, click “Add Plugin” and search for WooCommerce. Once you've found it, click “Install Now”, then “Activate”. And that's it!

You've successfully installed WooCommerce onto your site.

Now here's the tricky part — setting it up for your business. Luckily, WooCommerce talks you through the basics with five simple stages.

1. Customise your store

How do you want your new store to look? If you're confident, you can customise your existing theme. Or you can build it yourself using WooCommerce's fantastic page builder — follow the steps, find the blocks you want, and edit to your heart's content.

But there are also over a hundred themes available specifically for WooCommerce, covering a wide range of styles and shops. Many of them require an annual fee to use, but there are also free ones you can experiment with. Plus, if you're willing to do a bit of customisation, there are thousands of WordPress themes available to try as well.

2. Add your products

Once you like how your store looks, you can then start adding your products. There's an easy step-by-step process WooCommerce will take you through to add each product, with plenty of tips along the way to make your site better. Write a description, add a photo, include your price, and before you know it, your site is on its way!

3. Set up payments

WooCommerce makes it easy to start taking payments, with a few different options to suit your setup.

The simplest route is WooPayments, the official extension that supports credit cards, Google Pay, Apple Pay and many more. You'll just need to sign up for a WordPress.com account to get going, and there are transaction fees deducted for each sale.

Prefer something else? You can also use PayPal Payments, or choose from a wide range of other payment extensions on WooCommerce's site. If you're already taking cards at a physical location, you'll be able to find the right WooCommerce extension for your payment system.

Just testing things out, or not quite ready to take cards? You can use the “Take Offline Payments” option instead, adding support for bank transfers, cheques, or cash on delivery to keep things simple while you get set up.

4. Collect sales tax

Tax isn't the most thrilling part of running a business, but it is essential. Thankfully, WooCommerce has plenty of extensions for tax as well, including WooCommerce Tax, its own official extension. If you're already using accounting software like QuickBooks or Xero, you'll also find extensions that connect directly with your WooCommerce store, saving you time and helping keep everything in sync.

5. Launch your store

Once your products are in place, payments are set up, tax is sorted, and everything looks great, it's time to launch.

Congratulations! You're officially selling on WooCommerce.

What else is out there for WooCommerce?

Really, the question is what isn't out there.

There are over 1000 extensions available for WooCommerce, and they've also conveniently organised a bunch into specific bundles to help you build your store even better. So whether you're building a subscription site, arranging online bookings, or selling directly to customers, you'll find plenty to help you shape your store.

Many of these extensions do come with a cost, usually annual, so bear that in mind when budgeting for your store. There are, however, many that are free to install and use — just keep an eye out for any possible charges from things like payment processing or shipping.

What are the downsides of WooCommerce?

While WooCommerce is a great way to sell online, there are inevitably downsides. But there are downsides with any business decision and it's up to you to decide if you want to take the risk.

Security risks

WordPress is a very popular content management system, and, as such, hackers are more likely to look for exploits. This means you need to be careful with your WooCommerce installation. Stick to good security practices, like the ones we covered in last week's post, and you'll help keep risks low and your store protected.

Costs

While WooCommerce and WordPress are both free to use, you'll still need to budget for the essentials. That includes web hosting and a domain name, plus payment processing and shipping, and any extensions you choose. Plan ahead, and there shouldn't be any surprises.

Processing Power

A small WooCommerce site is easy to run, but as your store grows, so will its demands. More products, more traffic, more data — it all adds up. We recommend starting with our Managed WordPress Business 1 plan, as it has plenty of space and processing power to handle your store, plus you can upgrade easily as your store expands.

WooCommerce can handle it

Starting your online store might seem daunting, especially if you're only selling a few products at a time. But with a sturdy WooCommerce site behind you, you can do so much more than you thought possible. The sky's the limit, and your site's just waiting to take off.