WORDPRESS

Is WordPress Good for eCommerce? (Pros and Cons)

Published

8 months ago

February 15, 2024

Is WordPress Good for eCommerce? (Pros and Cons)

Are you wondering if WordPress is good for eCommerce and what the pros and cons are?

WordPress is the most popular website builder platform and is the most recommended platform to start an eCommerce business.

In this article, we’ll explore if WordPress is good for eCommerce and what the pros and cons of using it are.

Why Use WordPress for E-commerce?

WordPress is the world’s most popular website builder, powering more than 43.1% of all websites on the internet. A large number of these websites are eCommerce stores.

The massive popularity of WordPress makes it the most recommended eCommerce platform to start your business.

Some of the most compelling reasons for using WordPress for eCommerce are:

Freedom – You own your eCommerce store, and no third party controls how you run it.
Massive community – Using WordPress, you become part of a huge online community of business owners running their businesses on WordPress.
Wider Availability – WordPress supports more payment gateways than any other eCommerce platform. It also supports multilingual eCommerce stores in most currencies and locales.
Growth Hacking – Being the most popular solution, it has integrations for most marketing and growth hacking tools you may need. This makes it super easy for you to grow your eCommerce business over time.

For more details, look at our complete WordPress review for more in-depth coverage of its advantages and disadvantages.

What are The Pros and Cons of Using WordPress for E-commerce?

Like every business decision, you would want to consider the pros and cons of using WordPress as your eCommerce platform.

Let’s look at some of the most important pros and cons of using WordPress for your eCommerce business.

Pros of Using WordPress for Ecommerce:

1. WordPress is Free

WordPress software is available for free. You can download, customize, and use it anywhere you want.

You’ll still need to pay for eCommerce hosting, domain name, and add-ons. For more on this topic, see our explainer on why is WordPress free, what the costs are, and what’s the actual catch.

2. Zero Transaction Fees

Unlike most other eCommerce platforms, WordPress does not charge you for transactions. The only fees you pay for transactions are to your payment service provider (Stripe, PayPal, etc.) and your bank.

3. You Control The Costs

With WordPress, you control the costs. You can choose your hosting service, premium add-ons, and marketing tools.

With this freedom, you save a ton of start-up money, which you can then invest in growing your business and making more sales. For more details, see our article on the cost of building an eCommerce website.

4. Thousands of Plugins

WordPress has over 59,000 free plugins. Think of plugins as apps for your eCommerce website. You can install one when you need a certain feature, like adding a contact form or customizing the shopping cart experience, among others.

With so much choice, you can add almost any feature to your eCommerce store with just a few clicks. Look at our expert pick of the best eCommerce plugins for WordPress for some inspiration.

5. Countless Payment Gateways

WordPress supports all popular payment gateways like Stripe, PayPal, Authorize.net, and more. It also supports lesser-known payment services and countless regional payment service providers.

Accepting payments online with WordPress is easier than any other eCommerce platform on the market.

6. Thousands of Themes and Styles

WordPress comes with thousands of themes (design templates). You can customize your eCommerce website’s design to your liking with ease.

Plus, it comes with drag-and-drop page builders like SeedProd and Thrive Architect. These tools let you easily design product landing pages, shop pages, and more.

7. Unlimited Products and Sales

You can add as many products to your website as you want and make as many sales as you can. Unlike many other eCommerce platforms, WordPress doesn’t restrict you to a set number of products or sales.

8. You Own and Control Your Website

Many online eCommerce platforms have terms and conditions that allow them to shut down your eCommerce website at any time, with or without a reason. They can hold your data and any unprocessed transactions.

With WordPress, you own and control your website. Even if, in rare circumstances, a hosting company terminates your account, you can easily use a backup to transfer your website to a different hosting company. You own all your data, transactions, and payments.

Cons of Using WordPress for Ecommerce

Now, so far, we have covered the advantages of using WordPress and they are plentiful.

However, WordPress has its disadvantages as well, and it is best to keep them in mind.

1. Comes with a Slight Learning Curve

WordPress comes with a slight learning curve. Like any new software you use for your business, you’ll need to familiarize yourself with WordPress and how it works.

Luckily, WPBeginner got you covered. We have free step-by-step WordPress video tutorials made specifically for WordPress beginners. These courses will get you up to speed much more quickly.

Most beginners who start a WordPress business quickly graduate to advanced-level users with some hands-on practice.

2. You Manage The Software Updates and Backups

Like any software or app, WordPress regularly releases updates. As the website owner, you are responsible for installing these updates to keep your website secure and access the latest features.

It is just as easy to install updates in WordPress as on your phone or computer. You’ll get a notification about a new version, and then you just click a button to install it.

Similarly, you are also responsible for keeping backups of your website. This allows you to easily move your website, secure your data, or restore it in case of a hosting failure.

Luckily, there are excellent backup plugins for WordPress, like the Duplicator Pro. Once properly set up, it will automatically make regular backups and store them on the cloud.

It will also help you restore your website with just a few clicks or move it to a different hosting company if needed.

3. Scalability May Increase Costs

We recommend all new businesses start with a low-cost hosting plan from companies like Bluehost and Hostinger.

Unlike other eCommerce platforms, this flexibility helps you save a ton of money when starting your business.

However, as your business grows, your website will need more server resources. You’ll need to upgrade to a managed hosting service like SiteGround or WP Engine.

This will increase your costs. However, the upside is that your business will now be able to afford these extra costs, and it will still be cheaper than other eCommerce service providers.

4. You Are Responsible for Security

Like updates and backups, you are responsible for keeping your website secure.

Now, this may sound a bit tricky, but luckily, many WordPress hosting companies also take excellent measures to protect sites hosted on their servers from malicious attacks.

Additionally, you can install free Cloudflare CDN to protect your website or use a WordPress security plugin like Sucuri.

Both, Cloudflare and Sucuri provide a website firewall that blocks malicious traffic even before it reaches your website.

What Kind of Ecommerce Solutions Available in WordPress?

When comparing eCommerce platforms, you’ll notice some of them are good for selling specific types of products and not so great with others.

For instance, Shopify is great for selling physical products that require shipping but not for selling online courses.

In comparison, WordPress is the only eCommerce platform that is equally great for selling all types of products and services using its powerful add-ons.

Here are some of the top eCommerce solutions you can use with WordPress, depending on your business.

WooCommerce – Available as a free WordPress plugin, WooCommerce is the world’s #1 eCommerce platform. It allows you to create any type of online store and can be used to sell physical goods as well as digital products.
MemberPress – A powerful eCommerce solution that helps you sell subscription based products like online courses, premium content, pay-per-view website, memberships for communities, and more.
Easy Digital Downloads – Made specifically for selling digital products like software, ebooks, music, digital art, and more.
WP Simple Pay – Selling a handful of products or services? WP Simple Pay makes it easy to accept online payments without using a shopping cart plugin on your website.
WP Forms Payments – Allows you to accept online payments by creating your own custom payment forms. Perfect for selling individual products, services, online bookings, and more.

How Does WordPress Compare to Other Ecommerce Platforms?

WordPress compares neck and neck with all top eCommerce platforms and outperforms them in flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and broader availability.

What Does WordPress Do Better than Other Ecommerce Platforms?

WordPress is better at saving you costs when starting an eCommerce business. You can start with the bare minimum and only pay for tools/services you need.
WordPress doesn’t charge you for individual transactions. This makes it easy for you to create a sustainable business plan for growth in the long run.
It doesn’t limit the number of products or sales you can make. Many top eCommerce platforms will force you to upgrade your plan once you reach a certain threshold of products or sales.
You own all your website and its data and can move it to any other hosting platform or eCommerce solution when you need it.

For details, take a look at these comparisons with individual platforms.

How to Start an Ecommerce Business with WordPress?

To start your eCommerce business with WordPress, you’ll need to make a WordPress website.

There are two types of WordPress available.

First, there is WordPress.org, which is the WordPress software that we talked about in this article and what we recommend. Then, there is WordPress.com, which is a hosted website platform like Wix or Squarespace. For details, see our article on WordPress.com vs. WordPress.org.

To start with WordPress.org, you’ll need a hosting account and a domain name.

Normally, pricing for starter hosting plans starts at $7.99 per month (usually paid annually), and domain name costs around $16.99 per year.

Luckily, Bluehost has agreed to offer WPBeginner users a generous discount on hosting with a free domain name. Basically, you can get started for $2.75 per month.

But as we mentioned earlier, using WordPress gives you plenty of choices. You can also start with Hostinger or any of these top WordPress hosting companies.

If you sign up with Bluehost, they will automatically install WordPress for you. All other hosting companies also offer a 1-click WordPress installer, which you can find under your hosting account.

Need more help? Follow our step-by-step WordPress installation tutorial for beginners.

We hope this article helped explain whether WordPress is good for eCommerce and its pros and cons. You may also want to see our guide on using automation to increase WooCommerce sales or see these actionable tips to grow your online business.

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

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WORDPRESS

Choosing The Right E-Commerce Platform

Published

20 hours ago

September 27, 2024

Max

Robert Giovannini, CEO, IronPlane.

getty

As the CEO of an e-commerce development agency, I have witnessed firsthand the transformative power of selecting the right e-commerce platform—and the issues that can bring a company down if they select the wrong one.

With so many options available, understanding the key differences and factors to consider is crucial for any business. This article will explore these aspects in detail and provide the tools needed to help you make an informed decision.

E-Commerce Platform Options

The e-commerce landscape is rich with diverse platforms, each designed to cater to different business needs. Among the most popular are Shopify, Magento, WooCommerce and BigCommerce—though there are many others that I won’t cover here. (Full disclosure: My company is a provider of development services for companies like Magento, BigCommerce and Adobe/Magento.)

With about 32% e-commerce platform market share in the U.S., Shopify is renowned for its ease of use, scalability and robust app ecosystem, making it a favorite among small to medium-sized businesses and those new to e-commerce. Magento, on the other hand, is celebrated for its flexibility and extensive customization capabilities, which appeal to larger businesses with specific requirements and technical resources.

I think WooCommerce, one of the largest e-commerce platforms worldwide, stands out for its seamless integration with WordPress, offering a highly customizable and cost-effective solution; this is particularly attractive to content-driven sites. BigCommerce is appreciated by many users for its comprehensive built-in features and scalability, suitable for businesses with ambitious growth plans.

Understanding the key differentiators among these platforms is essential. Platforms like Squarespace, Wix, Shopify and BigCommerce are particularly user-friendly, which can be ideal for businesses that lack extensive technical expertise. These platforms provide a straightforward, intuitive interface that allows users to set up and manage their stores with ease.

Magento, while offering extensive customization, requires a higher degree of technical know-how, often necessitating a dedicated development team. I find it well-suited for businesses that need a tailored solution and have the resources to support ongoing development and maintenance. WooCommerce offers a middle ground in many respects, providing significant customization options through plug-ins and themes but requiring additional management for hosting and security.

Factors To Consider When Choosing An E-Commerce Platform

Several key factors should be considered when choosing an e-commerce platform.

Firstly, the size of your business and its growth projections are crucial. A platform should not only meet your current needs but also scale with your business as it grows. Shopify and BigCommerce excel in scalability, allowing businesses to expand without worrying about outgrowing their e-commerce solution.

Secondly, budget constraints play a significant role. While some platforms may have lower upfront costs, they might incur higher long-term expenses due to additional plug-ins, themes and hosting fees. It’s essential to evaluate both the initial investment and the ongoing costs associated with each platform.

The technical expertise within your team is another crucial consideration. As outlined earlier, some platforms are more accessible for nontechnical users, whereas others may require substantial technical skills and a development team to manage effectively—but the rewards for doing so can be high. The need for customization also influences your choice.

Certain platforms offer extensive customization options, enabling you to tailor the platform to your specific needs. In contrast, others, while customizable, have more predefined structures that can also be helpful depending on your needs.

I’ve found that integration with existing systems, such as CRM, ERP and marketing tools, is vital for streamlining operations and improving efficiency. Ensuring that your chosen platform integrates seamlessly with your current systems can save time and reduce operational headaches.

Additionally, effective SEO and marketing features are critical for driving traffic and conversions. Evaluate the SEO capabilities and available marketing plug-ins of each platform to ensure they align with your business goals.

Reliable customer support and an active community can be invaluable when issues arise. Look into the reputations of the support systems and for evidence of an active community of users who can provide a wealth of resources and assistance.

What To Do When You Make A Decision

When making a decision, it’s essential to follow a structured approach. Start with a thorough needs assessment to identify your business requirements, goals and challenges. This assessment will serve as a foundation for evaluating potential platforms. Research each platform’s features, strengths, and weaknesses, and create a shortlist based on your needs assessment and the critical factors discussed earlier.

Take advantage of demos and free trials offered by many platforms. These opportunities allow you to explore the platform’s functionality and user experience firsthand. Engage stakeholders, including your technical team, marketing department and key decision makers, to gather their input and ensure the platform meets cross-functional needs. Consider both upfront and ongoing costs and assess the potential return on investment by estimating how the platform will support your business goals and growth.

Consulting with an e-commerce development agency or industry experts can also provide additional perspectives and recommendations based on your specific needs. Once you’ve gathered all the necessary information, carefully select your option and create a comprehensive implementation plan that can help ensure a smooth transition.

Making The Right Choice

By understanding the key differences between popular platforms, considering essential factors and following a structured decision-making process, you can choose a platform that aligns with your business needs and goals.

I encourage all businesses I speak with to take this strategic approach and leverage expert insights and thorough research to make the best possible choice.

Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. Do I qualify?

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WORDPRESS

Automattic’s Open Source Contributions

Published

1 day ago

September 27, 2024

Max

Whether you’re a developer at an agency or an aspiring creator, you can trust us to invest in the future of WordPress.

WordPress.com Staff

As an open source project, the WordPress software relies on contributions from individuals and businesses alike to remain a healthy and innovative ecosystem.

Individuals can contribute in a number of ways, from writing code to organizing meetups to working on WordPress’s accessibility. Companies can contribute by permitting their employees to allocate part-time or full-time hours to WordPress.

For the latest WordPress release Automattic provided over 3,500 core contributions—over half of all WordPress 6.6 contributions—at the hands of 105 individual contributors.

WordPress core contributors, by company. Image source: WordPress.org.
WordPress core contributions, by company. Image source: WordPress.org.

Given that WordPress powers over 40% of your favorite websites, it’s in the best interest of every company that benefits from WordPress to give back to the project and community.

This idea is codified in WordPress’s Five for the Future initiative. Any company that profits from the software—including every business offering hosting for WordPress—is encouraged to put 5% of its resources back into WordPress development.

At Automattic, the parent company of WordPress.com, we take this responsibility very seriously.

Automattic employs just under 2,000 people. Over 100 of them work on the WordPress project full-time. In terms of workforce hours, this puts the company at almost exactly 5%.

Contributor day at WordCamp Europe 2024.

Though this is not a requirement and it is not policed by the WordPress Foundation, every company that profits from WordPress should think about the long-term health and vibrancy of the WordPress ecosystem. At Automattic and WordPress.com, we’re proud to give back and to constantly be thinking about bettering WordPress as a whole when we’re working on features, squashing bugs, and generally doing our best to democratize publishing for the entire world.

As a customer—whether you’re a developer at an agency or an aspiring creator—you have a say in the future of WordPress. You have options when it comes to hosting. We recommend that the dollars you spend go towards a WordPress host that acts as a good steward of open source philosophy—like WordPress.com.

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WORDPRESS

Automattic sends WP Engine its own cease-and-desist over WordPress trademark infringement

Published

3 days ago

September 25, 2024

Max

Automattic sends WP Engine its own cease-and-desist over WordPress trademark infringement

The brouhaha in the WordPress community looks likely to escalate into a legal battle around trademarks.

Just a day after WordPress hosting service WP Engine sent a cease-and-desist notice to Automattic asking its CEO to stop publicly trashing WP Engine, now Automattic has sent its own cease-and-desist letter to WP Engine, saying the latter has infringed several trademarks like WordPress and WooCommerce.

This comes after Matt Mullenweg, the CEO of Automattic and co-creator of WordPress, last week criticized WP Engine for profiteering off the open source WordPress project, calling it a “cancer to WordPress,” and accused the company of contributing very little to the community.

In its letter dated Monday, Automattic alleged that WP Engine has built a business of over $400 million in revenue based on unauthorized use of its WordPress trademark, which Automattic claims it has the exclusive commercial rights for from the WordPress Foundation. Automattic also said WP Engine has misled consumers into believing that there is a direct affiliation between the two companies.

“Your unauthorized use of our Client’s trademarks infringes on their rights and dilutes their famous and well-known marks. Negative reviews and comments regarding WP Engine and its offerings are imputed to our Client, thereby tarnishing our Client’s brands, harming their reputation, and damaging the goodwill our Client has established in its marks,” the letter read.

“Your unauthorized use of our Client’s intellectual property has enabled WP Engine to compete with our Client unfairly, and has led to unjust enrichment and undue profits,” it added.

Automattic is also demanding compensation for the profits made by WP Engine by using its trademarks and said that if WP Engine doesn’t amicably resolve the matter, the company has the right to file a civil injunction case.

For context, here’s a good summary of the WordPress community by my colleague Paul Sawers:

WordPress powers more than 40% of the web, and while any individual or company is free to take the open source project and run a website themselves, a number of businesses have sprung up to sell hosting services and technical expertise off the back of it. These include Automattic, which Mullenweg set up in 2005 to monetize the project he’d created two years earlier; and WP Engine, a managed WordPress hosting provider that has raised nearly $300 million in funding over its 14-year history, the bulk of which came via a $250 million investment from private equity firm Silver Lake in 2018.

In the cease-and-desist letter WP Engine sent to Automattic on Monday, the company defended its right to use the “WordPress” trademark under fair use laws. The company added that Automattic has “a profound misunderstanding of both trademark law and WordPress Foundation’s trademark policy.”

It also said Mullenweg demanded WP Engine pay Automattic “a significant percentage of its gross revenues — tens of millions of dollars in fact — on an ongoing basis” for a license to use trademarks like “WordPress.”

“When his outrageous financial demands were not met, Mr. Mullenweg carried out his threats by making repeated false claims disparaging WP Engine to its employees, its customers, and the world,” WP Engine’s letter said.

Notably, Automattic’s letter doesn’t mention Mullenweg’s remarks about WP Engine.

In the last week, Mullenweg has accused WP Engine of not contributing enough to the community and offering “a cheap knock-off” version of WordPress. WP Engine pushed back against this characterization and called out Mullenweg for launching a smear campaign against the company, saying it has already affected some of its business.

This might be the start of a long legal tussle between the two entities. A lot of folks also pointed out that this battle might be harmful for providers offering specialized WordPress hosting.

Earlier today, WordPress Foundation changed its Trademark Policy page, and it now calls out WP Engine, alleging the hosting service has confused users.

“The abbreviation ‘WP’ is not covered by the WordPress trademarks, but please don’t use it in a way that confuses people. For example, many people think WP Engine is “WordPress Engine” and officially associated with WordPress, which it’s not. They have never once even donated to the WordPress Foundation, despite making billions of revenue on top of WordPress,” the updated page reads.

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