Introduction: WordPress and e-commerce

WordPress is a great choice to launch your e-commerce website within a few steps and with a very high quality and appealing design. In this articles, we will be giving all the steps you should go through to have a fully operational e-commerce website

Your e-commerce website in a few steps

Step 1

Choose a Domain Name and Hosting Provider The first step in setting up an e-commerce website on WordPress is to choose a domain name (the web address for your website) and a hosting provider (a service that stores your website files and makes them accessible on the internet). Choose a domain name that is relevant to your business and easy for customers to remember. Look for a reliable hosting provider that offers e-commerce features and good performance.

You do not need to look too far since we offer very high performance Web hosting plans specially optimized for WordPress. You can check our Web Hosting plans by clicking here.

Step 2

Install WordPress Once you have a domain name and hosting provider, you’ll need to install WordPress.

With Exotecho Host’s Web Hosting plans, you will have access to “WP Toolkit”, a very efficient tool to fully setup your WordPress website in literally a few seconds. All you need is to indicate your website name and let the magic operate.

Step 3

Choose an E-commerce Plugin WordPress uses plugins to add functionality to your website. To set up an e-commerce website, you’ll need an e-commerce plugin. There are several popular e-commerce plugins for WordPress, such as WooCommerce, Easy Digital Downloads, and WP eCommerce. Choose a plugin that best fits your business needs and install it on your WordPress website.

Step 4

Set Up Your Online Store Once you’ve installed an e-commerce plugin, you’ll need to set up your online store. This involves configuring various settings, such as currency, payment gateways, shipping options, and tax settings. Most e-commerce plugins provide an easy-to-use interface where you can customize these settings according to your business requirements.

Step 5

Add Products to Your Store With your online store set up, it’s time to add products. You can do this by creating product pages in WordPress and adding product details, such as title, description, price, and images. You can also categorize your products, set up inventory tracking, and add product variations, such as size or color options.

Step 6

Customize Your Store Design WordPress allows you to customize the design of your online store using themes. Themes are pre-designed templates that determine the appearance and layout of your website. Many e-commerce plugins come with their own themes, or you can choose from thousands of free and premium themes available in the WordPress theme directory. Select a theme that matches your brand and customize it to make your online store visually appealing and user-friendly.

Step 7

Set Up Payment and Shipping Options To accept payments from customers, you’ll need to set up payment gateways. E-commerce plugins typically support popular payment gateways, such as PayPal, Stripe, and WooCommerce Payments. You’ll need to configure these payment gateways with your account details to start accepting payments.

You’ll also need to set up shipping options for your online store. You can define shipping rates based on location, weight, or price of the products. You can also offer free shipping, flat rate shipping, or real-time shipping rates from carriers like UPS or FedEx.

Step 8

Add Essential Pages and Features To make your e-commerce website complete, you’ll need to add some essential pages and features. Some of these pages include an About Us page, a Contact Us page, a Privacy Policy page, and a Terms and Conditions page. You can create these pages in WordPress and customize them according to your business needs.

You may also want to add additional features to your online store, such as a shopping cart, a product search function, customer reviews, and social media integration. You can find plugins that offer these functionalities in the WordPress plugin directory and install them to enhance your e-commerce website.

Step 9

Test and Launch Your E-commerce Website Before you launch your e-commerce website, make sure to thoroughly test it for functionality, usability, and performance. Test the checkout process, ensure that payment gateways are working correctly,

and check that all the pages, products, and features are working as expected. Test your website on different browsers and devices to ensure it is responsive and accessible to all users.

Once you are satisfied with the testing, you can launch your e-commerce website. Make sure to promote your website through various marketing channels, such as social media, email marketing, and SEO, to attract visitors and potential customers.

Step 10

Monitor and Maintain Your E-commerce Website After your e-commerce website is up and running, it’s important to monitor its performance regularly. Keep an eye on your website’s analytics, such as traffic, sales, and conversion rates, to identify any issues or areas for improvement. Update your products, prices, and promotions regularly to keep your website fresh and engaging for your customers.

It’s also essential to keep your e-commerce website secure by regularly updating WordPress, plugins, and themes to the latest versions. Backup your website regularly to ensure you have a copy of your data in case of any unforeseen events.

Conclusion

In conclusion, setting up an e-commerce website on WordPress is not limited to web developers alone. Even individuals with no prior knowledge of web development can create a professional-looking online store by following the step-by-step tutorial outlined above.

With the availability of user-friendly e-commerce plugins, themes, and intuitive interfaces in WordPress, anyone can create an e-commerce website without having to write code or possess advanced technical skills. The wide range of customization options, payment gateways, shipping options, and other essential features offered by e-commerce plugins make it possible for non-technical users to create a functional and visually appealing online store.

Moreover, the WordPress community provides extensive support, documentation, and resources for beginners, including tutorials, forums, and online communities. This allows individuals with no web development background to learn and troubleshoot any issues they may encounter during the setup process.

Also, we at Exotecho Host, can help you set up your website and fully guide you at every step. Simply submit a Ticket and we will gladly assist you!

Having an e-commerce website is no longer a privilege limited to web developers or tech-savvy individuals. With the right tools, resources, and a little effort, anyone can create a professional e-commerce website on WordPress and start selling products or services online.

So, whether you are a small business owner, an entrepreneur, or an individual looking to start an online store, don’t be intimidated by the technical aspects of web development. With WordPress and its user-friendly e-commerce plugins, you can create a successful online store and take advantage of the growing e-commerce market, regardless of your level of technical expertise. Happy selling!