WooCommerce is a WordPress-based e-commerce solution that is perfect for small and medium-sized online stores. Customizing and managing the WooCommerce online store is easy for the online retailer with the help of various add-ons, and those skilled in web development can customize its features even more freely.
One of the biggest advantages of WooCommerce is full control over the elements and features of the online store. However, for someone new to WordPress, a WooCommerce online store can be more difficult to manage than a user-friendly Shopify online store.
WooCommerce online store - Pros and cons
When setting up an online store, you should take into account what are the most important things for you as an entrepreneur and online retailer, which you require from an online store, and what you necessarily want to be able to do yourself. As with everything, you have to choose what you are willing to compromise on.
Let's go through the main pros and cons of the WooCommerce online store , so you can decide for yourself whether this WordPress-based solution suits your and your company's needs.
The good sides of the WooCommerce online store
-
WooCommerce is a cost-effective and the world's most used e-commerce platform
-
The WooCommerce online store is very flexible and scalable, and it is easy to modify and expand it as needed
-
Since it is a WordPress and open source solution, the WooCommerce online store is almost 100% customizable with code from start to finish
-
Several free plugins make managing your online store, such as editing content, easy for non-coders
-
Anyone with a ready-made WordPress website can easily and quickly turn the website into an online store without any technical expertise
-
WooCommerce's warehouse management system is user-friendly and very clear to use from an online retailer's point of view
-
In the WooCommerce online store, several payment and delivery options are also available for Finnish companies
-
Customer activity in the online store can be easily monitored using the Google Analytics extension
-
WordPress offers excellent opportunities for SEO and useful plugins to do it (like Yoast SEO)
-
Thanks to regular software updates, the WooCommerce online store is a safe choice for both the online retailer and the customer
Disadvantages of WooCommerce online store
-
Building a WooCommerce online store requires at least some web development and coding skills
-
Ecommerce features created by coding may require a web developer to make the desired changes for you
-
Due to WordPress' automatic software updates, each plugin must be regularly monitored and updated . If the matter is not taken care of in time, all functions of the online store may not work. Unupdated add-ons can also pose a security risk
-
Unlike Shopify, WooCommerce does not have its own support . If you need help with something, you have to turn to a third party, the developer
-
For these reasons, it is almost always worth getting a maintenance service for a WooCommerce online store, which is usually provided by the entity that created the online store
-
Although WordPress allows customization of most functions, not all features needed by large online stores are readily available . The programming interface imposes limitations here, even for developers
Is a WooCommerce online store right for my business?
When you are talking about setting up an online store , comparing the pros and cons of different platforms is an important first step.
If you found more pros than cons , the WooCommerce online store may be the right solution for you. However, if you are not able to manage everything related to WordPress yourself, such as theme, plugins and security, we recommend considering the more user-friendly Shopify online store or getting support from a competent partner.
Ice:
What does conversion mean and what is conversion rate
Customer segmentation in an online store - why and how?