WordPress is a very powerful open source content management system that is used for creating captivating blogs and content-rich websites. However, what WordPress is less known for is for being a very good choice for setting up online stores in a very short period of time and with a relatively low budget.
While CMSes like Magento, Joomla, Drupal and Shopify are generally a good fit for eCommerce projects, the entry barrier for using these platforms is much higher than for WordPress.
There is no question that WordPress can be used to develop a ravishing eCommerce store that can woo its potential viewers; however, the functionality and look of the online store built on WordPress greatly depends on the plugins and themes that are used. Fortunately, the WordPress repository is jam-packed with a slew of high-end plugins and themes, and the WP community has thrived to keep the repository updated with great eCommerce add-ons and the latest design trends.
In this post I listed a few examples of how WordPress can be used for eCommerce and showed a couple of examples of popular online stores that use WordPress as their preferred platform.
1. WordPress Is User Friendly
The WordPress platform is absolutely easy to use with its intuitive and interactive interface. The powerful dashboard of this CMS makes it stand ahead of its competitors. Individuals who are either from technical or non-technical background can conveniently develop an eCommerce site via WordPress without delving deep into programming. Yes! It is that easy.
WooCommerce Plugin - Settings Dashboard
The gigantic community support allows individuals to work on the website with a breeze. You can seek support and guidance from the community (https://en.forums.wordpress.com), and its active community can instantly resolve your issues.
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2. WordPress Can Offer A Secure eCommerce Solution
WordPress is relatively secure, as it is loaded with a slew of resourceful and tested plugins that can safeguard your online transactions and help you steer clear of fraudsters.
You can secure WordPress and online data by installing suitable plugins and go over the basic WordPress security enhancement steps. There are several plugins that can notify you about any suspicious activity and restrict unauthorized user access by blocking the corresponding IP addresses.
Big brands like Sony generate a huge amount of data, which often includes the crucial user info. Since WP offers a secure platform and supports integrity, companies can own their data and keep unauthorized access at bay. For this reason, Sony is running a WordPress-powered website.
3. WordPress Can Have a Multi-step Checkout Process
By implementing HTTPS or SSL certificates, you can ensure a safe and secure transfer of data. WordPress also supports a unique multi-step checkout process. The website of the Pardon Services Canada is developed on WordPress and features a multi-step checkout that suits their business needs. There are also various plugins that also offer single-step checkouts.
4. WordPress eCommerce Site Can Be Scalable
You can efficiently tweak and extend a WordPress website. The visual appearance can be overhauled in a suitable fashion, as there are numerous stunning options available and can be personalized. Moreover, the open-source nature of the platform facilitates limitless functionality. Developers across the globe have developed worthwhile plugins that can extend the capabilities of a website. There is a range of prolific WP plugins to support eCommerce. One of the most used plugins is WooCommerce. For instance LongBallInc is a fabulous e-store that is built on the WordPress platform and features the WooCommerce plugin.
There are several organizations like, CNN that are flawlessly running their heavy websites on WordPress platform. CNN.com generates a whopping number of page views with Alexa rank 80 and Google Page rank 8. If WordPress were not scalable, CNN would most likely choose another platform.
5. It Is Open Source And Free – Cost Does Matter...
Whether you are making a living out of your WordPress site or running a blog just for fun, you don't need to pay anything to use WordPress. There are no licensing fees for WP, and it can support any type of web hosting server (even though Linux server is preferred to Windows). WordPress is available for download for free and can be upgraded without paying a penny. Moreover, most of the WP plugins and themes available are absolutely free!
In addition, since WordPress is open source, you can amend the WP core code as you see fit.
PawPrintPets.com is an amazing website developed on WordPress that offers invaluable tips to viewers on how they can train their pets. The company has tailored the website UI and functionality per their specific needs to deliver an excellent user experience!
There are many other advantages of using WordPress for eCommerce, but I will stop here. Please share your experiences of using WordPress for online shops in the comments section below.
