Is WordPress Good for Your E-commerce Site?
WordPress may not be the best solution for building an e-commerce site, but it’s still a fantastic choice when you want to get started with an online store quickly and easily.
On the other hand, if you’re looking to build something more complex, you might want to consider other options like Shopify or Squarespace.
For the purposes of this post, let’s take a look at how WordPress compares to other e-commerce platforms when it comes to getting started, customizing your site, selling online, and more.
What is E-commerce
E-commerce is a system of selling goods or services online. E-Commerce websites help you to purchase products through a website and have them delivered to you.
The Importance of An E-commerce Platform
When it comes to making money online, one of your biggest opportunities is selling products on an e-commerce platform. Whether you’re building an online store or a standalone product page, a platform that can integrate with major payment processors is essential.
There are several e-commerce platforms out there, but no discussion of them would be complete without mentioning Shopify and Magento.
How to Choose an E-commerce Platform
When you run an online business, it’s important to choose a platform that allows you to easily manage inventory, customers, and transactions.
Although there are many options available when it comes to choosing an e-commerce platform, some platforms are more suitable than others depending on your unique needs.
The first step in choosing an e-commerce platform is determining whether you need a hosted solution or if self-hosting is right for you.
WordPress And E-Commerce
To create an online store on many platforms, you’ll have to do a bit of research and build out some custom code. If you’re familiar with code, then you can use that knowledge to make sure your store is optimized. If not, there are plenty of talented developers who know how to optimize store code—if you’re willing to pay them.
However, if you are a beginner, you may not have the knowledge or the money. Luckily, WordPress doesn\’t need any coding skills.
Proven Benefits of Using WordPress as An E-commerce Platform
Easy to Use and Easy to Customize
People think of Word Press as simply a blogging platform, but you can easily set up an online store through one of the hundreds of free or premium themes available online.
Responsive Design Means It’s Mobile-friendly
If you want your website to be viewed from different devices (tablets, laptops, desktop computers), Word Press is built to optimize its design across various screen sizes.
Disadvantages of Using WordPress as An E-commerce Platform
Although it is relatively easy to use, many experienced web developers think of WordPress as being limited. With all that ease comes tradeoffs that are sometimes undesirable.
For example, according to Mark Jaquith, co-founder and developer of WordPress VIP at Automattic: If you plan on doing anything beyond a simple store and want to keep control over your site’s design, then you’ll need a lot more coding skills than if you were building a standalone website from scratch.
It’s possible with some advanced knowledge but not straightforward and not supported well by any plugin or theme—and definitely not something most people would recommend trying unless absolutely necessary.
