WooCommerce?
WooCommerce is a customizable and open source e-commerce platform built on WordPress. It is also the most popular e-commerce WordPress plugin in the world, with a market share of 28.24 percent. It operates over 3,876,748 online stores.
To put that into perspective, imagine if the first seven ecommerce platforms were all continents, WooCommerce would be Asia. Yes, the biggest ever.
Being a WordPress designer is probably the main factor contributing to the growth of WooCommerce because the market share of WordPress is 40% of all websites. But that alone is not enough reason to choose it over other e-commerce platforms.
So, let’s learn why you should build your own ecommerce store with WooCommerce.
Why should you choose WooCommerce?
These are all good facts to consider. But the most important question you should ask yourself is “Why should I choose WooCommerce over other e-commerce platforms”.
I will answer this question by explaining the advantages of the WooCommerce plugin and also explaining why it is so popular.
WooCommerce Advantages
Free Software: The WooCommerce plugin is free. You can download and install it on your WordPress site without spending a dime.
Open Source: More than 350 developers from around the world contribute to the development of the WooCommerce plugin. It is open source software. You can modify and improve the source code as per your business needs.
WooCommerce Community Support: WooCommerce has a huge user base. A large number of users are also active contributors to the development of the WooCommerce plugin. As a result, it has an efficient and responsive community support system.
Plugins: There are 50k+ WordPress plugins that extend the functionality of WooCommerce and improve the performance of your online store.
Security: WooCommerce is a very secure e-commerce platform. Its security level can be improved by using the highest security plugins.
Easy-to-use user interface: People who are not very technical with things can also start an online store with WooCommerce. It is easy to use for non-nerds as it does not require preparation of coding skills.
Mobile Responsive: The WooCommerce plugin is mobile responsive. Users can manage their online store on their Android or IOS devices using the WooCommerce mobile app.
Unrestricted customization: You can modify the looks and features of your WooCommerce store by applying custom WordPress themes and plugins.
WooCommerce Disadvantages
WooCommerce has created a standard for other e-commerce platforms. But for WooCommerce to be suitable for everyone, this criterion is practically elusive – the impossibility of perfection.
So, let’s take a look at the disadvantages or limitations of the WooCommerce plugin.
WooCommerce Extension Cost: The WooCommerce plugin is free. But you can’t run an online business with WooCommerce alone. It takes other paid plugins to run a fully functional online store, and those paid plugins can range from a few dollars to hundreds of dollars per month.
Although there are thousands of plugins for WooCommerce, there is a slight chance that you may not find the plugin that provides the functionality you need. You have to ask the developers of your plugin to add the features you want, and that will cost you a few extra dollars.
WooCommerce Needs WordPress: WooCommerce is designed only for WordPress. One of its most compelling features can also be seen as a glaring limitation. People cannot use it on any other CMS except WordPress.
Compatible WordPress Themes: WordPress themes are relatively cheap but make sure you only apply WooCommerce compatible themes. Otherwise, it will spoil the appearance of your online store.
US-based WooCommerce: WooCommerce is primarily based on the US market, which creates problems for merchants from other countries. An appropriate amount of effort and money is required to make your WooCommerce store GDPR compliant.
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