Owning a business of any sort is intriguing and overall a dynamic experience. Ever since the world is dominated by the internet and its vast advantages and possibilities, more and more businesses and startups indulge in the E-commerce field of products and services distribution.
So what is E-Commerce and why it is good?
In a nutshell, E-commerce is the process of buying and selling of goods or services using the Internet, and the transfer of money and data to execute these transactions. E-commerce comes with many advantages that have to be taken into consideration. Here are some of the most notable ones:
- it has low startup cost - you don't need to invest thousands of dollars for a physical store;
- your online store is always open - clients will be able to shop 24/7 without any consideration of working hours;
- you can ship worldwide - this advantage alone can boost your business and its success among customers, as well as broadening your brand's popularity;
How to start your E-commerce business with WordPress?
Do you want to hear the good news? There's a way you can start your next E-commerce successful business with just a few clicks. WordPress is by far the best option when it comes to building a good-looking, functional and well-managed online store. Why?
- its implementation is low-cost - when starting a business, each dollar counts. With WordPress you can launch your online store quickly and at really reasonable prices;
- you can modify your store just the way you like it - WordPress is an open-source platform - developers come up with brand new themes and plugins all the time;
- it has plenty of E-commerce plugins which are crucial for your business' success;
What are the must-have E-commerce WordPress plugins?
We present to you a list of 11 best plugins that will make your store functional and user-friendly.
1. WooCommerce - this plugin is the most popular E-commerce plugin. It allows you to sell pretty much anything, it's of a low cost and has a really simple interface that will be easy to use even for beginners. Pretty much all of the WordPress themes are built around WooCommerce, so it won't be difficult for you to set your online market.
2. WP eCommerce - this plugin is viewed as an alternative to WooCommerce. The dashboard and pricing models are similar to those of the plugin mentioned above. WP eCommerce features a Gold cart extension - it provides features like live search, premium payment gateways, and a grid view for your product galleries.
3. Cart66 Cloud - this plugin is fairly simple to configure. It was overall praised by customers. It minimizes the number of add-ons needed for the plugin to work properly. With its easy to use dashboard, Cart66 Cloud is a great plugin for beginners.
4. Easy Digital Downloads (EDD) - like WooCommerce, this plugin has a clean user-friendly interface. If you consider selling products such as PDF files, Ebooks, etc., then EDD is definitely the right E-Commerce plugin for you. You install it on your website and immediately have a digital sales platform, with features for discount codes, file access control, and activity tracking.
5. Ecwid Ecommerce Shopping Cart - this plugin's setup is similar to WooCommerce's, but its features are fairly different. One of the main differences is that Ecwid can be used on any website you’d like. If you have a Drupal site, you can use Ecwid to launch an online store. The same goes for Tumblr, Facebook, WordPress, and many more. Alternatively, WooCommerce is only a WordPress plugin.
6. WPForms - it is essential for every online store out there to have a decent contact form so that your customers could easily get in touch with you with whatever questions they may have. WPForms is a plugin that will setup a neat and user-friendly contact form for your website.
7. OptionMonster - another feature which your online store must have, is to invite newly acquainted customers to become subscribers. In this way, you can also increase your outreach to your loyal customers.
8. Envira Gallery - another must-have feature for your E-commerce website is having a gallery. Representing your products in a unique and eye-catching way is crucial for fulfilling your customers' desires. Envira Gallery will create a responsive and beautiful gallery for your online store.
9. JigoShop - this plugin is yet another great feature for implementation on your website. With it, you can take payments with PayPal, upload all of your products, use Skrill/Moneybookers without having to install any external or additional tools. They also offer premium extensions that you can use on your WordPress website.
10. LearnDash - if you want to create an online store that sells tutoring and learning materials and courses, then this is the right plugin for you. With LearnDash you can easily and quickly create lessons, quizzes, assignments, and more.
11. MonsterInsights - a crucial step for the growth and success of any website is tracking. Connecting your online store with Google Analytics via MonsterInsights plugin will help you keep track of your audience. The plugin is free, but if you want to have full access to its amazing features, you can easily buy the PRO version.