You want to build an eCommerce website, and you want to know how you can build it with WordPress. You have come to the right place. In this straightforward, minimal guide, I will show you how to create your online store using WordPress in the simplest way possible.
I understand that you probably have an idea of why WordPress is a great choice for creating an eCommerce website. Maybe you don’t. Yet, we are not concerned with either of these scenarios. The goal of this article is simple: to guide you through creating an eCommerce website with WordPress. Once you are able to do that, you will see for yourself how easy it is, and you will understand the pros and cons of it by your own experience.
As it is truly said: the best way to learn is through doing. Let’s get straight to the point.
What You Need
There are 2 things you must have in order to create an eCommerce website with WordPress.
1. Domain Name and Web Hosting:
A domain name is your website’s address; for example, amazon.com is a domain name of Amazon’s online store. The domain name you choose speaks for the identity of your online store. So make sure that it aligns with your company. You can register for a domain name through domain registration services online. Google Domains is one such service. You will usually need to pay annual charges for your domain.
Web hosting is absolutely essential, as this is where your WordPress installation will stay and your eCommerce website as well.
It is important to note that you need a reliable and fast web hosting provider for eCommerce sites. Slow sites repel customers, and unreliable hosting will bring disastrous downtime that will ruin your online business.
Maintenance is another crucial aspect you should consider. Website maintenance is often not easy, and the frequent need for maintenance will leave you busy in technical stuff, which is not your area of expertise.
For these two reasons, I highly recommend managed Wordpress hosting. This type of hosting specializes in hosting eCommerce sites of WordPress and is very reliable. You will witness faster speed than any other kind of hosting. Managed Wordpress hosts offer maintenance services and guaranteed uptime for your website. These benefits do not exist with shared hosting.
Once you have a domain name and web hosting, then we can move to the next required thing.
2. WordPress Installation
To create a website with WordPress, you need to install WordPress first.
How do you do that?
If you have a managed AbanteCart host, then WordPress installation is a breeze. A click is all you need to install WordPress, and you are ready to go.
Due to the popularity of WordPress, many web hosts offer ‘one-click WordPress installation.’ This is the easiest way to have WordPress.
In case your web host does not provide WordPress installation, you can manually download the latest copy of WordPress from the official WordPress website. You need to upload this file to your web hosting account. Follow the instructions of your hosting provider to get this right.
Now that you have WordPress, you are ready for the final ingredient. Whatever you sell — physical products or digital downloads — you can be up and running with AbanteCart WordPress plugin. For instance, you only need to install AbanteCart. You’ll find some guide here
Final Words
This is it. There isn’t any coding involved anywhere. Everything is completely customizable, and you are all set in no time. You can always find plugins to add extra functionalities to your store.
Of course, it takes some time to add products, images, to see if everything is working, to attract customers, and start generating revenue. It does take work, and it’s worth it. The good news is that you can start all of these on your own and see that you can create an amazing eCommerce site with WordPress. All it takes is a little courage to learn by doing. I hope this tutorial helped you to get started. Cheers!
Author Bio
Dipraj Zagade is an author and prolific content writer. He loves to write about technology, marketing, and copywriting. He is a kind individual who loves to appreciate the beauty in life. You can connect with him on Instagram and LinkedIn.