WordPress is a powerful platform through which almost any type of website can be built. However, it is not capable of easily setting up an online store, at least, not without employing the help of an ecommerce plugin.
This is the point where WooCommerce comes in. WooCommerce is a very popular plugin that includes most of the important features that will be needed in setting up an ecommerce website. With a 100% free base plugin, it has plenty of relatively inexpensive extensions that can extend your options further.
Popular ecommerce solution
WooCommerce is undoubtedly one of the most popular ecommerce solutions around, with about three million downloads to its name. As a very popular Content Management System (CMS), WordPress can be used to create a website just in a matter of minutes. Though it is somewhat limited by default, most of the other functionalities can be added with the aid of plugins.
Simply put, plugins are add-ons that create an extension of the core of WordPress in different ways. Some plugins enable you to create custom contact formats; while others make it possible to sell items online and collect payments for the products. WooCommerce falls into the latter category. WooCommerce has also a lot of plugins / addons.
Although WooCommerce is not the only ecommerce plugin available for WordPress, it gets our nod as the best platform because of many factors such as:
- It is free, i.e., the base plugin is free. However, there are also premium extensions that you have to pay for.
- It is not difficult to learn. With a minimum familiarity with WordPress, WooCommerce should come naturally to you.
- WooCommerce is very popular. Hence, it is easier to find help if you run with a problem, as a lot of users are using it.