What Is WooCommerce? A Complete Guide for 2025

Key takeaways: 

• WooCommerce is an eCommerce plugin that turns your WordPress site into a fully functional online store.  

• Its open-source setup lets you customize your shop, scale it as you grow, and own your data without paying high monthly fees. 

• With thousands of plugins and themes, WooCommerce can support any business from small shops to large marketplaces. 

Selling online is easier than ever, and WooCommerce is a big reason why. It turns any WordPress website into a fully working online store, so you can start selling products or services right away. You don’t need to code or spend a huge amount of money. 

In this beginner’s guide, we’ll break down what WooCommerce is, how it works, who should use it, and the benefits it offers. You’ll also see tips for SEO, advanced features, and how WooCommerce compares with other eCommerce platforms, so you can make the best choice for your online business in 2025 and beyond. 

What is WooCommerce? 

Source: https://www.wpzoom.com/blog/what-is-woocommerce/ 

WooCommerce is a free, open-source eCommerce plugin that works with WordPress. It lets you turn your website into a fully functional online store where you can sell physical products, digital downloads, services, and more.  

WooCommerce launched in 2011. It was built by a company called WooThemes and later acquired by Automattic, the same company behind WordPress.com. Over the years, WooCommerce has grown into one of the most popular eCommerce platforms in the world, powering 5 million stores globally.  

How does WooCommerce work? 

Once you have WordPress installed and the WooCommerce plugin activated, you can use the WooCommerce setup wizard to configure your store. This process helps you enable multiple payment gateways, so customers have plenty of ways to pay. 

It works like this: 

• You install WooCommerce on your WordPress site. 

• You add your products, prices, and images. 

• You choose how customers can pay (credit cards, PayPal, bank transfers, etc.). 

• You set up shipping options. 

• You manage orders as they come in. 

WooCommerce pricing and what to expect 

One of the biggest reasons people love WooCommerce is that the core plugin is free to install. That means you can get started without any upfront cost. However, there are other expenses you might add as your store grows. 

Here’s what to budget for with WooCommerce: 

• Hosting. You’ll need reliable WordPress hosting, which can start around $5–$20 per month for small sites. 

• Domain name. Usually $10–$20 per year. 

• Themes. There are free themes available, but premium themes often cost between $30–$100 as a one-time fee. 

• Plugins and extensions. Many are free, but advanced features or integrations can range from $20 to $200 per year depending on what you need. 

• Payment gateway fees. Like any ecommerce site, you’ll pay transaction fees (usually 2–3%) to payment processors. 

WooCommerce pricing stays flexible because you only pay for what you need. As your store grows, you can add more premium tools, but you’re never locked into a huge monthly fee like with some hosted eCommerce solutions. 

Advanced features of WooCommerce 

WooCommerce is powerful right out of the box, but you can take it even further with its advanced features. These advanced features show what is WooCommerce used for  beyond just selling products: inventory and product management. 

WooCommerce helps you stay organized, even when managing a large catalog. 

• Track stock levels to avoid running out 

• Manage different product variations, like sizes or colors 

• Set automatic low-stock alerts 

These tools help you keep customers happy by making sure products are always available. 

Shipping and tax configurations 

Shipping and taxes can feel complicated, but WooCommerce makes them easier. 

• Integrates with major shipping carriers 

• Supports flexible shipping rates (flat rate, free shipping, or local pickup) 

• Lets you set tax rules based on customer location 

Subscriptions and memberships 

If you offer recurring products or member-only services, WooCommerce has tools to support that. 

• Extensions for subscription billing 

• Automatic renewals and reminders 

• Control over membership content and pricing 

Reporting and analytics 

It’s important to track how your store is performing, and WooCommerce makes that simple. 

• Built-in sales reports and revenue tracking 

• Customer insights like order history and behavior 

• Dashboard tools to monitor product performance 

Benefits of using WooCommerce 

WooCommerce has a lot going for it and is a trusted choice for anyone who wants to sell online. Here’s what makes it stand out: 

• Scalable for all business sizes 

• Customizability and flexibility 

• Open-source advantage 

• Cost-effective solution 

• Global reach and multilingual support 

Scalable for all business sizes 

From running a small side hustle or a full-scale brand, WooCommerce can keep up with your growth. It’s designed to scale with you, so you don’t have to switch platforms later. 

• Works for small, medium, or large businesses 

• Start with just a few products and grow to thousands 

• Easily add new features as your store expands 

Customizability and flexibility 

Want to make your shop truly your own? You can choose from thousands of WooCommerce themes and WooCommerce extensions to build the perfect store. 

• Thousands of free and paid plugins and themes 

• Customize how your store looks and works 

• Add advanced features like subscriptions, bookings, or memberships 

Open-source advantage 

Because WooCommerce is open source, you stay in control of your store’s data and features. 

• Own all your store data and content 

• No locked-in pricing or long-term contracts 

• A huge community of developers ready to help build custom solutions 

Cost-effective solution 

Starting with WooCommerce is budget-friendly. WooCommerce offers you the freedom to scale costs depending on your theme, hosting, and plugin choices. 

• WooCommerce itself costs nothing to install 

• Pay only for themes, plugins, and hosting you choose 

• Scale costs gradually as your business grows 

• It works great with both premium themes, free, and paid extensions. This gives you maximum flexibility. 

Global reach and multilingual support 

Want to sell worldwide? WooCommerce powers millions of eCommerce merchants globally.

 

• Supports multiple currencies 

• Works with multilingual plugins 

• Helps you expand into international markets confidently 

When paired with quality WordPress hosting, WooCommerce can serve customers worldwide. 

How to set up a WooCommerce Store 

WooCommerce works by turning your WordPress website into a powerful online store. Once you install it, you can set up products, payments, shipping, and manage orders all in one place.  

Here’s a more detailed look at how WooCommerce works, step by step: 

1. Installation and setup 

Getting started with WooCommerce is simple. You’ll need a WordPress website first, then install the WooCommerce plugin. 

• Download WooCommerce from the WordPress plugin directory 

• Install and activate it on your site 

• Follow the built-in setup wizard to get started 

Start with a new WordPress website or your existing one. If you’re just getting started, begin by installing WordPress before adding the WooCommerce plugin. 

2. Getting your store ready 

After installing WooCommerce, you’ll want to set up your store details. 

• Create product categories to organize your items 

• Choose payment methods like credit cards, PayPal, or bank transfers 

• Set up shipping options for local or international customers 

This helps make sure customers can easily buy and receive their orders. 

3. Managing products and orders 

Once WooCommerce is running, you can start adding products and managing sales right from your WordPress dashboard. 

• Add product names, descriptions, prices, and photos 

• Track inventory to avoid overselling 

• Process orders and send out customer notifications 

Who should use WooCommerce? 

WooCommerce works for almost any kind of online business, whether you sell products, services, or subscriptions. Let’s break down who can benefit the most: 

• eCommerce storefronts 

• Subscription services 

• Marketplaces 

• B2B eCommerce 

eCommerce storefronts 

If you want to sell physical or digital products, WooCommerce is a great match. 

• Ideal for online shops selling clothes, electronics, handmade goods, and more 

• Supports digital products like eBooks, music, or software 

• Simple tools for managing orders and inventory 

Even if you only sell a handful of products, WooCommerce makes managing them easy. 

Subscription services 

WooCommerce works well for businesses that sell subscriptions or memberships. 

• Offer monthly boxes, software plans, or membership access 

• Use extensions to handle recurring payments automatically 

• Manage member accounts and renewals from your WordPress dashboard 

Marketplaces 

Want to build a multi-vendor platform like Amazon or Etsy? You can do that with WooCommerce too. 

• Add plugins to allow multiple sellers on your site 

• Manage commission rates and payments 

• Control who can sell and how products are listed 

B2B eCommerce 

If you serve other businesses, WooCommerce can help you manage wholesale or large-volume orders. 

• Set up special pricing for B2B buyers 

• Create minimum order amounts 

• Manage bulk inventory easily 

SEO best practices for WooCommerce 

Getting found online is just as important as building your store. Here’s how to make sure your WooCommerce shop shows up in search results: 

Optimizing product pages 

Good product pages help search engines and customers understand what you’re selling. Here are some ways to optimize your product pages for better search visibility: 

• Use clear, keyword-rich product titles 

• Write helpful, detailed product descriptions 

• Add high-quality images with descriptive alt text 

Think about what customers would type into Google when searching for your product and include those words naturally. 

Using SEO plugins 

SEO plugins can make optimizing your store even easier. Here’s how plugins can help you:  

• Plugins like Yoast SEO or RankMath help you set up SEO titles, meta descriptions, and sitemaps 

• They guide you through best practices step by step 

• Many are free to use with WooCommerce 

Site speed and performance optimization 

Slow sites lose customers and rank lower on search engines. A few tips to not lose your page rankings:  

• Use caching plugins to speed up page loads 

• Compress images so they load faster 

• Choose a reliable web hosting provider 

Optimizing site performance on WooCommerce stores helps ensure your eCommerce website stays fast and reliable for customers. 

Link related products together to help customers discover more 

Make it easy for search engines to crawl your site. Here’s how to better structure your site:  

Internal linking and structured data 

• Add structured data (schema) to improve how your products appear on Google 

• Keep your site structure clean and simple 

WooCommerce vs. other eCommerce platforms 

It’s helpful to see how WooCommerce stacks up against other big names in eCommerce. Here’s a side-by-side view with their pros and cons: 

WooCommerce 

WooCommerce is built for WordPress users who want full control over their store. Unlike hosted eCommerce solutions like Shopify or BigCommerce, WooCommerce gives you total ownership of your store and data. 

If you need more advanced options, WooCommerce pricing remains affordable since you only pay for the features you choose. 

Pros 

• Free to install and open source 

• Complete control over your data and site 

• Works perfectly with WordPress 

• Thousands of plugins and themes to customize 

• Grows with your business 

Cons 

• Setup and maintenance may take a bit more time 

• You manage your own hosting and security 

• May need developer help for advanced customizations 

Shopify 

Shopify is a popular hosted platform that makes launching a store quick and beginner-friendly. Everything is handled for you, from security to updates, so you can focus on selling. 

Pros 

• Very beginner-friendly setup 

• Hosting, security, and updates are included 

• 24/7 customer support 

• Large app marketplace for extra features 

• Quick to launch 

Cons 

• Monthly fees can add up over time 

• Less control over your store’s data since Shopify hosts everything 

• Customization is more limited compared to WooCommerce 

BigCommerce 

BigCommerce is designed for growing or enterprise-level businesses. It offers built-in selling features and lets you manage multi-channel sales across places like Amazon or eBay. 

Pros 

• Hosted platform with built-in security and support 

• Good for larger product catalogs 

• No transaction fees on some plans 

• Supports multi-channel selling (like Amazon or eBay) 

• Scalable for growing brands 

Cons 

• Monthly subscription costs 

• Fewer design customization options than WooCommerce 

• Learning curve for advanced features 

Wix 

Wix is best known for its simple drag-and-drop website builder, and it also includes easy-to-use eCommerce tools for small or starter shops. 

Pros 

• Simple drag-and-drop website builder 

• Beginner-friendly interface 

• Hosting and security included 

• Good for small stores with basic needs 

• Wide selection of design templates 

Cons 

• Less advanced eCommerce tools 

• Limited flexibility for larger stores 

• Fewer integrations compared to WooCommerce 

Squarespace 

Squarespace focuses on beautiful, design-forward websites with integrated eCommerce options. This is good for artists, creatives, and small product businesses. 

Pros 

• Beautiful, design-focused templates 

• Easy to set up 

• Hosting, security, and updates included 

• Good fit for small stores or creative businesses 

• Built-in marketing tools 

Cons 

• Fewer eCommerce features than WooCommerce 

• Limited ability to expand beyond small product catalogs 

• Subscription fees can add up 

Common WooCommerce issues and how to fix them 

Even though WooCommerce is powerful, you might run into some hiccups. Here’s how to spot and fix common problems: 

Slow loading times 

A slow store can frustrate customers and hurt your search rankings. So fast sites keep customers happy and improve your sales. 

How to fix it: 

• Choose a good-quality hosting provider 

• Install caching plugins to speed up your site 

• Compress and resize product images 

• Limit the number of plugins you use 

Payment gateway configuration issues 

Payment errors can stop people from checking out entirely. It’s good to always run a test purchase before launching your store. 

How to fix it: 

• Double-check your payment gateway settings 

• Make sure API keys and account details are correct 

• Test transactions before going live 

• Keep plugins and WooCommerce updated 

Product inventory management errors 

Overselling or incorrect stock numbers can cause problems for you and your customers. 

How to fix it: 

• Regularly update your product stock levels 

• Turn on automatic stock management in WooCommerce settings 

• Use inventory management plugins if you have a large product catalog 

Staying on top of your stock helps avoid angry customers and refunds. 

Why you should choose WooCommerce for your online store 

WooCommerce is a powerful, flexible way to build the online shop you really want. It gives you full control over your products, design, and data, without locking you into high monthly fees. Whether you’re selling a few items or running a large marketplace, WooCommerce can grow right alongside your business. 

If you’re ready to launch or improve your store, WooCommerce is the perfect place to start. Check out NetSol’s WooCommerce-friendly hosting plans to get going today and explore our helpful resources to make your shop a success. 

Frequently asked questions