Put simply, WordPress is a versatile software. This free and open-source content management system offers the user-friendly capability to create and oversee websites. Originally started as a blogging platform, WordPress has transformed to assist users in creating a wide range of websites, including blogs, portfolios, and eCommerce stores.
If we name the top website builder and content management system, we bet that WordPress tops in the ranking as it powers more than 63.1% of all websites built on a content management system, accounting for 43.1% of all websites on the internet today.
And one common cause for website owners to opt for WordPress is its huge selection of plugins available that serve as excellent tools for enhancing existing features or introducing new functionality to your WordPress website.
Why employ a WordPress ecommerce plugin for your online store?
WordPress is crafted with extensibility in mind, offering a seamless integration of additional functionalities through plugins. Today, nearly a third of websites that are powered by WordPress are using plugins. So, the sheer number of plugins that are available and widespread adoption clearly indicate the substantial benefits they offer to website owners.
From adding a contact form to integrating automated email marketing to scheduling your website’s regular backups, there is a plugin for any of your needs.
Alongside saving time and providing free or low-cost options, most plugins offer you the flexibility to customise site features and functionality. So, you can add features at any time to meet your changing requirements. Even since most of them are created and managed by professional companies, they can be very reliable.
Here, depending on your project requirement and the level of customisation you need, you can work with a professional WordPress website developer with the skill to bring your project to life. However, there are some downsides as well. But as long as you conduct thorough research and maintain plugins properly, the benefits far outweigh the potential risks. So, selecting the right plugins for your website is a very important process.
Discover our handpicked selection of the top five WordPress ecommerce plugins
We have carefully selected this compilation of WordPress eCommerce plugins that will empower your business in elevating online stores with added features and enhanced functionality. Let’s explore each one.
1. WooCommerce
Website: https://wordpress.org/plugins/woocommerce/
Price: Free. (However, it’s important to note that the “free” label of WooCommerce doesn’t paint the complete picture. Many store owners may require costly premium add-ons.)
Best for: WooCommerce works best to blend content and ecommerce powerfully for a store
Best features:
- Comprehensive WordPress eCommerce solution
- Several plugins option
- Includes powerful analytics
- Shipping control
- Limitless customisation options
WooCommerce is one of the most popular open-source ecommerce solutions and the most widely used ecommerce plugins on the WordPress platform. This core platform is both free and flexible, supported by a thriving global community.
WooCommerce seamlessly integrates with your WordPress site, enabling you to create a full-fledged ecommerce platform with products, a shopping cart, and checkout capabilities. It proves to be the perfect choice for individuals looking for a tailored ecommerce solution and possessing the expertise or resources to effectively manage and optimise the online store.
2. Dokan
Website: https://wordpress.org/plugins/dokan-lite/
Price: It’s free to use, and you can opt for a premium license starting at just $119 per year.
Best for: It works best for creating a multivendor marketplace on WordPress in under 30 minutes.
Best features:
- Individual vendor stores
- A variety of product choices
- Auto withdrawal disbursement
- Social login and restrictions
- Multilanguage support
With Dokan, you can kickstart your eCommerce venture and start earning through commissions on a wide array of products, spanning digital, physical, and variable offerings, with less hassle. This ultimate multivendor marketplace plugin for WordPress allows you to build your own marketplace akin to industry giants like Amazon, Shopify, eBay, and Magento while offering opportunities for revenue generation through both commissions and subscriptions.
3. WPForms
Website: https://wordpress.org/plugins/wpforms-lite/
Price: No cost and premium licenses begin at just $49.50 per year.
Best for: It lets you easily build a wide range of WordPress forms, from basic contact forms to advanced user registration, payment, subscription, survey, and poll forms.
Best features:
- 100% mobile responsive
- Pre-built form templates
- Drag and drop form builder
- Multiple addons
- instant form notification feature
A powerful drag & drop WordPress form builder that you can use to craft stunning forms, be it contact forms, payment forms, feedback forms or other form types for your website with minutes, not hours! WPForms eliminates the necessity for WooCommerce while empowering you to design tailor-made checkout forms, complete with customer-specific fields for a personalised checkout experience.
4. Ecommerce Product Catalog Plugin
Website: https://wordpress.org/plugins/ecommerce-product-catalog/
Price: It’s free, and you can add bundles starting at $49 per year.
Best for: Establishing a product catalog website for an uncomplicated ecommerce solution.
Best features:
- Ecommerce product catalog widgets
- Several options for setting up your product catalog
- Advanced product sorting and filtering choices
- Cross-browser compatibility
- Range of payment options
No matter you have a few products or an extensive inventory with tens of thousands, the eCommerce Product Catalog Plugin for WordPress offers a versatile range of features to assist you in building a product catalog website.
Alongside providing effortless setup, adaptable layouts, multiple payment choices, advanced product sorting filters and other facilities, this plugin gives you the flexibility to establish an online shop or store, whether you require payment processing or not.
5. Sellkit
Website: https://wordpress.org/plugins/sellkit/
Price: It has both free and premium options, and premium plans start at $59 per year.
Best for: It works best to automate the checkout process and sales funnels.
Best features:
- Dynamic discounts and smart coupons
- One-click order bumps
- Personalised one-click upsell and downsell
- Effective lead-generation and opt-in forms
- Ready-to-use funnel templates
One great benefit of Sellkit is its remarkable ability to consolidate multiple checkout tools into one, eliminating the need for employing various plugins to accomplish the same outcome. With expertly crafted templates, you can create and personalise captivating checkout pages or kickstart your journey swiftly. Use Sellkit to boost the shopping experience by eliminating checkout obstacles through features like skip cart, autocomplete, inline form validation, and more.
So, before you start with plugins, the listed ones are some of the top used plugins that you can consider exploring to effortlessly transform your self-hosted WordPress website into a full-fledged online store. To access any of the plugins, simply follow these straightforward steps:
Navigate to your WordPress dashboard.
Click on “Plugins.”
Search for the particular plugin name, then proceed to download and activate it.
