WooCommerce is a plugin that turns your WordPress site into an eCommerce store within minutes. Its simplicity to install, ability to customize and price point make it an increasingly popular tool. If you’re going to build an eCommerce store with WooCommerce, it is advisable to have a hosting package that is catered specifically to WooCommerce stores.
What Is WooCommerce and What Is WooCommerce Hosting?
WooCommerce is an open-source eCommerce store plug-in that can be used on WordPress websites. It has everything you need to start selling products and services via your site and is highly customizable.
WooCommerce hosting is a relatively new addition to the hosting market and involves hosting your store with a platform that’s been specifically optimized to run WooCommerce.
Who Can Benefit From WooCommerce Hosting?
WooCommerce is designed to be simple and intuitive enough for a beginner to launch an eCommerce store. However, it also has a wide range of customization possibilities for developers to make the most of.
If you’re using WooCommerce as your primary online sales tool, you’ll benefit from having a hosting package that is specifically dedicated to supporting it. WooCommerce hosting streamlines the setup and management of your eCommerce store, providing access to expert support.
What Does WooCommerce Do?
Online store. WooCommerce is one of the most popular online store plug-ins in the world and you can install it onto your WordPress website in just one click. You can easily upload product images and be selling in no time at all
Built-in payment processor. You don’t need to worry about collecting customer payments as a processor is built into the plug-in. You can process orders via PayPal, Stripe, bank transfer, credit and debit cards, and a host of other methods making it incredibly convenient
Improves SEO rankings. As a popular and trusted plug-in, WooCommerce stores often receive higher rankings in search engines. Google sees it as a sign of a successful and trustworthy business
Blogging feature. Not only can you sell products via WooCommerce, but you can also tell the world about them through a built-in blog
Integration with other marketing tools. The platform is incredibly versatile and will integrate with tools like Mailchimp, Facebook, and Google analytics. This means you can monitor the results of marketing campaigns directly by checking click through rates and sales figures
List unlimited products. Exactly what it says on the tin. WooCommerce lets you list an unlimited number of products and images. You’ll only be limited by the bandwidth on your hosting plan
WooCommerce Plugins, Extensions, Themes and More
Your store is infinitely customizable with extensions to change your theme, launch marketing campaigns, monitor shipping, connect your store to social media, add customized logos, and a whole lot more.
There are thousands of WooCommerce plugins that are available in the WordPress Plugin Directory. They provide added functionality, access to a developer community, and are easy to use. Getting to know the best WooCommerce plugins & extensions will give your eCommerce store a competitive edge.
Why Do You Need WooCommerce Hosting?
It’s easy to use - With one-click install and user-friendly plug-ins, there’s a reason WooCommerce is one of the most popular eCommerce stores
Maximize efficiency - By opting for WooCommerce-specific hosting you take advantage of extra efficiencies, giving you a highly optimized store
Dedicated customer service - By choosing a hosting package here you’ll get access to WooCommerce experts. There’s no problem they can’t fix
Pros and Cons of WooCommerce Hosting
Pros
Cons
Pros of WooCommerce Hosting
Ecommerce optimization - Running an eCommerce store can take up a lot of processing power, and regular hosting packages might not be able to handle it. By choosing a WooCommerce specific platform, you’ll get a smooth-running and optimized site.
Scalability - WooCommerce can easily handle stores with tens of thousands of products and thousands of transactions per minute. Easy scalability is built-in to the product.
Sales-focused tools - You'll get access to hundreds of different plug-ins to help boost sales. These tools mainly center around setting up the perfect email campaigns, but you’ll find options that can launch giveaway campaigns for customers, direct targeted marketing, landing page builders, and SEO optimization tools.
Data-driven platform - WooCommerce is able to collect vast amounts of data on your customers. You can monitor metrics such as click-through rates, track different segments of your audience, run analytical reviews on buying habits, and integrate email campaigns into your store. Everything here is designed around building the most efficient sales tool possible
Expert support - When you sign up with a specialist WooCommerce hosting platform you’re getting access to a knowledgeable team of experts that eat, sleep and breathe the software. They’ll make sure you get the right security updates, use the best plug-ins and prevent any performance issues from arising.
Access to a vibrant developer community - As open-source software, WooCommerce is constantly being updated and developed by thousands of software engineers across the globe. You get to take advantage of this by enjoying the most cutting edge plug-ins.
Cons of WooCommerce Hosting
It’s more expensive than shared hosting - By opting for a WooCommerce specific package, you’ll be paying a premium rate than just using standard shared hosting
You must use WordPress - WooCommerce only works on WordPress sites, so you won’t be able to use any alternative content management systems
Extensions can get pricey - While the out-of-the-box WooCommerce platform is free, you’ll need to pay extra for a lot of the plug-ins. While many of these are great, the cost can soon add up if you want to use a lot of them
It can be overwhelming for newbies - There’s a lot to get to grips with when you launch a new WooCommerce store and it can take some time to adjust to all the features. Opt for managed hosting to access the advice you’ll need if you’re brand new to eCommerce
WooCommerce Alternatives - Ecommerce builders
WooCommerce Vs Shopify
Shopify is another giant of the eCommerce world and has a gentler learning curve than its rival. You can get a store up and running quickly, but WooCommerce is the better choice when it comes to plug-ins.
WooCommerce Vs Magento
Magento takes eCommerce customization to another level and is aimed at professional web developers. It’s a lot more complicated to use than WooCommerce, but it offers one of the most impressive feature sets in the business.
Summary
With a huge range of plug-ins, a site optimized for speed and efficiency, and a range of sales-boosting tools, there’s no denying the benefits you’ll get from choosing WooCommerce hosting. Plus, with access to a team of experts, you should rarely run into any performance issues.
However, once you choose WooCommerce you’ll be locked into using WordPress, and might find it difficult to switch platforms or try out an alternative if you change your mind in the future. Plus, things could get a little pricey depending on how many plug-ins you add.
We’ve outlined the benefits of WooCommerce hosting, but we’d always recommend shopping around and doing your research. Get to know more about eCommerce hosting in general before you make your final eCommerce decision.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does It take to set up a WooCommerce store?
You can install WooCommerce to your WordPress site with just one click. Then, you just need to add your products and you’re off. You could be up and running in just a few hours.
How much does WooCommerce hosting cost?
Prices are very reasonable and start from just $2.70 per month at Verpex.
Can I migrate my store to Verpex?
Yes; these days, it’s a fairly straightforward process to migrate your store in full. Simply get in touch with one of our service agents and they can migrate the store for you.
Are there different types of WooCommerce hosting?
You can go for a shared option, which is the cheapest, or upgrade to other business solutions like VPS and dedicated hosting, which are designed to handle more site traffic and come with faster speeds.
I've been navigating the web hosting waters for years now. As the Chief Editor at Verpex, I team up with some awesome writers to dish out the good stuff on hosting. Got a Master's in Journalism, so I always have an eye out for quality. Whether you're just dipping your toes or you're a seasoned surfer, I'm here to make everything web hosting feel like a breeze
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