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The 10 Most Useful Ecommerce Plugins for WordPress of 2017
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Danish Ansari
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- All , Plugins
- best ecommerce plugins, ecommerce, ecommerce plugins, top ecommerce plugins
The 10 Most Useful Ecommerce Plugins for WordPress of 2017
The rise of the World Wide Web has opened up a plethora of possibilities for budding entrepreneurs to expand their business plans globally. Platforms such as WordPress offer loads of robust tools and plug-ins to assist users in setting up and managing their websites efficiently. In the WordPress marketplace of 47000+ plug-ins, there’s a plugin for almost every function, and some superb whole in one ecommerce enablement plugins! Listed below are the top 10 e-commerce plugins that are currently helping businessmen sell more and sell better using WordPress.
WooCommerce
With over 10 million downloads, WooCommerce is by far the most popular WordPress plugin and currently supports about 30% of online stores. The plugin was developed by WooThemes and later acquired by Auttomatic in 2015. Users can download and install the plugin from the WordPress archives free of charge. With WooCommerce you can easily manage and monitor all aspects of your e-commerce website in one place. Uploading product information, inserting graphics and PDF files, writing descriptions and setting prices, you can do it all here. Once you have published the website, the plugin also allows you to track the orders and have full control over the inventory.
WooCommerce also comes with smart extensions that assist you in managing appointments, customize your products, and integrate all major payment gateways including PayPal Pro and Stripe. The platform supports both digital goods and physical products.
Easy Digital Downloads
Easy Digital Downloads is a pretty unique and innovative plugin developed by Pippin’s Plugin Family. As the name suggests, the platform is apt for selling digital goods such as ebooks, mp3 files etc. The plugin caters to digital web stores and is surprisingly clutter free and manageable. Even the core plugin is available free of charge. There is no limit on the number of products you want to add, the robust back-end reporting system assists you in keeping track of all deliveries. Moreover, it works seamlessly with almost any WordPress theme and also offers users a whole set of really cool extensions and e-commerce solutions. The platform is also integrated with all the major payment gateways including PayPal.
EDD also boasts of an intuitive customer support team that guides you through every step of the way with simple video tutorials, interactive IRC chat rooms, and email connectivity.
MarketPress e-Commerce
Marketpress e-commerce plugin for WordPress is great for budding entrepreneurs and first-time users who are looking for a user-friendly interface and customizable tools. The free Lite version of the plugin is available on the official repository, however, it is pretty basic and lacks the prevalent advanced features. The premium version, on the other hand, comes with a rich and responsive interface, and is available under the WPMUDev Membership program; pricing starts at $24.50 per month. Registering under this program gives you free access to MarketPress plugin along with 134 other extensions and add-ons that work seamlessly with Upfront themes and other sub-layouts. Markerptess is a complete e-commerce solution for users, giving them absolute control over every detail of their e-store.
Both digital and physical goods can be sold here. Also, you can add multiple variations of the same product and promote them using aesthetically appealing galleries.
iThemes Exchange
iThemes Exchange is created and developed by BackupBuddy, a platform famous for its useful plugins and smart extensions. This WordPress e-commerce plugin is famous for its usability and scalable framework. The streamlined interface spares you the trouble of writing complicated codes and is compatible with both digital and physical goods. The core plugin can be downloaded directly from the official repository free of charge. iThemes features a one-click installation wizard that takes less than a minute to set up. It works well with almost every WordPress theme and boosts the reach of your business considerably. You can even upgrade to the Pro package and unlock the advanced tools and add-ons such as purchase buttons, product variant feature, and email marketing solutions.
On the downside, the free version is not very effective for professional websites and established ventures; also the technical support community is very limited.
WP e-Commerce
WP e-commerce was developed in 2006 and since then has been a rage among WordPress users due to its smart features and robust interface. However, the plugin lost its fan base to WooComerce’s growing popularity. WP e-commerce offers users the option of adding shopping carts, design catalogs and insert graphics to enhance the visibility of their web store (though the platform supports only list view format). The core plugin can be easily downloaded from the WordPress archives including a dashboard loaded with several extensions for monitoring the inventory, tracking deliveries and managing the sales. The table shipping rate feature comes built-in with the core versions, unlike other plugins where you’ll have to download a separate extension for it.
The platform offers users a total of 27 extensions. WP e-commerce also comes with an integrated PayPal payment gateway system.
Cart 66 Cloud
Cart 66 Cloud is an innovative and unconventional WordPress plugin for e-commerce web stores that comes at $95 a year. Although the plugin is not free unlike the others we’ve covered earlier, it is still worth a mention because of its awesome features and super responsive design. Moreover, most of the free plugins have to be upgraded to a premium one once your store starts expanding, so why not invest in a plugin that offers you all the functionalities at an affordable price? The plugin also comes with cloud support complete with all the SSL certifications, data encryption codes, security scans and protected payment gateways. At Cart 66 the products can be added just like any standard WordPress post that later gets converted into product pages using shortcodes.
Mailchimp subscription, unlimited storage space courtesy Amazon Web Services and access to 98 different payment gateways make Cart 66 a wonderful option for beginners.
Shopp
Shopp e-commerce plugin is a smart option for users who are looking for a powerful marketing tool for computing and monitoring all the details of their web store. The developers at Shopp plugin believed in using separate tables for different sections for enhancing the performance of the database. A systematic arrangement of information leads to faster query generation and faster loading of the page. Here, users can sell and promote any kind of product whether digital, physical or virtual. It is a unique solution for users who want to include the function of recurring payments in their e-commerce platform without having a separate extension for it. The plugin offers PCI compliant protection, i.e., all your websites will have a PCI-DDS security certificate.
Shopify
Shopify is a fast growing ecommerce website builder that lets you design your web stores, present catalogs and add multiple products on your website with a simple click. The drag and drop interface is a delight, the dashboard loaded with cool editing tools, while the marketing solutions help you manage your venture. Though Shopify works pretty well as a standalone product, the platform also comes with WordPress integration and is compatible with almost all themes you find here. Shopify is a user-friendly plugin that requires no technical expertise; you can install the program in a matter of minutes. It comes with inbuilt PayPal and Bitcoin integration, SSL certifications and even handles shipping. An inventory manager is a great tool for tracking sales of both physical and digital goods. Add to that the social media marketing tools and you are good to go!
Ecwid
Ecwid is a fast growing e-commerce solution for WordPress users developed for empowering businesses and start-ups. The platform currently supports more than 20000 enterprises and has partnered with both small-scale vendors and professional web developers. The standard version is available for free in the WordPress archives; however, it is better that you upgrade to the premium package paying a nominal sum. Ecrid is integrated with over 40 payment gateways including PayU and COD. First-time users get a free trial where they can design a website for free, also the platform offers domain support and free web hosting. The plugin works well with almost ever e-commerce WordPress theme assisting users in setting up stores that run on all devices. Everything from digital goods and physical products can be sold here. You can even share your content on social media platforms and expand your customer base globally.
Jigoshop
Jigoshop is one of the fastest e-commerce plugins for WordPress that aims at reducing the server downtime and boosting the overall functionality of your store. The modern, reliable and secure plugin comes with a PHP7 optimized framework that is twice as faster as its peers. The intelligent interface is clutter free and easy to manage. Jigoshop also comes with a RESTful API that is integrated into the core version of the plug-in for enhancing the accessibility of the program. About 90% of the extensions offered by Jigoshop have been redeveloped and upgraded. There is even an increase in the number of payment gateways offered when compared to other previous versions. Because the interface is compatible with PHP7 there is a drastic reduction in the server runtime and response duration as well.
Hope you have enjoyed the list! Please leave your comments below if you have some more exciting plugins to share with the people.
Also do not forget to read about How Technical SEO And WordPress Work Together and How Quora Can Help You Gain 9,000+ Users In A Month
This post is contributed by Lesley Haught
Ecommerce Trends For WordPress
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Danish Ansari
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- Digital Updates , eCommerce , Marketing , SEO , WordPress
- ecommerce, ecommerce website, ecommerce website on wordpress, ecommerce wordpress themes, how to make an ecommerce website on wordpress, wordpress free themes
” Data from the National Retail Federation shows that many consumers no longer find it necessary or appealing to shop in physical stores. The trade group’s consumer survey found that 108.5 million people shopped Black Friday deals online while 99 million went to stores. “
E-commerce industry has grown like a raging fire in the jungle and has spread all over the world conquering the majority of the purchasing options that people have these days. In past few years, physical shopping has vanished from the market and e-com has taken its place as for why anybody will bother to go out in hot summers or chilling winters or rawness monsoon for if that matters. Everybody wants to stay in their comfort zone, clicking two clicks here and there and you are done.
Lookin at what stats has to say in the last couple of years, it is not tough to say that e-com industry will continue to grow at the same pace or maybe more since now everyone now prefers online shopping over the physical shopping.
As a developer, you know that if a site has to be popular and wanted to be in the mainstream, it has to adapt new changes as fast as possible. But surveying market, knowing what people are liking most and how to promote your business is not what a developer do for a living.
So, we will break down the ecommerce trends for wordpress in the following blog post, so that anyone and everyone who are trying to make an e-com site will have the knowledge to built a better online store.
Ecommerce Trends To Watch Out For in 2017
According to research conducted by BigCommerce, 80% of people in the U.S. make purchases online at least once a month. While the majority of people shop on large marketplace websites like Amazon, roughly 30 to 40% also make purchases from web stores, independent boutiques, and category-specific e-retailers.
Nobody can deny the fact that nowadays, online shoppers are spending more time researching about best online deals, coupons, brands and much more. Now, this is your duty to help your clients making more business out of their site by optimizing their site accordingly.
Start by looking at the major marketplace websites. When they establish a groundbreaking new way to accomplish something, that’s usually a good tip-off that you’re looking at an e-commerce trend in the making.
And as we know, or many of you have guessed it until now, WordPress gave us the leisure to study what our visitors looking for/searching/need desperately and then adding all into your website. So, let’s take a glimpse of how ecommerce trends for WordPress are going to workout in 2017.
1. Mobile First
Everybody knows the value of a mobile responsive website as it allows you to increase your reach since Google, Bing, Yahoo, and all other major search engines prefer a responsive website to be served in front of their users for any niche query. So, making a mobile responsive website is a must or you can directly go for WordPress mobile responsive themes, which can save you from the hassle.
Mobile-first implies that your strategy primarily revolves around the experience of mobile users. Even if your site’s statistics tell you that more purchases are made via desktop computers or in-store, don’t be fooled. Mobile plays a big role in search and, eventually, conversions. As more online retailers become savvy to the roadblocks keeping mobile visitors from converting, we’ll see that role expand even further.
2. Conversational Commerce
“Conversational commerce” is a phrase that’s recently entered the business lexicon and it’s one that marketers and business owners need to pay closer attention to.
While mobile push notifications are not a new concept, what with everyone from the local froyo shop to your physician sending them, it’s only a matter of time before this catches on for websites. This is especially important for e-commerce companies that benefit from sending key milestone notifications to their customers. Notifications for:
- An abandoned shopping cart,
- A completed purchase,
- A delivery that’s on its way,
- A special one-day sale,
- And more.
As of right now, these messages are mainly sent from websites to visitors’ emails. WordPress plugins and third-party CRMs have already done a good job of automating this. But, in 2017, conversational commerce is expected to expand into text messaging as well.
3. Content Marketing
Ecommerce companies are surely in the business of selling merchandise online but the products they are promoting have other competitors in the market.
According to crowdtap, people trust user-generated content 50% more than any other kind of media. So, if your client wants to draw traffic away from the competition, content creation may be one way to get a leg up on them.
If you develop websites for e-retailers looking to expand their business this year, this is an especially important point to be aware of. Sure, you can optimize their product pages for search, but it’s just as important to equip WordPress with tools that will enable them to create content.
Learn content marketing trends for 2017.
4. Social Media Engagement
The use of social media to promote business whether it is e-com or any other type of business can’t be ignored or can’t be taken lightly. While marketers will tell businesses to keep their eyes on social and to build a presence within those channels, it’s the developer’s duty to bolster those efforts using WordPress.
Think of your client’s e-com site like a well-planned city blueprint. All roads are running parallel or perpendicular to each other. When any of the roads is cut or blocked, we need to create a pathway to divert traffic from that road to a running road. WordPress website should work the same as it has proper link buttons, social buttons or like or comment tabs but those should be clear to user.
5. Build Your Trust and Your List Too
Customers are now shifting their gears and take time to generate that trust factors over the company or retailer. According to one study, “55% of consumers trust customer photos more than brand-created photos”. Other studies have noted consumers’ growing reliance on online reviews and customer ratings to tell them whether or not to trust a brand or their product.
Then how can e-commerce companies can take benefit from this? It is not sufficient enough to claim that ” we have the best product in the market “. Now, customers want trust builders that they can see through their own eyes.
6. Consider Convenience
Last few couple of years have seen a lot of change as far as technology is concerned and that change has evolved in the form of smartphones, apps or cloud based technologies that made our lives much easier. While it would be more easier to blame millennials who needs everything in a convenient way, it would be more right to say that they are the first generation to have all the available tools to make it a reality.
Previously, it was sufficient for a user if a site was loading quickly and popping all the results faster but to make it more convenient, nowadays user is looking for more of the options such as faster checkout, easy payment options, quicker shipping and much more. Well that was beyond our imagination few years back but now if you have to win, this is the trick.
In all honesty, all of that stuff you do to optimize a website’s performance is non-negotiable at this point. Visitors already expect that. What they want now is for you to make their shopping experience faster/easier/cheaper for them.
7. Personalize User Experience
As we were discussing in the previous point that technology has advance so much that there’s no secret behind why we are seeing an ad on Facebook or some other social media platform for something that we just saw on Amazon or just viewed on Flipkart. You are not the only one who knows the secret ingredient behind how these stats are being recorded. Your user understands this very well, too, and it’s this understanding that’s led them to expect something in exchange for giving you access to that data.
This is why personalization is an expectation now—and it’s one that e-commerce companies, in particular, have a duty to fulfill.
Finishing off, I would like to add up that e-commerce trends coming to the forefront of our discussions this year. In the past years, the actual focus was to make your site ” responsive ” in design or using ” high-resolution image sliders “. But now it is quite clear for web developers that apart from making a site they will have another task and that is to build the site in a better way.
Thank you for reading the blog post, generally lengthy blog posts are the meaningful ones. 😛
Also if you haven’t read about our Email Marketing Blog Posts,
Measure Your Email Marketing Performance
Email Marketing Tips and Tricks
Grow Your Business With Email Marketing
Read them here.
Also check out our free woo commerce ready wordpress themes to give that extra boost to your business.