With the expansion of online stores in recent years, businesses are looking for different options that will help them to position themselves in a better way. Online merchandising is offering much wider possibilities and has a better potential for making a profit.
One of the most popular solutions for online stores is to use WordPress. The main advantage of this software is simplicity. Also, the great feature is that you can add a lot of presents, extensions, and plugins.
Adding plugins provides you with a variety of features like analytics tools, visual properties, technical features, and many more. For example, you can install an extension that will track the current prices of products on the market, so you can be more competitive when compared to rival businesses.
You can visit intelligencenode.com to learn more about dynamic pricing. There is a great selection of plugins that you can find today for WordPress websites. Here are some of the best options available in 2024.
1. WooCommerce
This is one of the most popular options today, especially when it comes to online stores. One of the best features is that the basic version of this plugin is free. Also, the process of installation is quite simple. In case you don’t have any experience in developing sites with WordPress, you don’t need to worry since many online tutorials can help, such as themelocation.
When it comes to expenses, you will need to pay for a domain, which is around $10 per month on average. Also, you can buy themes to make your site more unique. The average price of premium themes is around $100. Other advantages are related to the simple interface where you can easily manage your inventory, deal with deliveries and taxes, use various analytic tools, and more.
2. BigCommerce
This is another excellent method for the integration of your store within the WordPress website. It offers a lot of useful features that make the whole process much easier, like the ability to add elements such as a cart, registration bar, profile, basic pages, and more. The main advantages are the ability to sell over other platforms as well, like Instagram, Amazon, eBay, or FB, and there are no additional expenses included for transactions.
The price of the basic plan is $30 per month, while there are advanced options available as well, like the Plus Plan($80/month), Pro Plan($300/month), and Enterprise, where the cost is related to the number of sales on your website.
3. Easy Digital Downloads
EDD represents a simple option that you can use as an extension on the WP site and start selling items. It is especially good if you are planning to sell digital products like audio files, video content, books in PDF, and more. The basic model of this plugin is free. The great feature is that even a free version offers you a lot of possibilities since you can set your store without additional expenses. There is a great selection of free themes as well.
Also, you will find a lot of additional options related to visual and technical properties, payment processing, and more. If you are looking to add some unique features and use more options, there are paid versions of this plugin, that start from $100 per year, while the most expensive model is the All Access Plan. You can use this model for an unlimited number of websites, you will get updates, a wide selection of presets, email support, and more.
4. Ecwid Commerce
The unique feature of this option is that you can use it to start selling items over different online platforms, like your website page, Facebook page, Tumblr, WP, and more. This is the best option if you are interested in e-commerce tools that provide a huge library of add-ons, presets, themes, and other features. Even a free model is great for the start since you can use it to integrate this software on your website, add a shopping cart, and up to 10 items.
However, if you are looking for an option where you can sell more products, there are paid models available as well. IF you are planning to add no more than 100 items to the inventory, the price is $180 per year. For those who are interested in an unlimited option, the price is $99 per month. The main benefits of using Ecwid are mobile-friendly features, connectivity with social media, FB store, FB pixel, Google shopping, the ability to add coupons, and a simple interface for beginners.
5. Cart 66
If you are looking for a simple solution and you are not interested in complex and unique add-ons, Cart 66 is the best option. The great feature is that you can connect with a lot of vendors with this software. When compared to most of the other similar options, the main difference is related to the complexity, where Cart 66 might appear as quite simple, but if you are looking for a quick way to set your store, and you don’t have any skills and experience in this field, it will take only a couple of steps until you manage to create a basic page ready for your products.
Moreover, you can get a free trial period of two weeks, while the most affordable option is the basic model that costs $19 per month. On the other side, if you want to add some other features, like memberships, live inventory management, delivery tracking, and more, you can choose a Complete model that costs $49 per month.
The Bottom Line
Before you choose any of these options, you should keep in mind that there are some other important factors as well. First of all, check the performance of your website and hosting services. Also, be sure to get the SSL certificate.
Moreover, you will need to consider the type of products you are going to sell and are they digital or physical items. Besides that, check which of these plugins are available in countries where you are planning to sell your products. The version of WP that you are using at the moment can be important as well.
