E-commerce plugins for WordPress
WordPress is extremely flexible, and with the right plugins it provides functionality and speed for any number of website requirements and scenarios. One of the most common requirements of websites today is some form of e-commerce. Selling online is not necessarily a case of adding items to a cart and checking out. For many businesses, what happens in the back office area is just as important, including stock control, payment processing, integration with accounts software and more.
We have hand picked some of the leading e-commerce plugins for WordPress below. If you are still looking for the right plugin, be sure to check out our post, choosing the right e-commerce solution for WordPress for help in making the right decision.
WooCommerce
The current undisputed leader of e-commerce for WordPress. WooCommerce is an excellent plugin available for free, and out of the box comes with all the standard features you would expect including PayPal payment integration etc. WooCommerce is an attractive option for businesses, as on top of the basics, there are paid for (and supported) add-ons that will take your website to the next level.
There are a huge range of extensions for WooCommerce for practically any scenario. Here is a list of some of the most requested from our clients:
With extensions like these, you can create a huge range of unique websites powered by one core solution rather than bolting together multiple different WordPress plugins each with their own features, and no integration with each other.
MarketPress
By the team at WPMU, MarketPress is growing quickly. What would have been in the past something we recommended as an “entry level” e-commerce solution, is now diversifying. The system comes loaded with inventory management, heaps of payment gateway options, order management, ability to sell digital downloads, multi-currency support and much more.
MarketPress is still focused very much around a standard online shopping experience. This means it does the basics, and it does them well. If you are looking to expand features however, there are limited if any plugins available and the community is small. This would mean if you wanted to implement a membership section, you would need to use a separate solution. However there is an advanced API available for developers to expand the product if you have particular requirements that your dev team could work on.
Exchange by iThemes
Surprisingly, not many people have heard of Exchange. They may have heard of iThemes “Security Pro” plugin that protects WordPress and is one of the most popular WordPress security plugins online, but iThemes do way more than just that. It wouldn’t surprise us if Exchange starts to see growing popularity over the near future as people discover its woo-commerce-like flexibility.
Like WooCommerce, there are some brilliant add-ons that will allow you to extend the features available on your website whilst avoiding separate incompatible solutions. Subscriptions and membership are 2 very popular requests from our clients and you can see below links to both those add-ons from iThemes
Granted, Exchange still has a way to go to have the same sort of reach as WooCommerce, and there are still new plugins we would like to see in their extensions section, but these guys are certainly one to watch.
WP eCommerce
WP eCommerce is one of the older solutions for WordPress. With the rise of WooCommerce, you may be tempted to think the WP eCommerce has had it’s day and yet the product is still evolving, and there is a large and exciting community around it. Their site boasts over 49,000 stores using their solution, pretty impressive!
Again like WooCommerce or Exchange, there are a wide range of extensions available both from the WP eCommerce team and the community. Perhaps some of the most noteworthy would include:
- WP eCommerce Tickets
- Xero for accounts integration
- Membership & Subscriptions
With it’s longevity, you will be able to find many WordPress developers that have WP eCommerce experience if you want to expand on what is there. Definitely one to consider when choosing your e-commerce solution.
Other solutions
We have hand picked some of the brightest and best solutions for WordPress, however everybody has different needs. If you need a simple order form with PayPal payment processing, then you could utilise Gravity Forms. If there is an industry leading hosted e-commerce platform outside of WordPress then don’t rule it out straight away. Your aim is to find the right, future proof solution for your business.
Have you found the perfect e-commerce solution for your business? Do you use any of the above? Have some experiences you want to share? Get commenting below.
If you are looking for professional advice on selecting the e-commerce solution to suit your business needs, then get in touch today for a free initial consultation.
