We’ve been selling products online for the past 16+ years, and we’ve learned a lot of lessons about how to design attractive eCommerce stores and make more sales. Although setting up an online store in the past required some technical knowledge, it’s now easier than ever for beginners to get started.
For example, we use Easy Digital Downloads to sell our own digital products with minimal hassle. And many WordPress users rely on WooCommerce, which is the largest eCommerce platform on the market and very easy for beginners.
What makes starting an online store so appealing? You can work flexible hours, be your own boss, and start with much lower costs than a physical store. Plus, it’s easy to start small and scale up as you grow.
That said, ‘easy to start’ doesn’t always mean ‘easy to succeed.’ You need to make smart decisions about everything from payment systems to marketing strategies. That’s where proper guidance becomes important.
In this guide, you will learn how to start an online store, step by step. Whether you already have a product in mind or are just exploring possibilities, you’ll find actionable advice based on our years of eCommerce experience.
This guide will walk you through each step, from choosing the right platform to building your online business to optimizing it for success.
But if you’d rather skip the DIY route, you can contact our team at WPBeginner Pro Services and let our experts create a custom online store for you, all from scratch.
→ Click Here to Book a FREE Appointment With WordPress Experts ←
What Is the Best Online Store Platform?
💡 Editor’s Note: In this article, we recommend WordPress.org + WooCommerce because they give you complete control over your online store. If you want to skip this section and jump straight to building your store, go ahead and start reading the tutorial 😀
Starting an online store is exciting, but we know the first big question can feel overwhelming: which eCommerce platform should you use? We’ve helped thousands of store owners make this decision, so let’s make it simple for you.
Essentially, you have two main choices for building your online store. You can either go with WordPress.org and add an eCommerce plugin like WooCommerce or use a hosted platform like Shopify or BigCommerce.
Think of it like owning versus renting a physical store. With WordPress.org and WooCommerce, you will own your store completely. You choose your hosting, control all your costs, and can customize everything exactly how you want.
Using eCommerce solutions like Shopify is more like renting a store in a mall. While it’s easier to get started, you’ll have less control, and the platform often requires you to upgrade to a higher plan as your business grows. Not to mention, you’re limited to the features they offer.
You can read our comparison piece on Shopify vs. WooCommerce for more details. And here’s a quick comparison table of the different options for online stores:
| WordPress.org + eCommerce Plugin | Hosted Solutions (Shopify, BigCommerce) | |
|---|---|---|
| Pros | • Complete customization control • Lower long-term costs • Own all your data and content | • Easier to set up • Built-in technical support • Regular automatic updates |
| Cons | • Initial setup takes longer • Responsible for updates • Need to handle security | • Higher monthly costs • Limited customization options • Locked into the platform’s features |
| Best For | • Growing businesses wanting full control • Budget-conscious store owners • Unique or complex store needs | • Beginners wanting quick setup • Hands-off management • Simple stores with basic needs |
Overall, our advice is to go with WordPress.org for eCommerce. We’ve had plenty of experience using this platform, and we’ve never felt locked in or limited by what we can create. Plus, you won’t face surprising cost increases as your store grows.
WordPress also lets you choose the perfect eCommerce plugin for your specific needs.
Want to sell physical products? WooCommerce has you covered. Looking to sell digital downloads? Easy Digital Downloads works perfectly. Or need to create a membership site? Check out MemberPress.
For this complete guide, we will use WordPress.org with WooCommerce, as it’s the most popular eCommerce plugin. Here are the simple steps we will cover, and you can use the links below to skip to your preferred topic:
- Step 1: Choose a Product to Sell
- Step 2: Design Your Brand
- Step 3: Register Your Business
- Step 4: Set Up WordPress Hosting & Domain Name
- Step 5: Install WordPress
- Step 6: Set Up Your WooCommerce Store
- Step 7: Select and Customize Your Online Store’s Design
- Step 8: Add Products to Your Online Store
- Step 9: Set Up Payments, Taxes, and Shipping
- Step 10: Optimize Your Online Store
- Step 11: Master WordPress to Grow Your Business
- Step 12: Take It Further
- FAQs About Starting an Online Store
- Video Tutorial
Ready? Let’s get started.
💡Want to create an online store without all the hassle? Let WPBeginner Pro Services help! Our expert team can create a custom WooCommerce site easily and affordably. From design to SEO, we’ve got you covered. Get Our WordPress Website Design Services Today!
Step 1: Choose a Product to Sell
The first and perhaps most important step in launching your online store is deciding what to sell. Your product choice shapes everything about your business, from your brand identity and website features to your marketing strategy and operational needs.
To find the right online business idea, you can start by asking yourself these questions:
- What interests you deeply? Choose a product category you’re passionate about. Running an online store takes time and effort, so selling something you care about will help you stay motivated and knowledgeable about your products.
- Is there a gap in your local market? Sometimes, the best eCommerce business ideas come from bringing existing products to markets where they’re not yet available. Look around your area or region for unmet needs.
- Do you see a problem you can solve? Maybe you’ve noticed a common frustration that needs a solution. Market research can help confirm if other people share this pain point and would pay for a solution.
- Can you improve on existing products? If similar products exist, think about your unique angle. Maybe you can offer better quality, lower prices, or target a specific audience that’s being overlooked.
After identifying potential products, you’ll need to decide how you’ll produce, source, and manage them. The table below shows some of your main options:
| Business Model | What Is It? | Requirements | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homemade Products | Make products by hand using your personal skills and creativity | • Working space and basic tools • Creative skills and time • Quality materials | Creative people who want to sell unique, handmade items |
| Wholesale | Buy products in bulk at lower prices to resell | • Storage room for inventory • Money to buy stock upfront • Organization skills | Sellers who want proven products and can handle storage |
| Print-on-Demand | Put your designs on products that get made after each sale | • Basic design skills • Computer and internet • Photo editing knowledge | Artists and creators wanting to start with low risk |
| Dropshipping | Sell products that others store and ship for you | • Research and marketing skills • Customer service • Basic tech setup | Beginners who want to start with minimal investment |
| Digital Products | Create and sell downloadable items like courses or ebooks | • Expert knowledge • Content creation skills • Basic tech understanding | Experts and creators wanting passive income potential |
| Manufacturing | Partner with factories to make your product ideas | • Product designs • Larger starting budget • Patience for development | Businesses ready to create unique products at scale |
Additionally, you should consider how to price your eCommerce products properly. This decision affects everything from your profit margins to your target market.
For more information, we have broken down all the proven pricing strategies in our beginner’s guide to eCommerce pricing models.
Once you know what product you want to sell, you can move on to the next step.
Step 2: Design Your Brand
At this stage, you know what product to sell and have an idea of your target customers. Now, it’s time to create a brand that catches their attention and builds trust. Your brand design will affect everything from your website to your packaging, so it’s worth getting right.
Let’s start with your business name. You will want something memorable that clearly communicates what you do. It should also be easy to spell, remember, and type into a browser.
Take our name, WPBeginner, for example. It’s simple and straightforward, instantly telling visitors that we help WordPress beginners.
Before settling on a name, check if it’s available as a domain name. Ideally, your business name and domain name should match exactly. This makes it easier for customers to find and remember your store.
Also, research whether your chosen name might have trademark issues. Take time to search trademark databases like WIPO and ensure your name has not been taken by someone else.
If you need help brainstorming, you can try our free business name generator.
Next comes your logo design. Modern AI-powered logo makers have made professional logo design affordable for everyone.
Remember, the best logos are often the simplest. Think of Nike’s swoosh or Apple’s apple. These iconic symbols prove that effective logos don’t need to be complicated to be memorable.
You can head over to our beginner’s guide on how to make a logo for more information.
Your color scheme is another crucial element. The colors you choose will appear everywhere, from your website to your social media profiles and marketing materials.
Different colors evoke different emotions and send different messages to your customers.
For example, blue often represents trust and professionalism. That’s why companies like PayPal and Visa use it as their primary color, as it helps customers feel secure when making transactions.
Finally, you will need to consider your typography (the fonts you’ll use). Good typography makes your content easy to read while reinforcing your brand personality.
For instance, serif fonts like Times New Roman often promote tradition and reliability, while sans-serif fonts like Arial suggest modernity and simplicity.
We recommend choosing one font for headings and other important elements to grab attention and another for the body text to maintain readability. Here’s a good example by Poppi:
Once you’ve finished designing your branding, you can move on to actually registering and setting up your online business.
Step 3: Register Your Business
Note: The following information is for general guidance only and is not legal advice. We strongly recommend consulting with local authorities, a legal professional, or an accountant to make sure your business complies with relevant regulations in your area.
You’re almost ready to build your online store, but first, you need to make your business official.
Some business owners choose to do this after launching their WordPress site. This allows them to test their market and product ideas with minimal investment. Others prefer registering before launch so they can claim business expense deductions from the start and avoid potential legal issues.
While the exact process varies by location, here are the key things you’ll typically need:
- Business license – This is your official permission to operate. Most areas require at least a basic business license. Depending on what you sell, you might need additional permits.
- Tax registration – You’ll need a tax ID number to collect and pay sales tax.
- Business structure – Decide whether you’ll operate as a sole proprietorship, limited liability company (LLC), or corporation. Each has different legal and tax implications.
- Bank account – Keep your personal and business finances separate by opening a dedicated business bank account. This makes accounting easier and looks more professional to customers.
- Business insurance – Even small businesses can face unexpected challenges. This insurance can protect your online store from various risks and potential losses.
- Business credit card – A separate credit card for business expenses helps track spending and build business credit.
Now that you have everything legally set up, you can move on to creating your online store.
Step 4: Set Up WordPress Hosting & Domain Name
Before you can start building your online store with WordPress.org, you need two essential things: a domain name and web hosting.
Think of launching your online store like opening a physical shop – you need both an address where customers can find you and an actual building to put your store in.
A domain name is what customers type into their web browser to visit your store. For instance, when someone wants to find our website, they type in wpbeginner.com.
Domain names usually cost about $15 per year, and you can choose different endings like .com, .shop, or .store.
Web hosting, on the other hand, is like renting space for your store’s contents. It’s where all your product photos, descriptions, and everything else live. Just like physical stores need different sizes of buildings, websites need different types of hosting based on their size and needs.
Looking at all the hosting options out there can make your head spin. There’s shared hosting, managed WordPress hosting, VPS, and many more.
We’ve tested dozens of hosting companies over the years, and for new online stores, we consistently recommend Bluehost. Here’s why:
- They give you a free domain name for your first year (saves you that $14.99!).
- They’ve been WordPress.org’s recommended hosting since 2005.
- They’re affordable with prices that work for new business owners.
- Their Online Store plan comes with WordPress + WooCommerce pre-installed, so some of your website setup is already taken care of.
Our founder, Syed Balkhi, is also a huge fan of Bluehost:
I’ve been recommending Bluehost since 2012, and their commitment to quality has only improved over the years.
I host several personal and business websites on Bluehost. Their ease of use and reliability make them a go-to choice for me.
Whether you’re just starting or looking to grow your online presence, Bluehost offers a solid hosting platform to build on.
To learn more about this web hosting provider, you can read our complete Bluehost review.
Great news! We’ve arranged a special Bluehost deal for WPBeginner readers. You’ll get your domain name free, plus a big discount on hosting. Just click below to get started or check out our Bluehost coupon code.
Note: If you use our Bluehost link, we do earn a commission – but here’s the thing: you don’t pay anything extra. In fact, you’ll pay less thanks to our special discount arrangement. While we could partner with any hosting company, we only recommend services we actually use and trust ourselves.
Let’s go ahead and purchase your domain and hosting. After clicking on our Bluehost link, you need to click on the green ‘Get Started Now’ button.
You’ll see different hosting plans on the next page.
Since you’re building an online store, we recommend the Online Store plan. It comes with everything you need to start selling, including WooCommerce already installed. Just click ‘Select’ to choose this plan.
Now comes the fun part – choosing your domain name. You’ll see two options: creating a new domain or using one you already own.
For a new domain, simply type your desired name in the box. Already have a domain? There’s a separate section where you can enter it.
We strongly recommend going with a .com domain if it’s available. Most people automatically type .com when entering web addresses. However, if .com is taken, you can check out our guide to alternative domain extensions for other professional options.
Once you’ve chosen a domain name, just click ‘Next’ to continue.
Lastly, you will need to add your account information and finalize the package info to complete the process. On this screen, you will see optional extras that you can purchase.
It’s entirely up to you whether or not you purchase these, but we generally don’t recommend it. You can always add them later on if you decide that you need them.
Once you have completed your purchase, you can go to your email inbox, where you’ll find your Bluehost login details. This will let you log in to your web hosting dashboard to manage your website.
Step 5: Install WordPress
Here’s the best part about using our Bluehost link: WordPress and WooCommerce come pre-installed with your hosting. Bluehost created this automatic setup specifically for people who don’t want to deal with technical details.
Getting to your new WordPress site is straightforward. Just sign in to your Bluehost account, find the ‘Websites’ section in the left menu, and click ‘Edit Site.’ That’s it – you’re in!
You can also type your domain name followed by /wp-admin/ in your web browser (like mystore.com/wp-admin/), and it’ll take you straight to your WordPress dashboard. This is your WordPress login URL.
Using another hosting company like SiteGround, Hostinger, or HostGator? No problem. Check out our WordPress installation guide, which includes detailed instructions for all major WordPress hosting providers.
With WordPress ready to go, we can move on to the exciting part: setting up WooCommerce.
Step 6: Set Up Your WooCommerce Store
If you have WooCommerce pre-installed, you will most likely immediately see the WooCommerce setup wizard immediately after logging in to your WordPress dashboard.
But if not, don’t worry. You can read our WooCommerce made simple tutorial, which will walk you through the installation process.
Once you have installed the WooCommerce eCommerce plugin in WordPress, you can start the setup wizard by clicking ‘Set up my store.’
You can technically skip this step, but we don’t recommend doing that as this setup wizard will automatically create your WooCommerce store pages for you. This way, you don’t have to make them from scratch.
On the next page, WooCommerce will ask a question about you as an online business owner.
If you’re just starting out, then you can pick the ‘I’m just starting my business’ option.
Next, you need to provide WooCommerce with some information about your business. This includes your business name, type of products, store location, and business email address.
Once you have entered all these details, click ‘Continue.’
On the next page, WooCommerce will show you some free WooCommerce extensions that you can choose to install.
You can click on the ones you plan to use and click ‘Continue.’ Alternatively, you can click on the ‘Skip this step’ button.
Now, you will have to wait a few minutes for the plugin to be installed.
After the setup is complete, you will be directed to the WooCommerce plugin page, where you’ll see a checklist of things to do to build your online store.
Step 7: Select and Customize Your Online Store’s Design
As you can see in the previous section, the first step to building your online store is choosing the right WordPress theme for your WooCommerce store.
Think of a theme as your store’s entire design package. It controls everything from how your products look to your customers’ journey throughout your online store.
While WordPress offers thousands of themes, not all of them work well for online stores. You need a theme specifically built for WooCommerce to ensure your products look great and your checkout process works smoothly.
That’s why we’ve created a handpicked list of the best WooCommerce themes to help you choose.
Installing a WordPress theme for your online store is easy. Simply go to Appearance » Themes in your WordPress dashboard and click ‘Add New Theme’. From there, you can browse and install any theme you like.
When it comes to customizing your theme, WordPress gives you two options: the classic theme customizer or the newer full-site editor for block themes.
We have detailed instructions on how to use both in our ultimate guide on how to edit a WordPress website.
Both work fine, but honestly? We prefer using SeedProd’s theme builder instead.
Why SeedProd? It’s like having a professional designer at your fingertips. You get a simple drag-and-drop page builder anyone can use, over 350 ready-made website designs to start with, and an AI website builder that can create your entire store design in seconds.
Here’s a great example of a SeedProd theme for an online clothing store:
With eCommerce website builders like this, you can customize your online store to look and function exactly how you want. It’s also search engine optimization (SEO) friendly, so you can optimize your store for search engines, making it easier for potential customers to find your products.
Stacey Corrin, Lead Writer for SeedProd
SeedProd even comes with an AI website builder that builds a custom theme for you in less than 60 seconds.
Want to see how fast it works? Just check out the video below:
Whichever method you choose, make sure it matches your comfort level. The best website design tool is one that is easiest for you to use. Otherwise, you’ll feel frustrated fast by how complicated the tool is.
Also, don’t feel pressured to perfect your design right away. Theme customization is an ongoing process – you can always make changes as your store grows.
For specific help with store pages, check out our guide on how to edit WooCommerce pages.
Step 8: Add Products to Your Online Store
Let’s start adding products to your store. The process is simple: go to Products » Add New from your WordPress menu. Then, you can add your product title and description.
From here, you can follow our tutorial on how to add products to your online store in our WooCommerce made simple guide.
The guide covers everything from uploading product images to adding categories, tags, and attributes to your items.
Don’t have products ready yet? No problem! You can add sample data to see how your store will look with products. Our guide on how to add WooCommerce sample data shows you how.
If you have been listing your product information on a CSV spreadsheet, then you can also save time by importing them all at once. Our tutorial on importing and exporting WooCommerce products shows you how to avoid adding products manually.
Once you’ve added your products, here’s how to make them more appealing to customers:
- Add compelling product galleries with multiple images.
- Include short, catchy product descriptions that grab attention.
- Embed product videos to showcase features.
- Add a product Q&A section to address common customer questions.
- Set up product subscriptions for recurring sales.
- Prevent overselling with inventory controls.
Other than that, you will also need to optimize your WooCommerce product pages. Your product pages are like your digital showroom – they need to look professional and convert WooCommerce visitors into customers.
How you customize these pages will largely depend on your theme choice. Some themes include special features for product displays, while others only offer basic layouts.
This is where SeedProd really shines. It gives you powerful tools to enhance your product pages. For example, you can add customer reviews with star ratings to build trust and persuade potential buyers.
Other than that, you can display related products for upselling, recently viewed products to help users compare items, social buttons for users to share the products, and more.
Want to learn all the ways to make your product pages more effective? Check out our guide on how to customize WooCommerce product pages without code.
Step 9: Set Up Payments, Taxes, and Shipping
Let’s get your store ready to accept orders. First, let’s focus on setting up payments.
Head to WooCommerce » Settings and click the ‘Payments’ tab. You’ll start with basic options like Cash on Delivery, Checks, and Bank Transfers. WooCommerce also offers its own payment gateway called WooPayments.
While WooPayments seems convenient, it’s not always the best choice. It’s not available in all countries, and some users report issues with payment holds.
We recommend exploring other options, like Stripe with FunnelKit’s free gateway plugin. It offers helpful features like one-click payments through Apple Pay and Google Pay, plus an easy setup wizard.
You may also want to check out other WooCommerce payment options below:
- Allow users to choose from various payment options.
- Accept credit card payments.
- Set up installment payments for big-ticket items.
- Accept recurring payments for subscriptions.
- Add ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ options.
- Enable digital wallets like Venmo.
Next, let’s tackle taxes. You can go to WooCommerce » Settings and click the ‘Tax’ tab.
In ‘Tax options’, you can choose whether to include tax in your prices, display tax in your shop and cart, what to base tax calculations on, and whether to add special tax classes.
Then, under ‘Standard rates’, you can set up your tax rules. Go ahead and enter details like countries and regions you sell to, tax rates for each area, and names for different taxes (like GST or VAT)
Need to add lots of tax rates? Save time by importing them via CSV file.
Don’t forget to click ‘Save changes’ once you’re done.
Finally, let’s set up shipping. You can find this under the ‘Shipping’ tab in WooCommerce settings.
You can use ‘Shipping zones’ to define where you’ll ship to and set different shipping methods for each area, like free shipping or flat rates.
In ‘Shipping settings’, you can configure important options like whether to show the shipping calculator on the cart page, set the default shipping address (either shipping or billing address), and enable shipping debug mode if you need to troubleshoot issues
Remember not to hide shipping costs until checkout – this often leads to abandoned carts. Being transparent about shipping costs early in the shopping process helps build trust with your customers.
Under ‘Classes’, you can create special shipping rates for different products.
For example, feel free to set higher rates for heavier items or fragile products that need special handling.
To make it easier for customers to track their orders, consider adding a shipment tracking feature to your online store.
Offering local pickup? You can enable this option in the ‘Local pickup’ tab.
While it’s free by default, you can add some pricing based on your business needs.
Your online store is now ready to accept orders. But first, we need to fine-tune it to set up your business for success.
Step 10: Optimize Your Online Store
Before you launch your online store, we recommend setting up some key optimizations. While these aren’t mandatory, they can significantly boost your store’s success and help you provide a better shopping experience for your customers.
Let’s start with three must-have WordPress plugins that every online store needs:
Connects your store with Google Analytics
Why we love it: See customer behavior and sales data right in WordPress
Paid plans start from $99.60/yr
Optimizes your online store for search engines
Why we love it: Makes complex SEO simple with automated features
Paid plans start from $49.60/yr
Creates optimized checkout experiences
Why we love it: Reduces cart abandonment with smart checkout flows
Paid plans start from $99.50/yr
Beyond these essentials, here are other important optimizations to consider:
- Contact forms – Every professional store needs a way for customers to get in touch. We recommend WPForms for creating professional contact forms that build trust with customers.
- Product search – Make it easier for potential buyers to look for their desired products. Use SearchWP to improve your WooCommerce search engine.
- Social proof – Show potential customers that others trust your store. Use TrustPulse to display live sale notifications and Smash Balloon Reviews Feed to showcase reviews from platforms like Google and Trustpilot.
- Customer updates – Keep your customers coming back by staying in touch. We recommend PushEngage for browser notifications and Constant Contact for email marketing.
- Backups – Protect your store’s data and content from unexpected issues. We recommend Duplicator for creating reliable backups of your entire store.
- Security – Keep your store and customer data safe from threats. We recommend Cloudflare for additional security features and better performance.
You may also want to check out our expert picks of the best WooCommerce extensions to improve your online store.
Expert Tip: Ready to launch? Make sure you haven’t missed anything important by checking our ultimate eCommerce launch checklist.
Step 11: Master WordPress to Grow Your Business
WordPress is incredibly powerful and flexible, but we understand it can sometimes feel overwhelming, especially for beginners. That’s why we’ve created a lot of free resources to help you succeed.
At WPBeginner, we make WordPress easy to understand, even if you’re not tech-savvy. Here are all the ways you can learn from us:
Learning Resources
- WPBeginner Blog for detailed WordPress tutorials
- WPBeginner Videos for step-by-step visual guides
- WPBeginner Dictionary to easily understand WordPress terms
- WPBeginner’s YouTube Channel with regular video tutorials
Community Support
- WPBeginner Engage Facebook Group for free expert support in the largest WordPress group on Facebook
- Contact form for direct questions to our team
Tool Recommendations
- WPBeginner Business Tools for free growth resources
- WPBeginner Deals for exclusive WordPress discounts
- WPBeginner Solution Center to find the best WordPress plugins, themes, and tools
- WPBeginner Blueprint to see exactly which tools and plugins we use
We also have a guide to show users how to make the most out of WPBeginner’s free resources.
Many of our users also type their questions in Google and just add ‘wpbeginner’ at the end of it. This shows them related articles from WPBeginner. For example: ‘how to add product search in woocommerce wpbeginner.’
Step 12: Take It Further
You’ve learned the basics of setting up a WooCommerce store. But did you know your online store can be customized to sell practically anything?
Here are some exciting product possibilities we’ve helped our users sell:
- Furniture
- Photos
- Videos
- Digital art and graphics
- Fonts
- Online boutiques
- Audiobooks
- Music
- Online marketplaces
- Event tickets
- Excel or Google Spreadsheets
- Online thrift stores
- Car parts
The best part? WooCommerce makes selling any of these possible with the right plugins and setup – no coding needed.
Want to explore other options? Check out our detailed WordPress eCommerce setup guide for different product types.
FAQs About Starting an Online Store
Many of our users regularly reach out to us with questions about starting their own business with an online store. We have tried to answer some of the most frequently asked questions below:
Where do I find products to sell in my store?
Store owners source products in different ways. Some sell software, digital art, music, and other downloadable products.
Others source products from local or offshore vendors using online marketplaces like Alibaba or AliExpress. If you don’t want to handle your own inventory or shipping, then you could also look into starting a print-on-demand shop or dropshipping.
Can I start an online store for free?
Yes, some eCommerce platforms offer limited free trials, so you can start your online store for free, but after the trial is over, you’ll have to pay.
While WooCommerce itself is free, you’ll need a domain name and a web hosting account to run it, which will cost money.
How much does it cost to start an online store?
The cost of starting an online store depends on your business plan and budget. With our link, you can start with Bluehost for $1.99 per month and rely on free plugins and themes to limit your costs.
We recommend a business model where you start small and then spend money as your business grows.
Can I create an online store without shipping products?
Yes, you can. For instance, you can make an online store using dropshipping plugins, create an Amazon affiliate store, or make an eBay-like marketplace. You can also use the same online store to sell external products as well as your own products.
Video Tutorial
If you don’t want to follow our written instructions, then you can check out our video tutorial on how to start an online store:
We hope that this tutorial helped you learn how to build an online store. You may also want to see these actionable tips to drive traffic to your new online store or see our comparison of the best business phone services for small businesses.
If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.
Roman
Is it possible to create an online shop on the free wordpress.com website?
I just need it for a short time to know that it works, and then create my own website.
Editorial Staff
Hi Roman, no it’s not possible to create an online shop on the free wordpress.com site.
Admin
Todd Peterson
I followed your tutorial, and when I changed the http:// to https:// I now can’t log into word press, it says my connection isn’t secure, and I can’t even get back in to change it back to what it was previously……..
Debra Fear
changed my settings to https:// and now locked out of my dashboard which is locally hosted aka on my iMac
Safari error page says that it can not establish a secure connection with the localhost
newbie to wordpress.org and now end of day of learning getting a bit freaked out so any suggestions to get it back to http i.e I can get back in?
Thanks
Zahid
The article is good and detailed. However it would help in creating a website for international customers. How to create a website which is focused on pakistani customers only and in which payment methods are in place that are practical in pakistan. pay pal and others cannot be used for pakistani customers. Moreover kindly tell us whats the benefit of having an affiliate business like being Ali Express Plugin affiliate?
WPBeginner Support
Hi Zahid,
Once you have your store setup, you can go about adding different payment methods available to your customers.
For affiliate business, please take a look at our affiliate marketing guide.
Admin
James
I have approximately 100 products in a category. I would like to provide price breaks at every 5. For example
1 to 5 = $25 each
5 to 10 = $20 each
Etc.
Is it possible to do in Woocommerce
Camy
Hi there!
This article is very helpful. However, I’m wondering: After you set up the plugin and online store, what are options for delivery methods? I’m specifically wondering about paid PDF downloads. Are there companies that will automatically deliver the digital download? Or is this done by yourself?
Thanks!
WPBeginner Support
Hi Camy,
You can upload the digital download and your users will be able to download it after making the payment.
Admin
Efi
Hi ! I would like to ask you! I have already installed the woocommerce and I am seeing that needs update. Should I update it to 4.9.8? also, how we can build the communication with the customer? welcome email, confirmation email etc?
WPBeginner Support
Hi Efi,
Yes, you need to update. There are different ways to communicate with customers. You can ask customers to make an account before they checkout. You can also start an email list and ask your customers to subscribe your newsletter.
Admin
Henni
Hi there,
I already have a website (webhost and domain) running that was built and wrote by our partner. I think he uses joomla, sorry i am a newbie. Somehow we had issues, and he left.
I plan to rebuild the website using wordpress after reading all your helpful articles.
My question: can I install wordpress in my webhosting but still leave the old website running while I am working on the wordpress one?
Your help would be much appreciated.
Thank you in advance.
WPBeginner Support
Hi Henni,
Yes, you can do that.
Admin
Tina
Excellent post. Which themes do you recommend for an online marketplace with blog? Thank you!
Shoaib Akhtar Nadeem
Hello sir,How are you?
I want to open an online shopping store in which other sellers sell their products on my store and some of them are commission mine, how it is possible.
WPBeginner Support
Hi Shoaib,
Please see our article on how to create an online marketplace using WordPress.
Admin
Nick
Hi WP Beginner,
Thank for the clear and concise tutorial.
I was able to complete the set up for my existing WP site but ever since I changed the address of my site (as per your tutorial) I can’t login in.
When I log in to blue host everything is fine. I then click on the “Log in to WordPress” button on the home page I get a “Not Found” page:
Not Found
The requested URL /~flaregea/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php was not found on this server.
Additionally, a 404 Not Found error was encountered while trying to use an ErrorDocument to handle the request.
Apache Server at Port 443
I can still access my site if I just enter the URL into a browser and I can still access the wp-admin “back end” of my site but nothing to do with Blue Host.
Any thoughts on how I should proceed?
WPBeginner Support
Hi Nick,
Try backing up and then deleting your website’s .htaccess file using FTP.
Admin
Rebecca
And then is the website not https? Is there a reason some people have this problem? (I did as well and had to jump through hoops to fix)
WPBeginner Support
It would depend on your SSL certificate for if the site is able to use HTTPS or is limited to HTTP. If you’re not able to use HTTPS then you can normally reach out to your host to help fix your SSL.
t. redwood
Hello,
Thank you for the video it was super helpful and informative. My question is that:
I already have wordpress.org installed, will I be installing wordpress again by using blue host? Also does blue host install wordpress.org or .com ? thanks again!
WPBeginner Support
Hello,
If you already have a WordPress.org website, then you can move it to Bluehost. See our guide on how to move WordPress to new host.
Bluehost installs self-hosted WordPress.org.
Admin
Vanessa
Hi there!!! Thank you so much for such an amazing page! You have boosted my motivation to learn to use WordPress after some people told me to forget the idea because it is “too complicated”, so thank you!
I have just one question before I embarked on this experience. I would like check with you if the propose I am looking to have is possible with WordPress. I would like to create an online store to promote the products I sell on amazon. Can I have an plug in “buy with amazon” instead of the common purchasing/delivery options?
Any information about this I would highly appreciate it!
Cheers,
Vanessa
WPBeginner Support
Hi Vanessa,
Please see our article on how to build an amazon affiliate store using WordPress.
Admin
Min
You guys are awesome! Thanks for the wonderful information and tips <3 <3
Edward
The scope of my business licence is Canada-wide.
1) Can I still sell products, both digital ebooks(my major business items) and physical goods(my minor and potential business items) to non-Canada regions, e.g. USA, UK, China, etc.?
2) My bank account that is to be linked to Woocommerce is in Canada Dollar. If my ebooks and goods are purchased by non-Canada region customers, can Woocommerce convert the C$ product amount to the customer region’s currency, and show it on the client webpage ahead before the customer make the transaction? Also can Woocommerce do the opposite when processing returns and refunds?
Thank you very much.
WPBeginner Support
Hi Edward,
1. Yes.
2. WooCommerce itself does not process payments. It depends on the payment method you choose (Stripe or PayPal), and your bank. For example, Stripe allows Canada based users to receive payouts in Canadian or US dollars. If you have a local currency account, then you can select your local currency as your settlement currency.
Admin
Natasha
I purchased a theme with WP+WooCommerce on Envato Market. They say the theme is only good to use with WP.org and not compatible with WP.com Is it anyway I can still install it on WP.com host or I just wasted my money? What should I do now? Look for another theme which is compatible with commercial host? If I switch to BlueHost from my current host, can they make use of this theme so I don’t loose money? My current host does not help beginners like BlueHost does. In fact, I have no help at all, unless I always pay them for every little thing. If I transfer my existing domain to Bluehost, will it be free of charge? Thanks a lot for your quick reply.
WPBeginner Support
Hi Natasha,
Yes, if you switch to Bluehost then you can use the theme you have purchased. To learn more, see our guide on the difference between self hosted WordPress.org vs free WordPress.com blog.
Admin
Bolaji
Hello. Please, is it compulsory to do the plan for 36 months or we can pay per month?
Kindly respond because I was about to start the process but noticed that it only had the $6.95 for 36 months which defeats the affordability, to be honest.
Kindly respond. Thank you.
WPBeginner Support
Hi Bolaji,
Yes, this gives you the maximum discount on the offer.
Admin
Remi
When I put my payment info, will I get charged per month ( $14.95) or per year ($ 179.40)?
WPBeginner Support
Hi Remi,
You will be charged anually and you will be able to select the duration during the sign up. It will also show you the total amount you will be charged when you are entering your payment info.
Admin
Fanya
Hi!!!
Thank you so much for the information! I took the leap of faith and got the hosting through your affiliate link (to make sure you get the referral fees because you’re worth it!)
Yay to you! LOL
WPBeginner Support
Hey Fanya,
Thank you, we are glad you found this information helpful.
Admin
Ik
How do i create and connect database/database table in wordpress(form)
Jacob
1.Is it a Multi Address extension to collect shipping addresses for each basket purchases?
2. How can i use my own graphics for the site?
George Nikoff
Hello,
Thanks for the useful information though I have a question as a future online seller. I’m an artist currently working on my website and I’ll be selling my artworks on it through Woocommerce using Paypal. When selling do I need to be a registered business in the country I’m residing and pay taxes, or everything is handled by Paypal tax invoice system?
Thank you in advance!
Suraj Barai
Can you please explain. How to ship products?
WPBeginner Support
Hi Suraj,
It depends on your location, size of products, and delivery methods available. Many small businesses process their orders by getting them picked up by a delivery service.
Admin
Suraj Barai
Can you explain… What is shipping? And how to ship.
Liberty
I have two questions
1) I am wanting to set up an online store that includes my blog. Is this possible using wordpress and/or Woocommerce?
2) I already have a domain that is not through WordPress. Can I use this domain still, or do I have to get one through WordPress in order to use your services?
Thank you!
WPBeginner Support
Hey Liberty,
1. Yes, you can create a WordPress website and run a WooCommerce store and a blog on it.
2. There are two types of WordPress websites. WordPress.com which is a hosted solution. You will need at least business plan to install WooCommerce on WordPress.com.
Then there is WordPress.org, which is a self-hosted solution. You will need a domain name and hosting for that. In both cases, you can use the domain name you already have.
Please see our guide on the difference between self hosted WordPress.org vs free WordPress.com blog.
Admin
mercy
Hi,
I got a theme with built in WOO Commerce.
I wanna sell my EBook through my BLOG.
Pls tell me a way by which it will be delivered to the user automatically who buys it.
MK
rana
So glad to come across your website, thank you. I have two questions.
1- How do I prevent a person I add to wordpress to see information on my woocommerce with client and sales?
2-I set up the store but cannot seem to sort products in the order I want. How do I do that?
WPBeginner Support
Hi Rana,
Make sure that the person you add has appropriate user role and permissions.
You can sort products by visiting WooCommerce > Settings page. Under the Products tab you will see the default product sorting option.
Admin
Alisha
Someone asked this question in an earlier post and I don’t see a reply for it. I also want to know your reply to this question:
“How do I get manufacturers and suppliers to sell products on my store? Basically I don’t wanna sell my products. I want to open a store like Amazon which sells other’s products”
WPBeginner Support
Hi Alisha,
Please see our article on how to create an online marketplace using WordPress.
Admin
ELMOKHTAR
thank you for the tutorial. I want to ask is it work for Morroco
WPBeginner Support
Hi ElMokhtar,
Yes, it would. All you need is a credit card to purchase your hosting.
Admin
Jennelyn Barja
Is this working here in Philippines?
Editorial Staff
Hey Jennelyn,
Yes, it should be working in Philippines and every other country
Admin
Kennie
Hi, thank you for your article. I’ve actually bought a domain from bluehost, and i want to build a web that both contain my blog/article and the online shop. Is it possible for me to set “Shop” as 1 page of my blog that my viewers can click and link to online shop?
WPBeginner Support
Hi Kennie,
Yes you can have a blog and a shop page on your site.
Admin
Jaime Rodea
Hello,
I am looking at opening my own online shop as well. I have a few questions.
1. Do you have to get a small business license before setting up online?
2. How do you know if you need to charge taxed?
3. When someone makes a purchase, does this automatically give you an invoice to print off for each order?
Thanks for your time.
WPBeginner Support
Hi Jaime,
First, good luck with your online shop
Now to answer your questions:
1. It depends on where you are located. You can usually find this out by typing this question with your location (city, county, state, or country) next to it.
2. This too can be found out online. Once you know the figures you can add enable taxes option in WooCommerce to calculate taxes.
3. You can enable invoices and print them.
Admin
Soumi
That’s a great guide. I will buy a domain here and connect with woo commerce.
But I have a question.
How do I get manufacturers and suppliers to sell products on my store? Basically I don’t wanna sell my products. I want to open a store like Amazon which sells other’s products.
Braile
Hi. Your blog was very helpful. Just one question. Does database automatically created when you install wordpress on bluehost?
WPBeginner Support
Hi Braile,
Yes. Their automated setup takes care of it.
Admin
Kabir khan
Hi I just have a question!
If I want to make a website for my client who will be responsible for buying domain name, web hosting service and SSL certificate?
Also will I have to ask for PayPal account of the client?
Saroj Meher
Hello sir
I am an artist from India. Recently buy a wordpress hosting plan. I want to built a website just to welcome other artist also to show their artworks. How can it bw possible. The woocommerce, Dokan, Wp marketplace plugin shows the vendor forms that is not suitable for artists. I need to built artist registration, login, dashboard, uplord artwork forms for this websites. Can you help me plz.
Ana
hi
is this working in france too?
thanks
WPBeginner Support
Hi Ana,
Yes, it works in France too.
Admin
Akshay
Hi sir,
i am facing problem in woo commerce shipping setting
your guidance is amazing.
Dagmar
Hi. I have Personal plan for WP. Do I have to upgrade before setting up the store following this tutorial? Thank you.
WPBeginner Support
Hi Dagmar,
Seems like you are using WordPress.com. Please see our guide on the difference between self hosted WordPress.org vs free WordPress.com blog.
Admin
Gayle
I would love to learn how to have a page dedicated to Amazon. I want to do a bookstore through Amazon. I can’t find any plugins that work and I don’t want a dedicated site, just a page. How can I do this?
Danielle
Hi, may I know how long does it take to set up SSL? I have followed your instruction and changed “http” to “https”. However, the changes are still not reflected. My site is still not secured. Any advice for this?
Sonia
Hi there,
I recently bought a domain name on Shopify and haven’t subscribed to anything yet and still running on the trial phase for the next few days but after reading your article I’m much more interested in following these steps explained above. Am I gonna have to buy another domain name or will I be able to use the one I just purchased?
Thank you
Sonia
WPBeginner Support
Hi Sonia,
You can use the same domain. You will need to change its DNS settings and point them to Bluehost.
Admin
Esther
Hi there,
I have an onlive store with Shopify but want to move to wordpress and woocommerce. How do I change the DNS setting to move my domain to bluehost. Also, can i just buy the $2.95 Hosting and install free woocommerce? Or does it need to be the plan you mentioned, 6.95? What about backup? Would I need to purchase that as well? Thanks.
WPBeginner Support
Hi Esther,
You can change your domain name settings in Shopify by visiting Online Store > Domains and then under Shopify Managed Domains section click on your domain name. Next click on DNS settings to edit them.
WooCommerce is a bit more resource intensive than a typical starter WordPress blog. That’s we recommend their eCommerce plan it is optimized for WooCommerce hosting.
Patrick Thomas
Good tips really nice. I tried following your steps i select $6.95 per month and chose a domain name….on getting to paying with my credit card I received a message ” insufficient fund on my account ” of which I do know I have more than $6.95 on my account. Please is this a familiar error message , are there other hidden charges or am I missing something? Please I really need your advice. Doing this is so important to me. Thanks
WPBeginner Support
Hi Patrick,
This could be a temporary error. If your card wasn’t charged, you can retry again. If the same error occurs again, please contact their support staff.
Admin
Vishal Mittal
Hi, read your article and found the article very informative. But still have one query how can we add a login and register feature(just like a seller in flipkart) who can have these own market place.
Hoping for answers
Thanks and best regards
Beth
Hello, I want to create an online store but I just bought a domain and hosting plan on another platform. Does my domain have to be with WordPress, do I have to transfer it or I can go ahead with the already made domain
WPBeginner Support
Hi Beth,
If your hosting provider supports WordPress then you can start there. Othwerwise, you may want to consider moving your site.
Admin
Mohamed Ramadan
I want to know the difference between using normal wordpress bluehost, then install woocommerce plugins for free and using bluehost wordpress + woocommerce. isn’t the first option more affordable and cheaper?
WPBeginner Support
Hi Mohamed Ramadan,
Yes, and WooCommerce would probably run too. However, resources on shared servers are very low and WooCommerce is a very transactional app. If you start getting more customers your site will slow down, shared host may block your processes to save other sites from slowing down, and transactions may not complete due to slow site or server interruptions. That’s why we recommend using Bluehost‘s eCommerce plan.
Admin
Jenny
Thanks for this great WooCommerce tutorial! I’ve installed the plugin and started setting everything up but I noticed that WooCommerce has automatically pulled products from my existing /products page. This is incorrect and these items should not be populated on my WooCommerce /shop page. But when I delete these items from the WooCommerce products tab, it actually deletes them from my /products page as well. I absolutely don’t want WooCommerce automatically populating their /store page with information from any of my other pages and can’t seem to find a way to prevent this from happening. Do you have any advice for me?
WPBeginner Support
Hi Jenny,
It seems like your product pages have the same post type as WooCommerce products. One thing that you can try is switching your older products to a different post type. See our article on how to switch post types in WordPress. However, this could have adverse consequences like broken links. Make sure you create a complete WordPress backup before you try this.
Admin
sham khan
hi i want to make onlinestore in which there is every thing including gift items also what can i have to do?
bamidele
Hello, why does checkout, basket…… appear on the menu list. I thinks thats abnormal; please how do i make them invisible to my site visitors.
Also on my site (customizr pro theme) submenus do not appear under their parent menus (I mean sub menus are supposed to be invisible until you hover or click the parent) how do i resolve this.
Thanks.
Yomi
Hello, weldone.Pls i am interested in settling up a blog for job/vacancies advertisement and online store like WooCommerce.pls how do i get started?
WPBeginner Support
Hi Yomi,
For an online store please follow the instructions above. For vacancies and jobs you may want to checkout our article on how to add a job board in WordPress.
Admin