Why WordPress? 7 Reasons to Use WordPress for eCommerce

1. Easy: WordPress is so easy, your mom could do it. It’s quick and easy to install. It’s simple to use. You don’t need to know how to code, you don’t need to learn a complicated program and you don’t need to call in an expert for the basics. Things can get complicated with ecommerce, so it’s important to start simple. You want a backend system that’s easy for clients to figure out and hard for employees to screw up.

2. Flexible: WordPress has the flexibility to do almost anything you want. You can change the look of your site by clicking on a new theme. You can add new functionality with plugins. Ecommerce is a fast-moving business and you don’t want to be stuck with a rigid site that can’t keep up.

3. Inexpensive: Let’s just say it: WordPress is highly compatible with cheapskates and penny pinchers. You only pay for what you need. If you’re setting up an ecommerce site, that might mean

buying a plugin, a theme and any required add-ons. All are relatively inexpensive, one-time purchases, especially compared to pricey monthly subscription ecommerce solutions. They’re also developerfriendly, which means if you have high-end aspirations, a developer can build cool stuff on top of them, saving loads of time and even more money over the long haul. Let’s be clear: WordPress isn’t completely free. You still have your domain name registration and hosting costs. You’ll likely have larger

upfront costs compared to a monthly service shop, but over time, a WordPress-powered shop can be cheaper. You could still break the bank with WordPress, but you have the option to pinch those pennies

and still get a solid site. Good luck doing that with anything else.

4. Expandable: In the brick and mortar retail world, it’s always nice

to be able to expand your shop as your business grows, but it’s not always an option. The same is true with an ecommerce site. Some ecommerce solutions can’t grow with you and require you do the

online equivalent of moving your business if you want to expand. Those kinds of changes cost both time and money. But a site that can start small and grow big—like WordPress—saves you time and

money.

5. Community: The massive WordPress community is a major bonus.

Some people look to the widespread usage of WordPress as a reason to stay away. Popularity makes it a target for hackers, right? Perhaps, but that also means there’s swift justice from a large, active and

involved community. Besides, most hacked WordPress sites were running old versions of WordPress that didn’t have the latest security updates. The WordPress community also delivers a wealth of plugins,

advice and even help. It’s likely you can even find a local community of WordPress fans in your area, eager to share their wisdom.

6. Content Management System: One of the best reasons to use WordPress as an ecommerce platform is because it’s already so good as a content management system, or CMS. This is another reason

some folks dismiss WordPress as an ecommerce solution—it wasn’t technically built to do ecommerce. That’s true, WordPress is inherently a content management system. However, it has two things going for

it:

• It’s one of the best content management systems out there. If your store is anything more than just a storefront—if you want a blog, for example—you’ll want a content management system with

some muscle.

• Focus: WordPress was built as a content management system and that’s all they focus on. WordPress ecommerce plugins were built to do ecommerce and that’s all they focus on. Everybody is doing

what they do best, which gives you the best of both worlds. As opposed to a purely ecommerce platform that tacks on blogging or page editing as an afterthought.

7. Ownership: One of the most reassuring reasons to use WordPress

for your ecommerce site is that you own it. You’re not signing on to some indecipherable terms of service. You’re not shackled by someone else’s hosting, servers or limitations. There are a lot

of ecommerce services that can launch quickly and handle the headaches for you—but they own your store. You pay a premium for not owning it, flushing money down the drain in extra fees and losing

the control to do whatever you want. But not with WordPress. If you build it with WordPress, you’re in charge.