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.