WooCommerce is the leading e-commerce plugin for WordPress, with over 8 million active installations as of 2025. It enables the creation of online stores of any complexity, from small startups to large enterprises. Being free and open-source, WooCommerce provides flexibility in customization and integration with hundreds of extensions, making it an ideal choice for small business owners, aspiring entrepreneurs, bloggers, and webmasters.
With WooCommerce you can:
- Sell physical and digital products.
- Manage orders, customers, payments, and shipping directly from the WordPress admin panel.
- Customize the store to your needs using themes and plugins.
Requirements:
- Self-hosted WordPress site (WordPress.org) or WordPress.com with a Business plan or higher.
- Access to the WordPress admin panel (yoursite.ru/wp-admin).
This article will guide you through all stages – from preparation to launching your online store.
Preparation: What to Check Before Installation
Before installing WooCommerce, ensure your site is ready to work with the plugin. This is critical to avoid errors and ensure stable store operation.
| Preparation Item | Description | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| WordPress | Current WordPress version. | Install the latest stable version (e.g., 6.8 as of 2025). |
| PHP | PHP version on the server. | Minimum 7.4, ideally 8.0+. Check in admin: Tools → Site Health → Info. |
| PHP Settings | Server parameters. | memory_limit ≥ 256 MB, max_execution_time ≥ 120 seconds. |
| HTTPS | SSL certificate for secure payments. | Mandatorily enable HTTPS. |
| Backup | Site data protection. | Create a full backup (files + database) via hosting panel or plugin (e.g., UpdraftPlus). |
| Theme | WooCommerce compatibility. | Use themes like Storefront, Astra, OceanWP or GeneratePress. |
| Plugins | Minimization of conflicts. | Deactivate or delete unnecessary plugins during installation. |
Installing WooCommerce
WooCommerce can be installed in two ways: through the WordPress admin panel or manually by uploading a ZIP file.
Method 1: Via WordPress Admin Panel (Recommended)
- Log in to the WordPress admin panel (yoursite.ru/wp-admin).
- Go to Plugins → Add New.
- Type "WooCommerce" in the search bar.
- Find the "WooCommerce" plugin (author: Automattic).
- Click Install Now.
- After installation, click Activate.
Method 2: Manual Upload (ZIP File)
- Download the latest WooCommerce version from the official site: WordPress.org ("Download" button).
- In the WordPress admin panel, go to Plugins → Add New.
- Click Upload Plugin (top of page).
- Select the downloaded WooCommerce ZIP archive.
- Click Install Now.
- After installation, click Activate Plugin.
When to use manual installation: If issues occur with admin-panel installation, the site has no internet access, or a beta plugin version is required.
Launching the WooCommerce Initial Setup Wizard
After activation, WooCommerce automatically launches the setup wizard to configure basic store parameters. If the wizard doesn't start, go to WooCommerce → Settings (Home).
Step-by-Step Wizard Walkthrough
| Step | Action | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Welcome | Setup start. | Click "Let's go!". |
| 2. Store Location | Specify country, currency, units of measure. | Select your country (e.g., Russia), currency (RUB), units (kg, cm). |
| 3. Product Types | Specify what you will sell. | Check physical products, digital products, or both. |
| 4. Adding Products | Create initial products. | Skip or add a test product (name, price, image). |
| 5. Payment Setup | Select payment gateways. | Enable WooCommerce Payments (if available), PayPal, bank transfer, or cash on delivery. |
| 6. Shipping Setup | Configure zones and shipping methods. | Create zones (e.g., "Russia") and methods (e.g., "Russian Post" — 300 RUB, "Local Pickup" — free). |
| 7. Tax Setup | Enable/disable taxes. | Skip if unsure; configure later. |
| 8. Recommended Features | Install additional plugins. | Select needed ones (e.g., MailPoet) or skip. |
| 9. Completion | Finalize setup. | Click "Finish setup". |
After completion, the wizard creates core pages: Shop, Cart, Checkout, My Account. Verify them under Pages.
Initial Configuration After Wizard
After the wizard, configure additional parameters in WooCommerce → Settings.
Overview of Settings Tabs
| Tab | Description |
|---|---|
| General | Currency, store location, allowed sales/shipping countries, coupon enablement. |
| Products | Shop display settings, product pages, inventory management, downloads (for digital products). |
| Shipping | Management of shipping zones, methods, and classes. |
| Payments | Enable/disable payment gateways, configure fees and test mode. |
| Tax | Configuration of tax rates and price display (incl./excl. tax). |
| Accounts & Privacy | Customer registration settings and privacy policy. |
| Emails | Configuration of email templates (new order, completed order, etc.). |
| Advanced | Page assignments and REST API. |
| Integrations | Connection to services like Google Analytics, Facebook. |
Priority Actions
- Check General → Store address (email, physical address – critical for taxes/shipping).
- Ensure pages (Shop, Cart, etc.) are correctly assigned in Advanced → Page setup.
- If accepting multiple currencies, configure exchange rates in payment gateways (e.g., PayPal).
Verifying Store Functionality
To confirm the store works correctly:
- Visit the shop page: Navigate to yoursite.ru/shop/ (or assigned page).
- Create a test order:
- Add a test product (or create a product priced at e.g., 1 RUB).
- Go to cart and click "Proceed to checkout".
- Fill in customer details (use real email for mail testing).
- Select shipping method.
- Choose test payment method:
- For PayPal: Use Sandbox
- For WooCommerce Payments: Enable test mode and use test card (e.g., 4242 4242 4242 4242)
- For bank transfer/cash on delivery: Complete order
- Click "Place order".
- Verification:
- Is order visible in WooCommerce → Orders?
- Did confirmation email reach customer's email?
- Did new order email reach admin email?
- Are order details displayed correctly?
- Check pages: Ensure Cart, Checkout, and My Account pages open without errors.
Next Steps
After basic setup, your store is ready for further development:
- Add products: Populate catalog under Products → Add New.
- Configure design: Ensure theme displays products, cart, and checkout correctly. Use page builders like Elementor or Divi if needed.
- Install essential plugins:
- Backup: UpdraftPlus
- Security: Wordfence
- SEO: Yoast SEO or Rank Math
- Additional features: Import/export plugins, advanced shipping, or email marketing tools
- Configure SEO: Fill meta tags for shop pages, categories, and products.
- Test scenarios: Verify purchases, registration, password recovery, payment/shipping methods.
- Optimize performance: Use Google PageSpeed Insights/GTmetrix and caching plugins (WP Rocket, LiteSpeed Cache).
- Study documentation: Visit WooCommerce Documentation for advanced features.
You've successfully installed and configured WooCommerce, creating a foundational online store ready for sales. Thoroughly test all functions before launch. Regularly update WordPress, themes, and plugins to ensure security and performance. WooCommerce is a powerful tool – this is just the beginning of your e-commerce journey!
