Using Wordpress for ecommerce website

D Hayes

Has anyone here used Wordpress to develop an online shop? From a quick Google search there seems to be a lot of WP ecommerce plugins available.

I'd like to get someone's opinion on it though who has actually developed a WP ecommerce site.

How is integration with payment processors (Realex in particular)?

Any performance issues - using shared/VPS/dedicated hosting?

Any potential pit-falls involved?

cormee

I'm a big WordPress advocate but wouldn't an ecommerce application be more suited? What are your reasons for using it?

en.r4cart

I have try wp commercial plugin.
It is quite easy and simple. But it is quite useful enough.

But trust wp! wp is a powerful web application with lots of users and developers. I recommend it although I am using the other app.

liam365

I would use Joomla with Virtuemart over Wordpress.

Not only does Joomla have a wider range of free plugins and modules but Realex has a plugin that you simply download and install on the Joomla/virtuemart platform and bobs your uncle. It's great because you don't have to have any programming knowledge to install the realex system.

Wordpress is great but really just for blogging think, Joomla is a lot more flexible.

Trojan

liam365 wrote: »

Wordpress is great but really just for blogging

I'd strongly disagree with that.

On the other hand, if I was setting up an ecommerce site I'd be looking at the usual suspects - open source shopping carts like Magento, etc.

The other option is hosted carts like shoppify and 1shoppingcart.

Pixelcraft

liam365 wrote: »

Joomla is a lot more flexible.

I've yet to see a Joomla site that doesn't look like a hacked up template

liam365

Well I was only trying to put my 2 cents in and answer the question.

I'm not a proficient coder/programmer and from that point of view I have found Joomla very easy to use, good choice of templates, easy to install and virtuemart is a pretty good cart system.

Also the ease at which I have installed Realex into Virtuemart using their plugin was great.

I have used Wordpress before and Oscommerce, but I just think joomla wins hands down.

I don't think this joomla site is too shabby:

D Hayes

Thanks for replies and suggestions. I wanted to look into using WP with an ecommerce plugin because I've recently started using WP as a CMS platform for non-ecommerce sites and really like it. The admin panel is easy to use for the client, there's a wide selection of plugins available (both good and bad!), I really like the addition of custom post types and my development time has been cut dramatically since using this as a CMS.

I come from a .Net development background, but have found PHP development for WP easy enough to pick up.

It's interesting to see that others here who have used WP as a CMS would go with an alternative solution for ecommerce. That has made up my mind I think, to go with either Joomla or Magento.

I remember seeing a very professional-looking Magento site on this forum a year or so ago, but I remember too that it had performance issues. Has anyone experienced this with Magento sites? I can't remember though if the problem was hosting-related or site-related.

Joomla could be an option, but I'd have to agree with Pixelcraft in that it's usually easy to spot a Joomla site a mile off!

cormee

en.r4cart.com wrote: »

I have try wp commercial plugin.
It is quite easy and simple. But it is quite useful enough.

But trust wp! wp is a powerful web application with lots of users and developers. I recommend it although I am using the other app.

Do you mean the WP e-Commerce plugin? It doesn't seem to work for instant digital downloads - at least it didn't for me. Their forum has a lot of postings on the matter that the admins don't seem to be answering.

I also disagree with Liam 365's comment that WordPress is only good for blogging. It's a great CMS, it's just not an ecommerce solution.

Zonua

Also wouldn't use WP for e-commerce.

tomED

Definitely wouldn't go with WP for an ecommerce site.

Step back and think about what you need the site to do.
If you want a shop, get software that will run as a shop - if you need a wordpress for other areas of the site - get a module that hooks in with your chosen ecommerce software.

I wouldn't personally go with Joomla at all - but like WP, a lot of people like to big it up - but each has a purpose.

If you need your site to do something, go for software that does that first and then look at extending it to do whatever else you need it to do. At least the core of the site will be as you want it and everything else then is a bonus.

D Hayes

tomED wrote: »

I wouldn't personally go with Joomla at all - but like WP, a lot of people like to big it up - but each has a purpose.

Thanks for your opinion - what software would you use for a standard e-commerce solution?

tomED

buysellswap wrote: »

Thanks for your opinion - what software would you use for a standard e-commerce solution?

There are a good few to choose from, like ZenCart, osCommerce or Magento.

Personally I like the usability and ease of use of Magento - however it can be a beast to run on a shared server. Next choice for me would be ZenCart.

Bonavox

liam365 wrote: »

I would use Joomla with Virtuemart over Wordpress.

Not only does Joomla have a wider range of free plugins and modules but Realex has a plugin that you simply download and install on the Joomla/virtuemart platform and bobs your uncle. It's great because you don't have to have any programming knowledge to install the realex system.

Wordpress is great but really just for blogging think, Joomla is a lot more flexible.

It's been a long time since WP was just a blogging platform. I would also say it's more flexible than Joomla, given the amount of useful plugins. Joomla has its plugins too, but WordPress plugins seem better.

Also, have to agree with Pixelcraft about the general design of Joomla sites.

Regardless of all this, still wouldn't recommend WordPress for ecommerce. :pac:

tomED

Bonavox wrote: »

It's been a long time since WP was just a blogging platform.

With modification - out of the box, it's a blogging platform.

cormee

tomED wrote: »

With modification - out of the box, it's a blogging platform.

You don't need to modify WordPress to use it as a CMS. You need to use it slightly differently, but no modifications are needed. Of course you can use add-ons to enhance its capabilities as a CMS (which might be considered a modification) but it will work perfectly fine without them.

tomED

cormee wrote: »

You don't need to modify WordPress to use it as a CMS.

Oh no here we go again - I knew I shouldn't have said it...

Cormee we'll just have to agree to disagree - I've pointed out in our other discussions in the past why Wordpress is not a CMS out of the box. I don't think this thread really needs to go there - do you?

cormee

tomED wrote: »

Oh no here we go again - I knew I shouldn't have said it...

Cormee we'll just have to agree to disagree - I've pointed out in our other discussions in the past why Wordpress is not a CMS out of the box. I don't think this thread really needs to go there - do you?

Good call

Bonavox

tomED wrote: »

With modification - out of the box, it's a blogging platform.

Technically. You can easily turn it into a CMS with a powerful theme, in fairness. So, what, two minutes extra work to turn it into a CMS?

tomED

Bonavox wrote: »

Technically. You can easily turn it into a CMS with a powerful theme, in fairness. So, what, two minutes extra work to turn it into a CMS?

Hi Bonavox

There's a whole other thread on the subject if you go searching for it. You'll be able to see my opinion in detail.

But on your point... you're modifying it to work as a CMS, doesn't matter how long it takes...