The pandemic has been detrimental for many businesses. But online grocery shopping does not seem to be one of them. People have become increasingly comfortable with buying groceries online because of the lockdown and fear of infection that the Covid-19 pandemic has brought with it. In fact, India’s online grocery market could reach a value of $3 billion in 2020, a 76% rise from 2019.
If you too are thinking of launching your own online store, WooCommerce could be your best friend. WooCommerce is a plugin that can convert your WordPress website into a completely functional eCommerce store. Here’s how you can set up your grocery store with WooCommerce.
1. Get Web Hosting and Domain Name
In order to have an online store, there are two things you first need:
Web Hosting
This is the storage space for your website. It keeps all your files on a server, and whenever someone wants to access them, serves them your website. The amount of space available, along with the loading speed of your WooCommerce store depends upon the type of hosting you choose.
Domain Name
Domain name is your unique address on the internet. Generally, it is the first thing a user sees about your brand. With the right domain name, you can make a great first impression. The domain name also presents a branding opportunity and helps in search engine optimization. Therefore, the right domain name is important.
You should, hence, choose to buy WordPress hosting. Managed WooCommerce hosting is optimized for this platform and offers great performance. Choose a hosting provider that ensures minimal downtime and offers free SSL certification. Also, look for a hosting provider that offers the domain name for free.
2. Install WordPress
Next, on your hosting account, you will need to install WordPress. If you choose the right hosting provider, this can be an extremely simple process. Just go to the user panel and click on the Install WordPress icon. Once you have installed the blank WordPress website, you should be able to see it by typing your domain name.
3. Install the WooCommerce Plugin
Next, your blank website will need to be transformed into an online store. This begins with the installation of the WooCommerce plugin. You can simply search for WooCommerce on the WordPress dashboard. Click on the “Install Now” icon and then, click the “Activate” button which will come next. At this point, WooCommerce’s setup wizard will show up on your screen.
4. Setup with the WooCommerce Wizard
With the WooCommerce wizard, you can set up all the different pages needed for your store, so that they function properly. These are:
- Shop: This is the area where your products will be displayed.
- Cart: Here, customers can view and adjust their orders before proceeding to checkout.
- Checkout: This is where delivery methods and modes of payment are chosen.
5. Locale Setup
In this step, you will need to enter the tax details. WooCommerce also has a tax module that tells you about the tax, based on your location. You will also have to add the payment methods.
6. Add Your Products
Finally, you can add the products to your page. Just go to the dashboard and click on Add Products. Then, write the product name, description, tags, category and images. WooCommerce will display some tips to help you along.
Once, you’re done with the above steps, select a theme that you like. You can also check out WooCommerce hosting providers that provide free themes. And that’s it, your online grocery store is now ready.