How to keep WooCommerce Store Running Smoothly

 How to keep WooCommerce Store Running Smoothly

Web development was revolutionized with the advent of open source frameworks that made the creation of websites a very easy and convenient process. WordPress is definitely a leader of the domain and the flexibility it provides a user for adding numerous functionalities to the online venture is unmatched. WooCommerce is one such utility that allows an owner to convert existing website into an e-commerce store. Some tips for running WooCommerce store are being shared here to help owners increase the efficiency of their business.

1. Frequent Updates

It is vital to keep the store up to date and to keep installing the latest updates released by WooCommerce as well as the plugins added to the shopping site for various functionalities. These updates contain improved functions, bug fixes or new security features and hence are essential to protect your business from malicious attacks. Checking for updates should be part of the routine of store maintenance as not doing so may result in an unwanted security breach which in turn means not only a loss of revenue but also a dent in the reputation of the e-commerce venture.

2. Constant Backups

Creating and saving backups is another activity that is precautionary in nature and may seem time consuming but in the event of any breaching helps in getting the store back in business quickly. An online venture witnesses transactions throughout the day and therefore backing up data related to the various features at short intervals of time is required so as to prevent any loss of critical information. This can be done very easily by getting a WordPress website designer to add the requisite plugin.

3. Staging Site

The primary reason that refrains website owners from updating their virtual business is the fear of losing data or some important functionality because of the new version. Their fears are not unfounded because the open nature of the frame may lead to code conflicts between not only two different extensions but also the two versions of the same feature. This problem is addressed through a staging site which is nothing but a clone of the online venture but which stays offline. One can try all the new updates or features on this version of the website without any fear of the loss of data or crashing. A staging site can be acquired by the web hosting service or by way of numerous WordPress plugins designed specifically for the purpose.

4. Rigorous Testing

It can be listed as probably the most important of all tips for running WooCommerce store as thorough and meticulous testing has a direct bearing on the performance of the online enterprise. Once you have put in place your staging site test every update or new plugin on it before adding it to the live website. Check whether the design and other functions are working smoothly and the transactions are being conducted without any hassles. Pay extra attention to the parts where customized modifications were carried out to ensure that no adverse effects are seen.

5. Right Hosting Plan

It is common practice for new owners to cut costs by choosing an inexpensive plan which makes sense in the beginning but as the undertaking starts generating good sales and increased site traffic, then it becomes important to check whether with increased load, the efficiency has been affected or not. Make an assessment using the reports regarding bandwidth speed and page loading time and then upgrade or change to a better plan.

6. Sensible Usage Of Plugins

One of the foremost reasons for WordPress’s popularity is the amount of flexibility it provides a user in adding utilities to the website in the form of plugins. Owners usually install a plugin for every functionality they can think of for their business without thinking about the effect it would have on the speed of the website. It will negatively impact the customer experience and engagement culminating in losses for the company and hence only those plugins that add some value to the website must be added. Installing and running the new functionalities to check for any conflicts or other issues must be done on the staging site before adding them to the store.

7. Inventory Management

Strategically managing the product catalogue of your e-commerce business will assist in its smooth running apart from generating increased returns. Checking the database for out of stock products and removing them from the displayed content or if they belong to the best selling category then procuring them quickly so that customers never see the out of stock message under them, should be standard practices. Inventory management tools can be employed for the purpose as not only will they ease your burden, they will keep the store functions smooth too.

8. Content Delivery Network (CDN)

The internet has undoubtedly brought the world closer but when it comes to the speed of a website, geographical distance is still a major factor and the more the miles separating the user and server, the more time the website will take in loading. A CDN solves this problem by storing a copy of the static contents like images, CSS and JavaScript across multiple servers in different parts of the world so that the WooCommerce store loads quickly when accessed from anywhere in the world.

9. Caching Plugin

The loading speed is critical for virtual enterprises and this is another tool designed for the purpose. These tools save a static version of the store and when the person visits the portal again, then the cached versions uploads almost instantly. The contents of a webpage may have been modified since the last visit but the client’s experience is not at all hampered and the updated page is delivered while the rest of the unmodified pages will be delivered as they are.

10. Image Compression

An online commercial undertaking cannot be conceived without images which are an indispensable part of their composition but this can also result in slower loading speeds. In order to prevent this, image compression and optimization must be done with the help of plugins which reduce the image sizes without compromising on their quality. Another feature that can be added to the website is lazy loading which means that an image is not loaded until and unless it comes into view of the customer while scrolling.

Conclusion

A virtual commercial project can be extremely profitable but it requires constant analysis and modifications and any owner can benefit from these tips for running WooCommerce store by using them for devising a strategic plan for the purpose.

About Author:

Linda Waster is a Sr. WordPress Developer at WPGeeks Ltd, a company that provides convert psd to wordpress theme services in a convenient manner. She is a passionate writer and loves to share WordPress relates tutorials.

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