How to build an online store with WooCommerce
Updated 7/20/2026
WooCommerce turns WordPress into a complete online store: products, cart, payments and orders. Run on your own server, you pay no monthly platform fees.
1. Start from WordPress
You need a working WordPress, see one-click WordPress or the manual install.
2. Install WooCommerce
From the WordPress panel, under Plugins, search for WooCommerce, install and activate it. A wizard guides you through the basic settings: currency, country, payment and shipping methods.
3. Add products
Each product has a name, price, images, stock and description. You can sell physical, digital or service products.
4. Configure payments
WooCommerce integrates with popular payment processors. For card details, payment happens securely at the processor, over HTTPS, see free SSL certificate.
5. Security and speed, essential for stores
- A slow store loses sales, see how to speed up WordPress.
- Secure it well, you hold customer data, see securing WordPress.
- Back up daily, see backing up WordPress.
Resources
A store with many products and visitors needs a good server. See the best VPS for WordPress and the plans.
Put this guide into practice on your own VPS
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Updated 7/20/2026