How To Create A Online Store Using WordPress.

Do you want to start your own online store? Building an online store can be a terrifying thought especially when you have no clue on how to go about doing it. Due to the pandemic there has been a huge increase in online sales, so why should you be losing out in generating such sales. You do not need to be tech savy person to know how to create a online store, just a PC, Internet connection and some time on your side.

In this article we will guide you along with the following steps in creating your online store.

• How to register your domain.
• How to choose the best web hosting package.
• Why secure a website with a SSL certificate.
• How to install WordPress.
• How to install a theme.
• How to add Woocommerce plugin to your website.
• How to add products to your store.
• Setting up of payments for your online store.

How to register your domain.

A ideal domain should be a name that is memorable and short. You can simply find if the domain is available by entering the desirable name in the search box at AppyHost .

The client area dashboard at AppyHost  allows you to  complete the purchase of your domain by simply adding the domain to the cart. You may want to complete the process of adding web hosting to your cart which will be explained below.

How to choose the best webhosting package.

Many web hosting companies offer a variety of packages suitable to your business needs. When in search of such packages you will be sure to find payment options such as monthly or yearly payments. It is best to try the hosting company on a monthly payment terms instead of committing to a service which you will be unable to terminate without losing money at a later stage. When selecting a hosting plan it will depend on the storage space one will require, the number of email accounts required, SQL Database. At AppyHost you are able to upgrade or downgrade on any webhosting plan. A great way to start would be to select any of our hosting packages. . Lastly, you will need to add your account information and finalize the package info to complete the process. On this screen, you will see optional extras that you can purchase.

Once completed, you will receive an email with details on how to login to your web hosting control panel (cPanel). This is where you manage everything from support, emails, among other things.

Why secure a website with a SSL certificate.

When browsing thru A website you would have noticed on some urls it shows a url without the “S”  http://appyhost.com/ whilst on other urls it shows the letter “S” https://www.appyhost.co.za/ . This simply means when a website has the letter “S” included in the url, this is a safe and secure website to use. It contains a SSL Certifcate that allows information to be encrypted. Should you enter any information on a unsecure website, a hacker may be able to access that information. All webhosting packages from AppyHost comes with a  preinstalled  SSL Certificate on your domain.

How to install WordPress.

AppyHost wordpress hosting comes pre-installed wordpress however we will guide you along in installing wordpress on your domain should you purchase any other web hosting. To install wordpress follow the step by step process on our wordpress knowledgebase.

Once installed your wordpress dashboard should look like the example below.

How to install a theme.

Head over to your appearance tab on WordPress choose a theme for your online store. You can continue with your current default theme, choose storefront or any of the free options listed on the page to get started.

Recommended plugins to add on your website.

Since we are using WordPress to build a onine store we will be adding Woocommerce plugins. WooCommerce is the best online store builder on the market. It is built on top of WordPress which gives the flexibility of WordPress with freedom to sell any type of products you want.

First, you need to install and activate the WooCommerce plugin.

Simply go to Plugins » Add New page and search for WooCommerce. In the search results, click on the Install Now button next to WooCommerce listing.

Wait for it to finish downloading the plugin and then click on the ‘Activate’ button to continue.

On completion of activating the plugin, follow the steps in the setup wizard to set the plugin up. 

How to add products to your store.

Lets get started by adding your first product to your store.

You need to visit Products » Add New page to add a new product. 

Add the name of the product, product description. Give a clear description of your product.

On the right side add a product category of your product eg. T- Shirt , Jeans , Menswear , Ladieswear.

As you scroll down complete the Product Data by simply entering the price of the product, Inventory and shipping.

You may add additional product description which will be viewed when there are multiple products. 

Lastly a product image is to be added on the right column of the page.

Should the product have additional images you may upload them under product gallery.

Setting up of payments for your online store.

Finally to start accepting payments on your online store. There are many payment gateways that is compatible with Woocommerce by simply adding a plugin of your choice.

Simply go to the WooCommerce » Settings page and switch to the ‘Payments’ tab.By default, you can choose from PayPal Standard, Cash on Delivery, Checks, and Bank Transfers.

For each payment gateway, you can click on the Set up button and provide the required information.