Do you have a website or blog that you'd like to add an online store to? Maybe you have a range of crafts, creations or products that you'd like to easily make available to visitors to your site? There is an easy way to do that, via an online payment gateway. There are many of these available but the one we're a fan of and want to discuss is WooCommerce. Online experts say to stick to PayPal for your payments whilst using these online stores. This is simply because PayPal works and not only that, it works almost everywhere. All over the world. In this blog we're going to talk about just what WooCommerce is, as well as how to go about setting up PayPal in WooCommerce.
What Is WooCommerce?
WooCommerce is an open-source eCommerce platform built on WordPress. If you have a WordPress site you can use the WooCommerce plugin, add it to your site and set up a brand new, shiny beautiful store in just a few minutes and a handful of clicks. this will allow you to take secure payments, change shipping options and lots more. The best part is, its free!
Add WooCommerce plugin to any WordPress site and set up a new store in minutes. Get secure payments, configurable shipping options and lots more. You can manage orders on the go as there is a dedicate app you can download to your handheld device. This is available on both Android & iOS. You can save time with automated tax calculations, up to the minute shipping rates from well known couriers and even print your own labels at home. The best part is, it's free! When you're selling things, you want to get paid. WooCommerce also comes with the ability to take payments via major credit cards and a number of other payment means. These include BACS, Stripe, Square, Amazon Pay, Apple Pay, Google Pay and the one we're focusing on here, PayPal.
How Do You Start Setting Up PayPal In WooCommerce?
The first question is, why use PayPal over other avenues? According to official stats, 19 million merchants rely on PayPal to help grow their businesses. Global customers use PayPal too, trusting them with their financial data and banking information to make purchasing goods easier. PayPal is safe and secure.
How To Install
Setting up PayPal in WooCommerce is relativity simple. WooCommerce Payal Checkout lets your online shop accept payments via PayPal. On your WordPress site, go to Plugins and then click Add New. Enter the words WooCommerce PayPal Checkout into the search bar. Once you find it (the author is Automattic/WooCommerce), simply click Install Now followed by Activate. Step one, done and achieved.
The Setup & Configuration
You now need to figure out the set up and configuration of the plugin. To set up the ability to use PayPal checkout you must first go to WooCommerce, then Settings, the Payments. Click the toggle button to Enable functionality. You can then click Set Up Or anage to configure your PayPal Checkout settings.
Whilst you Configure your settings you can choose the Title you want customers to see during the checkout procedure. You can also add a description which will be shown to custoemr is they use PayPal Checkout. Once you're happy you can change the settings to Live or Sandbox. Live is when everything is up and running, Sandbox is where you can test payments.
In the API settings you can set up or connect an existing PayPal account. This will be were your payments are sent to to make sure all the details you enter are correct.
In PayPal Checkout Display Settings you can even personalise your checkout that little bit more. Add you logo and brand name, upload a header image.
There are other options you can customise too, so for further information click here for official WooCommerce documents.
Process Your Orders
The PayPal Checkout extension skips most of the WooCommerce checkout process, instead sending customers to the PayPal checkout procedure that they know and are used to.
PayPal say that the Checkout buttons on product and cart pages are supposed to reduce the amount of data the customer has the enter. To achieve this, PayPal sends the customer’s billing information after they log into their PayPal account and authorise the transaction for your products or services.
There are customisation opportunities, for example, where you can opt for the billing address to not be required. You can also remove the ‘Proceed To Checkout' link on the basket page.
Happy Days
So what are you waiting for? WooCommerce is such a simple and easy to use plugin for your WordPress site which allows you to take your online selling to the next level. When you also incorporate the trustworthy PayPal into the mix, you've got the recipe for success. Get making, creating and designing your products, filming your video workshops and writing your online courses that you want to sell. Once you start listing them, advertising them and marketing them on your social media sites, you'll soon start seeing the sales rolling in. Happy days!