WooCommerce is the most widely used e-commerce plugin for WordPress. It turns a standard WordPress site into a fully functional online store. This article covers installation and the key settings to configure before launching.

Server requirements

Before installing WooCommerce, verify your hosting environment meets these minimums:

• PHP 7.4 or newer (PHP 8.1+ recommended). Set in cPanel → MultiPHP Manager.
• memory_limit of at least 256M. Set in cPanel → MultiPHP INI Editor.
• MySQL 5.6+ or MariaDB 10.1+
• HTTPS enabled (a valid SSL certificate). WooCommerce requires a secure checkout.

All TPC Hosting shared and VPS plans meet these requirements by default.

Install WooCommerce

1. Log in to your WordPress admin dashboard.
2. Go to Plugins → Add New Plugin.
3. Search for WooCommerce.
4. Click Install Now, then Activate.
5. The WooCommerce setup wizard launches automatically. Click Set up my store.

Setup wizard — key steps

1. Store details — enter your store address (used for tax calculations and shipping).
2. Industry — select your product type.
3. Products — choose whether you sell physical goods, digital downloads, subscriptions, etc.
4. Business details — estimated number of products and whether you are currently selling elsewhere.
5. Theme — WooCommerce recommends Storefront, but any compatible theme works.

You can skip steps and configure them later from WooCommerce → Settings.

Essential settings after setup

• Payment methods: WooCommerce → Settings → Payments. Enable the payment gateways you want (Stripe, PayPal, bank transfer, cash on delivery).
• Shipping zones: WooCommerce → Settings → Shipping. Define zones and rates for your delivery areas.
• Tax settings: WooCommerce → Settings → Tax. Enable taxes and configure rates based on your location and legal requirements.
• Email notifications: WooCommerce → Settings → Emails. Customize the order confirmation and notification emails sent to customers and yourself.
• Permalinks: WordPress → Settings → Permalinks. Set to Post name for clean product URLs. Click Save Changes after installing WooCommerce to flush rewrite rules.

Add your first product

1. Go to Products → Add New.
2. Enter the product name, description, and price.
3. Set the product type (Simple, Variable, Digital, etc.) in the Product data panel.
4. Add a product image and gallery images.
5. Set stock quantity if you track inventory.
6. Click Publish.