WooCommerce is installed like a normal plugin in WordPress. After activation, it adds the basic functions of an online store to your WordPress website.
The installation itself is completed quickly. However, the actual setup begins after that: WooCommerce needs to be configured to suit your shop. Later on, this includes products, payments, shipping, taxes, and emails, among other things.
Briefly explained: For WooCommerce you need a working WordPress website. WooCommerce is installed within it as a plugin and expands WordPress with the functions for an online store.
Before you install WooCommerce #
Before you begin the installation, your WordPress website should be basically working.
WooCommerce has certain requirements for WordPress, PHP, and the database. These technical requirements can change with new WooCommerce versions. Therefore, you should ensure that your WordPress installation and the server environment you use are up to date and compatible with the WooCommerce version you are running.
When installing WooCommerce on an existing website, you should also ensure that an up-to-date backup of your website is available before making any major changes.
Important: Do not simply install WooCommerce on a heavily outdated WordPress installation. Your theme and existing plugins should also be compatible with the WooCommerce version being used.
Install WooCommerce via WordPress #
The easiest way goes directly through the WordPress backend.
- Log in to the WordPress backend of your website.
- Open in the left menu Plugins.
- Click on Add new plugin or to the corresponding button for adding a new plugin.
- Type in the search field WooCommerce one.
- Search the results for the official WooCommerce plugin.
- Click on Install now.
- Wait for WordPress to finish the installation.
- Then click on Activate.
WooCommerce is now activated in your WordPress installation.
Make sure to use the correct plugin: When searching for WooCommerce, numerous extensions may appear alongside the actual plugin. For the basic installation, you need the official WooCommerce plugin. You can install additional extensions later when you actually need them.
What happens during activation? #
After activation, WooCommerce expands your WordPress installation with the required shop functions.
This includes, among other things, new administrative areas for products, orders, and WooCommerce settings. WooCommerce also creates the technical structures required to run the shop.
Your existing WordPress website will not be replaced by another system. WooCommerce works within your existing WordPress installation.
Existing WordPress website
↓
Install WooCommerce
↓
Activate WooCommerce
↓
Shop features are added
↓
Configure basic settings
↓
Add products
↓
Set up shipping and payments
↓
Test shop
↓
Publish shop
The setup assistant after activation #
When WooCommerce is activated for the first time, the guided setup usually starts. WooCommerce refers to this area as Setup Wizard or rather Onboarding Wizard.
The assistant will help you collect the initial information about your shop.
The exact display can change with new WooCommerce versions. The questions can also differ depending on the information already provided.
Basic information can include, for example:
- Shop location
- Type of your company or industry
- Type of products you want to sell
- further basic information on the planned shop
WooCommerce uses this information to prepare the further setup accordingly.
Start or skip guided setup #
After activation, you can start the guided setup. If you prefer to configure the individual items manually later, you can also skip the assistant.
Skipping does not mean that WooCommerce was not installed correctly.
WooCommerce remains fully activated. The necessary shop settings can then be configured via the WordPress backend.
For beginners: If you are not yet familiar with WooCommerce, the guided setup is helpful because it walks you through the most important initial decisions. Nevertheless, you should understand the suggested settings and not simply accept every option without checking it.
Can I open the setup assistant again later? #
Yes. If you skipped the guided setup or want to access it again later, WooCommerce provides a way to restart it.
The exact position can change with WooCommerce versions. In current WooCommerce versions, the setup wizard can be accessed again via the help section of supported WooCommerce administration pages.
So you are not forced to make all decisions definitively right after installation.
What is the WooCommerce setup checklist? #
After the initial setup, WooCommerce displays a checklist of additional tasks for new shops. This is designed to help you configure the most important areas before launching your shop.
Depending on the store, tasks from the following areas may appear there, for example:
- Add products
- Design shop
- Set up payment methods
- Configure shipping
- Set up taxes
- Open shop to visitors
Which tasks are actually displayed depends on your WooCommerce version and your previous information.
The checklist is a tool and not a guarantee that your shop will automatically be completely set up after working through it.
Carefully review optional additional features #
During setup, WooCommerce may suggest additional features, extensions, or services.
These can include areas such as payments, shipping, taxes, marketing, or other store functions.
You don't have to automatically install everything that is offered to you.
Basic rule: Install only additional plugins and extensions that you actually need for your shop.
Every additional plugin increases the number of components that must later be updated, checked, and kept compatible with WordPress and WooCommerce.
Do I need to connect WooCommerce with WordPress.com? #
A connection to WordPress.com is not strictly required for the basic installation and use of the WooCommerce plugin.
However, certain additional services or extensions may require a connection to a WordPress.com or WooCommerce.com account.
Because of this, WooCommerce may prompt you to sign in or connect if you select such a feature during setup.
This connection is to be distinguished from the actual installation of the WooCommerce plugin.
Is my shop already finished after installation? #
No.
After installation, you have initially created the technical foundation for your online shop. A shop ready for sales still requires numerous additional settings.
These include, among others:
- Shop address and basic settings
- Sales regions
- Currency
- Products
- Product prices
- Product images
- Inventory
- Shipping
- Taxes
- Payment methods
- Customer accounts and guest orders
- Shop Emails
- Cart and Checkout
Afterwards, the entire ordering process should be checked with a test order.
WooCommerce installed
≠
ready online store
WooCommerce installed
+
basic settings
+
products
+
shipping
+
taxes
+
payments
+
emails
+
checkout
+
test order
=
technically prepared online store
Install WooCommerce manually as a ZIP file #
WooCommerce can also be installed manually as a ZIP file.
This may be necessary, for example, if you have received or downloaded a specific WooCommerce version as an installation file.
Installation is generally carried out via:
WordPress
→ Plugins
→ Add New Plugin
→ Upload Plugin
Subsequently:
- Select the WooCommerce ZIP file.
- Start the installation.
- Wait until WordPress has installed the files.
- Activate WooCommerce.
For a normal new installation, installing directly via the WordPress plugin search is usually easier.
WooCommerce is installed, but I don't see any products yet #
That is normal with a new installation.
WooCommerce does not create your own products automatically. You have to create them yourself or import them using a suitable import method.
Therefore, an empty product area immediately after installation is not an indication of an error.
WooCommerce is installed, but the shop still looks unfinished #
This, too, is normal at first.
WooCommerce provides the shop features. However, the appearance of your website also depends on the WordPress theme used and its design.
Furthermore, immediately after the installation, your own products, images, texts, and the complete shop configuration are usually still missing.
Therefore, simply installing WooCommerce does not yet create a finished online store.
Can I deactivate WooCommerce again? #
Ja. Da WooCommerce ein WordPress-Plugin ist, kannst du es über die Plugin-Verwaltung deaktivieren.
Bei einer produktiven Shop-Website solltest du das allerdings nicht ohne konkreten Grund tun. Nach der Deaktivierung stehen die WooCommerce-Shop-Funktionen nicht mehr wie vorgesehen zur Verfügung.
Was passiert mit meinen Daten, wenn ich WooCommerce lösche? #
Ein wichtiger Unterschied besteht zwischen dem Löschen der Plugin-Dateien und dem vollständigen Entfernen der WooCommerce-Daten.
Wenn du WooCommerce über die WordPress-Plugin-Verwaltung deaktivierst und löschst, werden dadurch nicht automatisch sämtliche Shop-Daten aus der Datenbank entfernt.
Daten wie Einstellungen, Produkte und Bestellungen bleiben dabei grundsätzlich erhalten. Für eine vollständige Entfernung aller WooCommerce-Daten ist ein zusätzlicher, bewusst ausgeführter Vorgang erforderlich.
Important: Wenn dein Shop bereits Produkte, Bestellungen oder Kundendaten enthält, solltest du WooCommerce niemals nur zum Ausprobieren löschen. Erstelle vor grösseren Änderungen eine Sicherung und kläre zuerst, was du tatsächlich entfernen möchtest.
Was solltest du direkt nach der Installation tun? #
Nach der erfolgreichen Installation würde ich nicht als Erstes zwanzig Produkte anlegen. Sinnvoller ist eine klare Reihenfolge.
- WooCommerce installieren und aktivieren
- Grundeinstellungen prüfen
- Shop-Adresse und Verkaufsgebiet festlegen
- Produkte einrichten
- Configure shipping
- Steuern technisch einrichten
- Zahlungsmethoden konfigurieren
- Shop-E-Mails prüfen
- Warenkorb und Checkout kontrollieren
- Testbestellung durchführen
- Shop erst danach regulär für Kunden nutzen
Diese Reihenfolge hilft dir, die einzelnen Bereiche nacheinander zu verstehen. Du musst nicht versuchen, WooCommerce an einem einzigen Bildschirm vollständig einzurichten.
So geht es weiter #
WooCommerce ist jetzt installiert. Als nächstes solltest du die grundlegenden Einstellungen deines Shops prüfen. Dazu gehören beispielsweise deine Shop-Adresse, das Verkaufsgebiet, die Währung und weitere grundlegende Optionen.
Diese Einstellungen bilden die Grundlage für Produkte, Versand, Steuern und den späteren Bestellvorgang.
Summary #
WooCommerce wird als Plugin in einer bestehenden WordPress-Installation installiert. Der einfachste Weg führt über die WordPress-Plugin-Verwaltung. Suche dort nach WooCommerce, installiere das offizielle Plugin und aktiviere es.
Nach der ersten Aktivierung führt WooCommerce neue Shop-Betreiber durch eine geführte Einrichtung. Diese kann auch übersprungen und später wieder aufgerufen werden.
Nach der Installation ist dein Shop noch nicht fertig. Grundeinstellungen, Produkte, Versand, Steuern, Zahlungen, E-Mails und der Checkout müssen anschliessend passend zu deinem Shop eingerichtet und getestet werden.
Installiere zusätzliche Erweiterungen nur dann, wenn du sie tatsächlich benötigst. So bleibt dein WooCommerce-Shop übersichtlicher und einfacher zu warten.
