So you want to use WordPress and the WooCommerce plugin to power your ecommerce store, but you’re struggling to pick a theme?

First off, whatever theme you use must be compatible with the plugin. There’s no point using an off-the-shelf theme if you need to hire a developer to make it work.

Secondly, it should have a powerful framework so you don’t need a truck load of plugins to get the features you want.

And third, it should be updated regularly to stay compatible with WordPress, improve performance and security, and add new features and integrations.

 

Compatibility with the WooCommerce plugin

There are loads of ecommerce plugins on the market. Some are free, some are paid but all of them need to be compatible with your theme to build a store without a developer.

Enter WooThemes.

Woo are behind one of the most powerful and robust ecommerce plugins available, WooCommerce. It’s completely free and used by hundreds of online stores in the UK alone.

But Woo also build themes and they’re compatible with WooCommerce by design.

So while you could use any theme with your online store and hire someone to make it all work, a Woo theme will do the job nicely.

 

A powerful framework

Woo themes are built on the Woo framework – a powerful, structured codebase and the building blocks of the theme. It’s this framework that enables features like page templates, widgets and shortcodes, which make it easier to build a complete website without additional plugins.

And fewer plugins means less chance of a conflict and less load on the server. This makes your website faster and more reliable, which can improve your search engine rankings and conversion rate.

Plus, all Woo’s products have been developed to be easy to customise and extend. Making a child theme for example, is super easy with WooThemes, which is important if you need a customised theme but don’t want to hire a developer for every update.

 

Regular updates

Woo’s team of developers work full time to update their products in line with WordPress core updates and to release new features and integrations.

One of these is ‘Subscribe & Connect’, which connects with MailChimp’s API, and lets you put an email opt-in on your site in minutes.

They also release new designs so you can update the look of your store or build a completely new one using the same framework and don’t have to learn a new system or hire someone to help.

These updates are also important to maintain the security and performance of your site. The last thing you need is someone hacking it and taking your store offline because your theme isn’t up-to-date.

 

OK, so Woo aren’t the cheapest theme provider out there and with the recent change in their pricing structure, you now have to renew your license annually if you want to get updates. Throw in a few premium extensions or integrations and it can really add up.

But to be fair, when you compare the price they’re charging with the revenue an ecommerce store can generate, it’s incredibly good value for money.

 

What this boils down to is…

If you want to build a robust ecommerce store on WordPress without a developer, using WooCommerce with a WooThemes’ theme has several advantages:

  1. Your theme will be compatible with WooCommerce
  2. It will have a powerful framework so you won’t need too many extra plugins
  3. And it will be updated regularly for optimum performance, security and compatibility

Why would you use anything else?