Choosing a niche is one of the perks of running a WordPress agency. You get to decide what type of projects to work on. You also have an opportunity to adapt as the landscape shifts.
Sometimes, you end up where the opportunities are. For example, WooCommerce is a longtime staple of the WordPress ecosystem. The e-commerce plugin dominates its segment and continues to evolve. Recent developments include better database performance and the first steps toward AI integration.
Those factors make WooCommerce an interesting option for agencies and freelancers. It’s both familiar and future-focused. Plus, Woo’s large subsystem of extensions is still growing.
It all adds up to a niche that’s full of potential, enough to fill your schedule and bank account. That may convince you to jump in with both feet. However, there are also some challenges in running a WooCommerce-focused agency.
The following are considerations when making your decision. We’ll cover the pros and cons, along with a few items that aren’t readily apparent. Is Woo right for you? Keep reading to find out!
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WooCommerce Is Powerful and Flexible
WooCommerce mirrors WordPress in terms of flexibility. Just as you can use WordPress to build every type of website, Woo spans the spectrum of e-commerce genres.
The possibilities go well beyond standard retail sites. You can also focus on membership sites, selling digital goods, subscription content, auctions, and business-to-business (B2B) shops. You can also tie in with various third-party marketplaces. If you can dream it, you can sell it with WooCommerce.
That alone is an advantage over many proprietary platforms. You aren’t limited to a small set of functions. Instead, you have an entire ecosystem of prebuilt extensions to choose from. If something doesn’t exist or doesn’t match your project needs, you can build it yourself.
It’s a good fit if your agency offers custom development services. Woo’s core functionality and extensions can be endlessly tweaked. If you like to tinker and create detail-oriented workflows, you’ll feel right at home.
So, what’s the downside? WooCommerce can be overwhelming for some developers. There is no singular way to do things. Sometimes, there are simply too many ways to accomplish a goal.
A highly customized online store is also difficult to maintain. Refactoring custom code may be necessary as WooCommerce and WordPress evolve.
Building a Shop Is Like Putting a Puzzle Together
Like WordPress, a default WooCommerce installation only gets you so far. You’ll get basic shopping cart functions, a handful of product types, and the opportunity to connect to a payment gateway.
Extensions are required for advanced functions such as subscriptions, user-defined pricing, and shipping integrations. Those examples only scratch the surface of what’s possible. It doesn’t make for simplicity. And some of these items are already included in Woo’s proprietary competitor platforms.
Once again, it’s a double-edged sword. On one hand, you can pick and choose the items your clients need. That means you’re not stuck with features you’ll never use.
However, this piecemeal approach makes it harder to provide an accurate project estimate. Clients may be unaware of everything they need from the start. As such, there could be surprise costs in the development phase.
Experience is the only way to get around this issue. The more you work with WooCommerce, the better questions you’ll ask in the discovery phase of your projects. This takes time, though, and there’s still no guarantee you’ll get it right each time.
That level of expertise is valuable to clients. It’s something you can charge extra for. The pain is in getting to that point.
Success With WooCommerce Requires Investment
A focus on WooCommerce projects can be worthwhile, but it takes commitment. You’ll need to invest in learning the platform and how to extend it.
The decision may depend on your ability and willingness to do the hard work. If you’re overloaded with projects, shifting gears may not be feasible. The same applies if you’re already focused on another e-commerce solution.
The good news is that you don’t have to go all in right away. You can take time to experiment with WooCommerce on the side (a local WordPress installation is great for this purpose). Starting with a small project or two also makes sense. That will help you gauge your comfort level and provide a taste of the processes involved.
From there, it’s about building a portfolio and increasing your knowledge. You’ll be able to market your services and identify your audience. The opportunities are there if you’re up for a challenge.
here. He recently started a writing service for WordPress products: WP Product Writeup. He also has an opinion on just about every subject. You can follow his rants on Bluesky @karks.com.
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