Unlocking Sales: 3 Powerful Ways to Sell on WordPress Without WooCommerce

When we began our online selling journey with WordPress, our first instinct was to use WooCommerce.

However, after assisting numerous users, we discovered that WooCommerce isn’t always the optimal choice—particularly for creators, digital product vendors, or those who are just getting started.

Many WordPress users are unaware that there are more straightforward methods to begin selling without the intricacies of a complete eCommerce platform.

After years of experimenting with various solutions, we have pinpointed three effective strategies that are particularly beneficial for certain types of businesses.

In this guide, we will provide you with detailed instructions on how to sell on WordPress without using WooCommerce.

When is it Appropriate to Sell on WordPress Without Using WooCommerce?

WooCommerce is a fantastic eCommerce platform that offers a free starting option, scalability, and flexibility. However, it may not be the best choice if you don’t intend to sell a wide range of physical products.

For example, if your goal is to sell digital downloads such as eBooks, music, or PDFs, we suggest using Easy Digital Downloads. This WordPress plugin is tailored for selling downloadable products and includes a free plan.

If you are looking to offer subscription services, WP Simple Pay is a more suitable option. This tool allows you to create straightforward payment forms with subscription options, manage and cancel subscriptions, and facilitate recurring payments.

Conversely, if your intention is to sell a single product on your website, such as a food supplement on your food blog, then a complex eCommerce platform may be excessive.

In this scenario, it would be more efficient to implement a user-friendly payment form using WPForms.

What Do You Need to Know Before Launching a Store on WordPress?

Before you begin selling your products, the first step is to set up your website. This involves purchasing a domain name, which serves as the web address where customers can find your site.www.CanadaCreate.com or www.sellingdigitalgoods.com.

Next, you will need to acquire a hosting plan. This plan provides your website with the necessary resources to be accessible online.

Consider choosing Bluehost, a well-known hosting provider that comes highly recommended by WordPress.org.

Their hosting plans are very affordable, and they offer a significant discount to CanadaCreate readers, along with a complimentary domain name and SSL certificate.

To take advantage of the discount, click the button below.

After completing these steps, install WordPress, select a theme, and start customizing your website.

For more information, refer to our tutorial on how to create a WordPress website.

Now, let’s explore how to sell on WordPress without using WooCommerce. In this tutorial, we will cover three different methods. You can use the links below to navigate to your preferred method:

Method 1: Selling Digital Downloads on WordPress

If you’re looking to sell digital products on WordPress, this method is perfect for you. You’ll need the Easy Digital Downloads plugin, which is the top choice for digital product eCommerce.

Many of our partner brands use this plugin to sell their own products and have reported great success. For more information, check out our review of Easy Digital Downloads.

Step 1: Install and Activate Easy Digital Downloads

To begin, install and activate the Easy Digital Downloads plugin. For guidance, refer to our tutorial on installing a WordPress plugin.

Step 2: Set Up Your Store Settings

After activation, navigate to the Downloads » Settings section in your WordPress dashboard. Here, you can enter your business name, type, address, city, country, and region. Don’t forget to click the ‘Save Changes’ button.

Next, go to the ‘Currency’ tab to specify the currency you will accept in your store.

By default, Easy Digital Downloads creates several pages for your online store. If you prefer to redirect users to a custom page you created, you can switch to the ‘Pages’ tab.

Use the dropdown menu to select an existing page, such as a checkout page, confirmation page, or receipt page.

Next, navigate to the ‘Payments’ tab at the top and select the payment gateways you wish to integrate into your website.

After that, enter your Stripe or PayPal account information to finalize the integration. You can also choose a default payment gateway, customize checkout page options, and set up invoices with various settings.

For more information, check out our tutorial on how to sell music online using WordPress.

Then, go to the ‘Emails’ tab and input the email address and name that will appear when sending messages to customers.

Finally, click the ‘Save Changes’ button to apply your settings. You can also adjust additional options to suit your preferences or leave them as default.

Step 3: Add Your Digital Product

Now head to the Downloads » Downloads section in the WordPress dashboard and click the ‘Add New’ button.

This will launch the block editor, where you can enter a name for your digital product. In the block panel on the right, you can select a category, add tags, and upload an image for your product.

You can customize the product description to fit your specific needs.

Next, navigate to the ‘Download Files’ section, enter a name for your file, click the ‘Add New File’ button, and upload your PDF, music file, or ebook from your computer.

After that, go to the ‘Pricing Options’ section and set the price for your product.

Finally, click the ‘Publish’ button to save your settings. You can repeat this process to add more products to your online store.

Then, visit your WordPress site to see your eCommerce website in action.

For more detailed guidance, check out our step-by-step tutorial on selling digital downloads on WordPress.

Method 2: Selling Subscriptions on WordPress

If you intend to sell subscriptions or personal services, this method is perfect for you.

Consider using WP Simple Pay, the leading WordPress Stripe plugin available. Our testing shows it features a visual builder, pre-designed templates, and seamless integration with the Stripe payment gateway, making it an excellent option.

For further details on how it operates, refer to our comprehensive WP Simple Pay review.

Step 1: Install and Configure WP Simple Pay

Begin by installing and activating the WP Simple Pay plugin. For guidance, refer to our tutorial on installing a WordPress plugin.

After activation, a setup wizard will appear on your screen. Click the ‘Let’s Get Started’ button to proceed.

You will be taken to a new page where you need to enter your license key. This information can be found in your account on the WP Simple Pay website.

Next, click the ‘Activate and Continue’ button to move forward.

You will then be prompted to connect your plugin with Stripe. To do this, click the ‘Connect with Stripe’ button.

This will redirect you to a new screen where you need to log in to your Stripe account to establish the connection with WP Simple Pay. If you don’t have an account yet, you can create one by visiting the Stripe website.

For further information, check out our tutorial on accepting Stripe payments in WordPress.

Step 2: Create a Subscription Payment Form

You will now be prompted to provide additional details that you can customize as per your preferences. Once completed, navigate to the WP Simple Pay » Add NewAccess the page within your WordPress dashboard.

You will find a selection of pre-designed templates. Click the ‘Use Template’ button located under the ‘Payment Form’ template.

You will be directed to the ‘Add New Payment Form’ page, where you can enter a name and description for your form.

Next, select ‘On-site payment form’ as your chosen form type.

Then, navigate to the ‘Payments’ tab in the left column and scroll down to the ‘Price Options’ section. Toggle the switch next to the pricing field to select ‘Subscription’.

After that, input the pricing details and set the billing period to your preference. For instance, if you wish to charge customers monthly for a subscription, select 1 month as the billing period.

To offer multiple subscription plans, click the ‘Add Price’ button at the top. This will prompt you to enter pricing details for your additional subscription plan.

Next, scroll down to the ‘Payment Methods’ section and check the boxes for the payment gateways you wish to include.

WP Simple Pay also supports Klarna, Affirm, SEPA, and AliPay, but you will need the pro version to access these features.

Next, navigate to the ‘Form Fields’ tab. Here, you will find the default fields for the payment form, which include the email address, price selector, and payment methods.

You can also add additional fields such as address, phone number, and name by selecting them from the dropdown menu at the top. For further guidance, check out our tutorial on selling personal training services using WordPress.

Step 3: Publish Your Payment Form

Lastly, go to the ‘Payment Page’ section and tick the box labeled ‘Enable a dedicated payment page.’

WP Simple Pay will generate a custom payment form page for you. You can personalize the URL and select a background color that suits your style.

Once done, simply click the ‘Publish’ button to save your settings.

Now, head over to your WordPress site to see the subscription payment form in action.

For additional guidance, refer to our tutorial on creating a WordPress form with payment options.

Method 3: Selling Limited Physical Products on WordPress

If you wish to sell a small number of products on your website without setting up a complete online store, this method is ideal for you.

WPForms is the leading contact form plugin for WordPress, featuring over 2000 pre-designed templates, an intuitive drag-and-drop builder, and robust spam protection. It’s ideal for selling gift cards, individual products, memberships, personal services, and more.

At CanadaCreate, we utilize this tool for our annual surveys and contact forms, and we find it extremely user-friendly for beginners. To discover more, check out our review of WPForms.

Step 1: Install WPForms and the Payment Addon

Begin by installing and activating WPForms. For detailed instructions, refer to our guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.

After activation, navigate to the WPForms » Settings page to input your license key, which you can find in your account on the WPForms website.

Next, go to the WPForms » Addons page and find the ‘PayPal Standard’ addon. Click the ‘Install’ button located beneath it.

Once installed, the payment gateway will be automatically integrated into your form.

Step 2: Create Your Product Order Form

Now, proceed to the WPForms » Add NewNavigate to the WordPress dashboard and create a new form by entering a name for it.

Next, click the ‘Use Template’ button for your desired template. For example, if you offer food supplements on your food blog, select the ‘Billing/Order Form’ template.

This will launch the drag-and-drop builder, displaying a form preview on the right and form fields on the left. You can now customize these fields by adding, removing, or rearranging them as you wish.

For detailed guidance, refer to our tutorial on creating an online order form in WordPress.

Click on the ‘Available Items’ field to access its settings in the left column.

Here, you can input the names and prices of the food supplements you offer.

Afterward, go to the ‘Payments’ tab and select the ‘PayPal Standard’ option. Then, enable the ‘PayPal Standard payments’ toggle.

Now, enter your payment gateway information to integrate it with your form. Finally, click the ‘Save’ button at the top to save your settings.

Step 3: Embed the Form on Your Website

Once completed, navigate to the WordPress page or post where you want to embed your form. Click the ‘Add Block’ (+) button to open the block menu and insert the ‘WPForms’ block.

Next, choose the form you created from the dropdown menu in the block. Then, click the ‘Update’ or ‘Publish’ button to save your changes.

Now, go to your WordPress site to see the form in action.

Customers can complete this form to purchase your dietary supplements and pay via PayPal.

Remember, WPForms also provides a variety of form templates specifically for subscription plans.

Therefore, if you want to offer memberships or recurring services alongside a limited selection of products, this tool could be the ideal solution.

This brings up an important question: when should you choose WP Simple Pay over WPForms for managing subscriptions? WP Simple Pay is preferable if your business primarily focuses on recurring payments, as it offers more robust subscription features.

Conversely, if you simply need to add a basic subscription option to a versatile form builder that you use for other forms, then WPForms is the perfect all-in-one solution.

Additional Guides to Assist You in Setting Up a Store on WordPress

If you’re looking for more guides related to establishing a store on WordPress, check out these articles:

• Beginner’s Guide to WordPress eCommerce Setup (7 Product Types)
• What Are the Real Costs of Ecommerce Websites?
• A Step-by-Step Guide to Integrating Shopify with WordPress
• Affordable Strategies to Grow Your Online Business
• Creating an Online Marketplace with WordPress: A Complete Guide
• Essential Ecommerce Website Maintenance Tips for Your Online Store
• Over 70 Statistics on Shopping Cart Abandonment: Insights from Experts

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