Adding eCommerce to website in minutes (beginner-friendly guide)

If you’re looking to turn your website into a thriving online store, but don’t want to navigate the complex world of coding and integrations, you’re in the right place.

In this article, we’ll walk you through the different options available to add eCommerce functionality to your website. Whether you’re looking to add simple Buy Now buttons or a full-fledged shopping cart, there are plenty of solutions out there to fit your needs.

We’ll cover everything from using Sellfy’s embed options to standalone platforms like Shopify and plugins like WooCommerce.

By the end of this article, you’ll have a clear understanding of the different options available to add eCommerce functionality and be able to make an informed decision on which solution is right for you.

How to add eCommerce to a website by yourself

Adding eCommerce functionality to your website all on your own can seem like a daunting task (it certainly did to me).

But, I promise you, with the right tools, it can be a breeze. 

In this guide, I’ll show you how to add eCommerce functionality with a user-friendly solution like Sellfy—something I wish I had done back in the day when I was managing a WordPress blog and struggling with WooCommerce.

That’s why I am here to guide you through the process so you don’t end up feeling as frustrated as I did.

With Sellfy, you can create an online store in minutes, and it’s perfect for those who are just starting out.

It’s also designed to integrate seamlessly with your website (using embeddable product widgets or shopping carts), so no technical skills are required.

This allows you to showcase and sell your products directly from your site while benefiting from Sellfy’s eCommerce features and secure checkout process.

To get started, all you need to do is sign up for Sellfy. You can either begin with a 14-day free trial to test out all the features, or opt for a subscription plan.

Sell online with Sellfy

Start free trial

Generally, Sellfy offers two options for website owners who want to sell products directly from their site:

The first is to embed Sellfy onto the website, while the second is to link from the website to Sellfy.

Let’s go over all of them.

1. Encourage sales with an embeddable Buy Now button

The Buy Now button is a simple yet powerful tool that allows you to add a Buy Now or Add to Cart button directly to your website. It can be customized in terms of color, size, and style to match your website’s aesthetics.

When visitors click the button, they are directed to a secure Sellfy checkout page where they can complete the purchase.

To embed the Buy Now button into your website, you need to copy and paste a code snippet into your existing website code. 

You can generate the embed code and insert the button on your site using one of two methods: 1) the Get code generator, or 2) the Product preview page.

To use the Get code generator:

1. Go to Store settings > Embed options.
2. Click on the Buy now button under Choose embed type.
3. Select the product from the drop-down menu.
4. Customize the Buy now button (text only).
5. Preview the result (to refresh the preview and see the text change click anywhere outside of the button text entry field after entering the new button text)
6. Copy and paste the code into your website code where you want to display the button. 

To embed from the Product preview:

1. Navigate to the Products section on your Sellfy account.
2. Choose the product you want to embed from your list of available products.
3. Once you’ve selected the product, click on the Share & Embed button located to the right of the product price.
4. This will open up a pop-up window with a code displayed.
5. Copy the code below the Buy Now button.
6. Finally, paste the code into the section of your website’s HTML where you want the product preview to be displayed.

Once you’ve added the Buy Now button to your website, you can personalize it to match your website’s design.

Sellfy offers two options for customization: 1) modifying the shape and color to match your Sellfy store (easy), or 2) creating a unique button using the HTML embed code (advanced).

To modify the shape and color of your buttons:

1. Navigate to the Store Customizer > Store style. 
2. Then, scroll down to Button styles. From there, you can adjust the button color, text color, corner shape, and outline. 
3. Lastly, save your changes by clicking on the Publish button.

To create a unique button using the HTML embed code, please follow our in-depth guide on how to create a custom button.

2. Showcase one or several products with a product widget

Sellfy offers two different product widgets: Single Product and All Products. These widgets enable you to showcase an individual product, all products or a product category on your website.

They can be embedded on product pages, blog posts, or any webpage to display product details, images, pricing, and a Buy Now button.

The widgets can be easily customized to fit your branding and layout.

If you want to display an entire product on your website, including preview images and the product description, then you can embed it using the Single Product option. 

Here are the steps to follow:

1. Go to Store Settings > Embed options.
2. Click on Single product.
3. Choose the product you want to embed from the list.
4. Scroll down to find the code in the text box and copy it.
5. Paste the code into your website’s HTML or Javascript editor.

To display all the products available on your store page in a single window, you can choose to embed them on your site page. This allows you to add the store pages, search feature, and other functions provided by the store.

If you want to embed all products or a product category, follow these steps:

1. Click on Store Settings and navigate to Embed options.
2. Choose All products.
3. If you have product categories, you can select the category you want to embed from the dropdown menu.
4. Scroll down and copy the code from the text box.
5. Paste the code into the HTML or Javascript editor on your website.

3. Embed the Shopping Cart feature for multi-product purchases

If you want to let your customers purchase multiple products with a single transaction, you can embed the Shopping Cart feature directly onto your website. 

However, it’s important to note that this feature is only compatible with products that have been embedded from Sellfy.

Here’s how you can add the Shopping Cart feature to your site:

1. Navigate to the Store settings and locate the Embed options.
2. Choose the Buy Now button from the available embed types.
3. Select the product you want to add to the Shopping Cart from the drop-down menu.
4. Scroll down to the Add shopping cart button and copy the generated code. 
5. Finally, paste the code into the HTML of your website.

Keep in mind that the Shopping Cart feature won’t work properly if used alone or with other services. Your customers will be prompted to checkout after selecting the Buy Now button if the feature is not enabled.

4. Keep it personalized by linking your website to Sellfy

To link your website to Sellfy, it is important to note that you will need access to your website code and some basic coding knowledge. 

If you prefer to use custom buttons instead of embedding Sellfy, you can do so by simply linking a button from your website to any of your Sellfy store pages. 

This can be done by copying the unique URL from the address bar or from a single product page.

For instance, a seller who has linked a custom button from their website to a Sellfy product page copy-pasted the unique product page URL. 

They also linked their website in the Sellfy store Navigation menu “RETURN TO SITE” which allows customers to easily navigate back to their blog. You can learn how to do this by checking out this helpful guide.

We’ve also provided detailed instructions on how to integrate Sellfy with:

• WordPress
• Squarespace
• Wix

Types of eCommerce solutions

In this section, we’ll explore various types of solutions (plugins and standalone platforms) that can add eCommerce functionality to your website. So, let’s dive in.

1. Plugins

To add eCommerce functionality to your existing website, a range of powerful plugins can simplify this process and make it easier to set up, manage, and optimize your online store.

Here are some of the most popular plugins for eCommerce:

• WooCommerce—the leader for eCommerce on WordPress websites. It’s a versatile and free plugin that offers all kinds of features, from product management to payment gateways. Plus, a vast library of add-ons and themes is available to enhance the functionality and aesthetics of your store.
• Easy Digital Downloads—if you’re a WordPress user focused on selling digital products, Easy Digital Downloads is an excellent choice. It’s a lightweight plugin specifically designed for digital goods (eBooks, art, software, etc.).
• Drupal Commerce—if you’re using Drupal as your content management system, Drupal Commerce is a powerful plugin that offers eCommerce functionality and integrates seamlessly with Drupal websites.
• Joomla VirtueMart—VirtueMart is an eCommerce extension for Joomla. It enables you to add online shopping functionality to your Joomla website and offers various customization options.
• Ecwid—a versatile and user-friendly plugin that can be easily integrated into various website platforms. It offers a free plan with essential features and paid plans with advanced functionalities.
• Jigoshop—a popular eCommerce plugin for WordPress, providing features for building and managing online stores.
• WooCart—if you’re looking for a WooCommerce solution without the need for self-hosting, WooCart offers a cloud-based version.
• UltraCart—a robust cloud-based shopping cart solution that can be integrated with existing websites.

2. Standalone

If you don’t have an existing website and you’d rather have an all-in-one solution instead of plugins, then Sellfy is an excellent option. 

Not only does Sellfy offer embeddable widgets and shopping carts, but the platform also provides a complete and ready-made online store so you don’t need to build a website from scratch. 

This makes it incredibly accessible for those who don’t have web development experience.

In addition, Sellfy provides customization options: you can select a pre-designed store theme or personalize the appearance of your store to align with your brand.

Sellfy makes it easy to manage your products, and integrates with multiple payment gateways so you can accept payments securely. This includes options such as PayPal and Stripe.

One of the best things about Sellfy is that it comes with essential marketing tools, like the ability to create discounts, set up email marketing campaigns, and optimize your product pages for search engines.

If you’re selling digital products like eBooks, music, or software, Sellfy automates the delivery process. This means that customers will receive download links and get access to their purchased content instantly.

Another alternative to Sellfy is Shopify—an eCommerce platform with built-in hosting and an easy-to-use interface.

Shopify’s main advantage is that it’s more than just an eCommerce platform, it’s a whole ecosystem that includes 3000+ useful apps and countless store themes.

However, there’s a catch:

Shopify is marketed as a user-friendly solution, but in reality, there is still a significant learning curve to navigate. While development skills are not required, the abundance of instructional materials available suggests that the platform can be challenging to master.

So, that’s just something to keep in mind in case you decide to go for Shopify.

FAQ: adding eCommerce to website

How do I add eCommerce to my WordPress site?

How much does it cost to set up an eCommerce website?

TRANSLATE with x

English

Arabic	Hebrew	Polish
Bulgarian	Hindi	Portuguese
Catalan	Hmong Daw	Romanian
Chinese Simplified	Hungarian	Russian
Chinese Traditional	Indonesian	Slovak
Czech	Italian	Slovenian
Danish	Japanese	Spanish
Dutch	Klingon	Swedish
English	Korean	Thai
Estonian	Latvian	Turkish
Finnish	Lithuanian	Ukrainian
French	Malay	Urdu
German	Maltese	Vietnamese
Greek	Norwegian	Welsh
Haitian Creole	Persian

TRANSLATE with

COPY THE URL BELOW

Back

EMBED THE SNIPPET BELOW IN YOUR SITE

Enable collaborative features and customize widget: Bing Webmaster Portal

Back