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ecommerce:shopping_for_ecommerce_solutions [2021/10/19 21:41] – [Square Online/Weebly] mithatecommerce:shopping_for_ecommerce_solutions [2021/12/25 05:54] (current) – [Square Online/Weebly] mithat
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 **TL;DR:** [[https://woocommerce.com/|WordPress+WooCommerce]] has a lot of potential. More research is needed to evaluate fulfillment features. The plugin-based architecture could create maintenance issues. The reliance on third-party stuff diminishes the FOSS-appeal. **TL;DR:** [[https://woocommerce.com/|WordPress+WooCommerce]] has a lot of potential. More research is needed to evaluate fulfillment features. The plugin-based architecture could create maintenance issues. The reliance on third-party stuff diminishes the FOSS-appeal.
  
-A couple years ago, I set up a trial [[https://woocommerce.com/|WordPress+WooCommerce]] shop  partially to learn its in and outs for client work and partially to see if it would eventually work as a solution for my own shop. This should come as little surprise to those who know what a supporter of FOSS I am.+A couple years ago, I set up a [[https://woocommerce.com/|WordPress+WooCommerce]] shop both to learn its ins and outs for client work and to see if it would eventually work as a solution for my own shop. This should come as little surprise to those who know what a supporter of FOSS I am.
  
 What I found is that while it’s possible to build a shop with WordPress+WooCommerce, to make it useful you’ll need to add some third-party plugins, some by WooCommerce, some not, some FOSS, some not. This arguably turns the open-source platform into a distributed proprietary one. Apart form the compromise in computing ecology this represents, it introduces two additional issues of concern: (1) There’s no guarantee that a third-party plugin you’re relying on will be maintained in the future, and (2) there’s no guarantee that the pricing model for a third party plugin you’re relying on won’t change. It also introduces a couple usability issues for the shop maintainer: the management of features tends to get a little spidery, and updating plugins can be chaotic if done automatically; if done manually a lot of diligence is required. Not a deal-killer, but a bit of a papercut. What I found is that while it’s possible to build a shop with WordPress+WooCommerce, to make it useful you’ll need to add some third-party plugins, some by WooCommerce, some not, some FOSS, some not. This arguably turns the open-source platform into a distributed proprietary one. Apart form the compromise in computing ecology this represents, it introduces two additional issues of concern: (1) There’s no guarantee that a third-party plugin you’re relying on will be maintained in the future, and (2) there’s no guarantee that the pricing model for a third party plugin you’re relying on won’t change. It also introduces a couple usability issues for the shop maintainer: the management of features tends to get a little spidery, and updating plugins can be chaotic if done automatically; if done manually a lot of diligence is required. Not a deal-killer, but a bit of a papercut.
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   * The retail template is functional, but they only offer one, along with a number of styling (font and color) options.   * The retail template is functional, but they only offer one, along with a number of styling (font and color) options.
   * Supports print on demand sales with a [[https://squareup.com/us/en/app-marketplace/app/printful|Printful plugin]].   * Supports print on demand sales with a [[https://squareup.com/us/en/app-marketplace/app/printful|Printful plugin]].
 +  * The store's navigation isn't that flexible or that great.
   * I've been getting a //lot// of emails from Square now, some trying to upsell.   * I've been getting a //lot// of emails from Square now, some trying to upsell.
  
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 ===== Conclusions ===== ===== Conclusions =====
  
-Assuming it passes sales tax testing, it's going to be a fight between Square Online and WooCommerce.+Assuming Square Online passes sales tax testing, it's going to be a close fight between Square Online and WordPress+WooCommerce.
  
 Stay tuned. Stay tuned.
  
ecommerce/shopping_for_ecommerce_solutions.1634679668.txt.gz · Last modified: 2021/10/19 21:41 by mithat

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