Product Custom Post Type WordPress Review Site

I created this Product review site as a side project to learn more about WordPress. I have always been interested in trying new things, and after discovering WordPress, I knew that this would be a great fit for me. Plus, I already had a lot of the content in my eCommerce store so it made sense to flip the script and use WordPress for this rather than another platform.

This site is meant to be a place for people to come and find information about WordPress products (mostly affiliate products related to eCommerce).

There is a lot of information on the web regarding WordPress product reviews, but I didn’t find any comprehensive sites that broke down the differences in the various platforms (i.e., WooCommerce, Shopify, E-commerce, and so on). So I thought I would create one.

Why WooCommerce

WooCommerce is one of the most popular WordPress eCommerce platforms out there. It was originally designed to help with eCommerce stores on a limited budget. The software is free, and you can use it to build an online store that accepts online payments (i.e., Stripe, PayPal, and so on).

WooCommerce has a large community. There are several online forums that you can participate in to get help or just to learn more about what the platform offers. One of the best places to get help is the WooCommerce Stack Exchange. There is also a very active community-driven Slack channel that you can join.

Why Shopify

Shopify is another popular choice amongst eCommerce stores. It is a bit more complex than WooCommerce, but has a lot of the same functionalities. I have personally used both platforms, and found that they work fairly well together. Shopify is free, like WooCommerce, and has a decent amount of functionality for the price. I think it’s great for beginner online store owners who haven’t built up much of a platform yet.

There is a Shopify support forum where you can get help from experienced users. They can also help you configure your store the way you want it. There is also a weekly newsletter that you can sign up for that contains useful information about Shopify.

Why E-commerce

E-commerce is the umbrella term for any store that sells online-only. This can include online marketplaces that sell physical products, online stores that sell digital goods, and more.

You build an eCommerce store when you purchase a product or service from a third party and then display that product (i.e., a digital good) on your website. Once a user purchases that product, it is then available for them to download or consume.

E-commerce stores generally use a content management system (CMS) to build out their websites. There are several popular choices for CMSs, but the best thing about them is that they make it very easy to build out a basic store with just a few clicks of the mouse.

The most basic functionalities that you’ll need to build an eCommerce store are: product listings, online ordering, and shipping. Depending on how advanced you want your store to be, you can then move into more complex functions (i.e., online marketing, SEO, content strategy, and so on).

The great thing about eCommerce stores is that they are very easy to set up and can then be used as a basis for further expansion. If you are looking to get started with online selling, I would recommend checking out Shopify as it makes setting up an eCommerce store extremely easy.

Why WooCommerce vs. Shopify

First off, let me say that WooCommerce and Shopify are both excellent choices for eCommerce store platforms. They both have a decent amount of users who are actively using them, and for the most part, can get the job done. You should consider both of them when choosing a CMS for your eCommerce store.

However, for someone who is just getting started, it would be wise to consider which one they will find the easiest to use. I would recommend reviewing the documentation for both of them to see which one is the most accessible for beginner store owners.

Features Of This Site

This site is an informational site, so I didn’t want to go overboard with the features. I mainly wanted to have something that would be useful for people who are just getting started. So I didn’t go crazy with the templates or the design choices. I just wanted to keep it simple and to the point.

I primarily used the WP Review API to gather the product reviews. This API searches for reviews on specific keywords, so you don’t have to worry about missing out on any good content. It also brings up reviews from multiple sources (i.e., social media, blogs, news articles, and so on).

One of the main things that I used the WP Review API for is the online ordering. Most review sites will list the various advantages and disadvantages of each product, along with pricing information (if available). With the WP Review API, you can create automated orders based on that content. So when a user adds a product to their cart, they will see an order confirmation screen with their purchased items (which they can then download or consume).

If you are looking to create an eCommerce store where users can browse products and make purchases, I would recommend checking out WooCommerce. It has a large community of people who are willing to help, as well as a decent amount of online resources that you can use to get up and running quickly.

Thanks for reading! I hope this was a helpful overview of the various types of WordPress product review sites available. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave me a note below!