This is one of the earliest to come on the scene. It is one of the most popular plugins, and for good reasons. The developers of this plugin have put a lot of effort into optimizing every aspect of it. They’re continually listening to users requests and improving the software. Since it has been worked on for a long time, you can count on comprehensive documentation, support community, and stability.
Is it Really Free?
First, it is indeed a great plugin…but it’s not completely free. The basic functionality of the shopping cart is free. But some essential functionality, such as product search and a grid view of products are only possible through paid extension(s). I still think it’s a fair deal. You get to download and use the basic shopping cart, see how you like it (or not), and then buy any extensions you need. The cool thing is that you don’t need to pay for more than what you need.
Available Paid Extensions
Here’s a list of the commercial extensions that WP e-Commerce supports.
Gold Cart Bundle ($40 personal / $195 Business)
This bundle includes the product grid view, product search, multiple image uploads, as well as additional payment options and gateways. Additionally, almost all other extensions require this one as basis to function.
DropShop 2.0 ($100*)
This is a nifty addition to the shopping cart that allows users to add products to the shopping cart using mouse drag and drop. You can see this functionality in action on this website.
Members Only ($25*)
This module allows you to create protected posts, pages, and files that are only accessible to paid members.
Product Slider ($25*)
This is another fancy addition to the shopping cart. It’s a smooth product slider. You can see it in use on this website.
MP3 Audio Player ($10*)
If you sell audio files on your website, this extension can be very handy. It simply creates a preview of the uploaded audio file and adds a player to audio product page.
NextGEN Gallery Buy Button ($10)
If you’re a photographer and would like to sell your photos, which are organized on your website using the NextGEN gallery plugin, you’ll find this extension useful.
* To use this feature you need to also purchase the Gold Cart Bundle.
Support and Documentation
The developers are trying to crowd-source the support for the software. That is, in addition to answering users questions in the forums, they’re trying to foster a community of support users. To get support, you can try to post in the plugin’s forum. The makers don’t provide other ways for their users to get in touch with them, such as email or support desk.
As for documentation, it is very useful and comprehensive. You can read the FAQs here, or you can read installation and usage documentation here. There are even video tutorials that you can watch and learn from.
Hosted WP e-Commerce Solution
You can also use WP e-Commerce as a service where every thing is hosted and managed on your behalf. Basic subscription is free, but getting additional functionality and lifting some restrictions cost a little. You can check out the managed WP e-Commerce solution at GetShopped.org.
More WP e-Commerce Resources
- Complete list of features
- Websites using WP e-Commerce
- WordPress consultants and designers to help you with WP e-Commerce
