When you’re at present utilizing Wix and contemplating a transfer to WooCommerce, you is probably not fairly positive the way to get began. The excellent news is that migrating information from Wix to WooCommerce isn’t as difficult as you may suppose! You might have three viable choices for shifting your on-line retailer that we’ll discover in a second.
However first, let’s check out what Wix and WooCommerce are, and evaluate WooCommerce vs. Wix on elements like scalability, ease of use, and pricing.
What’s Wix?
Wix is a proprietary web site constructing platform that provides each a free, restricted plan, alongside a number of premium plans. It bundles all of its web site performance on one platform, together with internet hosting and any ecommerce instruments wanted to run ecommerce web sites. Whereas many web site house owners select Wix for its ease of use, that does come at a worth – by way of price in addition to customizability and management.
What’s WooCommerce?
WooCommerce is an open-source, free plugin that provides ecommerce performance to WordPress. It’s run by Automattic particularly for WordPress, and every part you might want to function an internet retailer, together with product listings, fee assortment, and delivery choices. There’s additionally a library of free and premium extensions that may add extra performance to your retailer.
WordPress and WooCommerce work collectively to offer unparalleled ecommerce options and supreme flexibility and customizability, whereas nonetheless being usable for newcomers and builders alike.
WooCommerce vs. Wix
So how precisely do these two platforms stack up? Let’s check out some key elements.
Management and possession
WordPress is an open-source platform, which signifies that the software program is accessible to the general public, and anybody can use, modify, and research its code freely. What precisely does this imply for retailer house owners?
Along with elevated safety and performance as a result of variety of builders engaged on it, you even have full management over how you utilize it. The code isn’t “locked down,” like that of proprietary instruments like Wix.
You might have full flexibility and management over the design and performance of your web site, and may use it nevertheless you see match. You received’t have to fret about proprietary platforms taking down your ecommerce website with no discover in the event that they resolve you’ve violated their phrases. And, with WordPress, you’ll be able to entry and modify the total supply code of your website, whereas this isn’t potential with Wix.
With WooCommerce, it’s also possible to select any host that you simply’d like, primarily based on issues like safety, options, bandwidth, and pace. When you construct your retailer with Wix, you’re confined to solely utilizing their internet hosting instruments, which may restrict your progress.
Flexibility and customization
Whereas Wix touts itself as a platform with out limits, it nonetheless doesn’t evaluate to the pliability and customization choices that include WordPress and WooCommerce. Listed below are a couple of examples:
Themes/templates
Each WordPress and Wix supply designs that work as a place to begin to your web site. WordPress calls them “themes” and Wix calls them “templates.” And whereas each supply variety of decisions, there are various extra choices accessible with WordPress. Choose from free choices within the WordPress repository, free and premium themes straight from WooCommerce, or any variety of themes made by third-party builders.
And when you ever wish to swap WordPress themes, you’ll be able to simply achieve this. Merely select a brand new theme, preview it in your website, after which activate it. Normally, particularly when you’re utilizing the Block Editor, there can be only a few modifications you’ll must make throughout your website.
Nonetheless, with Wix, you merely can not swap templates on an current website. You would need to switch the location to a brand new occasion, then swap your Premium plan to that new website. And there are fairly a couple of components you’ll be able to’t switch from one website to a different, together with your on-line retailer.
This makes it fairly tough and time-consuming to change templates.
Plugins/add-ons
Once more, each WordPress and Wix supply instruments that you need to use so as to add performance to your on-line retailer. Wix calls these “apps.” WordPress calls them “plugins,” whereas WooCommerce-specific instruments are “extensions.”
Wix does have an app market with an honest variety of choices, from dropshipping and advertising and marketing apps to kind and social media instruments.
However with WordPress and WooCommerce, the alternatives are just about limitless. The WordPress repository, which is fully made up of instruments which might be free and vetted by WordPress, has over 60,000 plugins. You may seek for the proper resolution, and decide primarily based on critiques from actual customers, screenshots, and descriptions.
The WooCommerce extension retailer has lots of of extra free and premium choices, every one particular to the world of promoting on-line. Discover options for advertising and marketing, funds, delivery, buyer administration, and extra. And, lastly, you’ll be able to at all times obtain and set up a premium or free WordPress plugin from third-party builders.
Retailer performance
Each Wix and WooCommerce embody all of the performance wanted to begin and run an internet retailer. Design your web site, record your merchandise, accumulate funds, ship or ship your gadgets just about, and observe up with prospects.
However once more, as a result of open-source nature of WordPress, WooCommerce permits you to create something you’d like, with out limits. If there isn’t an answer already constructed into WooCommerce, there’s nearly actually a plugin or extension accessible to satisfy your wants. And if there nonetheless isn’t an answer, then you’ll be able to rent a developer to create one thing for you, because the software program code is available to view and modify.
With the web site builder from Wix, you don’t have that very same functionality. And also you’ll run into different constraints, too. For instance, you’ll be able to solely embody as much as 15 images for every product. So if in case you have a couple of totally different variations that prospects can select from, it’s possible you’ll not be capable of embody images for all of them.
There are additionally limitations relating to the best way you promote your merchandise. For instance, wholesale promoting isn’t at present potential with Wix, with out an inefficient and restricted workaround. However with WooCommerce, you’ll be able to have a full-fledged wholesale retailer, with customized wholesale roles, role-based pricing, delivery and fee guidelines particular to wholesale prospects, and extra.
Running a blog
Running a blog is a crucial a part of any web site, particularly an internet retailer. And with WooCommerce, you’ll be able to benefit from the highly effective running a blog options of WordPress. You see, WordPress was initially created particularly for running a blog. And whereas it’s expanded far past that now, running a blog remains to be at its core.
Once you create a weblog submit with Wix, you may have entry to a really restricted drag-and-drop editor. For instance, you’ll be able to solely add 13 kinds of components, together with pictures, movies, tables, and buttons.
However once you create a weblog submit with WordPress, you may have entry to the complete block editor (extra on this under). Select from dozens of components, from fundamental paragraphs, pictures, and movies to columns, newest posts, tables, and social media feeds. You should utilize this to actually create distinctive content material that can have interaction potential prospects.
Ease of use
Each Wix and WordPress make the most of a drag and drop editor to create pages and posts. Each allow retailer house owners to construct their complete website visually, with no need to know any code in any respect. Each additionally supply particular person components – paragraphs, pictures, movies, and so forth. – and prebuilt segments like lists of current posts and picture galleries. In WordPress, these are known as “blocks” and “block patterns,” whereas Wix calls them “components” and “sections.”
However one of many largest ways in which the block editor included with WordPress shines is in its flexibility. Whereas there are many blocks and block patterns included by default, it’s also possible to set up WordPress plugins that add much more options and capabilities to the block editor.
For instance, the Jetpack plugin provides a lot of extra blocks, like picture hotspots, social media feeds, and calendars. There are additionally block-specific plugins that embody components like maps, pricing sections, accordions, information containers, and extra – primarily, something you’ll be able to think about.
Each WooCommerce and Wix are thought-about comparatively straightforward to make use of relating to constructing a retailer and creating and managing merchandise. Nonetheless, the pliability and customizability that include WooCommerce push it excessive. Study extra in regards to the WordPress block editor.
Delivery capabilities
When you promote bodily merchandise, delivery is a vital a part of working your on-line retailer. With Wix, you may have a number of delivery choices accessible to you:
- Free delivery
- Flat price delivery
- Weight-based delivery
- Value-based delivery
- Product-based delivery
- Calculate USPS real-time charges
Whereas WooCommerce additionally contains all of those choices, most by default and others utilizing extensions, it’s also possible to:
- Arrange desk price delivery, which helps you to create intricate, customized guidelines for delivery, primarily based on every part from location and worth to weight, merchandise rely or any mixture of those.
- Calculate real-time charges from extra carriers, together with UPS and FedEx.
- Set conditional delivery charges primarily based on elements like consumer function and product class.
- Get discounted delivery labels from USPS and DHL.
As with many different areas that we’ve already checked out, WooCommerce merely affords you extra choices and adaptability than Wix.
Scalability and world promoting
As you develop, you need the ecommerce platform you select to develop with you. And since Wix is a web site builder on a proprietary platform, you might be, sadly, restricted relating to scalability. You’re tied right down to their internet hosting instruments, and restricted relating to the modifications you may make to website efficiency, SEO, and code optimization. You’re additionally restricted relating to the performance and design decisions you may make throughout your on-line retailer.
However you’ll by no means outgrow WordPress and WooCommerce. You may select any host you’d like, primarily based on elements like efficiency, safety, and bandwidth. And you may make any performance alternative imaginable – if there’s not a WordPress plugin for what you want, you’ll be able to work with a developer to create it. To not point out the truth that WordPress and WooCommerce have been constructed for scalability, serving to shops with tens of 1000’s of merchandise and thousands and thousands of consumers discover success. Study extra on this article about WooCommerce scalability.
As you develop, you might also wish to promote globally, although some shops may also wish to achieve this from the start. There are a variety of things to think about right here, together with languages, currencies, and delivery choices.
When you can show costs in a number of currencies with Wix, you can’t really cost for them in a number of currencies. This will make issues way more tough for patrons in a number of nations. However with WooCommerce, there are a number of instruments that make it straightforward so that you can settle for any variety of currencies in your website, and permit guests to change between them.
Assist and neighborhood
Wix gives quite a lot of help choices, relying on the plan you’ve bought. In addition they embody documentation that helps you construct and run your retailer.
WordPress and WooCommerce have a neighborhood help discussion board the place you will get solutions to your whole questions. For premium WooCommerce extensions, reside chat help can also be accessible. Each WordPress and WooCommerce even have in depth, detailed documentation, and a curated video tutorial library.
And the neighborhood that comes with WordPress and WooCommerce is totally unequalled. Because of the open-source nature of the software program, there’s a spirit of helpfulness that merely doesn’t exist with proprietary platforms like Wix. There’s an enormous group of retailer house owners and builders on the market who wish to assist one another succeed.
How do you harness the ability of this neighborhood? Be part of the WooCommerce Slack channel, attend a meetup in your space, or take a look at the official WooCommerce Fb group.
Pricing
On the subject of WooCommerce vs. Wix pricing, WooCommerce clearly stands out. WordPress and WooCommerce are fully free for all core performance – every part you might want to arrange, design, and run the vast majority of on-line shops. All you’ll want is a internet hosting supplier and area identify to retailer your web site information and make it viewable on-line.
Whereas Wix gives a free plan, it’s not a viable possibility for ecommerce shops, as you’ll be able to’t use your individual area identify, your website will show Wix branding all through, and you can’t settle for on-line funds. Ecommerce plans begin at $27 monthly, however prohibit the quantity of space for storing you may have and the variety of movies you’ll be able to host in your web site.
You’ll even have extra restricted options. For instance, with the Enterprise Primary plan, you’ll be able to’t benefit from automated gross sales tax, accumulate and share buyer critiques, supply subscriptions, or accumulate funds in a number of currencies. In order for you entry to all ecommerce options, you’ll want the Enterprise VIP plan, which is $59 monthly.
We’ve talked fairly a bit about WooCommerce extensions right here, which open up the performance and design prospects even additional to your on-line retailer. Whereas many of those are premium instruments, they’re very moderately priced and can help you piece collectively particular options slightly than pay for ones you don’t want.
The add-ons accessible with Wix differ broadly relating to pricing. Some can be found without spending a dime, others as month-to-month subscriptions. For instance, the Google Adverts & Google Procuring app prices $39.99 monthly with Wix. An analogous WooCommerce extension, Google Listings and Adverts, is accessible without spending a dime.
All in all, WooCommerce is a way more cost-effective resolution, whether or not you’re simply beginning out or working an enterprise-level enterprise.
The way to migrate from Wix to WooCommerce
If you have already got an current web site on Wix and are able to migrate to WooCommerce, this part’s for you! There are a couple of totally different paths you’ll be able to take right here, and the proper alternative will rely in your particular wants and expertise degree. Regardless, you’ll first must:
- Select your individual internet hosting plan. Your internet hosting supplier will home your web site information and make it potential for folks to see your website on-line.
- Set up WordPress and WooCommerce. Hottest hosts embody one-click WordPress installations. WooCommerce additionally comes with an easy-to-use setup wizard that can stroll you thru the method of beginning your retailer.
Now, let’s take a look at a couple of methods emigrate from Wix to WooCommerce.
Word: Since Wix is a proprietary system, there’s not a strategy to export your website as an entire and import it to a different platform like WordPress. So this course of will give attention to migrating information, resembling weblog submit content material and pictures, slightly than the design of your web site.
1. Manually migrate your on-line retailer
Need to sort out the migration by yourself? No downside! Listed below are the steps you need to take:
Export your Wix weblog content material
The very first thing you need to do is export your weblog content material from Wix, which you’ll do utilizing your website’s RSS feed. When you haven’t already, you’ll want so as to add an RSS feed button to your present web site. Navigate to a web page within the Wix Editor and click on the + button on the left-hand facet. Choose Weblog → RSS Button, choose the one you’d like, and add it to the web page. Save your modifications.
Now, open your RSS feed by going to https://instance.com/blog-feed.xml, changing “instance.com” along with your web site’s URL. It will present you a web page of code. Proper-click, select Save As, and obtain the file to your laptop.
Import your weblog content material into WordPress
In your WordPress dashboard, go to Instruments → Import. Then, select Set up Now beneath the RSS possibility.
Subsequent, select Run Importer. On the web page that follows, add the file that you simply saved out of your Wix web site and click on Add file and import. Now, you’ll be able to go to Posts → All Posts and look at all the weblog posts you imported.
Nonetheless, this import didn’t embody any of the weblog submit’s pictures. To maneuver your pictures, you’ll want to make use of a plugin known as Auto Add Photographs. Go forward and set up and activate this device in your WordPress website.
To put in any plugin from the WordPress repository, just like the one above, you’ll go to Plugins → Add New. Then, you’ll be able to seek for the plugin by identify, click on Set up now after which Activate.
Now, return to Posts → All Posts and open the Display Choices dropdown on the prime of the dashboard. Change the “Variety of gadgets per web page” discipline to “999” and click on Apply.
It will present 999 weblog posts per web page. If in case you have greater than 999 posts in your website, you’ll nonetheless must take the following step on a number of pages.
Now, verify the clean checkbox subsequent to the Title discipline to pick out all of the posts on the web page.
Select Edit from the Bulk actions dropdown and click on Apply. Now, merely click on the blue Replace button and all the pictures can be introduced in from Wix for these posts.
Export your Wix merchandise
Now, it’s time to maneuver your merchandise. In your Wix dashboard, go to the Merchandise tab. Click on the checkbox on the prime left to pick out your whole merchandise. Click on Extra Actions → Export.
It will obtain a .CSV file to your laptop you can now import into your WooCommerce website.
Import your merchandise into WooCommerce
In your WordPress dashboard, go to Instruments → Import and select Run Importer beneath the WooCommerce Merchandise (CSV) possibility.
Add the product .CSV file you downloaded earlier, then click on Proceed.
Subsequent, on the Column Mapping display screen, WooCommerce will match the columns out of your .CSV file to WooCommerce product fields. You could want to attach a few of these by yourself, which you are able to do with the dropdowns on the proper facet of the web page.
Now, click on Run the Importer and look ahead to the method to complete. On this case, you’ll now must manually add your product pictures to every particular person product.
What about pages? Sadly, Wix doesn’t supply a strategy to export web page content material in any respect, so that you’ll must recreate these in WordPress from scratch.
2. Rent a developer emigrate your ecommerce retailer
When you don’t wish to sort out the steps above by yourself, you’ll be able to at all times rent a developer to deal with every part for you. They can’t solely migrate your Wix retailer to WooCommerce, they’ll additionally design your website as an entire and get you began on the proper foot. It is a nice possibility if you wish to focus extra in your merchandise and advertising and marketing than your retailer setup.
The WooExpert Market is a good place to search out the proper developer to your wants. You may view a listing of companies completely vetted by WooCommerce, then filter them primarily based on language, funds, location, and extra.
3. Simplify the method with the Cart2Cart device
The Cart2Cart extension takes care of the vast majority of the migration give you the results you want, with out requiring you to rent a developer. And when you’re undecided if it would work to your scenario, you’ll be able to take a look at the device at completely no price.
Right here’s a listing of just some issues you can migrate with Cart2Cart:
- Product names, SKUs, descriptions, costs, variations, and pictures.
- Stock administration info like amount and availability.
- search engine optimization information like meta descriptions and titles.
- Buyer and order info like identify, fee technique, order date, and extra.
- Coupon codes.
- Weblog posts and pictures.
You may see a full record of migration information right here. There are additionally extra companies you’ll be able to benefit from, like preserving order IDs and establishing 301 redirects.
Pricing varies relying in your particular retailer, and is predicated on the variety of merchandise, orders, and prospects you may have, in addition to any add-ons you resolve to buy. You should utilize the useful device on the backside of this web page to get an estimate.
You may full the complete migration from Wix to WooCommerce in three easy steps:
- Select your Supply (Wix) and Goal (WooCommerce) platforms.
- Choose the info you wish to switch.
- Run an non-compulsory, free demo migration or proceed with the total migration.
Then, simply look ahead to the method to complete. Not proud of the outcomes? You received’t need to pay something!
What do I do after migrating my information?
Now that you simply’ve moved your website and product information from Wix to WooCommerce, you’ll must construct and design the remainder of your on-line retailer. This useful article about beginning an internet enterprise gives all the small print you might want to create your pages, design your ecommerce web site, add any extensions you’d like, and extra.
As soon as your website is precisely the place you’d prefer it to be, simply level your area identify from Wix to WordPress. It will permit guests to see your new web site once they sort your URL into their browser. Whereas the method of doing this can rely in your area identify supplier and host, Bluehost has a tutorial right here that’s instance of the method.
Often requested questions on WooCommerce vs. Wix
When you nonetheless have questions on shifting from Wix to WordPress and WooCommerce, or the comparisons of Wix vs. WooCommerce, we wish to assist! Discover solutions to incessantly requested questions under.
Can you utilize WooCommerce with Wix?
No, WooCommerce and Wix usually are not appropriate with each other. WooCommerce is a plugin that provides ecommerce performance to a WordPress web site, whereas Wix is a proprietary web site builder platform.
How do I import a product from Wix to WooCommerce?
You might have a number of choices to maneuver merchandise from Wix to WooCommerce. The primary is to export a .CSV record of your merchandise from Wix, then import that .CSV file into your WooCommerce retailer. The import device included with WooCommerce will work to map the fields for every product (e.g. worth, title, description, and so forth.). This technique is totally free, however does require some work in your finish.
Your second possibility is to rent a developer emigrate merchandise for you. Whereas that is the most costly alternative, it’s additionally probably the most hands-off, and permits you to give attention to different elements of working your enterprise.
Lastly, you need to use the Cart2Cart extension emigrate your information from Wix to WooCommerce. Whereas this can be a premium device, it’s extra inexpensive than hiring a developer, and requires little or no work in your finish.
Is it higher to make use of Wix or WordPress?
On the subject of WooCommerce vs. Wix, the platform you select to your on-line retailer will rely in your particular wants. However for almost all of shops, WordPress and WooCommerce are a greater possibility. They provide extra flexibility, scalability, and management than Wix. And so they’re extra inexpensive and supply entry to an unequalled neighborhood of builders and retailer house owners.
Migrate from Wix to WordPress and WooCommerce
When you’ve determined to maneuver your on-line retailer to WooCommerce, welcome! We’re right here to assist with something that you simply want. A fantastic place to get began is with our documentation, which may present solutions to any questions you will have.
Need to see what others are doing with WooCommerce? Try ecommerce shops that cowl all totally different industries, all of that are utilizing WooCommerce to develop their enterprise.
