WooCommerce powers 28% of all online stores. It’s free, flexible, and you own everything. But building a WooCommerce store that actually sells requires more than installing a plugin.
Here’s what London businesses need to know.
Why Choose WooCommerce
Several e-commerce platforms exist. WooCommerce has specific advantages.
Ownership and control: You own your store completely. Not renting from Shopify or others. Full control over design and functionality. No transaction fees beyond payment processing. Host wherever you want.
Flexibility: Unlimited products possible. Sell physical, digital, subscriptions, or bookings. Customize everything without platform limits. Add any functionality through plugins or custom code.
WordPress integration: Built on WordPress, the world’s most popular CMS. Content marketing integrated with your store. Powerful SEO capabilities and a familiar interface.
Cost structure: Free core plugin. Pay only for hosting and the extensions you need. No monthly platform fees. Scales without percentage-based pricing.
Best for businesses wanting complete control and planning to grow significantly.
WooCommerce Development Costs
Price varies widely based on requirements.
Basic store (£3,000-£8,000): Standard WooCommerce setup. Pre-made theme customization. 50-100 products. Basic payment processing and standard shipping. 4-6 week timeline. Good for small businesses starting online.
Custom store (£8,000-£20,000): Custom theme design. 100-500 products. Advanced payment/shipping rules. Product filters and search. Mobile optimization. 8-12 week timeline. Good for growing businesses.
Enterprise store (£20,000-£50,000+): Fully custom functionality. Unlimited products. Multi-currency/language. API integrations. Wholesale and subscription systems. 12-20 week timeline. Good for established businesses with complex needs.
Essential WooCommerce Features
What every store needs to function properly:
Product management: Simple and variable products (sizes, colors), categories, tags, and stock management.
Shopping cart: Add to cart, quantity updates, persistent carts (saved between visits), and cart abandonment recovery.
Checkout: Guest checkout, address validation, multiple payment methods, and SSL security.
Payment processing: Stripe for cards (common in UK), PayPal, Apple Pay, and Google Pay.
Shipping: Flat rate, free shipping thresholds, weight-based rates, and UK/International shipping zones.
WooCommerce vs Shopify
Different platforms for different strengths.
WooCommerce advantages: No monthly platform fees, complete ownership, unlimited customization, and no transaction fees. Better for complex products.
Shopify advantages: Easier initial setup, hosting included, and less technical knowledge needed. Faster to launch.
Cost comparison over 3 years:
Shopify: ~£3,044 total (including 2% transaction fees on £100k sales).
WooCommerce: ~£1,580 total (Setup + Hosting). WooCommerce is significantly cheaper long-term as volume grows.
Performance & Mobile Optimization
Slow stores lose sales. One second faster can mean 7% more sales.
Optimization tactics: Quality hosting, image optimization, lazy loading, and database query cleanup. Targets: Under 3 seconds on 4G and under 2 seconds on desktop.
Mobile Essentials: 60% of traffic is mobile. Requires touch-friendly navigation, responsive design, and express mobile payments (Apple/Google Pay).
Security for Online Stores
E-commerce requires extra security layers. SSL certificates are mandatory. We ensure PCI compliance for payments and use tokenization for saved cards so credit card data is never stored locally.
London-Specific Considerations
Local delivery: Same-day delivery in London zones, local pickup options, and borough-specific shipping rules considering congestion charges.
Multi-channel: Synchronize inventory across your online store and physical London markets or POS systems.
What AlgoSemantic Builds
We build WooCommerce stores specifically for London businesses. Our process includes custom design, mobile optimization, security implementation, and full training.
Recent results: We’ve built fashion boutiques with subscription boxes, electronics retailers with 800+ products, and food delivery systems with location-based rules.
Pricing: Plans ranging from £3,000 to £50,000+ depending on scale. All builds include hosting setup, security, and 3 months of support.
Ready to Build Your Online Store?
We’ll discuss your requirements and give you honest advice on what you need and what it will cost.
Email us: contact@algosemantic.com
Call us: +44 7412 808430
Google Map: 10C Church Ln, Bushwood London, United Kingdom
AlgoSemantic. The algorithm behind your success.
