In my post 8 Common Questions About Using WordPress, I wrote that you can use WordPress for e-commerce, but “if the primary purpose of your website is to sell products, you may need an e-commerce solution.” Based on some questions a reader asked, I feel the need to clarify this.

You can use WordPress for e-commerce, but WordPress is not an out-of-the-box e-commerce solution. You need a plugin to make it work. If you want to use WordPress for an online store, you should ask yourself the following questions:

1. Am I the type of person willing to learn new skills — in particular am I willing to read documentation and troubleshoot problems and search forums to find the answers I might need to get a WordPress e-commerce plugin to work? In other words, am I a DIYer? For the most part, WordPress plugins are free and some are better supported than others. In my forays into the WordPress plugin universe I’ve read plenty of comments from frustrated users who could not get answers to questions they had about various e-commerce plugins. If you do not want to be one of those users, investigate your options carefully because plugin support is extremely important.
2. How big will my store be? How many products and/or services will I be selling? Plan for the future, not for the present. Does the e-commerce plugin you’re considering have the ability to handle a large inventory?
3. Does the e-commerce plugin offer everything my store needs? What about a payment gateway and security?
4. Do I want a site that integrates several functions — a blog, some pages, the ability to build an online community, and an online store — or do I just want a store?
5. Is cost an issue? Silly question, I know — of course, it is. Okay, then how much of an issue? Using WordPress for e-commerce is usually less expensive than using an e-commerce solution.

If your answers to these questions reveal you to be a “do-it-yourselfer” who wants to create a site that is more than just a store, and who does not want to spend a lot of money getting a online store off the ground, then using WordPress for e-commerce may be for you.

But if your answers to these questions reveal you to be someone who just wants to sell products, wants the site up quickly, and doesn’t want to worry about how it all works, just wants it to work, then you would probably be more comfortable with an e-commerce solution. Costs for e-commerce solutions vary, but you should be able to find one that suits your budget.