I’ve been working with WooCommerce off and on over the years. I’ve installed it on WordPress websites in order to use it for its full capabilities, and I’ve installed it, then disabled WooCommerce functionality in order to meet clients’ business requirements.
It’s pretty common to install the WooCommerce plugin and then customize how the catalog, cart, and, checkout pages display.
It is less common, but happens, that WooCommerce is installed and then portions, like the actual “checkout (purchasing) capability”, is disabled.
Why would you want to remove WooCommerce checkout (place an order) functionality?
Well, three instances that come to mind are:
- One client wanted to use the catalog capabilities so that it could store and display its hundreds of products available for its clientele. Each product ends up being customized with images and print. Each order, then is a custom order, and the price range changes dramatically based on the number of images and the amount and location of text and the quality of the ink and paper materials.
For this client, the pricing range was enormous and posting the range aside the product descriptions and images would look ridiculous to the casual and first-time buyer. This client uses the filtering available via standard WooCommerce within the catalog capabilities, and the add-to-cart and checkout functionality has been disabled. - Another client had me implement WooCommerce disabling all functionality except the display of the product detail page. Then he had me totally customize how the product detail page displayed. Why disable all functionality and still use WooCommerce? The primary reason was so that his non-tech machinists could have a static template for entering their over 20,000 products. All the machinists could be trained at one time. Each would be able to call on another when they needed help, and that would eliminate the need for third-party assistance (from WordPress pros like me). The secondary reason was so that once the catalog was built, the company could offer online sales. Implementing WooCommerce this way was a really smart, cost-effective decision. The staff is building this huge catalog over time, costs are managed as the need for web developers is reduced for now, staff training happened on one occasion, and, they are building the infrastructure for this company’s future!
- A third client actually had the WooCommerce catalog, cart, and shopping experience live, and had me disable the checkout processing, then replace the checkout process with a custom “Print My Order” functionality. Why did that server them? Their volume business is via local contractors. The contractors each receive a buying discount and that changes for each contractor depending on volume.
This client set up this system to help expedite the contractors’ shopping each day. Instead of coming in the shop and running around each morning, the contractors would get online at the end of day the day before and place their order for the next day. My client’s staff would pick the orders and have everything ready for the contractors for 7:00 am the next day. All the contractors had to do was confirm that the contents of the bags (if needed) matched what they had ordered, saving them valuable time each day!
One reason payment on line would not work is because there are a lot of substitutions that contractors deal with each day. If the order were prepaid via the WooCommerce checkout process, then there would be a jam up every morning giving refunds and adding sales, and that jam up would defeat the whole purpose of putting this system in place.
Add Shipment Tracking to a WooCommerce implementation that only uses the Catalog feature
Recently, one of my clients asked me to add Shipment Tracking to their WooCommerce website. “Sure thing”, I responded, forgetting that they do not record nor store their orders in WooCommerce. They only use the catalog feature.
So, then I was faced with a build/buy decision.
Do I design and develop a custom plugin for data entry and information display? I’d need a display screen where one of their clients could enter an order number and have the UPS, FedEx, USPS, or DHL tracking number display. The display screen would need a form at the top to capture the order number and then a section below that for displaying the tracking number. First, I’d need to develop a custom data entry screen for my client to enter the information. Would it really be that simple? Just two fields; the order number and the tracking number? Or would he want to add comments, start date, expected doorstep delivery date? Hummm… Could be more than the client wants to spend and needs to spend.
Maybe a WordPress plugin already exists that allows this minimal type of data entry and display despite the fact that WooCommerce is installed? I was very doubtful because when I first received the request, I did a quick search, and the results were all tied to orders within WooCommerce.
I just felt that a custom system was not the right response for this request. I decided to spend more time searching for a plugin. If I could find one that I could customize, that would be more affordable than creating a custom plugin.
And… after two hours of searching and reading, “OMG”, I can’t tell you how many descriptions and reviews, and installing a few plugins and testing, I FOUND ONE!
Yes, indeed. So if you want to have your customer come to your website to get a tracking number for their order and you don’t use WooCommerce to record orders, I can recommend the “Order Tracking – WordPress Status Tracking Plugin“. It WILL sync with WooCommerce, but you can use it independent of WooCommerce. And, it includes a comment area, so, for this client, I did not have to customize the plugin. I did purchase the premium version so that the client would have expanded functionality and support.
My client’s implementation is very minimal – three fields: Order number, tracking number, and Comment.
I cannot tell you how happy he is with this tool that enables more frequent communication with his clients. It’s simple. It gets them the info they want. It brings them to his website…in case they want more. And, he liked the price to find and implement the plugin.
Another Win-Win-Win here!
Let me know what your clients are asking for that you’ve been hesitating to deliver because the unknown (cost and efforts) is scary! Let’s get it done! Call me… 508-480-883