Project Overview
My goal was to execute an e-commerce website using WordPress. I chose to sell stuffed animals on my website.
The Challenge
This project entailed a deep dive into WordPress and its popular e-commerce plugin, WooCommerce, to construct an online store that appears fully functional. The primary hurdle I encountered was in the customization of the chosen theme, “Blossom Diaries.” The challenge lay in meticulously identifying and selecting the specific elements to be styled in my CSS, ensuring that each aspect of the site not only aligned with the desired aesthetic but also enhanced the user experience. This process involved a careful balance of creativity and technical skill, as I navigated through various design options to achieve a cohesive and appealing online presence.
The Solution
My decision to sell stuffed animals drove the design process. I focused on creating a cute, inviting design that would appeal to adults as my target customer. I named the store “Hallie’s Friends.” This name is playful and simple, resonating with the overarching theme. The tagline “Hug a Little Happiness Today!” also embraces the inviting tone I wanted to achieve. Likewise, the link pink background creates a cozy atmosphere. On my home page, I chose this friendly bear to welcome my customers.
Since I wanted a simple website, I separated my products into just two categories: Big Friends and Small Friends, mirroring the branding.
I chose the photos of the stuffed animals with intent. The white backdrop reflects the simple site design, allowing the customer to connect easily with the products. Moreover, I crafted cute names for each stuffed animal that adds to the playfulness of my store.
WooCommerce allows you to put items on sale. I used this feature for my Big Friends.
Each stuffed animal has a fun description. A brief overview is visible to the right of the product image. Customers can learn more about the stuffed animal by scrolling down to the “Description” tab, where a longer blurb is written. Moreover, product features are available under “Additional Information.” I incorporated the “Related products” feature, as it encourages customers to continue shopping.
Lastly, the cart reflects the simple design and appears fully functional, like a real e-commerce site.
The Results
This project was straightforward and enjoyable. I learned how powerful a tool WordPress is and the various ways it can be used. Moreover, I discovered tricks to customizing a theme. As I mentioned, this was the biggest challenge I encountered. By using the “inspect” feature on Chrome, I examined the code and determined the correct elements to call in my custom CSS. I had a really fun time designing and conceptualizing this e-commerce site. In the future, I can easily implement the WooCommerce plugin to streamline the design process of other e-commerce sites.