What’s happening with WooCommerce at the moment?

Big changes are happening in the world of WooCommerce, and in this article, we’ll explain everything that’s new.

Rebranding to Woo

WooCommerce will now just be ‘Woo’. It started with the logo (which we think is actually pretty smart), and the new name will be dispersed across all the WooCommerce channels over time. This isn’t just a cosmetic makeover, though; Woo is evolving to offer a more integrated and streamlined eCommerce experience. Let’s delve in…

More Functionality Added to the Core WooCommerce Platform, with Fewer Plugins

The WooCommerce business model has always offered the core plugin for free while charging an annual license fee for plugins that extend the base functionality. Payment gateways also take a small percentage of transactions, though this isn’t directly a WooCommerce fee (still something for website owners to bear in mind).

We’ve always been a fan of this model – it allows anyone to open a basic online store for free, and only when that store needs unique functionality can you pick and choose plugins to suit your needs without overpaying.

However, in the majority of commercial WooCommerce stores, this presents a problem – sites can end up relying on a lot of plugins. Plugins aren’t necessarily a bad thing; as long as they are reputable, regularly updated by the authors, and kept up to date by store owners, they should work fine. But bringing more functionality into the core WooCommerce experience makes sense as well. Some of the key new features include:

• Brands – Previously a premium plugin, the ability to create and manage product brands is now built into WooCommerce core (starting from version 9.4). As of Woo 9.6, this feature is enabled by default, making it easier than ever to organize your products.
• WooCommerce Admin – The advanced admin interface, complete with analytics and order summaries, is now part of Woo itself, offering more insights right out of the box.

New Features to Supercharge Your Store

Beyond bringing key plugins into the core, Woo has introduced several other major enhancements to improve performance and usability:

• High-Performance Order Storage (HPOS) – A huge leap forward, HPOS optimizes how orders are processed, making them up to 5x faster and improving checkout speeds by 1.5x.
• Block-Based Checkout – WooCommerce is embracing WordPress’s block editor by rolling out a new, more flexible, and user-friendly checkout experience. This is great, especially as Jambi builds block-based sites by default, meaning we can easily mix WooCommerce functionality with custom blocks.
• Enhanced Shipping Method Display – Shipping options now come with clearer descriptions and estimated delivery times, reducing confusion for customers.
• Improved Block Editor Performance – Editing your store pages is now faster and more responsive thanks to performance optimizations.

What This Means for Store Owners

For WooCommerce store owners, these changes mean less reliance on third-party plugins, faster stores, and a more seamless shopping experience for customers. You’ll be able to manage brands, access better analytics, and benefit from a speedier checkout without having to install extra plugins.

What This Means for Developers

If you’re a developer, Woo’s renewed focus on extensibility means better resources and tools to work with. There’s a dedicated developer newsletter, improved documentation, and updates to the WooCommerce REST API to support custom development. With core features being enhanced, Woo is making it easier to build high-performance eCommerce experiences without excessive custom workarounds.

The Future of Woo

The transition from WooCommerce to Woo isn’t just about branding – it’s a signal that the platform is evolving to be faster, smarter, and more user-friendly. With fewer plugin dependencies, improved performance, and a commitment to flexibility, Woo is shaping up to be an even better choice for online businesses.

So, if you’re already using WooCommerce, these updates should make your life easier. And if you’re considering Woo for your next eCommerce project, there’s never been a better time to jump in!

Got questions about how these changes might affect your store? Get in touch anytime.