WordPress is a CMS (content management system) that allows you to create websites without specialized knowledge of HTML or CSS (cascading style sheets). It’s easy to use even for beginners with no website creation experience, and in Japan it is often used for publishing blog posts, opening an online store, or creating online courses.

To build an ecommerce site with WordPress and sell products or services on your site, you need to implement payment functionality. But what is the best way to integrate online payments into WordPress? This article explains the methods for adding payment functionality to WordPress, recommended payment methods, and the benefits and considerations of running an ecommerce site on WordPress—foundational knowledge for anyone starting an ecommerce business in Japan.

What’s in this article?

• How to add payment functionality to a WordPress site
  
• Recommended payment methods to use on a WordPress site
  
• Key functionality for ecommerce sites on WordPress
  
• Benefits of operating an ecommerce site on WordPress
  
• Points to note when running an ecommerce site on WordPress
  
• Ecommerce alternatives to WordPress
  
• How Stripe Checkout can help
  

How to add payment functionality to a WordPress site

There are two ways to add payment functionality to a WordPress site:

Plugins

The first method for adding payment functionality to WordPress is to install an ecommerce (EC) plugin that will enable the use of online payments on your WordPress site.

A plugin, also known as an “extension,” is a program that adds functionality to existing software or systems, such as WordPress, with the goal of enhancing the usability of a website. For WordPress, there are a variety of plugins designed to enhance site functionality and flexibility. For plugins specifically focused on ecommerce payments, WooCommerce stands out as a prime example.

An advantage of adding payment functionality to your site using plugins is that, in most cases, installation is free. However, while the implementation cost is zero, once payment functionality has been enabled, a fee will be charged each time a payment is completed. One drawback of plugins is that if there is poor compatibility with other installed plugins, there might be problems such as the site not displaying correctly. Before installing a plugin, make sure to create a backup of your current site so you can easily restore and fix potential problems.

Online payment services

The second method for adding payment functionality to WordPress is to integrate with an external online payment service such as ASP-EC. By using an external service, you won’t need to handle everything yourself, and it’s relatively easy to set up an ecommerce site as long as you follow the instructions. The general procedure is as follows: sign up for the service, then embed the payment URL in your WordPress site. Payment functionality is now enabled.

One advantage of this method is that it allows you to operate, for example, both a blog and an ecommerce site under the same domain URL. This means you can maximize the synergistic effect of blogging and ecommerce functionality on a single site. You’ll also avoid problems associated with plugin installations.

However, this method does come with some disadvantages. Integrating with WordPress requires both an initial setup fee and a monthly subscription fee. Furthermore, since WordPress and ASP-EC have separate accounts and administrative interfaces, there’s no ability for centralized management, which could make business operations more cumbersome.

Recommended payment methods to use on a WordPress site

Let’s take a look at data from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communication to see which payment methods are best-suited for ecommerce sites built on WordPress.

According to the data, the following payment methods were the most frequently used when buying goods online in 2023 (survey respondents could provide multiple answers):

• Credit card payments: 76.7%
  
• Electronic money payments: 38.5%
  
• Konbini (convenience store) payments: 34.7%
  
• Payments at bank or post office counters and ATMs: 23.0%
  
• Internet banking: 21.9%
  
• Cash on delivery (COD): 17.8%
  

Among these, credit card payments are the clear leader, with a usage of more than 75%, followed by electronic money payments including QR code payments and konbini (convenience store) payments, each of which exceeded 30%. This indicates that these three payment methods are particularly prevalent within the ecommerce market. Therefore, it’d be a good idea to prioritize integrating them into your site.

However, depending on the target customer segment, other payment methods such as bank transfers might be preferred. So it’s important to select products and services based on a clear understanding of customer needs. For example, by introducing bank payments that anyone with an account can use, you can effectively reach customers from older generations or those who don’t have credit cards. Therefore, it’s probably a good idea to offer bank transfers as an option.

Key functionality for ecommerce sites on WordPress

In addition to payment processing, there are other functions necessary when creating an ecommerce site with WordPress. These include:

Shopping cart

One feature that all online stores have is a shopping cart or basket. As users add items they want to purchase to their cart, the total price is automatically calculated. Additionally, clicking the cart icon displays a list of items in the cart along with their quantities, allowing users to easily remove unwanted items or change quantities directly within the cart.

Information management

To operate an ecommerce business, every site needs functionality for managing information on the following:

• Customers
  
• Products
  
• Orders (or returns)
  
• Inventory
  
• Sales
  

Managing this information manually would require a tremendous amount of effort, so it’s a good idea to use an automated management system. This makes it easier to handle everyday tasks and develop marketing strategies.

Security

To enhance the security of an e-commerce site built with WordPress, implement security features and enforce measures to prevent issues such as personal information leaks. For example, a plugin that enforces the locking of an account after a certain number of failed login attempts can be useful. Additionally, two-step verification via email, text message, or smartphone app can prevent logins by malicious third parties that have obtained passwords illegally, thereby reducing the risk of unauthorized use.

Marketing

Promotional activities help increase revenue on an ecommerce site by attracting customers and driving sales. Examples include sending email newsletters to registered customers, holding sales events, and distributing coupons and promo codes.

With marketing support functions, you can analyze customer segments and understand their needs. This will help you implement strategies to drive sales, such as reconnecting with dormant customers who’ve bought in the past.

Customer support and contact features

Incorporate customer support functions to handle the various inquiries you’ll receive from customers. You can respond to customers by email, phone, or chat. By listening to feedback and concerns from users of your site, you can develop new products and improve service quality. Accurate and prompt communication can also lead to stronger customer engagement.

Benefits of operating an ecommerce site on WordPress　

Implementing online payment processing for WordPress offers the following benefits:

Simple plugins

Using plugins, you can easily implement payment functionality on any WordPress site. This is especially beneficial if you already operate a website with high traffic, as you can leverage that existing audience for your ecommerce business.

SEO optimization

WordPress, with its well-structured program architecture, is highly regarded by Google for search engine optimization (SEO). In other words, the strength of WordPress-powered ecommerce sites lies in their design, which makes it easy for crawlers—the programs that traverse the web and collect data from websites, text files, images, and videos—to understand the site structure. This also makes the site more searchable for users.

Customer acquisition know-how

Businesses and individual bloggers that have successfully driven traffic using WordPress share their proven strategies for free. This allows even beginners to learn from real-world examples of business operations and online payment implementation, and apply this knowledge to their own ecommerce business.

Points to note when running an ecommerce site on WordPress

When running an ecommerce site on WordPress, there are a few points that you should keep in mind:

Security

Any ecommerce site, whether it’s on WordPress or not, needs robust security measures. Furthermore, open-source software such as WordPress, whose source code is publicly available, is more susceptible to attacks. Depending on the plugins and themes you use, there’s a risk of attacks exploiting vulnerabilities. Therefore, when using WordPress, make it a habit to keep it updated to the latest version at all times.

Additionally, it's important to remove any plugins that are installed but no longer needed. Avoid installing plugins simply because they’re popular among WordPress users without understanding their functionality. On the other hand, implementing security plugins or external fraud prevention systems can be beneficial.

Availability of payment methods

When using WordPress for ecommerce operations, be aware that situations could arise where the latest payment methods cannot be supported. This is because, with WordPress, the payment methods available depend on the plugins you’re using. It’s therefore possible that you will not be able to implement the latest services or desired payment methods if you can’t find plugins that support them.

Offering as wide a variety of payment methods as possible helps prevent missed sales opportunities. Therefore, in addition to credit card payments, as discussed earlier, it's advisable to implement at least one other commonly used payment method, such as electronic money payments or konbini payments, and then expand the available options based on customer needs.

To enhance the range of payment options, another approach is to link an external online payment service’s ecommerce system to your WordPress site instead of using plugins, as discussed above. External ecommerce systems typically offer a wide variety of payment methods and continuously add new services, making them an effective means for growing your business over the long term.

Customization expertise

One advantage of using WordPress is its ease of use, even for beginners. However, customizing a site still requires a certain level of expertise and skills in HTML, CSS, and other areas. For example, if you want to make customizations that plugins can’t handle, you might find you need to rewrite the source code yourself. Therefore, building your ideal ecommerce site could require more work than you expected. Without having personnel skilled in programming, making detailed modifications and customizations could prove difficult.

If you want to address these concerns in advance, integrating with an external ecommerce system that offers many features built-in, rather than relying on plugins, might be best. With this approach, you have the flexibility to handle various scenarios using the ecommerce system’s diverse features, without having to spend a great deal of time making intricate changes. While using an ecommerce system does involve significant costs, it might be worth considering if you plan to expand your business operations in the future.

Ecommerce alternatives to WordPress

If you decide that WordPress isn’t right for you, you can also consider starting your ecommerce business using the following methods:

Ecommerce platforms

One alternative to WordPress is to use an ecommerce platform that already includes the systems necessary for building a website. There are various kinds of ecommerce platforms, so it’s important to choose one that suits your brand and products and aligns with your future business vision. When making your selection, evaluate the features, the product support, and the cost-effectiveness before making a decision.

Ecommerce malls

Instead of operating your own ecommerce site, you can also sell your products or services by opening a store on an ecommerce marketplace, also known as an ecommerce mall. With an ecommerce mall, you can launch your business using a prebuilt ecommerce system without having to build a site from scratch, saving you both time and effort. Furthermore, using an ecommerce mall that is already well known might make it easier to attract customers compared to pursuing sales activities on a standalone site.

Social commerce

Instead of, or in addition to, using a conventional ecommerce site, you can also sell products and services using social commerce, which combines social media with ecommerce. Many people use social media platforms every day, so social commerce holds potential as a new sales method on these platforms. For example, with live commerce, one type of social commerce, you livestream on social media to introduce products and services in real time, and make sales directly from there. With social commerce, you can effectively connect with users in a way that is unique to social media.

How Stripe Checkout can help

Stripe Checkout is a fully customizable prebuilt payment form that makes it easy for you to accept payments on your website or application.

Checkout can help you:

• Increase conversion: Checkout’s mobile-optimized design and one-click checkout flow make it simple for customers to input and reuse their payment information

• Reduce development time: Embed Checkout directly into your site, or direct customers to a Stripe-hosted page, with just a few lines of code

• Improve security: Checkout handles sensitive card data, simplifying PCI compliance

• Expand globally: Localize pricing in 100+ currencies with Adaptive Pricing, which supports 30+ languages and dynamically displays the payment methods most likely to improve conversion

• Use advanced features: Integrate Checkout with other Stripe products, such as Billing for subscriptions, Radar for fraud prevention, and more

• Maintain control: Fully customize the checkout experience, including saving payment methods and setting up post-purchase actions

Learn more about how Checkout can optimize your payment flow, or get started today.