WooCommerce 9.5 Version Is Here | Latest Features, Changelogs & Release Date

Yes, you heard it right! WooCommerce 9.5 is going to be released on December 16, 2024. With this update, an even better experience is expected for merchants, developers, and users. WooCommerce version 9.5 contains many improvements, upgrades for developers, and, of course, fixed bugs.

Shortly after the rollout of WordPress 6.7, WooCommerce announced this update. This WooCommerce 9.5 release blog will focus on the detailed aspects of the features, changelogs, and what is new in this WooCommerce version, along with the breakup of all the factors into parts that are easy to follow.

WooCommerce 9.5 Key Highlights

So, before we dive deeper into the update, here are the top highlights of WooCommerce 9.5:

• WooCommerce 9.5 Release date: December 16, 2024
• What’s New:
  • New & Classy Product Editor.
  • 
  • Improvements in Product Collection- Handpicked Products, Upsells, and Related Products.
  • Customer Notifications on Failed Payments.
  • Invoices showing payment status.
  • Delayed account creation was finally completed.

• Developer updates:
  • The full deprecation of the Navigation Feature.
  • Experimental Add-to-Cart Stepper.
  • Rendering flag for React 18.
• Performance
  • Front-end optimization and reduced loading time for assets.

WooCommerce 9.5 Timeline

• Beta Release: WooCommerce 9.5 Beta was released for testing on November 11, 2024. To download and test: click here.
• Code Freeze: On November 11, 2024, the development team began a code freeze, at which stage bug fixes and stability improvements were the focus.
• Final Release: Save the date: WooCommerce 9.5 will come live on December 16, 2024.

Now is the ideal time for a developer or merchant to try out the Woo 9.5 beta version and ensure that configurations are compatible with the changes. For the perfect transition to WooCommerce 9.5, trust the experts! WPExperts are the best WordPress and WooCommerce service providers. You can rely on them to configure the latest WooCommerce and WordPress updates.

What’s New in WooCommerce 9.5

1. Product Collections Block Upgrades

WooCommerce 9.5 launches three brand-new product collections:

• Handpicked Products: Choose particular products to feature.
• Upsells: Promote accessories to maximize your cart value.
• Related and Cross-Sells: Let customers discover related products while checking other items.

The Product Collection Block is now dynamic, depending on the product a customer is looking at. For example:

• Add a block to a single product page, and it will immediately show related products.
• Merchants can also nominate specific products as reference points.

2. New Failed Payments Notification for Customer

Earlier, only merchants were notified of failed transactions, but with the latest update, customers will receive failed payment notifications, thus easily solving issues. This option can be set up within WooCommerce > Settings > Email > Failed Order.

3. Payment Status in Receipts

In WooCommerce 9.5, customer receipts will now indicate payment statuses as successfully received or as failed. Such a minor but effective detail empowers customers to identify and rectify any issues with their payments, thus enhancing transparency.

4. Delayed Account Creation Launches

Delayed account creation is no longer in the experimental phase. Instead, customers can create their accounts after checkout using the “Create Account” block appearing on the order confirmation page. Advantages include:

• Quicker repeat checkouts.
• Order tracking.
• Enhanced customer loyalty through personalized offers.

5. Experimental Add-to-Cart Stepper

WooCommerce 9.5 version has added a stepper layout for the Add-to-Cart block to facilitate easier quantity selection. Whether the feature will be rolled out to everyone depends on user feedback.

Developer-Focused Updates from WooCommerce 9.5 Release

1. Completed Deprecation of Navigation Feature

The Experimental Navigation Feature from 2020 has been fully deprecated. Developers who have already adjusted their extensions will need to check for compatibility with this removal.

2. React 18 Rendering Flag

Enable the rendering flag in wp-config.php to test WooCommerce compatibility with React 18. This prepares for the future adoption of React 18.

3. Soft Deprecation of Product Grid Blocks

The new Product Collections Block is taking over the functionality of the Product Grid Blocks. The latter still works, but it’s recommended that you switch to the newest alternatives.

4. New API Endpoint for Order Actions

Orders re-sending gets simpler due to the new /orders/{id}/actions endpoint. This will make order management more efficient.

WooCommerce 9.5 Changelogs

With 100+ bug fixes and enhancements, WooCommerce 9.5 is an exceptionally stable and polished platform. Here are some key WooCommerce 9.5 features:

WooCommerce 9.5 Fixes

• Accessibility improved with input fields and buttons having focus indicators.
• Styling corrected for mobile and dark theme compatibility.
• Screen reader support enhanced for better ADA compliance.
• Fatal errors were fixed in cart and session functions.

WooCommerce 9.5 Additions

• Minimum Rating feature in the Rating Filter block.
• Sales sorting options, including low-to-high and high-to-low for blocks in Product Collection.
• Collapsible summary of order on the checkout page for smaller screens.

WooCommerce 9.5 Performance Improvements

• Optimization of asset loading to improve performance and page load times.
• Improved cache usage for Product Collection blocks and patterns.

Why WooCommerce 9.5 Release Matters

Benefits of WooCommerce 9.5 For Merchants:

• The new Product Collections and delayed account creation features streamline product showcasing and customer retention.
• Enhanced payment visibility ensures smoother customer communication during failed transactions.

Benefits of WooCommerce 9.5 For Developers:

• API updates and React 18 compatibility testing ensure that WooCommerce remains future-ready.
• Deprecation of unused features like Navigation simplifies codebases.

Benefits of WooCommerce 9.5 For Customers:

• Improved checkout experience and transparency build trust.
• Enhancements to notifications and order tracking make for a smooth shopping experience.

Final Words

The new WooCommerce 9.5 features, fixes, and enhancements are around the corner. Whether you are a merchant seeking better customer engagement or a developer looking forward to API updates and performance improvements, the WooCommerce 9.5 release will offer something for everyone.

Stay ahead of the curve with beta testing, preparing your site, and checking out the full WooCommerce 9.5 changelogs to prepare you for a seamless transition.

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