WooCommerce is the world’s most popular and impactful e-commerce plugin. It has enhanced the productivity of millions of online e-commerce stores and positively impacted the lives of billions of people worldwide.
This blog post will discuss WooCommerce version history and how the leading e-commerce platform started its journey from Cape Town, South Africa.
The History of WooCommerce
Mark Forrester, Magnus Jepson, and Adii Pienaar are the masterminds behind the evolution of WooCommerce. They teamed up in November 2007 to create a new WordPress theme.
After selling numerous themes together, they mutually agreed to launch WooThemes. The company started its operation from Cape Town and delved into the ocean of plugin development.
When was WooCommerce Launched?
The WooCommerce history is inspiring. WooCommerce was launched on September 27, 2011. It allows users to convert their WordPress websites into online e-commerce stores worldwide. Within two years, WooCommerce made the breakthrough by getting 100,000 downloads.
WooCommerce grew to the next level as 4 million users downloaded the popular plugin in 2014.
WooCommerce Previous Version History Snapshot
2011
WooCommerce launched in September 2011. The platform’s main objective was to support users who wanted to sell products online worldwide.
2014
The first WooConf took place in November 2014 in San Francisco, California. In the same year, 100,000 users downloaded the popular plugin.
2015
Automattic, the parent company behind WordPress, acquired WooCommerce in 2015. This acquisition was a game changer for WooCommerce, as the leading e-commerce solution reached new heights of success.
2020
In December 2020, WooCommerce acquired MailPoet, a renowned WordPress newsletter management plugin. As a result, store owners could manage email marketing and newsletters simultaneously. In addition, WooCommerce launched a mobile app for Android and iOS.
2023
On October 31, 2023, WooCommerce rebranded and became “Woo.” While WooCommerce continued to be the open-source eCommerce platform for WordPress, “Woo” represented the broader brand and company identity.
2024
The plugin changed its name to “WooCommerce” after users experienced issues while finding “Woo” on Google and other famous search engines.
When Did Automattic Acquire WooCommerce?
Automattic, the parent company behind WordPress, acquired WooCommerce in 2015. Automattic founder and CEO Matt Mullenweg said in a blog post dated May 19, 2015, the company decided to acquire WooCommerce. Mullenweg further explained the initiative in the blog post,
“At a WordCamp a few years ago, someone stood up and asked me when we were going to make it as easy to create an online store as we’d made it to create a blog. Everyone applauded; there’s long been demand for better e-commerce functionality, but it’s been beyond what Automattic could do well.”
– Matt Mullenweg
WooCommerce Versions History
Like WordPress, which has released various versions to positively affect millions of users, WooCommerce has also released multiple versions to keep current and potential users, including small, medium-sized, and large e-commerce businesses, engaged with the leading platform worldwide.
The latest version of WooCommerce is 9.2.3. Moreover, WooCommerce followers may soon use its upcoming version, WooCommerce 9.3. Similarly, WooCommerce released its version, WooCommerce 9.0, on June 18, 2024.
WooCommerce’s previous and latest versions allow small and large businesses to optimize their e-commerce stores, considering the demands or preferences of varied target audiences.
The WooCommerce history tells us that it has become one of the most sought-after e-commerce platforms globally.
WooCommerce has to come up with new releases frequently. The popular e-commerce solution regularly strives to improve its security, performance, and other crucial attributes.
Apart from this, WooCommerce focuses on other critical aspects, such as compatibility, new features, and bug fixes, ensuring an optimal user experience for new and potential customers.
You can read about the WooCommerce latest version here.
Recent Trends in WooCommerce
WooCommerce provides users with the desired flexibility and customization to developers and store owners. This is why the leading platform has become a major driving force behind different e-commerce trends.
E-commerce store owners can benefit from impactful trends like mobile usability, personalized user experience, advanced customer service, sustainability, voice commerce, social commerce, and more.
WooCommerce Stores Top Categories
5.3% of WooCommerce stores relate to the Home & Garden category.
3.7% of WooCommerce stores relate to the Business & Industrial category.
What is the Future of WooCommerce?
We can safely assume that WooCommerce will continue revolutionizing the e-commerce landscape in the coming year, although the platform has reached a tipping point.
That said, WooCommerce has a lot to offer users across the globe in the form of themes, plugins, development services, etc. Currently, 4,722015 online e-commerce stores are dependent on WooCommerce.
Regarding WordPress, the global content management system has an enormous 63.1% market share. Therefore, WordPress will also play a massive role in WooCommerce expansion in the coming years.
Do You Need Professional Help?
WPExperts is a seasoned WordPress and WooCommerce development organization that delivers various impactful services globally to businesses of all sizes.
If you want to begin an e-commerce business and transform your existing WordPress site into a full-fledged online WooCommerce store, WPExperts can help.
We hope you liked our detailed blog post on WooCommerce version history. WooCommerce is undoubtedly the most impactful e-commerce platform today, dominating globally.
Furthermore, the e-commerce solution has smartly helped WordPress increase its share in the CMS landscape worldwide.
A lot has happened between when WooThemes initially began developing WooCommerce and when Automattic eventually acquired it and the WooCommerce history version you use and benefit from today.
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