Running a WooCommerce store has traditionally meant installing a plugin for almost everything.

Want colour swatches? Install a plugin.

Want customers to create a wishlist? Another plugin.

Want several images for each product variation? You know where this is going.

WooCommerce’s flexibility has always been one of its biggest strengths, but the number of extensions required for relatively standard ecommerce features has also been one of its greatest weaknesses.

That is why WooCommerce’s latest direction is genuinely exciting.

More of the features customers now expect are being introduced directly into the platform, including wishlists, save-for-later functionality, variation galleries, visual product swatches and abandoned checkout recovery.

At Neo, we already believe WooCommerce is the best ecommerce platform available. By bringing more of the features businesses rely on every day directly into the core platform, WooCommerce has the opportunity to widen the gap even further between itself and competitors such as Shopify and Wix.

WooCommerce is finally tackling plugin overload

WooCommerce is not trying to remove the need for plugins completely.

Nor should it.

Plugins allow businesses to add specialist features without loading every WooCommerce website with tools it does not need.

The problem arises when store owners require separate plugins for features that are now considered standard parts of online shopping.

Wishlists, visual product options, improved variation images and abandoned basket emails arguably fall into that category.

By introducing stronger foundations for these features, WooCommerce can reduce unnecessary plugin reliance while making it easier for themes, developers and extensions to work together.

WooCommerce continues to evolve into one of the world’s leading eCommerce platforms. Whether you’re launching your first online shop or looking to improve an existing store, understanding the foundations of eCommerce website design is just as important as choosing the right platform.

What new features are coming to WooCommerce?

Many of the new features are currently experimental or limited to WooCommerce’s block-based shopping experience.

This means they may not be suitable for every live website just yet.

However, they provide a clear indication of where WooCommerce is heading.

Native wishlists

WooCommerce is testing native wishlist functionality that allows logged-in customers to save products and return to them later through their account.

Wishlists are particularly useful for products that require more consideration, such as furniture, fashion, gifts or higher-value purchases.

They can also encourage repeat visits by giving customers a simple reason to return to the website.

Previously, this type of functionality would usually require a separate extension.

Save products for later

The Save for Later feature allows customers to move products out of their active basket without removing them entirely.

The item remains accessible beneath the basket and can be added back to the order when the customer is ready to continue.

This is especially useful when someone is comparing products, reducing the value of their order or planning to make a purchase at a later date.

Variable products can also retain the customer’s selected options, such as colour or size.

Product variation galleries

Historically, WooCommerce has allowed store owners to assign one main image to each product variation.

That can be restrictive when different colours, materials or finishes need several images of their own.

Variation galleries allow each product option to display a full collection of relevant images.

A clothing retailer could show several views of every colour. A furniture company could display close-ups of each fabric. A homeware retailer could show the same product in several finishes.

It creates a much clearer and more convincing shopping experience.

Colour and image swatches

WooCommerce is also introducing visual swatches for product attributes.

Instead of selecting “navy blue” from a standard dropdown menu, customers could click a navy colour circle or an image of the actual material.

This may sound like a small change, but visual product options can make products easier to understand and reduce uncertainty during the buying process.

It is another feature WooCommerce store owners have often relied on plugins to provide.

Abandoned checkout recovery

Abandoned checkout recovery is also being developed within WooCommerce.

The feature is intended to help store owners contact customers who begin placing an order but leave before completing payment.

For smaller businesses, built-in recovery emails could provide a useful starting point without immediately requiring a separate marketing platform.

Specialist systems will still offer more advanced automation, segmentation and reporting, but native recovery tools could cover the basic needs of many stores.

Back-in-stock notifications

Back-in-stock notifications are another feature WooCommerce users are keen to see developed further.

They allow customers to register their interest in an unavailable product and receive a message when it becomes available again.

This is particularly valuable for retailers with popular products, seasonal stock or items that regularly sell out.

Although back-in-stock functionality is not yet a standard part of WooCommerce core, it appears to be another area receiving attention.

WooCommerce users are excited, but there is frustration too

The response from WooCommerce users has been overwhelmingly positive.

Store owners and developers alike are pleased to see more of the functionality they rely on becoming part of WooCommerce itself, reducing the need for additional plugins and creating a stronger foundation for future development.

One Reddit user described the changes as “a great start”, highlighting how building these features into the core platform gives themes and plugins a consistent framework to build upon rather than reinventing the wheel each time.

Others are particularly excited by features such as built-in back-in-stock alerts, mobile order notifications, Wishlists and improved product variation galleries.

The main frustration shared by some users is that a number of these new features currently rely on newer themes. As a result, stores running older WordPress themes may not be able to take advantage of every enhancement immediately.

This is one of the reasons why Neo Agency keep our clients’ websites regularly updated. At Neo, we continuously review new WooCommerce releases, WordPress updates and plugin improvements to ensure our clients’ websites are ready to benefit from the latest features, security enhancements and performance improvements as they become available.

WooCommerce is clearly investing heavily in its future, and if this pace of development continues, the platform is only going to become more powerful, more user-friendly and even better equipped to grow ecommerce businesses to extraordinary new heights.

Why Neo recommends WooCommerce

At Neo, we have always viewed WooCommerce’s main weakness as its reliance on extensions, not its overall capability.

WooCommerce is built on WordPress and gives businesses extensive control over their website, content, design, hosting and data.

It can support straightforward online shops, but it can also be adapted for subscriptions, bookings, trade pricing, memberships, digital products and highly customised purchasing journeys.

It is equally valuable from a marketing perspective.

A WooCommerce website can combine product pages with service content, guides, case studies, landing pages and search-focused resources.

That makes it particularly suitable for businesses that want their website to generate both ecommerce sales and organic enquiries.

WooCommerce vs Shopify vs Magento

WooCommerce, Shopify and Magento are all capable ecommerce platforms, but they serve different types of businesses.

Platform	Best suited to	Main strength	Main limitation
WooCommerce	Growing and bespoke businesses	Flexibility, ownership and content control	Requires maintenance and careful plugin management
Shopify	Straightforward product-led retailers	Fast setup and managed infrastructure	Less flexibility and ongoing app costs
Magento	Large and complex ecommerce operations	Enterprise capability and scalability	Higher development and maintenance costs

WooCommerce vs Shopify

Shopify is a strong choice for businesses that want to launch a straightforward online shop quickly.

Hosting, security and much of the technical infrastructure are handled within the platform. This can make Shopify easier for businesses that do not want to manage a WordPress website.

However, Shopify can become restrictive when a business requires unusual product options, bespoke checkout processes, advanced integrations or a complex content strategy.

Additional apps can provide more functionality, but monthly app charges can accumulate quickly.

For straightforward ecommerce, Shopify can be an excellent option.

For businesses that want greater control and more room for customisation, we often believe WooCommerce is the stronger choice.

WooCommerce vs Magento

Magento, now closely associated with Adobe Commerce, is designed for larger and more complex ecommerce operations.

It can manage extensive product catalogues, international stores, complicated customer groups and advanced business systems.

That power comes with significantly greater technical complexity.

Magento websites usually require specialist development expertise, stronger hosting infrastructure and a much larger ongoing budget.

For large enterprise retailers, that investment may be worthwhile.

For most small and medium-sized businesses, WooCommerce offers a more accessible balance of flexibility, cost and usability.

Does WooCommerce still need plugins?

Yes, and it always will.

A specialist booking website, subscription service or trade portal will still need functionality beyond standard WooCommerce.

The aim should not be to eliminate plugins completely.

The aim should be to reduce the need for unnecessary plugins that all recreate the same basic ecommerce features.

Every additional plugin introduces another licence, another update and another potential compatibility issue.

Providing stronger core functionality should make WooCommerce stores easier to build, manage and maintain.

Our verdict

WooCommerce is not suddenly becoming a plugin-free platform.

What is changing is the quality of the foundation.

By introducing more of the features customers now expect, WooCommerce can become easier to manage, more consistent and less dependent on a patchwork of extensions.

The current features still have limitations. Many are experimental, some are restricted to block themes, and wider compatibility will take time.

Even so, the direction is encouraging.

For businesses that want ownership, flexibility and the freedom to build an ecommerce website around their individual requirements, we believe WooCommerce continues to offer one of the strongest combinations of capability and control.

The fewer plugins needed for basic functionality, the stronger that proposition becomes.

While WooCommerce now includes more features than ever, getting the most from the platform still depends on how well your website is planned, designed and optimised. If you’re wondering whether it’s worth hiring professionals, our guide on whether you need eCommerce website designers explains when expert help delivers the biggest return.

Ready to get more from your online store?

Whether you’re launching a brand-new ecommerce business or looking to improve an existing WooCommerce website, our team is here to help.

At neo agency, we don’t just build online stores. We create fast, secure, search-optimised ecommerce websites designed to generate more traffic, improve conversions and grow alongside your business. From performance optimisation and SEO to ongoing maintenance and the latest WooCommerce enhancements, we’ll ensure your website continues to evolve as the platform does.

Book your free, no-obligation consultation today and let’s explore how we can help you launch, optimise or scale your online business with WooCommerce.