In this guide, we’ll teach you how to create an online ordering system for your small business. If you’re looking to take orders online and have full control over your ordering system, delivery, and more – then this guide is for you.
This guide will also help you create an online ordering system for your small business that requires little effort to set up. This is because we’ll use a WordPress plugin to do it.
Introducing the WordPress plugin, Orderable
Orderable is an all-in-one plugin that’s designed to help your small business create an online ordering system. It takes care of pretty much everything. So all you have to do is add your products, process orders, and deliver them. It even installs WooCommerce for you.
This includes everything from:
- A modern, app-like ordering design – that you can customize.
- Product add-ons. So you can include additional options for your products.
- Revenue-boosting order bumps. So you can suggest additional products in the cart.
- Customizable time slots. So you can set your own delivery/pickup schedule.
- Full control over the checkout – including payment methods, tipping, and more.
- Easy order management. So you can process orders without fuss.
- and lots more.
With Orderable, you have full control over your order management. From holiday scheduling to time slots, maximum orders, and more.
Plus, Orderable has one more huge benefit – there are no additional fees! Meaning you don’t have to pay a 3rd-party provider 30-40% on each order.
So now we know what Orderable is, let’s discuss why you should use Orderable as the online ordering system for your small business.
Why use Orderable as the online ordering system for your small business?
As a small business owner, creating your online ordering system shouldn’t have to take long and it certainly shouldn’t be difficult to set up. Orderable is designed to do the heavy-lifting, so once you’re set up – you’re ready to go.
But this isn’t all, Orderable has many benefits. Here are just a few:
Orderable uses WordPress so you know you’re in good hands
Orderable is a WordPress plugin. This means your website can be built using the most reliable content management system out there (WordPress), and have your online ordering system tagged on, using Orderable.
By using Orderable with WordPress, you’ll have the security and freedom to adapt other elements of your site without being locked into one service. Plus, Orderable installs WooCommerce for you, so the ecommerce side of your site is taken care of.
You’ll pay no additional fees
By creating an online ordering system for your small business with Orderable, you won’t have to pay a commission on each transaction.
A lot of 3rd-party sites charge a hefty commission on your orders. Depending on the business you’re running and your margins, these fees just may not be feasible.
With Orderable, your profits, are yours.
You’ll have control over the ordering experience
By using Orderable and WordPress for your online ordering system, you’ll have so much more control.
You’ll be able to change the look and feel of your site, customize your schedule, tailor the checkout process and so much more.
Making updates is quicker
Because you control everything, making adjustments, adding new items, changing delivery slots, holidays and more, is so much quicker.
With a 3rd-party provider, in most cases, you need their approval before changes go live. Sometimes the wait is time you simply don’t have.
We now know the benefits of creating an online ordering system for your small business with Orderable. So let’s get to setting one up!
How to create an online ordering system for your small business
In this section, we’ll outline the steps it takes to create your online ordering system using Orderable. This process is quick to set up and easy to customize to your needs, so let’s get to it.
Note: For the purposes of this guide, we’re presuming you already have a basic WordPress site up and running.
Step one: Install Orderable
The first thing you’ll need to do is install the Orderable plugin on your website.
For the purposes of this guide, we’ll be using the Pro version of Orderable. This is so we can add product addons, revenue-boosting features, tips, and more.
To get Orderable Pro, you can purchase it from the Orderable website:
Once you’ve purchased Orderable Pro, you’ll be sent two plugins. Orderable and Orderable Pro. Let’s get them added to your site.
To add Orderable to your WordPress website, take the following steps:
- From your WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins > Add new.
- Click the Upload Plugin button at the top of the page.
- Then upload the .zip file you were sent containing Orderable. Click Install Now. Then click Activate Plugin on the next page.
- Repeat the steps for Orderable Pro.
Once done, click on Orderable in your WordPress menu and you’ll be shown a handy setup screen that will help you get started.
Step two: Enter your business information
Click the blue Begin button and Orderable will install WooCommerce for you (if you don’t already have it installed).
Next, we’ll need to add our business information, opening times, and more.
The next few steps of the setup screen will ask you for your business information, opening times, if you offer delivery or pickup, etc.
Once you’ve filled this out (which should take just a few minutes), you’ll be able to close the setup and get to adding your products.
Step three: Add your products
The next step is adding your products. To do this, take the following steps:
- From the WordPress dashboard, go to Products > Add New.
- This page is where you add all your product information. Everything from the price, categories its in, description, images, and more.
- Once you’re happy with all the information you’ve added, scroll up to the top of the page and click the blue Publish button.
Next, we need to create our product layout. This is what your products will look like together on the shop page of your website.
Step four: Create your product layout
In this step, we’re going to put together a product grid that will display on the front end of your website and allow customers to order from you.
To do this, take the following steps:
- From your WordPress dashboard, go to Orderable > Layout Builder and click the Add New button at the top of the page. After giving your layout a name, select if you want your layout to display in a Grid or List.
- If you’ve created categories for your products, you’ll be able to determine what these look like by changing the Sections drop down.
- Decide if you want images to show and if you want the whole menu item to be clickable or just the button.
- Once you’re happy with your layout (you’ll be able to see a live preview of what this will look like at the bottom of the page), click Publish.
We’ve created your layout, now we’ll need to add it to a page on your site.
- From your WordPress dashboard, hover over Pages and click Add New.
- This new page will be your shop page. Give it a name (usually Shop) and then click the black + sign to add a block.
- Once clicked, search ‘Orderable’ in the search area and click the Orderable: Product Layout block.
- A product grid will then be added to the page editor. Select your layout from the right-hand Layout dropdown and then click Publish.
Now we have your ordering system working for the customer, let’s get it working well for you.
Step five: Customize your schedule
With Orderable, you can adjust your online ordering system to suit you and your schedule. Here are some of the things you can do:
Set up ordering time slots
If you’d like customers to be able to select their own delivery or pickup time and date slots, you can completely customize how these work.
With Orderable, doing this is easy. You can even set cut-off times, maximum orders, and more. To see the full range of what you can accomplish with Orderable’s time slots, check out our Orderable time slots guide.
Manage your orders
Managing your orders effectively is incredibly important when running a small business. For this reason, Orderable has made it a priority to make managing orders a breeze.
Processing orders with Orderable uses WooCommerce, which means you’ll be getting an ordering system that’s constantly up to date and easy to use. Everything from customizing emails, to managing your orders as they come in is simple with WooCommerce and Orderable.
To see how this works, check out our processing and managing orders guide.
Create your small business online ordering system today
That’s it! Setting up an online ordering system for your small business shouldn’t give you a headache. It can be easy to set up and even easier to manage.
Accomplish this and much more, with the ordering and delivery plugin, Orderable and WordPress.
