Use your mobile phone to manage WooCommerce

by | 22-11-2018 | eCommerce | 0 comments

When you own an eCommerce means you may pay to sales at all times, even when we have the computer away. WooCommerce offers a free mobile application that allows you to make the most of the deals from your mobile phone.

This week we tested the new beta version of WooCommerce for iPhone. It has improvements compared to its predecessor although it also some important changes.

Let’s introduce both app versions, right?

WooComm for iPhone 1.6.0.0, the current version

This is the version that Automattic released just a month ago in the App Store.

When you open the application, it shows a summary table that presents four basic statistics of our web store (gross sales, number of orders and products sold). These values are presented in a totally and graphically broken manner. Below are the best selling products, highlighting the number of units in orders. In addition, at the top we can change the range of time we need (week, month, year, custom …).

Dashboard. Data from Saet Sweets

Dashboard with data from SAET SWEETS

The most important aspect of this app and what makes it interesting is to be able to handle the critical aspects of the orders, especially those that have stuck in the payment and are canceled. On these orders we recommend custom management: contact the customer and try to solve the problem. In this sense the app helps us because directly, from the menu of the command allows us to call or email the customer.

Comanda de l'ecommerce amb els enllaços del menú per contactar el client amb facilitat.

Order menu: quick user contact

The application also gives access to see the products and their stock levels and other technical aspects.

Regaliz Gatos L product details, a Saet Sweets top seller

Product Regaliz Gatos L, a top seller

Forum users complain about lack of notifications when important things happen: new order, cancelled order…

Another weakness is connection process based on WooCommerce API because it is creepy for most of the users. However, if an eCommerce administrator sends you the credentials you need, linking the app to the web is very agile through the corresponding screen. The App allows you to simultaneously manage multiple stores.

Pantalla de configuració de l'app de WooCommerce per a iPhone.

WooCommerce App Settings page

Woo for iPhone beta, the new contender

This new version is designed to be easier to deploy on the iPhone than the previous one. It stops to use API connection and move to Automattic’s JetPack solution. JetPack is Automattic’s platform to offer premium services on WordPress and WooCommerce. That’s why they encourage you to install, even in its free version. This is a great improvement.

Indeed, JetPack is the one who provides the sales and analytics information to the dashboard. If, like us, you didn’t have JetPack previously installed on your eCommerce, you won’t have statistics from the past. This is a serious weakness.

The initial screen is functionally similar to the previous version. However it is easier to read as the charts are more clear but focuses only in economic parameters. Another significant improvement: it show visitors so that we can quickly track CTR.

La nova pantalla de resum de l'app de WooCommerce per a iPhone

Dashboard page in iPhone

Furthermore, this version brings improvements in the management of the orders. On the one hand, the possibility of filtering orders by state in the order section has been added. A significant improvement.

Status filtered order list

Status filtered order list

The Fulfill Order option has also been added which allows you to see the lines of the order in order picking and set the order as completed without having to enter the web. An improvement also very significant.

Vista general d'una comanda de la versió beta amb el botó Order Fulfill

Order view with Fulfill Order button

The app proves to be a good tool when Fulfilling orders.

Detall de la comanda en l'apartat fulfill order per assistir al picking.

Order detail from Order Fulfill area

At first glance, it seems that the customer information is not shown but is not true. Customer information is hidden: you have to enter Show Billing to see it. This new version adds SMS in order to contact the customer.

New communication methods

New communication methods

Conclusions

The new version of the WooCommerce app for iPhone has the same functionality with many operational and presentation improvements.

It gets easier connected thanks to JetPack but some historical data will be missing if you don’t install JetPack ASAP in your WooCommerce site.

Given the natural evolution of things, the current app will soon become part of the past. We hope that te shortcomings will be fixed.

You are urged to deploy JetPack in your WooCommerce sites in order to start collecting data that will be shown in the future on your mobile phone WooCommerce app.

And keep in mind that as any other app, WooCommerce for iPhone is extremely addictive. So, use it, but in moderation;)

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