In recent years, the eCommerce industry has changed a lot, and multivendor marketplaces are an excellent way for entrepreneurs to get in on the action. Multivendor Marketplaces let vendors sell their products on one website, which gives customers a wider variety of choices.
If you're thinking about creating a marketplace on WordPress, Dokan Multivendor plugin is a great way to make it happen.
Today, we'll walk you through how to build a multivendor marketplace using Dokan.
And there's more: We will show you how to turn it into an enhanced B2B wholesale marketplace using WholesaleX.
So, get a hold till the end as we route through every aspect one at a time!
How to Create WooCommerce Multivendor Marketplaces Using Dokan
Dokan makes it easy to build an online marketplace. It has all the features you need to get started, so you can create a multivendor eCommerce platform with minimal effort.
Dokan allows unlimited vendors to sell their products on your marketplace, and it's easy to set up.
Here are the steps to build a marketplace using Dokan multivendor:
- Set up Your WordPress Website
- Install WooCommerce
- Install Dokan Multivendor
- Configure Dokan Settings
- Utilize the vendor Management System to power up your marketplace
Step 1: Set up Your WordPress Website
Before diving into the world of multivendor marketplaces, it is essential to build a strong foundation. Start this by setting up a WordPress website. WordPress is a versatile and user-friendly platform that serves as the foundation of your online marketplace.
Step 2: Install WooCommerce
WooCommerce is a popular eCommerce plugin for WordPress. It enables you to sell products and manage your online store effectively. Install and activate WooCommerce to create the fundamental infrastructure for your marketplace.
Step 3: Install Dokan Multivendor
Dokan is among the best multivendor marketplace plugins that perfectly integrate with WooCommerce. It authorizes vendors to manage their stores while providing an excellent shopping experience for customers.
Here's how to install Dokan:
- Go to your WordPress dashboard.
- Navigate to Plugins > Add New.
- Search for “Dokan.”
- Click “Install Now” and then “Activate.”
A screenshot of setting up your WordPress website to build a b2b wholesale marketplace.
Step 4: Configure Dokan Settings
After you activate Dokan, you need to activate some required settings. Dokan offers a whole lot of options that cater to the specific needs of any marketplace owner.
For further assistance, you can check the guide on Dokan Multivendor Plugin Settings.
Step 5: Utilize Advanced Vendor Management System
Dokan multivendor offers a range of features to facilitate the management of vendors and customers within your online marketplace. From signing up to managing sales, Dokan makes everything easier for vendors.
1. Vendor Registration and Onboarding
Dokan simplifies the registration process for vendors in your marketplace. Vendors can quickly sign up and create their stores with individual dashboards to manage products, orders, and more. You can customize the onboarding process to fit your marketplace's requirements.
2. Vendor Products Management
Vendors can easily add and manage their products through the Dokan dashboard. They can upload product images, set prices, and provide detailed descriptions. The user-friendly Dokan interface makes it easy for vendors to properly showcase their products.
3. Orders and Payments Handling
Dokan simplifies the order management process. When customers make purchases, vendors receive notifications and can fulfill orders directly from their dashboards. Dokan also supports various payment gateways, ensuring secure transactions for your marketplace.
4. Vendor Analytics and Reporting
Dokan provides a vendor analytics and reporting module, allowing vendors to track their sales, monitor inventory, and make informed decisions to grow their businesses within your marketplace.
5. Vendor Support and Communication
Effective communication is crucial for any multivendor marketplace. Dokan includes a live chat module that facilitates communication between vendors and customers. This helps vendors address inquiries, resolve issues, and provide excellent customer service.
This way you can build any type of multivendor marketplace in WordPress using Dokan.
How to Turn Your WooCommerce Marketplace into Multivendor Wholesale Marketplaces Using WholesaleX
Now that we know about setting up a multivendor store with Dokan, you can enhance it further With WholesaleX. You can turn the store into a B2B wholesale store.
Let's see how you can enhance your store with WholesaleX-
- Install WholesaleX
- Install and Activate WholesaleX for Dokan (Addon)
- Enable WholesaleX Settings for Dokan Marketplace
- Create Customizable User Roles
- Use Enhanced Dynamic Rules for your Store (As Admin)
- Enable Dynamic Rules for Vendors
Step 1: Install WholesaleX
WholesaleX is a newly built plugin but has the potential to be one of the best wholesaling solutions in the WordPress repository. It's easy to use and works like it is meant to be.
WholesaleX lets you convert your marketplace into a B2B wholesale multivendor marketplace with enhanced perks. And because of its hybrid (B2C+B2B) model, you can really create a dream marketplace.
Here's how to install WholesaleX:
- Go to your WordPress dashboard.
- Navigate to Plugins > Add New.
- Search for “WholesaleX.”
- Click “Install Now” and then “Activate.”
Step 2: Install and Activate WholesaleX for Dokan (Addon)
WholesaleX has integration with Dokan. This means WholesaleX works with perfect synergy with Dokan.
To activate this amazing synergy and use WholesaleX in your Dokan marketplace:
- Go to your WholesaleX.
- Navigate to Addons.
- Look for the “WholesaleX for Dokan” addon.
- Click “Install Now” and then “Activate.”
And you are good to go.
Step 3: Enable WholesaleX Settings for Dokan Marketplace
You can enable the enhanced B2B experience for your vendors by enabling options such as:
- Dynamic Rules: This allows you to set different prices and rules for different vendors.
- Role-Based Pricing: This allows you to set different prices for different roles, such as wholesaler, retailer, and end-user.
- WholesaleX Options on the product editing page: You can add WholesaleX-specific options to your product pages.
- Conversations: This lets you talk directly with your vendors from the WholesaleX dashboard.
You can enable these options from WholesaleX > Settings > Dokan Integration. By doing so, you can allow your vendors the option to wholesale their products.
Step 4: Create Customizable User Roles
WholesaleX's one of the base features is creating user roles. As an admin, you can create and assign your customers with separate roles to prioritize with options to meet specific needs.
This means you can control product visibility for a particular bunch of customers, control payment methods, tax, shipping methods, auto role migration (minimum purchase amount to migrate to a higher role), and more.
You can create unlimited user roles from WholesaleX > User Roles.
Step 5: Use Enhanced Dynamic Rules for your Store (As Admin)
First, let me assure you that, as admin, you have complete control over your store and WholesaleX.
Dynamic Rules is one of the core features of WholesaleX that lets you easily create different sets of wholesale pricing. Admin gets all the options available in dynamic rules.
Here are the dynamic discount types WholesaleX provides:
- Product Discount
- Payment Discount
- Cart Discount
- Quantity-Based Discount (Tiered Pricing)
- Shipping Rule
- Tax Rule
- Payment Order Quantity
- Maximum Order Quantity
- Minimum Order Quantity
- Buy X Get Y (XY)
- Buy One Get X (BOGO)
- Extra Charge
Each rule has its distinct use cases. You don't have to go through a lot of settings manually to create wholesale prices. The ease of WholesaleX's dynamic rules will totally surprise you as you convert your multivendor marketplace into a B2B wholesale multivendor marketplace in no time.
Step 6: Enable Dynamic Rules for Vendors
Admins can also turn on Dynamic Rules for vendors. It's very effective for vendors who want to add wholesale prices to multiple products quickly and easily. Vendors can use dynamic rules on their own products only, which is also very admin-friendly.
However, vendors have some specific dynamic rules available. Which are:
- Product Discount
- Quantity-Based Discount (Tiered Pricing)
- Maximum Order Quantity
- Minimum Order Quantity
- Buy One Get X (BOGO)
- Buy X Get Y (XY)
- Shipping Rule
- Tax Rule
Admins can disable, edit, delete, and override the dynamic rules set by vendors. So, it's very convenient to use and maintain without any hassle.
Conclusion
The ever-evolving world of eCommerce is being driven by multivendor marketplaces, which offer customers a wide range of products and countless opportunities for entrepreneurs.
This comprehensive guide explores creating a WooCommerce multivendor marketplace using the Dokan plugin. Dokan makes it easy to build an online marketplace for admins and vendors. It offers a great shopping experience for customers and lets vendors manage their stores effectively.
The guide also introduces WholesaleX, a game-changing plugin that can elevate your marketplace to a B2B wholesale multivendor marketplace. With WholesaleX, you can seamlessly integrate enhanced B2B features into your Dokan marketplace, catering to both regular customers and wholesalers.
Whether you are just starting your eCommerce journey or looking to enhance your existing marketplace, Dokan and WholesaleX offer the solutions you need.
Get ready to start your eCommerce adventure! The possibilities are endless in the world of B2B wholesale multivendor marketplaces. Happy selling!
This post is written by Ruhul from the WPEXPO team. He is a technical content writer, tech enthusiast, and a pro gamer. Ruhul loves exploring new things and has written over 1,500 articles on diverse topics.