WooCommerce is a popular open-source e-commerce plugin for WordPress, the widely used content management system (CMS) for creating websites. Developed by Automattic, WooCommerce allows users to turn their WordPress websites into fully functional online stores, enabling them to sell products and services online.

Key features of WooCommerce include:

1. Product Management: WooCommerce provides tools to easily add, edit, and manage various types of products, including physical goods, digital downloads, and services.
2. Shopping Cart and Checkout: It offers a customisable shopping cart and a streamlined checkout process that includes features like tax calculations, shipping options, and various payment gateways.
3. Payment Gateways: WooCommerce supports a wide range of payment gateways, allowing customers to make payments using credit cards, PayPal, Stripe, and other payment methods.
4. Shipping Options: Users can set up various shipping methods, rates, and zones, enabling flexible shipping options based on customer location and order specifications.
5. Inventory Management: It includes inventory tracking and management features, helping store owners monitor stock levels and receive notifications for low stock.
6. Product Variations: Users can create product variations such as different sizes, colours, or options for a single product, offering customers more choices.
7. Extensions and Plugins: WooCommerce has a vast ecosystem of plugins and extensions that extend its functionality. These can be used to add features like subscriptions, memberships, bookings, and more.
8. Themes and Customisation: Store owners can choose from a wide variety of WooCommerce-compatible themes, and customise the design and layout to match their brand.
9. Reports and Analytics: The platform provides insights into sales, customer behaviour, and performance through built-in reporting and integration with analytics tools.
10. SEO-Friendly: WooCommerce is designed to be SEO-friendly, with features like customisable permalinks, metadata, and integration with SEO plugins.
11. Community and Support: Being a part of the larger WordPress community, WooCommerce users have access to a wealth of documentation, forums, and online resources for support and troubleshooting.

WooCommerce is ideal for businesses of all sizes, from small online shops to larger e-commerce stores. Its flexibility, customisation options, and integration with WordPress’s content management capabilities make it a powerful choice for building and managing online stores.