As an experienced webmaster, I‘ve helped dozens of online store owners set up private members-only shops. A members-only model comes with great benefits – but also challenges. In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll share insider tips to help you succeed based on my 15+ years in web development.
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Why a Private Store Can Transform Your Business
A members-only store limits access to products and discounts to paying members. This exclusivity provides incentive for users to join while allowing you to control who your customers are.
Here are some powerful advantages of going members-only:
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Generate Predictable Revenue – Recurring subscriptions provide stable cash flow you can rely on each month. Industry average membership renewal rates are 70-80%.
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Increase Customer Loyalty – Members feel like VIPs with private access and are more likely to regularly engage with your brand.
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Sell Wholesale or in Bulk – Approve business buyers to access bulk purchasing while excluding regular users.
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Reduce Abandoned Carts – Requiring an account and login to purchase can drastically decrease abandoned cart rates which average 75% across all online stores.
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Sell New Products First – Give members early access to new arrivals and inventory to reward their loyalty.
The benefits are clear, but it‘s important to carefully construct your membership site for success. Follow the steps below to create a thriving private store.
Choosing the Right Membership Plugin
The foundation of any private WooCommerce store is the membership plugin. This adds the access control and subscription management functionality needed to gate your products behind registered user accounts.
There are several WordPress membership plugins, but I recommend MemberPress for most online stores. Here‘s why:
- Seamlessly integrates with WooCommerce for unified admin and user experience.
- Enterprise-grade features and developer support for scaling a large membership site.
- Flexible membership structures including recurring subscriptions or one-time access.
- Works with all major payment gateways like Stripe, PayPal, and Braintree.
- Customizable member management with registration forms, content restrictions, and automation.
MemberPress is affordable starting at $199 for a standard license. It‘s trusted by major universities, nonprofits, and Fortune 500 companies like Masterclass, USA Today, and TRX Fitness.
Other options like Paid Memberships Pro and Memberful are great for simpler sites. But MemberPress is best for advanced membership experiences like private online stores.
Accepting Member Payments Securely
With your membership plugin installed, now it‘s time to set up your payment gateway to securely accept member fees.
MemberPress integrates with popular payment processors:
- Stripe – 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction with no monthly fees. Suitable for all plan types.
- PayPal – 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction for PayPal Standard. Higher tier PayPal plans also supported.
- Authorize.net – $25 per month plus 2.9% and 30¢ per transaction. Primarily for expensive recurring plans.
- Braintree – 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction. Owned by PayPal with support for one-time and recurring payments.
I generally recommend Stripe which is easy to set up and comes with a full-featured dashboard for managing subscriptions. PayPal is also a top choice if your customers are already familiar with it.
For step-by-step instructions on configuring your payment gateway within MemberPress, see their docs here.
Structuring Your Membership Plans and Levels
Now for the fun part – creating your actual membership levels and subscription plans!
You have complete freedom and flexibility in how you structure your offerings. Here are some best practices:
Offer Multiple Membership Plans
Create plans for different needs and budgets like basic, professional, enterprise access. Consider annual discounts to incentivize longer commitments.
Structure Benefits Around Member Needs
Offer plan benefits that provide real value to your customers like members-only content, products, or discounts.
Promote Limited-Time Offers
Limited-time sales and promotions encourage quicker signup and can capture leads as free or trial members.
Make Canceling and Downgrading Easy
Allow members to easily cancel or change plans to avoid frustration and involuntary churn.
Continually Test and Optimize
Track key metrics for each plan like enrollment and renewal rates. Tweak prices and benefits over time to maximize conversions.
Making adjustments to your membership setup is easy. You can quickly publish or unpublish plans as needed to meet your business goals.
Gating Access to Products and Content
Now for a core piece of any private WooCommerce store – setting rules to restrict access to products, discounts, and pages to paying members only.
With MemberPress‘s flexible rules, you can:
- Make all products private
- Limit access to certain product categories or tags
- Create members-only discounts
- Show exclusive content to certain member levels
- Require login for checkout
For example, you may allow anyone to browse products but require upgrading to a paid plan for checkout access.
You can also set up custom messaging for users that hit restricted content explaining how to gain access.
Promoting Memberships and Driving Signups
Building a thriving member base takes consistent promotion through multiple channels. Here are several proven strategies:
Highlight Member Benefits
Create targeted landing pages showcasing exclusive member perks and the value of joining.
Run Limited-Time Offers
Limited-time sales, contests, or free trial periods encourage quicker signup.
Send Dedicated Emails
Promote new products or content available to members via email broadcasts.
Retarget Traffic
Remarket to site visitors through ads across Facebook, Instagram, and more.
Recruit Affiliates
Partner with influencers and brands to promote your offerings to their audiences.
Pay To Advertise
Facebook ads, Google Ads, and Pinterest promotions can all effectively drive memberships. Budget at least $500 monthly for paid advertising.
Additional Tips and Tricks
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Install the SeedProd plugin to create beautiful landing pages, sales pages, and email optin forms to convert traffic.
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Use MonsterInsights to properly track and measure membership site analytics like conversions on pricing or sales pages.
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Consider offering an annual membership at a discounted rate of around 25% off to incentivize longer commitments.
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Third-party integrations like Mailchimp, Zapier, or ActiveCampaign add even more options for managing and marketing to members.
The members-only model requires ongoing testing and optimization. But the recurring revenue and customer loyalty benefits are well worth it. You now have a complete blueprint – go take the first steps towards launching your own private membership site today!
