How to Disable WooCommerce Shopping Cart: A Comprehensive Guide
WooCommerce is a powerful tool that transforms your WordPress site into a fully functioning online shop. However, there are times when you may want to disable the shopping cart while still showcasing your products. Whether you’re transitioning between sales strategies or simply want to highlight your offerings without enabling purchases, knowing how to disable the WooCommerce shopping cart can be essential.
In this comprehensive guide, we will walk you through the steps to disable the WooCommerce shopping cart, incorporating essential tips and code snippets to ensure a smooth process. Let’s dive in!
Why Disable the WooCommerce Shopping Cart?
Before we explore the steps, it’s crucial to understand why you might want to disable the shopping cart in WooCommerce. Here are some common reasons:
- Showcase Products Only: If you are not ready to sell online but want to display your products, disabling the cart can be beneficial.
- Out of Stock: Temporarily disable purchases while still allowing customers to view product details.
- B2B Websites: Businesses focusing on inquiries rather than direct sales might prefer a catalog mode.
- Maintenance and Updates: Disable the cart during site updates to prevent any issues with transactions.
- WooCommerce Catalog Mode: This plugin allows you to enable catalog mode easily. It disables the cart and checkout functionalities, turning your site into a showcase.
- YITH WooCommerce Catalog Mode: Offers more customization, allowing you to hide prices and add-to-cart buttons.
Steps to Disable WooCommerce Shopping Cart
Step 1: Use a WooCommerce Plugin
One of the easiest ways to disable the WooCommerce shopping cart is by using a plugin. Plugins are user-friendly and Read more about How To Import Woocommerce Products require minimal technical know-how.
#### How to Install a Plugin
1. Go to your WordPress dashboard.
2. Navigate to Plugins > Add New.
3. Search for “WooCommerce Catalog Mode” or “YITH WooCommerce Catalog Mode.”
4. Click Install Now and then Activate.
Step 2: Use Custom Code
For those comfortable with coding, adding a custom snippet to your theme’s functions.php file can be an effective way to disable the cart.
#### Code to Disable Add-to-Cart Button
Add the following code to your theme’s functions.php file:
Check out this post: How To Edit Checkout Fields Woocommerce
function disable_woocommerce_cart_buttons() { remove_action('woocommerce_after_shop_loop_item', 'woocommerce_template_loop_add_to_cart', 10); remove_action('woocommerce_single_product_summary', 'woocommerce_template_single_add_to_cart', 30); } add_action('init', 'disable_woocommerce_cart_buttons'); Step 3: Hide Cart Page and Checkout
Disabling the cart also involves making sure customers cannot access the cart or checkout pages.
#### Redirect Cart and Checkout Pages
Add the following code to your functions.php to redirect users trying to access these pages:
function redirect_cart_and_checkout_pages() { if ( is_cart() || is_checkout() ) { wp_redirect( home_url() ); exit; } } add_action('template_redirect', 'redirect_cart_and_checkout_pages'); Step 4: Customize Product Display
When your cart is disabled, consider customizing how products are displayed to enhance the user experience.
- Remove Price Tags: You can use CSS to hide prices on your product pages.
- Add Inquiry Form: Replace the add-to-cart button with an inquiry button that links to a contact form.
function replace_add_to_cart_with_inquiry() { remove_action('woocommerce_single_product_summary', 'woocommerce_template_single_add_to_cart', 30); add_action('woocommerce_single_product_summary', 'custom_inquiry_button', 30); } function custom_inquiry_button() {
echo ‘Inquire Now’;
}
add_action(‘init’, ‘replace_add_to_cart_with_inquiry’);
Additional Tips for Disabling WooCommerce Shopping Cart
- Backup Your Site: Always backup your website before making changes to the code or installing plugins.
- Test Your Changes: After implementing changes, test your site on different devices to ensure everything functions smoothly.
- Keep SEO in Mind: Ensure that any changes do not negatively impact your site’s SEO. Use 301 redirects for any pages you disable.
Conclusion
Disabling the WooCommerce shopping cart is a straightforward process that can be achieved through plugins or custom code. By following this guide, you’ll be able to disable the cart functionality while maintaining a professional and functional shop display. Whether you’re focusing on showcasing products or undergoing site maintenance, these steps will help you achieve your goals efficiently.
Remember to consider the user experience and SEO implications when making these changes. With the right strategy, you can keep your site visitor-friendly and search engine optimized. Happy customizing!