How To Put Woocommerce In Demo Mode

How to Put WooCommerce in Demo Mode: A Beginner’s Guide

So, you’ve built an awesome WooCommerce store! That’s fantastic! But maybe you’re not quite ready to unleash it on the world just yet. Maybe you need to test new features, experiment with different themes, or let your client review the design without taking actual orders. That’s where demo mode comes in handy.

In this article, we’ll walk you through different ways to put your WooCommerce store in demo mode, explaining the pros and cons of each, and providing you with code examples you can easily implement.

Think of it like this: you’re baking a cake. Before serving it to your guests, you want to take a slice yourself to make sure it’s cooked perfectly and tastes delicious. Demo mode is that slice of cake for your WooCommerce store!

Why Use Demo Mode in WooCommerce?

Here’s why putting your WooCommerce store in demo mode is a smart idea:

• Testing Environment: It provides a safe space to test new plugins, themes, or customizations without affecting your live store or customer experience. Imagine upgrading your payment gateway and suddenly your customers can’t check out! Demo mode prevents this nightmare.
• Client Review: It allows you to showcase your work to clients without processing actual orders. “Hey client, here’s the link to the demo site. Take a look and let me know what you think!” is much safer than “Hey client, order whatever you want on the live site for testing and I’ll refund you!”
• Preventing Accidental Orders: If your store is still under construction, demo mode prevents customers from stumbling upon it and placing orders before you’re ready to fulfill them. No awkward “Sorry, the store isn’t actually open yet!” emails.
• Staging Site Simulation: Using demo mode mimics a staging site environment, ensuring the main production site remains operational while testing changes.

Methods to Enable WooCommerce Demo Mode

There are several ways to achieve WooCommerce demo mode, ranging from simple plugin installations to more advanced code snippets. Let’s explore a few of them:

#### 1. Using a Maintenance Mode Plugin (Easiest Method)

This is the recommended approach for beginners because it’s the simplest and least likely to break anything. Maintenance mode plugins allow you to put up a “Coming Soon” or “Under Maintenance” page, preventing visitors from accessing your store while you work behind the scenes.

Pros:

• User-friendly and easy to configure.
• Requires no coding knowledge.
• Often includes customizable landing page designs.

Cons:

• Can be overkill if you only want to disable purchasing.
• May Explore this article on Woocommerce Checkout How To Change Address Paypal not completely prevent access to certain parts of the website if not configured correctly.

Example:

1. Install and activate a plugin like “Coming Soon Page, Maintenance Mode & Landing Pages” by SeedProd.

2. Configure the plugin settings to enable maintenance mode or coming soon mode.

3. Customize the landing page to your liking.

With a good plugin, you can even whitelist certain IP addresses (like your own) so you can still access the site normally while everyone else sees the maintenance page.

#### 2. Using a Code Snippet in `functions.php` or a Code Snippet Plugin

This method is slightly more advanced, but it gives you more fine-grained control. We’ll use code to disable purchasing functionality. Remember to back up your site before making any changes to `functions.php`!

Pros:

• More control over the specific functionality you want to disable.
• Lightweight and doesn’t rely on bulky plugins.

Cons:

• Requires some basic coding knowledge.
• Can break your site if the code is not implemented correctly.
• Changes to `functions.php` are lost when switching themes unless you use a child theme or code snippet plugin.

Here’s an example code snippet you can use to disable purchasing functionality:

 <?php /** 
Redirect all shop pages to a demo page if not logged in.
 */ add_action( 'template_redirect', 'wc_demo_mode_redirect' ); function wc_demo_mode_redirect() { if ( ! is_user_logged_in() && is_woocommerce() ) { wp_safe_redirect( home_url( '/demo-page/' ) ); // Replace '/demo-page/' with your demo page URL exit; } } 

/

* Disable Add to Cart button on shop pages for non-logged in users.

*/

add_filter( ‘woocommerce_is_purchasable’, ‘wc_disable_purchasing’, 10, 1 );

function wc_disable_purchasing( $is_purchasable ) {

if ( ! is_user_logged_in() && is_shop() ) {

return false;

}

return $is_purchasable;

}

/

* Remove add to cart functionality on product pages for non logged in users.

*/

add_action( ‘woocommerce_after_single_product_summary’, ‘remove_add_to_cart’, 5 );

function remove_add_to_cart() {

if ( ! is_user_logged_in() && is_product() ) {

remove_action( ‘woocommerce_single_product_summary’, ‘woocommerce_template_single_add_to_cart’, 30 );

}

}

?>

Explanation:

• `template_redirect`: This action redirects all WooCommerce pages to a demo page if the user is not logged in. Replace `/demo-page/` with the actual URL of your demo page.
• `woocommerce_is_purchasable`: This filter prevents non-logged in users from adding products to the cart on shop pages. It essentially disables the “Add to Cart” button.
• `woocommerce_after_single_product_summary`: This action hook allows you to remove the add to cart on the product page using `remove_action`.

How to use:

1. Back up your website!

2. Install a Code Snippets plugin (like “Code Snippets”).

3. Add a new snippet.

4. Paste the code above into the snippet editor.

5. Activate the snippet.

Important Considerations:

• Replace `/demo-page/` with the actual URL of your demo page. You’ll need to create this page in WordPress.
• This code snippet only affects users who are *not* logged in. You can log in with your admin account to bypass the demo mode.
• This code Check out this post: How To Know Where To Add A Hook For Woocommerce snippet aims to redirect the user to a demo page. If they happen to land directly on your site by typing in the URL, this code will prevent them from purchasing anything.

#### 3. Using `.htaccess` (Advanced Method)

This method is more technical and not recommended for beginners unless you’re comfortable working with server configuration files. It involves blocking access to your site based on IP address.

Pros:

• Very effective at blocking access.
• Doesn’t require any code changes to your WordPress theme.

Cons:

• Can be complex to configure correctly.
• Incorrect configuration can break your entire website.
• Requires access to your server’s `.htaccess` file.

Example:

You would add code to your `.htaccess` file to deny access from all IP addresses except your own. This code varies depending on your server configuration and should only be attempted by experienced users. Consult your web hosting provider for assistance if you’re unsure.

Choosing the Right Method

The best method for enabling demo mode depends on your technical skills and specific needs:

• Beginners: Use a maintenance mode plugin. It’s the easiest and safest option.
• Intermediate Users: Use a code snippet plugin. This offers more control and avoids installing bulky plugins.
• Advanced Users: Use `.htaccess`. This is the most powerful but also the most risky.

Testing Your Demo Mode

After implementing any of the above methods, thoroughly test your website to ensure that demo mode is working as expected.

• If you are using a maintenance plugin: Make sure that you cannot access the store if you are not logged in.
• If you are using a code snippet: Make sure that users are redirected to Read more about How To Woocommerce Show Wholesale Prices To Wholesale Roles the demo page correctly.
• If you are using a code snippet: Try to purchase a product, verify that the “Add to Cart” button has disappeared and purchase is not allowed.
• If you are using `.htaccess`: Try to access the store from a different computer or mobile device to ensure that it’s blocked.
• Clear your browser cache and cookies to ensure that you’re not seeing a cached version of your website.