How To Redirect Add To Cart Page In Woocommerce

How to Redirect Add to Cart Page in WooCommerce: A Beginner’s Guide

WooCommerce is a fantastic platform for building an online store. But sometimes, the default “add to cart” behavior isn’t quite what you need. Maybe you want to encourage users to continue shopping instead of immediately going to the cart. Or perhaps you want to promote related products after they add something to their basket. That’s where redirecting the add to cart page comes in handy!

This guide will walk you through how to redirect the add to cart page in WooCommerce, making it easy for even the most novice user to customize their store’s experience.

Think of it like this: imagine you’re in a physical store. If you pick up a candy bar, the cashier might point you towards a display of other snacks. Redirecting the add to cart page allows you to do something similar online, guiding your customers towards other potential purchases.

Why Redirect the Add to Cart Page?

There are several compelling reasons to redirect the add to cart page in WooCommerce:

• Increase Average Order Value (AOV): By redirecting to related products or the shop page, you encourage customers to browse more items and potentially add more to their cart.
• Improve User Experience: Sometimes, taking users directly to the cart after adding a single item can be disruptive. Redirecting them back to the shop allows them to continue browsing seamlessly.
• Promote Specific Products: You can redirect to a specific landing page showcasing your best-selling products or a special promotion.
• Reduce Cart Abandonment: Guiding users through a curated shopping experience can lead to higher conversion rates and fewer abandoned carts.

Methods for Redirecting the Add to Cart Page

There are a few different ways to achieve this, each with varying levels of complexity. We’ll focus on the easiest and most beginner-friendly methods.

1. Using WooCommerce Settings (Simple Products Only):

For simple products, WooCommerce offers a built-in option to redirect users to the cart page after adding an item. However, this is not what we want. We want to redirect to another page. So let’s move to the next method.

2. Using a Plugin (Recommended for Beginners):

The easiest and most versatile way is to use a plugin. Many free and premium plugins offer this functionality. A popular and reliable option is “WooCommerce Redirect After Add to Cart”.

Here’s how to use a plugin (example using “WooCommerce Redirect After Add to Cart”):

• Install and Activate the Plugin: Go to your WordPress dashboard, navigate to “Plugins” -> “Add New,” search for “WooCommerce Redirect After Add to Cart,” install, and activate it.
• Configure the Plugin: After activation, you’ll find the plugin settings under “WooCommerce” -> “Settings” -> “Products” -> “Redirect After Add to Cart.”
• Choose Your Redirection Page: Here, you can select which page you want to redirect to. Options typically include:
• Shop Page: Sends users back to the main product listing.
• Cart Page: The default WooCommerce behavior (useful if you want to disable the default redirect).
• Checkout Page: Takes users directly to the checkout process.
• Custom URL: Allows you to redirect to any specific page on your website or even an external URL. This is the most powerful option! For example, you could redirect to a page showcasing related products or a special offer.
• Save Changes: Don’t forget to save your changes!

Real-Life Example: Imagine you sell phone cases. After a customer adds a phone case to their cart, you could redirect them to a page showcasing screen protectors and other phone accessories.

3. Using Code (For More Advanced Users):

If you’re comfortable with code, you can modify your theme’s `functions.php` file to achieve the desired redirect. However, be very careful when editing this file, as errors can break your website. It’s always a good idea to back up your website before making any code changes.

Here’s an example code snippet that redirects to the shop page:

add_filter( 'woocommerce_add_to_cart_redirect', 'redirect_to_shop_after_add_to_cart' );
function redirect_to_shop_after_add_to_cart( $url ) {
$url = wc_get_page_permalink( 'shop' ); // Redirects to the shop page
return $url;
}

Explanation:

• `add_filter( ‘woocommerce_add_to_cart_redirect’, ‘redirect_to_shop_after_add_to_cart’ );`: This line adds a filter to the `woocommerce_add_to_cart_redirect` hook, which controls the URL after adding an item to the cart.
• `function redirect_to_shop_after_add_to_cart( $url ) { … }`: This defines a function that will be executed when the filter is triggered.
• `$url = wc_get_page_permalink( ‘shop’ );`: This line gets the URL of the “shop” page using the WooCommerce helper function `wc_get_page_permalink()`.
• `return $url;`: This returns the new URL, effectively redirecting the user to the shop page.

To redirect to a custom URL, replace `wc_get_page_permalink( ‘shop’ )` with your desired URL. For example:

$url = 'https://yourwebsite.com/related-products/';

Important Note: This code snippet should be added to your theme’s `functions.php` file or a custom plugin. Never directly edit the WooCommerce core files!

Choosing the Right Method

• Beginners: The plugin method is the most straightforward and recommended approach.
• Intermediate Users: If you’re comfortable with basic coding, you can experiment with the code snippet in your `functions.php` file.
• Advanced Users: You can create a custom plugin for more complex redirection scenarios and better control over the process.

Final Thoughts

Redirecting the add to cart page in WooCommerce is a powerful technique for improving the user experience and boosting sales. By carefully choosing your redirection target, you can guide customers through a more engaging and profitable shopping journey. Remember to test your changes thoroughly to ensure everything works as expected and that your customers have a smooth and enjoyable experience on your online store.