WooCommerce: How to List Sales by Guest Customer (A Step-by-Step Guide)
Introduction:
WooCommerce provides robust order management capabilities, but sometimes you need to filter your sales data in a very specific way, such as listing sales made by guest customers. While WooCommerce doesn’t offer a direct, out-of-the-box solution for this, there are a few effective workarounds. Understanding who your guest customers are and what they’re buying can provide valuable insights for optimizing your checkout process, encouraging account creation, and improving overall sales strategies. This article will guide you through several methods for listing sales by guest customer in WooCommerce, helping you unlock crucial data and improve your business. We’ll explore manual methods, custom code solutions, and plugin options, equipping you with the knowledge to choose the best approach for your needs.
Main Part:
Identifying and listing sales by guest customers in WooCommerce involves understanding how the platform handles guest orders and then using appropriate techniques to filter and display this data. Here’s a breakdown of different methods:
Understanding Guest Orders in WooCommerce
When a customer places an order without creating an account, WooCommerce marks this as a “guest order.” These orders are not associated with a specific user ID in your WordPress user database. This means the usual user-based filtering in the WooCommerce admin panel won’t work directly. The key is to identify orders where the ‘customer_id’ is zero (0).
Method 1: Manual Order Review and Filtering
This method is suitable for smaller stores with a limited number of orders. It involves manually reviewing each order to identify guest checkouts.
1. Navigate to WooCommerce Orders: Go to `WooCommerce -> Orders` in your WordPress admin panel.
2. Review Order Details: Open each order individually and look for the “Billing Address” information. If the billing information exists and there’s no associated user account, it’s likely a guest order.
3. Document Guest Orders: Manually record the order numbers, dates, and relevant details (products purchased, total amount). You can use a spreadsheet or a document for this.
Limitations:
- Time-consuming: Extremely inefficient for stores with many orders.
- Prone to errors: Manual data entry can lead to inaccuracies.
- Not scalable: Not a viable option for growing businesses.
Method 2: Using Custom Code (For Developers)
For a more automated and efficient solution, you can use custom code to query the database directly and retrieve the desired information. This method requires basic PHP and WordPress development knowledge.
1. Add the following code to your `functions.php` file or a custom plugin:
<?php /**
$guest_orders = $wpdb->get_results(
“SELECT post_id FROM {$wpdb->postmeta} WHERE meta_key = ‘_customer_user’ AND meta_value = ‘0’”
);
if ( ! empty( $guest_orders ) ) {
echo ‘
Guest Customer Orders:
‘;
echo ‘
- ‘;
- Order #’ . $order_id . ‘
foreach ( $guest_orders as $order ) {
$order_id = $order->post_id;
$order_url = admin_url( ‘post.php?post=’ . $order_id . ‘&action=edit’ );
echo ‘
‘;
}
echo ‘
‘;
} else {
echo ‘
No guest customer orders found.
‘;
}
}
/
* Add a menu item to display guest customer orders.
*/
function add_guest_orders_menu() {
add_menu_page(
‘Guest Orders’,
‘Guest Orders’,
‘manage_options’,
‘guest-orders’,
‘list_guest_customer_orders’,
‘dashicons-groups’,
55
);
}
add_action( ‘admin_menu’, ‘add_guest_orders_menu’ );
?>
2. Explanation of the Code:
- `list_guest_customer_orders()`: This function queries the `wp_postmeta` table to find orders where the `_customer_user` meta key has a value of `0`. `_customer_user` stores the user ID associated with the order. A value of 0 indicates a guest order.
- `add_guest_orders_menu()`: This function creates a new menu item in the WordPress admin panel called “Guest Orders”. Clicking this menu item will execute the `list_guest_customer_orders()` function.
- The code displays a list of order IDs, with links to edit each order in the admin panel.
3. Access the Guest Orders: After adding the Read more about How To Change Font Style In Woocommerce code, refresh your WordPress admin panel. You should see a new menu item labeled “Guest Orders.” Clicking this will display the list of guest orders.
Advantages:
- Automated: Retrieves guest order data automatically.
- Efficient: Faster than manual review.
- Customizable: Can be modified to display more specific information (e.g., total amount, date).
Disadvantages:
- Requires coding knowledge: Not suitable for non-developers.
- Potential for errors: Incorrect code can cause issues.
- Maintenance: Requires ongoing maintenance and updates.
- Direct database query: Can be resource intensive for very large datasets and should be optimized for performance.
Method 3: Using WooCommerce Plugins
Several WooCommerce plugins can help you filter and manage orders, including those from guest customers. These plugins often provide a user-friendly interface and additional features. Search in the WordPress plugin repository using keywords like “WooCommerce order filters,” “WooCommerce guest orders,” or “WooCommerce customer segmentation.”
Example Plugins (Illustrative):
- Advanced Order Export For WooCommerce: This plugin allows you to export order data with various filters, including guest orders. You can then analyze the exported data in a spreadsheet. (This plugin focuses on export, not displaying Learn more about How To List Categories In Static Page Woocommerce within the admin)
- Order Export & Order Import for WooCommerce: Similar to the above, offering export functionality with flexible filters. (Also focuses on export.)
Advantages:
- Easy to use: User-friendly interface.
- No coding required: Suitable for non-developers.
- Additional features: Plugins often offer advanced features beyond just listing guest orders.
Disadvantages:
- Cost: Many useful plugins are premium (paid).
- Plugin compatibility: Ensure the plugin is compatible with your WooCommerce version and other installed plugins.
- Potential bloat: Some plugins can add unnecessary code and slow down your site.
Conclusion:
Listing sales by guest customer in WooCommerce is achievable through various methods, ranging from manual review to custom code and plugins. The best approach depends on your technical expertise, the size of your store, and your specific needs. If you have a small number of orders and are comfortable with manual review, that might suffice. For larger stores, using custom code or a plugin provides a more efficient and scalable solution. By understanding which customers are checking out as guests, you can tailor your strategies to encourage account creation, enhance the guest checkout experience, and ultimately boost your sales and improve customer retention. Remember to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of each method before making a decision.
