After releasing the Dokan Cloud beta version, users have been asking if we are focusing on the Dokan Cloud version and putting the Dokan Plugin version on the back burner. I got many queries about the future of the Dokan plugin version.
So, rather than replying to queries one by one, I decided to write this article that will clear all your doubts.
We are not putting the Dokan Plugin version on the back burner. We are going to maintain both Dokan Cloud and Dokan Plugin with the same importance.
We have two separate development teams with shared knowledge maintaining both platforms under the Dokan umbrella.
Dokan Cloud is the next step for the Dokan team. For the Dokan Plugin version, we rely on WordPress and WooCommerce. However, we wanted to take control of the platform to give our customers more ease and hassle-free experience regarding managing their marketplace.
Does that mean we are forgetting about the Dokan Plugin version? No. The Dokan plugin version has always been maintained by us and will be for the foreseeable future.
What is Dokan Multivendor Marketplace Plugin
For WordPress users and marketplace enthusiasts, Dokan is a household name. The plugin gives you all the tools to create/turn your WooCommerce store into a multivendor marketplace. In other words-
The Dokan plugin is a comprehensive multi-vendor marketplace solution designed specifically for WordPress websites.
Me and Nizam (CEO & Co-Founder, weDevs) started Dokan as a theme. But in 2015, we saw that there was a bigger opportunity to create a plugin version of Dokan that would help users create multivendor marketplaces.
Dokan plugin empowers WordPress website owners to create and manage their online marketplaces where multiple vendors can sell their products or services. Dokan provides vendors with dedicated storefronts, allowing them to manage their inventory, orders, sales, and more from the frontend dashboard.
We have surveyed through our emails and also collected user queries from the Support team. Users have also posted various feature requests on our communities page, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn pages. We are taking these feedbacks and have already added them to our existing feature roadmap. Our development team is working on them and users will soon see new features added to the Dokan Plugin.
What is Dokan Cloud
Dokan Cloud is a standalone cloud-based eCommerce platform that will enable users to create a single store or a multivendor marketplace.
The platform will reduce dependency on WordPress and streamline complicated marketplace processes. The many advantages of using the cloud version of Dokan are-
- Scalability
- Automatic Updates
- Centralized Management
- Integration with Cloud Services
- Reduced Server Load
- Cost Efficiency
- Performance
- Reliability and Redundancy
- Security
So, Why Dokan Cloud?
Well, this is the million-dollar question, right? I have already somewhat explained in the beginning the purpose of bringing a cloud version of Dokan.
I have been in the WordPress industry for about 15 years and we have working in the marketplace scenario for 10 years now.
In my experience, beginners with no coding knowledge who use WordPress to create a marketplace struggle after a certain period.
WordPress is wonderful no doubt. The platform is free and it provides the necessary built-in function to create a website. But you have to install several plugins to run your marketplace. That makes the learning curve steep.
Other than installing WooCommerce and Dokan, you will need plugins for SEO, Contact Form, Analytics, Speed Optimization, designing, etc. Choosing these plugins also becomes a tough decision for the admin.
Also, Dokan and WooCommerce provide extensions and modules that help add advanced functionalities to the marketplace. So the cost increases over time.
Ultimately, the process becomes complex and the journey becomes difficult to maintain the marketplace site.
After a certain period, the marketplace becomes unmanageable and difficult to scale. With many plugins installed, the site may slow down and hinder performance. Then the users move away from WordPress completely and migrate to a third-party platform, mostly cloud platforms.
That is why, the Dokan team decided to bring in a cloud version of Dokan. This is a completely integrated eCommerce platform so that users can create both single shop and multivendor marketplace with omnichannel, POS, etc features.
The control stays in our hands and users don’t need to worry about installing anything and can use the readymade platform to launch their dream eCommerce website. We have used our 10 years of experience to create this one-stop eCommerce solution.
With the cloud version, we can control the flow of creating an eCommerce site and improve the user experience. Users can sign up and start creating their dream eCommerce or multivendor website in no time.
Amazing Features of Dokan Cloud
Here are the features that you will find in the Dokan Cloud version currently:
Detailed Dashboard and Report Filtering: Dokan Cloud provides admins with a comprehensive dashboard, offering detailed insights into key metrics such as earnings, number of customers, orders, products sold, and refunds. They can access a graphical overview of the entire marketplace situation, facilitating quick analysis and decision-making.
Additionally, admins have access to a reporting section where they can filter data to view daily, monthly, or yearly analyses. This feature enables them to gain deeper insights into marketplace performance trends and make informed strategic decisions to optimize their platform.
User-friendly Product Management: Dokan Cloud offers robust support for both physical and digital products, allowing administrators and vendors alike to create and upload products with ease. Users can input essential product information, including attributes, variations, brands, and categories.
Dokan Cloud provides a dedicated section for product SEO, enabling users to optimize product listings for improved visibility and search engine rankings.
Subscription: Admin can create subscription plans for vendors with different vendor access and permissions.
Shipping and Tax: With Dokan Cloud, configuring both shipping and tax settings becomes straightforward and user-friendly.
For shipping, vendors can easily create shipping profiles and set up various conditions to apply to shipping, allowing for flexibility in determining shipping costs and methods. This simplifies the management of shipping options and ensures a smooth experience for both vendors and customers.
Similarly, admins have powerful tools to manage taxes according to country and state. They can enable features such as compound tax, zip tax, shipping tax, and digital product tax.
Page Builder: Dokan Cloud has its own page builder. You can use that page builder to customize your marketplace. There are many amazing widgets and features to design your marketplace the way you like.
Live Chat: Dokan Cloud has integrations with Facebook and WhatsApp. Vendors can use them to communicate with customers.
Email Integration: Dokan Cloud offers seamless integration with Mailchimp, a leading email marketing software, to streamline communication with customers. This integration enables users to send automated emails for order confirmations and successful signups.
By leveraging Mailchimp’s robust features and capabilities, Dokan Cloud empowers users to create personalized and targeted email campaigns.
SMS: To contact customers more directly and personally, Dokan Cloud also has integration with Twilio, the popular SMS platform.
Analytics: It is important to know how your customers are behaving with the website. That is why Dokan Cloud has integration with Google Analytics 4. This integration will help you track your customer behavior.
Payment Integration: In order to complete the transaction, Dokan Cloud supports PayPal, Stripe, and cash on delivery. Also, vendors can make withdrawal requests through PayPal as well.
Vendor Payout: Managing the vendor payment in a marketplace is a complicated process. Dokan Cloud has made it easy. Vendors can request a payout and there is also an automatic payout method as well.
So these are the initial features you will find in the Dokan Cloud beta version. But we are working on bringing more advanced features and you will see them in the cloud platform very soon.
We have taken our 10 years of experience in the eCommerce and the multivendor marketplace industry and are in the process of building a one-stop platform for users with all the necessary features.
Which Platform You Should Go For?
Both of these platforms will help you launch your dream marketplace. Because both the Dokan Plugin and Dokan Cloud version are just two peas in the same pot!!
It is a matter of your needs and expectations that will ultimately decide which version to choose. Here are some points to help you in the right direction.
When to Choose Dokan Plugin to Start Your Multivendor Marketplace?
Dokan multivendor marketplace plugin is already an established WordPress plugin to create any marketplace.
If you are using a WordPress website, then you must go for the Dokan plugin. It is one of the best multivendor marketplace plugins with the highest number of user base than its competitors. The plugin is easy to use and install.
Dokan Plugin offers a user-friendly interface and intuitive setup process, making it ideal for beginners or those with limited technical expertise. You can quickly configure your marketplace and start onboarding vendors without extensive coding knowledge.
Also, the Dokan plugin is feature-rich and has a large community and support.
So, if you are familiar with WordPress, and require more flexibility in customization and control over the marketplace, then you should opt for the Dokan Plugin version.
When to Choose Dokan Cloud to Start Your Multivendor Marketplace?
The one thing going against the Dokan Plugin is its dependency on WordPress and WooCommerce. If there is any update on WordPress and WooCommerce, we need to make sure the Dokan plugin is compatible with those updates as well. So users may or may not face any issues if they suddenly update those plugins without updating the Dokan plugin.
Also, WordPress has some scalability issues. it doesn’t perform well when there is a huge surge of traffic and it also installing plugins may slow the website down.
The Dokan Cloud version is free of that. The platform is fully controlled by us. No need to worry about any third-party updates.
If you are looking to scale your business without any hiccups, get an “easy to use” marketplace platform, then go for the Dokan Cloud version. With the cloud version, maintenance, and updates are managed by us, reducing the burden on your team.
We are adding the features one by one. So you will get all the features required to run a marketplace with ease.
Dokan Cloud vs Dokan Plugin — Final Thoughts
This is in no way a normal “VS” article where we are pushing for one product instead of another. Both the Dokan Plugin and Dokan Cloud version is our product.
Dokan Cloud marks our entry into the vast realm of eCommerce. We have a big dream and have used our 10 years of expertise to create this one-stop eCommerce solution for our users.
Dokan plugin users need not worry that we may not release new features for the Dokan plugin. That is not true. Sure, there were not many features released for the Dokan plugin in the past few months and there were a few unexpected bugs. But our team is working hard to fix those issues and release new features as soon as possible.
At the same time, we are also focusing on adding new features to the Dokan Cloud version and making it more feature-rich.
Keep an eye on our newsletters, articles, and changelog to get the latest news on both the Dokan Plugin and Dokan Cloud versions.
And if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to give us a knock.
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