WooCommerce Private Store
by WPMadeasy
Force visitors to log in before viewing your store. The ultimate solution for B2B wholesale portals and members-only shops with SEO-friendly crawler options.
Make Your Store Exclusive
Not every WooCommerce store is meant for the general public. If you run a wholesale distribution center, a members-only club, or a pre-launch brand, you need to control who sees your prices and products.
WooCommerce Private Store is the gatekeeper. It locks down your shop (or specific parts of it) behind a branded login wall, ensuring only approved users can access your catalog.
Why "Password Protected" Isn't Enough
Many simple plugins offer a single "site-wide password." This is bad for business because:
- Shared Passwords Leak: Once one person has it, everyone has it.
- No Data Collection: You don't know who is logging in.
- SEO Suicide: Google cannot crawl a password-protected page, killing your rankings.
WooCommerce Private Store solves this by using real WordPress user accounts and smart crawler detection.
SEO Pro Tip
This plugin allows Google-bot to crawl your site while blocking human visitors. This means your product pages can still rank in search results, but when a user clicks the link, they are prompted to log in or register.
Key Features
1. Three Privacy Modes
- Whole Website: The entire site is hidden. Best for intranets or staging sites.
- WooCommerce Only: Your blog and home page remain public, but the Shop, Cart, and Checkout are locked. Best for brands that want to build hype before selling.
- Selected Content: Cherry-pick specific categories or products to hide. Perfect for stores with a mix of retail (public) and wholesale (private) items.
2. User Approval Workflow
You have full control over who gets in.
- Auto-Approve: Good for membership sites.
- Manual Approval: Essential for B2B. Users register, but stay "Pending" until you verify their business credentials.
- Notifications: Automated emails inform users when they are approved or rejected.
3. Branded Experience
Don't use the boring WordPress wp-login.php page. This plugin lets you:
- Upload your logo.
- Set a custom background image or video.
- Write custom welcome/rejection messages.
| Feature | Basic Password Protect | WooCommerce Private Store |
|---|---|---|
| Access Method | Single Shared Password | Individual User Accounts |
| SEO Ranking | Blocked | Preserved (Bot Mode) |
| User Vetting | None | Manual Admin Approval |
| Granularity | All or Nothing | Specific Products/Pages |
Use Cases
- Wholesale Portals: Hide bulk pricing from retail customers.
- Internal Staff Stores: Allow employees to purchase equipment at cost.
- Pre-Launch Teasers: Let the public see the "About Us" page, but keep the products hidden until launch day.
Final Verdict
If you need to restrict access, WooCommerce Private Store is superior to simple password protection. It balances security (manual approvals) with marketing (SEO preservation), making it the standard choice for B2B WooCommerce setups.
Our Review
A robust security tool that turns open stores into exclusive B2B portals. Its ability to differentiate between Google bots and human visitors makes it unique, preserving SEO while restricting access.
Pros
- SEO-friendly (Allows Google bot crawling)
- 3 Privacy Modes (Whole site, Shop only, Selective)
- Built-in User Approval System (Manual/Auto)
- Customizable branded login screens
Cons
- Login barrier reduces casual browsing/impulse buys
- Manual user approval requires admin attention