In a recent Business Bloomer Club discussion, WooCommerce developers and store owners discussed the challenges of sourcing a complete set of sample data for testing purposes.
While WooCommerce provides some basic sample data, it often includes only products, leaving out comprehensive information on customers and orders. For developers looking to conduct realistic performance and functionality tests on larger datasets, this is limiting.
Comprehensive sample data can be valuable for testing workflows, simulating customer interactions, and evaluating site performance under load. In this post, we’ll review existing resources, limitations, and ideas on building or sourcing a complete data set for your WooCommerce needs.
Existing Options for WooCommerce Sample Data
One popular resource for WooCommerce sample data is the GitHub repository by IconicWP, which provides product data. However, this dataset does not include customer or order information, which can be a limitation for developers testing user flows or order management processes.
GitHub also hosts WooCommerce Smooth Generator, which generates products and orders. While it’s a step closer to a comprehensive solution, additional customization might be required for unique scenarios or larger datasets.
Key Available Resources
- IconicWP’s Sample Data: Product-centric data without customers or orders.
- WooCommerce Smooth Generator: Can generate products and orders but may need configuration for specific scenarios or larger datasets.
Potential Solutions and Workarounds
For those needing a broader dataset, there are a few options to consider:
1. Custom CSV Generation
Creating a CSV file with products, customers, and orders can provide full control over the data. This allows for larger datasets tailored to unique test scenarios but requires time and technical knowledge to prepare.
2. Using Plugins for Background Data Generation
A plugin that generates sample data in the background could be a valuable tool. With this setup, developers could select the volume of products, orders, and customers needed, and the plugin could manage the rest. While such plugins are rare, they could be a potential market opportunity for developers.
3. Building or Sharing a Pre-Built Dataset
A full dataset with diverse customer profiles, order histories, and product ranges would save time for developers needing comprehensive data for performance testing. This approach could benefit those looking for immediate solutions without customization.
Conclusion
While WooCommerce provides some sample data, it rarely meets the needs of developers requiring a full range of products, customers, and orders.
Current resources, such as the WooCommerce Smooth Generator, offer partial solutions but may not cover all testing needs, particularly for larger data volumes. Until a complete plugin or dataset is widely available, developers might consider creating custom CSVs or experimenting with existing generators.
In any case, the discussion around this issue underscores the need for a more comprehensive WooCommerce sample data solution to support accurate testing and site optimization.
