1. Start with the content
List pages, content types, languages and required functions. An impressive demo may not suit your own text and images. For WooCommerce, include catalogue, variations, cart and checkout in your comparison.
2. Choose an editing approach
Block themes support the Site Editor; others use the Customizer or a builder. Choose an approach your team can maintain. Identify required plugins and what would happen to content if you later changed builders.
3. Review quality
Check stated compatibility, updates and publisher support. Test keyboard navigation, contrast, text sizes and mobile display. An accessibility label does not guarantee the accessibility of your complete site. Review licence conditions too.
4. Install on staging
Under Appearance → Themes → Add New, select a directory theme or upload the publisher’s archive. Preview and activate on staging first. Avoid unknown download sources and unauthorised redistributed commercial themes.
5. Test your own data
Use real content and check:
- Menus, header, footer, forms and mobile layouts.
- Products, variations, cart and checkout where WooCommerce is used.
- Load time and the everyday process of editing a page.
6. Plan the live change
Back up before activation and keep a rollback plan. Put code customisations in a child theme or suitable plugin, rather than editing parent theme files. After launch, review links, widgets, styles and translations.
Related service
WordPress developmentOfficial documentation
Labels and options vary with versions, plugins and your account. Refer to publisher documentation for your configuration.