Requirements
Before installing CartBay, confirm the store meets the WordPress, WooCommerce, server, licensing, and email delivery requirements below.
WordPress
Section titled “WordPress”CartBay requires a modern WordPress installation.
| Requirement | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| WordPress | WordPress version 6.9 or newer. |
| Admin access | Administrator or a user who can manage WooCommerce settings. |
| Permalinks | Normal WordPress permalink handling should be working for admin and frontend URLs. |
WooCommerce
Section titled “WooCommerce”WooCommerce is required. CartBay does not initialize its recovery runtime when WooCommerce is inactive.
| Requirement | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| WooCommerce | WooCommerce version 10.7 or newer. |
| Checkout | Classic checkout or WooCommerce Block Checkout. |
| Orders | CartBay uses WooCommerce order CRUD APIs and declares HPOS compatibility. |
| Action Scheduler | Provided by WooCommerce and required for background jobs. |
System and PHP
Section titled “System and PHP”| Requirement | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| PHP | PHP 8.2 or newer. Use PHP 8.3+ when possible. |
| Server cron | Recommended so Action Scheduler can process jobs promptly. |
| HTTPS | Recommended for checkout, restore links, and admin security. |
Email Service
Section titled “Email Service”CartBay sends recovery emails through WordPress and WooCommerce mail. A reliable email delivery service is strongly recommended because abandoned cart recovery depends on emails reaching shoppers.
Recommended setup:
- Use an SMTP plugin or transactional email service.
- Verify sender authentication such as SPF, DKIM, and DMARC where your email provider supports them.
- Send test emails before launching recovery emails.
- Monitor failed or retry-queued notifications after launch.
CartBay can detect some mail delivery and email logger plugins and may show an admin warning when no delivery plugin is detected. Detection is passive; it does not prove inbox delivery.
Test your email delivery:
- Go to WooCommerce → Settings → Cart → Notifications (bottom of the page)
- Identify “Email Delivery Test”
- Enter your email address in the “Send to” field
- Click “Send Test Email”
Related docs:
- Email Delivery Setup walks through choosing and configuring an SMTP or ESP-native plugin, plus SPF, DKIM, DMARC, and test verification.
- Notifications explains sent, failed, retry-queued, and canceled recovery email records.
- Templates explains recovery email editing and the test flow.
- Settings explains mail environment warnings and log links.
- Troubleshooting explains common delivery and queue problems.
License Pro
Section titled “License Pro”The free CartBay plugin needs no license key — it installs from WordPress.org and updates through WordPress like any other free plugin.
A WPAnchorBay license key is required only for CartBay Pro Pro, which enables private updates and support checks. The Pro key is provided after purchase and can also be found in the WPAnchorBay account dashboard.
Read License Activation.
Browser and Checkout Compatibility
Section titled “Browser and Checkout Compatibility”CartBay supports both classic checkout and WooCommerce Block Checkout. Test the checkout type used by your store before launch.
Pre-Launch Checklist
Section titled “Pre-Launch Checklist”- WooCommerce is active.
- Checkout page works for test orders.
- Email delivery service is configured.
- Store consent wording is approved.
- Action Scheduler is processing jobs.
- CartBay Pro license key is available — only if you are running CartBay Pro. Pro