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WooCommerce Store Connection Troubleshooting: Resolving HTTP vs HTTPS Issues

This article helps Webgility Desktop users ensure a secure and stable connection with their WooCommerce store by addressing connection failures caused by using an incorrect URL protocol (http instead of https).

Overview

Connection problems between your WooCommerce store and Webgility Desktop often happen because of an incorrect URL protocol, especially if your website uses https (secure) but the connection in Webgility is set to http (insecure). This guide will help you diagnose and fix these connection issues.

Symptoms

You might be experiencing this issue if:

  • Your WooCommerce store fails to connect or synchronize with Webgility Desktop.
  • You see error messages that mention an "insecure connection," "failed authentication," or an "invalid store URL."
  • The connection works correctly after you manually switch the URL from http to https.

Step-by-Step: Updating Your Store URL to HTTPS

Follow these steps to ensure your Webgility Desktop connection uses the correct, secure URL for your WooCommerce store.

1. Confirm Your Store URL Protocol

First, let's check the URL you're currently using in Webgility Desktop.

  1. In Webgility Desktop, go to Connections > Sales Channels > Manage Sales Channel.
  2. Select your WooCommerce store and click Edit Connection.
  3. Look at the "Webgility Extension URL" or similar field. Check if the URL starts with http:// (insecure) instead of https:// (secure).
    • Example: You might see http://yourstore.com instead of https://yourstore.com.

2. Verify Your Store Supports HTTPS

Before changing the URL in Webgility, make sure your actual WooCommerce website fully supports HTTPS.

  • Open your web browser and try to visit your store's website by typing https:// before your domain name (e.g., https://yourstore.com).
  • If your website loads correctly with https:// and shows a padlock icon in the browser address bar, your site supports HTTPS.
  • If your website does not load correctly with https://, or if it shows a security warning, then you'll need to contact your website hosting provider to enable and properly configure SSL/HTTPS for your domain. This step must be completed before proceeding.

3. Update the Connection URL in Webgility Desktop

Once you've confirmed your store supports HTTPS, update the URL in Webgility Desktop.

  1. In Webgility Desktop, go to Connections > Sales Channels > Manage Sales Channel > Edit Connection.
  2. Change the store URL to start with https://.
  3. Click Save changes.

4. Test the Connection

Finally, test the connection to ensure everything is working correctly.

  1. In Webgility Desktop, within the Edit Connection window, click the Test Store Connection button (or Reconnect if available).
  2. Confirm that the status updates to show a healthy and successful connection.

Other Common Connection Issues & Troubleshooting

Beyond HTTP vs HTTPS, here are other general connection problems that can affect your WooCommerce integration and how to fix them:

Blocked Webgility Extension Access

Your WooCommerce store's security settings (e.g., hosting firewall) might be blocking Webgility from connecting.

  • Solution: Whitelist Webgility IPs To allow Webgility to securely communicate with your store, please whitelist the following IP addresses in your WooCommerce hosting environment:
    • 183.182.84.170
    • 111.118.255.21
    • 54.69.99.71

Incorrect Webgility Extension URL (General Check)

Entering the wrong URL during setup can cause connection problems.

Incorrect WooCommerce Admin Credentials

Always confirm that you're entering the correct WooCommerce admin username and password when connecting your store in Webgility Desktop.

Outdated Webgility Application

If you've updated your WooCommerce store but not your Webgility Desktop application, you might see errors.

  • To update your Webgility Desktop application:
    • If you're already logged in: Click Help > Check for Updates > Update within Webgility Desktop.
    • If you're unable to log in: Download and install the latest version from portal.webgility.com.

Outdated Webgility WooCommerce Connector Plugin

If you've updated your WooCommerce store but not the Webgility WooCommerce Connector plugin, you might see errors like:

  • 403 Forbidden
  • 500 Internal Server Error

To update your Webgility WooCommerce Connector plugin:

  1. Download the latest Webgility/WooCommerce integration plugin. The latest version is available from your Webgility account portal. Log in to portal.webgility.com and navigate to the Downloads section to find the WooCommerce plugin file.
  2. Log in to your WordPress admin panel.
  3. Go to Plugins > Add New > Upload Plugin and select the update package you downloaded.
  4. Click Install Now, and then Activate the updated module.
  5. Confirm the successful update under your Plugins list.

Troubleshooting Error Messages (General)

When you test your store connection in Webgility Desktop (Connections > Sales Channels > Manage Sales Channel > Edit Connection > Test Store Connection), you might see messages like:

  • "We are facing an issue while processing your request. Please try again later."
  • "The remote server returned an error. (501) Service Temporarily Unavailable."
  • "Not able to connect to WooCommerce."

🛠 Here's how to fix these errors:

Step 1: Test Your Extension URL in a Browser Paste your Webgility Extension URL directly into your web browser. If you see an error like:

  • 403 Forbidden
  • Page Not Found
  • Access Denied

...then continue to the checklist below.

Step 2: Your Checklist to Resolve Access Errors

  • ✅ Ensure the following IPs are whitelisted: 183.182.84.170, 111.118.255.21, 54.69.99.71.
  • ✅ Confirm that your Webgility files on your hosting server have Read/Write/Modify permissions.
  • ✅ Make sure you're using the latest version of Webgility Desktop. (Remember: Help > Check for Updates > Update if you're logged in, or download from portal.webgility.com if you can't log in.)
  • ✅ Upgrade to the latest Webgility Extension for WooCommerce if needed (download from portal.webgility.com).

🔄 Verifying Your Webgility Extension Version Paste your Webgility Extension URL into your browser. The version number will be visible at the top of the page. Make sure it matches the latest release available from portal.webgility.com.

Best Practices

  • Regularly update all your WooCommerce plugins, your WordPress core, and your Webgility Desktop application to avoid compatibility issues.