If you run a WooCommerce store and want to turn product sharing into a sales opportunity, a WooCommerce Buy For Me Plugin can be an interesting addition to your online store.
Traditional product-sharing features usually allow customers to copy a product URL or send a basic link to friends. A Buy For Me feature takes this concept further: instead of simply sharing a product, customers can send a personalized request to someone asking them to purchase that product as a gift.
In this guide, we will explore how a WooCommerce Buy For Me Plugin works, why you might want to add this functionality to your store, and two popular solutions: Viral WooCommerce Plugin: BuyForMe from CodeCanyon and Buy for Me for WooCommerce from the official WooCommerce Marketplace.
I also cover their major features, differences, use cases, customization options, marketing benefits, installation considerations, and practical ways to use this functionality in an eCommerce store.
Table of Contents
What Is a WooCommerce Buy For Me Plugin?
A WooCommerce Buy For Me Plugin adds a feature to your store that allows a shopper to ask another person to purchase a product for them.
For example, imagine that a visitor is browsing your online store and finds a product they really like. However, they don’t want to purchase it themselves. Instead of simply copying the product URL and sending it to a friend, they can click a Buy For Me button.
The customer can then provide information such as the recipient’s email address and a personalized message. Depending on the plugin, the recipient receives an email containing information about the requested product and an option to purchase it.
This creates a simple but potentially powerful buying journey:
Visitor discovers product → Clicks Buy For Me → Sends personalized request → Friend receives request → Friend purchases product
The official WooCommerce Buy for Me extension specifically positions this functionality as a way to let customers request products as gifts from friends, family members, or partners. It includes a customizable request form, Buy For Me buttons, email templates, product/category/user-role restrictions, and discounts for purchases generated from requests.
The CodeCanyon Viral WooCommerce Plugin: BuyForMe takes a similar approach, allowing customers to send the product itself through a personalized email experience rather than merely sending a standard product link.
Why Add a Buy For Me Feature to WooCommerce?
Most WooCommerce stores focus heavily on getting the person browsing the website to purchase immediately.
But not every visitor is ready to buy.
A customer might like a product but:
- Want someone else to buy it as a gift
- Need to ask a partner or family member
- Be shopping for an upcoming birthday
- Want to share a product with a friend
- Prefer receiving a product rather than purchasing it themselves
- Not have the budget to purchase it immediately
- Want to recommend the product to someone else
A Buy For Me feature provides an additional path to conversion.
Instead of losing the visitor, you give them another action to take.
This can be especially useful for gift-oriented stores, fashion stores, jewelry shops, electronics stores, home decor stores, lifestyle brands, and other businesses where customers frequently recommend products to other people.
The official WooCommerce extension describes the feature as a way to transform purchase hesitation into an opportunity by allowing visitors to send personalized gift requests directly from product pages.
Viral WooCommerce Plugin: BuyForMe
The first solution covered in this tutorial is the Viral WooCommerce Plugin: BuyForMe by Burnhambox, available through CodeCanyon.
Viral WooCommerce Plugin: BuyForMe on CodeCanyon
According to its CodeCanyon listing, the plugin was designed to provide an enjoyable way for customers to ask friends for a product as a gift. The plugin is intended to work with WooCommerce themes and provides a dedicated Buy For Me button on product and category pages.
At the time of writing, the CodeCanyon listing shows a $29 regular license, 260 sales, and a 4.83-star rating from 23 ratings. The listing also identifies Burnhambox as the author and states that the last listed update was March 11, 2022.
Key Features of Viral WooCommerce BuyForMe
The plugin includes several useful customization and integration options.
1. Buy For Me Button
The plugin adds a dedicated Buy For Me button to product pages.
It can also display the button on category pages, giving customers an opportunity to send a gift request while browsing products.
2. Product Information in the Email
One of the interesting aspects of the plugin is that the recipient can receive product information rather than simply receiving a plain URL.
The product can be presented with information such as:
- Product image
- Product title
- Product price
- Personalized message
- Store branding
This makes the request more visually recognizable.
3. Hide Product Price
The plugin provides an option to hide the product price from the request.
This can be useful when the sender wants to ask for a product as a gift without revealing how much it costs.
4. Custom Button Text
You don’t necessarily have to use the exact words Buy For Me.
The plugin allows you to customize the button text, which means you can adapt it to your store’s messaging.
For example:
- Buy This For Me
- Gift This To Me
- Ask For This Gift
- Request This Product
- Send Gift Request
- Ask a Friend
5. Enable or Disable the Button
You can enable or disable the feature from the plugin settings.
The listing also indicates that the Buy For Me functionality can be enabled or disabled for individual products.
This is useful if you don’t want the feature to appear on every product.
6. Category Page Support
The plugin can display the Buy For Me button on category pages.
This is helpful for stores where visitors browse multiple products before deciding which one they want to request.
7. Shortcode Support
The plugin supports a shortcode for displaying the Buy For Me button.
This provides additional flexibility when you want to place the functionality somewhere other than its default WooCommerce locations.
8. Theme-Based Styling
The plugin is designed to use the styling and colors of the active WooCommerce theme.
You can also override the colors through the settings panel.
9. Custom CSS
If you want additional control over the design, the plugin supports custom CSS.
This means developers and designers can further customize the appearance of the button and related interface.
10. Store Logo
The plugin allows you to use your store’s logo and configure its size.
This can make the email request feel more like an extension of your brand rather than a generic automated message.
11. WPML Compatibility
The CodeCanyon listing states that the plugin is compatible with WPML and includes translation support through a POT file.
12. Mobile-Friendly Design
The plugin is described as mobile friendly and responsive, which is important because many eCommerce shoppers browse products from mobile devices.
13. Font Awesome Support
You can also add an icon to the Buy For Me button using Font Awesome.
14. Quick View Compatibility
The listing states that the plugin can be used alongside additional plugins such as Quick View.
This can be useful for stores where shoppers browse products using quick-view interfaces.
Buy for Me for WooCommerce by KoalaApps
The second plugin covered in this tutorial is Buy for Me for WooCommerce, available through the official WooCommerce Marketplace.
Buy for Me for WooCommerce on WooCommerce Marketplace
This extension is developed by KoalaApps.
The official product page currently lists both a Free version with limited features and support and a Premium version with all features and priority support. The premium plan is listed at $39 for one year, while a two-year plan is shown at $78 with a 20% saving, bringing the displayed price to $62.40.
The official marketplace currently lists version 1.0.3 and says the subscription includes product updates, improvements, customer support, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Main Features of Buy for Me for WooCommerce
1. Buy For Me Button on Product Pages
The extension can display a customizable Buy For Me button directly on product pages.
This allows shoppers to access the feature without leaving the product they are viewing.
2. Buy For Me Button on Listing Pages
The button can also appear on product listing pages.
This means visitors don’t necessarily have to open an individual product page before initiating a gift request.
3. Multiple Products in a Request
A particularly useful feature is the ability for customers to add multiple products to the Buy For Me request form.
For example, a customer might want to ask someone to purchase:
- A shirt
- A pair of shoes
- A handbag
Instead of sending separate requests, multiple products can be included in the request process.
4. Popup Request Form
The extension provides a customizable popup form.
The popup can be customized to better match your store’s branding, including text, colors, and fields.
5. Email Templates
The extension provides two Buy For Me email templates.
This helps you create a more structured and professional communication experience for recipients.
6. Custom Form Titles and Placeholders
You can customize the title and placeholders used in the Buy For Me form.
This is useful for adapting the form to your brand voice.
7. Product Restrictions
Store owners can restrict the Buy For Me functionality by product.
For example, you may want to enable Buy For Me only for selected giftable products.
8. Category Restrictions
You can also control the functionality by category.
For example, you could enable Buy For Me for:
- Gifts
- Jewelry
- Fashion
- Electronics
- Birthday gifts
while leaving it disabled for other categories.
9. User Role Restrictions
The extension also provides user-role restrictions.
This gives store administrators additional control over who can access the Buy For Me functionality.
10. Discounts for Buy For Me Orders
One of the strongest marketing-oriented features is the ability to provide discounts for orders resulting from Buy For Me requests.
The official product page says discounts can be configured as either a percentage or a fixed value.
For example, you could offer:
10% off your first purchase from a Buy For Me request
or:
$5 off when purchasing a requested product
This can give recipients an additional incentive to complete the purchase.
11. Purchase Logs
The plugin also provides detailed Buy For Me request and purchase logs.
This can help store owners understand how the feature is being used.
WooCommerce Buy For Me Plugin: Comparison
Although both plugins are designed around the same basic concept, there are meaningful differences.
| Feature | Viral WooCommerce BuyForMe | Buy for Me for WooCommerce |
|---|---|---|
| Buy For Me button | Yes | Yes |
| Product pages | Yes | Yes |
| Category/listing pages | Yes | Yes |
| Shortcode | Yes | Not highlighted on current product page |
| Custom button text | Yes | Customizable |
| Product restrictions | Yes | Yes |
| Category restrictions | Yes | Yes |
| User-role restrictions | Not highlighted | Yes |
| Multiple products per request | Not highlighted | Yes |
| Popup form | Yes | Yes |
| Email customization | Yes | Yes |
| Hide price | Yes | Not highlighted |
| Discount functionality | Not highlighted | Yes |
| Purchase/request logs | Not highlighted | Yes |
| WPML | Yes | Not highlighted |
| Custom CSS | Yes | Not highlighted |
| Responsive design | Yes | Yes |
| Current official WooCommerce marketplace offering | No | Yes |
The comparison above is based on the features currently described by the respective product listings. The CodeCanyon plugin’s listed last update is March 2022, while the WooCommerce Marketplace listing currently identifies version 1.0.3 and provides current WordPress/WooCommerce compatibility information.
How Does WooCommerce Buy For Me Work?
The basic workflow is quite simple.
Step 1: Customer Finds a Product
A visitor browses your WooCommerce store and discovers a product they would like to receive.
Instead of immediately purchasing it, they decide to ask another person to buy it for them.
Step 2: Customer Clicks Buy For Me
The visitor clicks the Buy For Me button displayed on the product or listing page.
Depending on the plugin and configuration, a popup or request interface opens.
Step 3: Customer Creates the Request
The customer enters information required by the request form.
This may include:
- Recipient email
- Recipient name
- Sender name
- Personal message
- Product information
- Other customized fields
Step 4: Customer Reviews the Request
The request can be presented as an email preview or popup interface.
The CodeCanyon plugin specifically provides an email preview showing the product image, title, and price and allows customers to customize the message and visual presentation.
Step 5: Recipient Receives the Request
The recipient receives the Buy For Me email.
Instead of simply receiving a generic product URL, the recipient gets a contextual request explaining that someone wants them to purchase a particular product.
Step 6: Recipient Purchases the Product
The recipient follows the purchase path and completes the WooCommerce checkout.
If configured, the store can also provide a special discount associated with the Buy For Me request.
Benefits of Using a WooCommerce Buy For Me Plugin
1. Create an Additional Conversion Path
Not every visitor is ready to purchase immediately.
Buy For Me gives hesitant shoppers another option.
Instead of abandoning the website, they can send a product request to someone who may complete the purchase.
2. Encourage Word-of-Mouth Marketing
When customers send products to friends and family, your products naturally reach new potential customers.
This can create an additional discovery channel for your store.
3. Improve Product Sharing
Standard social sharing can sometimes be too generic.
A personalized Buy For Me request has a more specific purpose: “I want this product—please buy it for me.”
That makes the interaction more actionable.
4. Increase Gift Purchases
The functionality is particularly relevant to gift-oriented shopping.
Customers can use it for:
- Birthdays
- Anniversaries
- Weddings
- Valentine’s Day
- Mother’s Day
- Father’s Day
- Christmas
- New Year
- Graduation
- Special occasions
The CodeCanyon listing specifically mentions campaigns around occasions such as Valentine’s Day, New Year, Christmas, and Mother’s Day.
5. Reach New Customers
The original shopper may already know your store.
The recipient may not.
When the recipient receives a Buy For Me request, they are introduced to your product and brand.
This makes the feature potentially useful as a customer-acquisition mechanism.
6. Create a Memorable Shopping Experience
A Buy For Me feature is different from the standard Add to Cart button.
That difference can make your store experience more memorable.
7. Give Store Owners More Marketing Opportunities
With the WooCommerce Marketplace extension, you can attach discounts to Buy For Me purchases.
This creates an opportunity to turn a request into a promotional campaign.
8. Target Specific Products
You don’t necessarily need to activate the functionality across the entire store.
Product and category restrictions allow you to strategically choose where the feature appears.
Best Use Cases for WooCommerce Buy For Me
Fashion Stores
Fashion products are naturally suitable for gift requests.
A customer might find a jacket, dress, watch, or pair of shoes and ask a partner or family member to purchase it.
Jewelry Stores
Jewelry is another strong use case.
Products such as:
- Rings
- Necklaces
- Bracelets
- Earrings
- Watches
can work particularly well with gift-request functionality.
Gift Shops
Gift stores can make the Buy For Me button a prominent part of their product experience.
Electronics Stores
Customers may want to request expensive products from parents, partners, or family members.
Home Decor Stores
Furniture, lighting, artwork, and decorative products can also be requested as gifts.
Seasonal Stores
Stores running Valentine’s Day, Christmas, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, or birthday campaigns can use Buy For Me as an additional promotional mechanism.
How to Set Up a WooCommerce Buy For Me Plugin
The exact installation process depends on which plugin you choose.
However, the general process looks like this.
Step 1: Install WooCommerce
You need an active WooCommerce store.
Make sure WooCommerce is installed and configured before installing a Buy For Me extension.
Step 2: Install Your Buy For Me Plugin
Install the plugin through the appropriate marketplace or WordPress plugin installation process.
For the CodeCanyon version, obtain the plugin from the official CodeCanyon listing.
For the WooCommerce Marketplace extension, use the official WooCommerce product page and follow its installation instructions.
Step 3: Activate the Plugin
After installation, activate the plugin from the WordPress admin dashboard.
Step 4: Configure the Button
Choose the text you want customers to see.
For example:
Buy For Me
or:
Ask Someone to Buy This
Keep the button text short and easy to understand.
Step 5: Configure the Form
Customize the request form according to your store.
Consider including:
- Sender name
- Recipient name
- Recipient email
- Personal message
Step 6: Configure Email Settings
Customize the email templates and branding where the plugin supports it.
Use your store name and recognizable branding so recipients understand where the request came from.
Step 7: Select Products or Categories
If your plugin supports restrictions, decide where the feature should appear.
You don’t necessarily have to enable it everywhere.
Step 8: Configure Discounts
If you are using the WooCommerce Marketplace extension, you can configure a discount for purchases generated from Buy For Me requests.
Test both fixed-value and percentage-based offers to determine which works better for your store.
Step 9: Test the Complete Workflow
Before making the feature available to customers, test the entire process.
Send a request to an email account you control.
Check:
- Button appearance
- Popup appearance
- Form fields
- Product information
- Email formatting
- Links
- Discount functionality
- Mobile responsiveness
- Checkout
- Order tracking
Tips for Getting Better Results From Buy For Me
Simply installing a WooCommerce Buy For Me Plugin doesn’t guarantee more sales.
The feature should be integrated into your customer experience strategically.
Use Clear Button Text
Don’t make customers guess what the button does.
“Buy For Me” is clear and familiar.
Position the Button Near the Add to Cart Button
The Buy For Me action should be easy to find without competing too aggressively with the primary purchase action.
Use Gift-Oriented Messaging
You could add supporting text such as:
“Love it? Ask someone to buy it for you!”
This explains the purpose of the feature immediately.
Promote It During Holidays
Consider highlighting the feature during major shopping periods.
Use Discounts Carefully
Discounts can encourage recipients to purchase, but make sure the discount structure remains profitable.
Test on Mobile
A significant portion of eCommerce traffic can come from mobile devices.
Make sure the button, popup, form, and email workflow work correctly on smaller screens.
Is WooCommerce Buy For Me the Same as a Wishlist?
No.
A wishlist and Buy For Me feature solve different problems.
A wishlist allows customers to save products they might want to purchase later.
A Buy For Me feature allows customers to actively ask another person to purchase a product.
For example:
Wishlist:
“I want to remember this product.”
Buy For Me:
“I want this product. Please buy it for me.”
You can actually use both features together.
A wishlist can capture long-term interest, while Buy For Me can turn a specific product into an immediate gift request.
Is Buy For Me the Same as Social Sharing?
Not exactly.
Social sharing generally distributes a product URL or product information through social platforms.
Buy For Me is more personalized.
Instead of simply saying:
“Check out this product.”
the customer is effectively communicating:
“I would like to receive this product as a gift.”
That difference makes Buy For Me particularly relevant to gift-focused eCommerce stores.
What Are the Technical Requirements?
Requirements depend on the plugin you select.
The official WooCommerce Marketplace currently states that its Buy for Me extension requires at least WordPress 6.5 and PHP 7.4, and lists compatibility with WordPress 7.0.0 and WooCommerce 10.8.1.
The CodeCanyon listing currently identifies compatibility with WordPress versions through 6.9.x and WooCommerce 6.x through 9.x, while its listed last update is March 11, 2022.
Because plugin compatibility can change over time, always check the plugin’s official marketplace listing before installing it on a production website.
Which WooCommerce Buy For Me Plugin Should You Choose?
Both plugins can add Buy For Me functionality, but they are aimed at somewhat different requirements.
The Viral WooCommerce Plugin: BuyForMe is worth considering if you want a feature-rich, theme-oriented solution with shortcode support, custom button text, custom CSS, WPML support, category/product controls, and the ability to customize the visual presentation of the request.
The Buy for Me for WooCommerce extension is particularly interesting if you want features such as multiple products in a request, user-role restrictions, customizable popups, purchase/request logs, and discounts tied to Buy For Me purchases. It is also currently distributed through the official WooCommerce Marketplace with active product information, support, and updates.
One important consideration is update history. The CodeCanyon listing identifies March 2022 as the last update, whereas the WooCommerce Marketplace listing currently shows version 1.0.3 and current compatibility information. Therefore, store owners should verify compatibility with their exact WordPress and WooCommerce versions before choosing the older CodeCanyon solution for a new production store.
Final Thoughts
A WooCommerce Buy For Me Plugin can add a completely different type of conversion opportunity to an online store.
Instead of treating every visitor as someone who must purchase immediately, you can give shoppers the option to ask another person to buy the product for them.
That simple change can support:
- Gift purchases
- Product sharing
- Word-of-mouth marketing
- Customer engagement
- New customer acquisition
- Seasonal campaigns
- Personalized shopping experiences
The Viral WooCommerce Plugin: BuyForMe focuses heavily on the personalized product-request experience, theme integration, customization, email presentation, and flexible button placement.
The Buy for Me for WooCommerce extension from KoalaApps adds features such as customizable forms, multiple products per request, product/category/user-role restrictions, email templates, discounts, and request/purchase logs.
If your WooCommerce store sells products that people commonly purchase as gifts, a Buy For Me feature can be an interesting way to complement your existing Add to Cart, Wishlist, and social-sharing functionality.
The key is to make the feature easy to understand, place it prominently without distracting from your primary CTA, customize the request experience to match your brand, and test the complete request-to-purchase workflow before launching it to customers.
Frequently Asked Questions About WooCommerce Buy For Me Plugin
What is a WooCommerce Buy For Me Plugin?
A WooCommerce Buy For Me Plugin allows shoppers to send a personalized request to another person asking them to purchase a WooCommerce product as a gift. Depending on the plugin, the request can include product information, a personalized message, recipient information, and a purchase link.
How does WooCommerce Buy For Me work?
The customer clicks a Buy For Me button on a product or listing page, completes a request form, and sends the request to another person. The recipient receives the product request and can purchase the requested item.
Can I add Buy For Me to WooCommerce?
Yes. WooCommerce Buy For Me functionality can be added using dedicated plugins/extensions such as the Viral WooCommerce Plugin: BuyForMe or Buy for Me for WooCommerce.
Can customers send multiple products in one Buy For Me request?
The official WooCommerce Marketplace extension supports adding multiple products to a Buy For Me request form.
Can I hide the product price?
The Viral WooCommerce Plugin: BuyForMe provides an option to hide the product price from the request.
Can I customize the Buy For Me button?
Yes. The CodeCanyon plugin allows you to change the button text and customize its appearance. The WooCommerce Marketplace extension also provides customizable Buy For Me functionality.
Can I restrict Buy For Me to specific products?
Yes. The official WooCommerce extension supports restrictions by product, category, and user role.
Can I offer a discount for Buy For Me orders?
Yes. The official WooCommerce Buy for Me extension supports discounts on orders generated from Buy For Me requests and allows percentage or fixed-value discounts.
Is WooCommerce Buy For Me useful for gift stores?
Yes. Gift stores are one of the most natural use cases because shoppers can ask friends or family members to purchase products they want to receive.
Is Buy For Me the same as a WooCommerce wishlist?
No. A wishlist saves products for later consideration, while Buy For Me lets a customer actively request that another person purchase a product.
Does the CodeCanyon BuyForMe plugin support shortcodes?
Yes. The CodeCanyon listing states that the plugin provides shortcode support for displaying the Buy For Me button.
Which Buy For Me plugin is better?
There is no universal winner. Compare the features you need, compatibility with your current WordPress/WooCommerce versions, update history, support, customization requirements, and pricing before choosing a plugin.
