There are two types of WordPress websites: Wordpress.com and Wordpress.org. (Here is an article that outlines the important differences between Wordpress.org and Wordpress.com.)
Wordpress.com requires that you use one of the themes available on the Wordpress.com site. In most cases, you will not be able to use a theme purchased on Creative Market on Wordpress.com. However, if you have a Wordpress.com Business Plan, you may be able to install themes purchased on Creative Market.
Creative Market sells Wordpress.org themes. Wordpress.org themes are hosted and installed by the user, which allows you to install custom themes and build your own PHP and CSS with few limitations. Here are some helpful resources on our blog that will get you started:
- How to Install Your New WordPress Theme
- The Beginner's Guide to WordPress
- Most Wordpress themes on Creative Market also come with supporting documentation or a Help file. You can find this resource in the shop owner's product listing, or in your downloaded product files. If you have questions about installing a specific theme, please contact the seller.
The "missing style.css stylesheet" error
You've purchased your Wordpress theme, only to stumble upon a "missing style.css stylesheet" error. Oh no!
Not to worry - it just means that you've missed a step and need to install the appropriate .zip file to Wordpress. Go ahead and extract the contents of the ZIP file you downloaded. Once you've done so, you'll find a few other files and folders. You'll want to find another file that is called "THEMENAME.zip," named after the theme, and upload that one. If you're unsure, there is often help/support documentation listed inside the product folder that provides instructions on how to install the theme. We've also provided an article here that should help get you started.
If you have any other technical questions about the specific theme, please contact the seller directly with more details about the issue, and we're confident that the developer of the theme will be able to troubleshoot their product further.
Genesis / Divi Child Themes
Creative Market also offers Genesis Child Themes and Divi Child Themes, which are both types of Wordpress themes built on a specific framework (e.g., Genesis / Divi). Shop Owners do not include the framework within their product files for licensing reasons, so in order to use a Genesis or Divi Child Theme you purchase on Creative Market, you will need to have the framework already installed in Wordpress. Our Shop Owners provide more information about third-party frameworks in their product listings.
For specific questions about the theme you purchased, please contact the Shop Owner directly.