3 minutes reading
AGATA MISTELSKA l E-COMMERCE l 11.06.2024 l 5 MIN
In a nutshell:
- 1.1 Background information
- 1.2 Overview of key data - advantages and disadvantages
- 1.3 Who is VirtueMart for?
- 1.4 What sets VirtueMart apart from the rest?
In this article, we will focus on the analysis of VirtueMart - its key features and customisation for SEO. We will discover if this platform stands out from other e-commerce solutions, what benefits it offers and what potential limitations we can see. Is VirtueMart the right choice for your business?
What is VirtueMart ?
As with WooCommerce, VirtueMart extension for Joomla!which transforms this CMS platform into a comprehensive tool for building online shops. It is open source and provides the rich set of features needed to run a successful online business.
Basic information
| Software type | Open-Source |
| Country of origin | USA |
| Year of issue | 2005 |
| Access to source code | Yes |
Overview of key data - advantages and disadvantages
| Price | ✅ (the platform is free, some plug-ins have an additional charge) |
| Individual IP address | ✅ (optional) |
| Hosting included in the price | ❌ |
| Integration with accounting systems | ✅ |
| Own domain | ✅ |
| Running a blog | ✅ |
| Sharing on social media | ✅ |
| Implementation of change | ✅ |
| Integration with payment systems | ✅ |
| Implementation of promotions and discounts | ✅ |
| Possibility of selling virtual products | ✅ |
| Integration with Allegro | ✅ |
| Shipping cost calculator | ✅ |
| Differentiation of product variants | ✅ |
| Search and filtering | ✅ |
| Technical support | ❌ |
| Automatic sitemap | ✅ |
| Updates | ❌ (manual implementation) |
| Editable 404 page | ✅ |
| Manual 301 redirections | ✅ |
| Simple and rapid restructuring of the structure | ✅ |
| Mobile friendly | ✅ |
| Internal search engine | ✅ |
| Editing of URLs | ✅ |
| Editing the robots file | ✅ |
| Making advanced technical changes | ❌ |
The pros and cons of having a shop on VirtueMart in terms of:
SEO: SEO optimisation of shops running on the VirtueMart platform primarily includes: creating a sitemap; setting up friendly URLs; verifying content for duplication; editing meta tags and headings; implementing structured data using the Google Structured Data Markup plugin.
Maintenance costs: The platform is available to download and use for free, however, it is worth bearing in mind that additional expenses for paid plug-ins and hosting services may be necessary.
Business scalability: Thanks to the wide range of plug-ins and extensions available, VirtueMart is scalable and you can easily adapt your shop to changing business needs.
Who is VirtueMart for?
| Shop up to 1000 products | ✅ |
| Shop up to 10 000 products | ✅ |
| Shop up to 100,000 products | ✅ |
| Shop 100,000 products and more | ✅ |
What sets VirtueMart apart from the rest?
- BaseLinker
VirtueMart is the platform that BaseLinker supports. This allows products from the shop to be added in bulk to auctions and orders from Allegro to be passed directly to the VirtueMart-based shop.
- Extensive library of extensions and plug-ins
VirtueMart has a large selection of extensions and plug-ins, including paid and free components. The variety of options makes it possible to tailor the shop to individual needs, which is a key advantage of this e-commerce platform.
- Free basic version
The free basic version of VirtueMart is a favourable option for small businesses and those starting out in e-commerce, making it an attractive proposition.
Examples of shops built on VirtueMart
Before you make your final decision, it is worth taking a look at a few example shops based on the VirtueMart platform. Going through them will give you a better understanding of the potential of this platform and provide inspiration for designing your own online shop.
Shop brandmeier.de
Shop Gerberei TRAUTWEIN
Shop livingstudio.se
Source: www.virtuemart.net/virtuemart-showcase
Is it worth choosing VirtueMart: Our opinion
VirtueMart is one of the popular e-commerce solutions for creating online shops based on the Joomla! platform. The fact that it is a free platform with many integrations makes it even more attractive. The implementation of advanced technical changes can be a problem. Such activities involve expertise. In addition, VirtueMart does not offer technical support, so you may need a specialist to look after your shop.
VirtueMart is a good solution for start-ups or companies that decide to get help from a professional.
If you want to compare VirtueMart with other platforms, you can also read our other articles:
Read the article: Review of WooCommerce - Creating a 2024 shop
Read the article: Shoper review - Creating a 2024 shop
Read the article: Sky-Shop review - Creating a shop 2024
