Recenzja OpenCart – Tworzenie sklepu 2024

AGATA MISTELSKA l E-COMMERCE l 18.06.2024 l 5 MIN

In a nutshell:

What is OpenCart?

1.1 Background information
1.2 Overview of key data - advantages and disadvantages
1.3 Who is OpenCart for?
1.4 What sets OpenCart apart from the rest?

Examples of shops built on OpenCart
Is it worth choosing OpenCart: Our opinion

With the growth of e-commerce, a number of platforms are emerging that allow the creation of online shops. One of these is OpenCart, which we will take a closer look at in this article. Its advantages and disadvantages will be discussed to help you decide if it is the right choice for your business.

What is OpenCart?

OpenCart, a free e-commerce platform, enables the fast and robust creation of online shops. The platform provides 11,200 extensions - both paid and free - and 1,800 templates (of which around 370 are free). It allows free code editing and the use of free updates.

Basic information

Software type	Open-Source
Country of origin	Hong Kong
Year of issue	2005
Access to source code	Yes

Overview of key data - advantages and disadvantages

Price	✅ (the platform is available in free and paid versions)
Individual IP address	✅
Hosting included in the price	❌
Safety certificates	✅
integration with accounting systems	✅
Omnichannel functions	✅
Sharing on social media	✅
Running a blog	✅
Implementation of change	✅ (possibility to make changes yourself)
Integration with payment systems	✅
Implementation of promotions and discounts	✅
Possibility of selling virtual products	✅
Integration with Allegro	✅
Shipping cost calculator	✅
Basket recovery	✅
Differentiation of product variants	✅
Search and filtering	✅
Returns management	✅
Technical support	❌(payable)
SSL certificate	✅
Automatic sitemap	✅
Editable 404 page	✅
Manual 301 redirections	✅
Ability to work on page speed in the CMS panel	✅
Simple and rapid restructuring of the structure	✅
Mobile friendly	✅
Editing of URLs	✅
Making advanced technical changes	✅

The pros and cons of having a shop on OpenCart in terms of:

SEO: Although OpenCart contains some basic functions related to
with search engine optimisation, does not provide advanced solutions.

Maintenance costs: OpenCart, being an open-code e-commerce platform, offers an attractive option for entrepreneurs looking for a free solution to launch their online shop. However, OpenCart can come with costs associated with the purchase of support, additional themes and extended modules.

Business scalability: With a wide range of add-ons and themes and a simple architecture, any entrepreneur can customise their shop to suit their individual needs and preferences. Although many of the extensions are available for free, there are also advanced options that come with a fee. Thanks to its ease of expansion and scalability, OpenCart becomes a good choice for businesses that are growing rapidly and want to adapt their online shops to the changing needs of the market.

Who is OpenCart for?

Shop up to 1000 products	✅
Shop up to 10 000 products	✅
Shop up to 100,000 products	✅
Shop 100,000 products and more	✅

OpenCart is a versatile platform for building online shops.

What makes OpenCart stand out from the rest?

- Free features

For many shops, the extensive range of features available in the basic version may meet their needs. Many entrepreneurs may find that this number is sufficient for the successful operation of their online shops.

- Very large number of extensions

The availability of a wide variety of extensions opens up a wide spectrum of possibilities for online shop owners. Through the use of suitable plug-ins, the shop's functionality can be easily adapted to individual needs and preferences, which contributes to the attractiveness of the offer and the efficiency of the online business.

- Free assistance

OpenCart also offers free community support available on the official forum. There, users can get support from experienced people, ask questions and share their experiences with the platform. Thanks to this forum, users can develop their online shops together by exchanging knowledge and solving possible problems.

Examples of shops built on OpenCart

Before making a decision, it is worth reviewing sample shops built on the OpenCart platform to see how you can customise the look and functionality of your shop.

Source: opencartlab.co.uk

Is it worth choosing OpenCart: Our opinion

OpenCart is not only an e-commerce platform, but also a tool for creating online shops with their own character. We can conclude that it is a platform with an extensive feature set, providing flexibility, scalability and ease of customisation for different business needs. One of the main advantages of OpenCart is its status as free open-source software. This is a key aspect that allows entrepreneurs to avoid the upfront costs associated with licences. In addition, the extensive base of extensions and themes available for OpenCart gives users the opportunity to personalise their online shops.

However, as with any e-commerce platform, there are also some disadvantages to consider. Mimo that OpenCart offers a wide range of features, some advanced options may require the purchase of paid extensions, which can increase the total cost of implementing and maintaining the platform. In addition, community support, although available on OpenCart, may not always be as fast and effective as paid options. The platform will also not allow you to implement an advanced SEO strategy. In summary, the final decision should be preceded by a careful analysis of requirements, opportunities and limitations to ensure the optimal solution for your business.

If you want to compare OpenCart with other platforms, you can also read our other articles:

Read the article: Review of WooCommerce - Creating a 2024 shop

Read the article: Review of Sote - Creating a shop 2024

Read the article: Comarch review - Creating a shop 2024