3 minutes reading
AGATA MISTELSKA l E-COMMERCE l 27.06.2024 l 5 MIN
In a nutshell:
- 1.1 Background information
- 1.2 Overview of key data - advantages and disadvantages
- 1.3 Who is osCommerce for?
- 1.4 What sets osCommerce apart from the rest?
In this article, we will analyse osCommerce, focusing on its key features and customisation for SEO. We'll look at whether this platform stands out from other e-commerce solutions, what benefits it offers and any potential limitations. Find out if osCommerce is the right choice for your business.
What is osCommerce?
OsCommerce is an e-commerce platform that is available for free and is developed by a community of developers. The software is continuously improved by adding new features by active developers. OsCommerce offers comprehensive configuration options, allowing you to customise your shop to meet your specific needs. Technical support is available through detailed documentation and a support forum.
Basic information
| Software type | Open-Source |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Year of issue | 2000 |
| Access to source code | Yes |
Overview of key data - advantages and disadvantages
| Price | ✅ |
| Hosting included in the price | ❌ |
| Security | ✅ |
| integration with accounting systems | ✅ |
| Omnichannel functions | ✅ |
| Sharing on social media | ✅ |
| Implementation of change | ✅ |
| Integration with payment systems | ✅ |
| Implementation of promotions and discounts | ✅ |
| Possibility of selling virtual products | ✅ |
| Shipping cost calculator | ✅ |
| Search and filtering | ✅ |
| Returns management | ✅ |
| Technical support | ❌ |
| SSL certificate | ❌ (payable) |
| Automatic sitemap | ✅ |
| Manual 301 redirections | ✅ |
| Editing of URLs | ✅ |
| Mobile friendly | ❌ (additional plugs required) |
The pros and cons of having a shop on osCommerce in terms of:
SEO: osCommerce lacks many built-in SEO features, forcing the installation of additional plug-ins or the help of a specialist to customise the shop for SEO by editing the page code. Basic SEO optimisation in osCommerce can be done directly from the administration panel. Here, you can set friendly URLs, change titles, H1 headers and optimise alt attributes for images without interfering with the page's source code.
Maintenance costs: OsCommerce is a free e-commerce platform that offers additional paid packages. The Medium package costs £200 per year, includes a free SSL certificate for 1 domain and an unlimited number of email accounts, websites and domains. The Plus package costs PLN 300 per year, includes a free SSL certificate for 3 domains and an unlimited number of mail accounts, websites and domains. The Advanced package costs PLN 500 per year, includes a free SSL certificate for all domains and an unlimited number of mail accounts, sites and domains.
Business scalability: OsCommerce is rated as difficult to scale. The platform's limitations may be due to the lack of advanced features needed to handle large volumes of products and intensive website traffic. The platform has been designed primarily for smaller online shops, which means that it may not be suitable for companies planning to grow their e-commerce business rapidly and significantly.
Who is osCommerce for?
| Shop up to 1000 products | ✅ |
| Shop up to 10 000 products | ❌ |
| Shop up to 100,000 products | ❌ |
| Shop 100,000 products and more | ❌ |
The platform is dedicated to small online shops.
What sets osCommerce apart from the rest?
-
- Simplicity
OsCommerce is known for its ease of use, making it suitable for those without advanced technical knowledge.
-
- Open-Source
It is open-source software which means that it can be downloaded, used and modified free of charge, giving you great flexibility in customising your shop.
-
- Wide range of integration
OsCommerce offers a large number of integrations with various payment services, courier services and other applications, making it easy to extend the shop's functionality.
Example shops built on osCommerce
Before you make a decision, it is worth looking at examples of shops that run on the osCommerce platform.
Furniture Store Demo
PrintShop demo
Watch shop demo
Source: www.demo.oscommerce.com/
Is osCommerce worth choosing: our opinion
Investing in osCommerce can be advantageous because of the access to the source code, the wide range of add-ons and the active support of the community, which ensures continuous development and updates to the platform. OsCommerce is particularly valued for its ease of use, making it a good choice for smaller shops with a limited number of products.
One of the biggest drawbacks may be the problem with responsiveness, as special add-ons and plug-ins will be required to adapt the shop to mobile devices. Additionally, osCommerce is also characterised by its complex configuration, meaning that any changes require advanced technical knowledge to properly customise the platform. For those without programming experience, this can be challenging and difficult to implement.
If you want to compare osCommerce with other platforms, you can read our other articles:
Read the article: Zyro review - Setting up shop 2024
Read the article: Review of RedCart - Creating a 2024 shop
Read the article: Review of ShopGold - Creating a 2024 shop
