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Staying with OpenCart
Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2018 3:25 am
by FrogMan
Greetings,
I've been an OpenCart user for many years, but I'm debating switching to something like shopify or bigcommerce. I was wondering if some users could help me think out, or point out ways that I could stay here economically and still get the functionality I need.
First of All: Thank you to all the developers and community for creating this great free source that has helped build my business!
I'm on Version 2.3.0.2
1. Will upgrading to 3.0 give me any substantial add on functionality?
2. True Option Pricing. I'd like to move away from the "+1.50" type option pricing that the base opencart uses.
3. Multiple Option Stock Tracking. With base opencart it is extremely difficult to put real stock values in for products that have multiple options.
4. Electronic Gift Cards. I need a nice robust GiftCard system.
Re: Staying with OpenCart
Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2018 4:38 am
by thekrotek
1. Nope. OpenCart 3 is actually 2.4 with TWIG instead of TPL and Marketplace.
For 2, 3, 4 you will have to install corresponding extensions.
Re: Staying with OpenCart
Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2018 2:57 am
by FrogMan
Thanks for the reply krotek. Any suggestions on good mods to get these features?
Also, it would be nice to have an ability to see when options are out of stock.
Re: Staying with OpenCart
Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2018 3:49 am
by thekrotek
I personally don't have such extensions, but you can simply search the Marketplace by keywords and find the right mod.
Re: Staying with OpenCart
Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2018 9:43 pm
by AM786
For combinations of product options check
Related Options
Re: Staying with OpenCart
Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2018 11:25 am
by purpletreesoft
thekrotek wrote: ↑Thu Sep 13, 2018 4:38 am
1. Nope. OpenCart 3 is actually 2.4 with TWIG instead of TPL and Marketplace.
I think you are being a bit harsh on opencart developers while saying that
In my view it is always advisable to be on the latest version.
However, I know there have been some avoidable changes made which have complicated the matters a bit.
Re: Staying with OpenCart
Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2018 3:23 pm
by thekrotek
purpletreesoft wrote: ↑Tue Sep 18, 2018 11:25 am
I think you are being a bit harsh on opencart developers while saying that
Far from that. I simply know things.
Re: Staying with OpenCart
Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2018 3:58 pm
by marthasimons
I personally find it a bit inconvenient to look for the necessary extensions and download them whenever I need some additional functions. Nevertheless, It is a great product and I will continue using it.
Re: Staying with OpenCart
Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2018 4:19 pm
by thekrotek
marthasimons wrote: ↑Wed Sep 19, 2018 3:58 pm
I personally find it a bit inconvenient to look for the necessary extensions and download them whenever I need some additional functions. Nevertheless, It is a great product and I will continue using it.
This is far from inconvenient, because this is the way ANY other framework works. By default you only have the most basic features and the rest can be expanded by extensions.
Re: Staying with OpenCart
Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2018 1:41 am
by FrogMan
Do they though? Do other online commerce sites like shopify or bigcommerce have only the most basic things in their base packages? And are the security risks the same?
Re: Staying with OpenCart
Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2018 8:20 pm
by ADD Creative
Shopify and BigCommerce are not open source shopping cart frameworks, they are paid for software services.
Re: Staying with OpenCart
Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2018 1:22 am
by FrogMan
Opencart is opensource, but it's certainly not free
Hosting, extensions, updates, security risks, etc... it adds up.
Please know, I'm thankful for opencart. It really helped my business get off the ground. For that i am every thankful of the programmers and community that built the opensource framework.
But what I'm trying to do is have a honest, straightforward discussion or get some advice for someone like myself who has reached maybe the "next plateue" of needing services and in that regard opencart is starting to feel very limiting with it's process of upgrading and extension addons. Especially in lieu of let's say you have an annual hosting bill of 200. Big commerce might be 325 annually. At that stage when you have a business making X amount of dollars you really have to ask yourself if some of the risks and "Diy" necessities of opencart start to make sense.
Maybe this is the wrong place to discuss this but I thought in an "opencsource" community it might b ok.
Re: Staying with OpenCart
Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2018 1:53 am
by ADD Creative
Sorry, I was trying to make the point about the technical differences between them, not to compare cost.
The advantage of the open source route is being able to customise it to your requirements and having full control over the site. Something you might not be able to do if you are using a service. As you say the trade off is having to maintain the site yourself (or paying someone), not something that is made as easy as it could be.
Re: Staying with OpenCart
Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2018 3:28 am
by rgbrewer
The shopping cart framework isn't where your issue is. Your issue is your business has now grown to the point where what you need done simply cant be done by mass-produced extensions that you buy for $25.
This will be true in opencart or in shopify or any other framework.
Its hard to be a serious player in e-commerce when you don't have someone you trust to maintain and develop your web store. You're simply at the point where you need an expert developer on your team to advise you.
Re: Staying with OpenCart
Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2018 3:36 am
by FrogMan
You may have a valid point there, I’ve just never experienced any other framework than Opencart though and all of the functionality I need seems to be included in one of the paid providers so it seems like a good next step
Re: Staying with OpenCart
Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2018 5:49 am
by IP_CAM
purpletreesoft wrote: ↑Tue Sep 18, 2018 11:25 am
In my view it is always advisable to be on the latest version.
Well, from an OC-Newbie point of view, this might be true, still, not even Microsoft was ever able,
to make a Version work, without leaving a lot of construction areas in first to be found places.
But OC is no Microsoft, but more just a slightly enhanced One Man Show.
And OC would not
come for free, if it would not require Users of latest OC Versions, to find out, what eventually still
needs to be found and fixed. And that's a fundamental difference, compared with most any other
professionally used Software, built to only serve as Tool to 'show & sell'! But whoever is around
here on a regular schedule for some time, would be aware of that ...
Just compare it with Magento, they also distribute a free Version, for exactly the same Reason,
whereby OC is still on it's way, now by Use of the Cloud, to offer commercial supported Solutions,
likely also based on latest Versions knowledge + experience of 'free' OC Users.
So, better revise your view on latest versions, when it comes to OC, and accept the Situation, as
it exists. But if one does not like this concept, and/or the way how it works, then, it's nobody else's
fault. Everybody is free, to decide on, which kind of (possibly free) Software to use. And/or how
much money to invest, to make it work in some specific ways.
that's at least my opinion...
Ernie
---
BTW: Opencart is opensource, but it's certainly not free ...
Well, used as POS in an already secured LAN/WAN Network, it would not cost a single Penny
Re: Staying with OpenCart
Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2018 10:53 am
by FrogMan
how does Opencart compare or differ from WordPress in its dev model/history? Because, and I say this from a pure user standpoint if OC had WP’s ease of updating and user friendly admin I might never think of leaving.
I’ll tell you, it’s the update process and just a few base functions that really leave me wanting
Re: Staying with OpenCart
Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2018 11:16 am
by IP_CAM
Buit why do you compare a Wordpress with OpenCart ?
It's an entirely different way of doing things, WP is rather comparable with
a Windows type Framework, equipped with a few basic Things, and it's
'Intelligence' might also be used, to make OnlineShop Software work,
among a variety of other 'Programs'. But OC has neither been planned,
nor designed this way, that's why it's a ShopSoftware, and not another WP!
And every new OC Version comes as a full install, just like a new Windows,
but only a Fool would upload the Content of a Win-10 DVD into an existing
Win XP Directory, and still expecting everything to work as before ....
But it's of no use, if you want to argue about such. Better create something,
meeting your Expectations, and you might get rich and famous !
Good Luck!
Ernie
Re: Staying with OpenCart
Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2018 4:14 pm
by uebz
FrogMan wrote: ↑Mon Sep 24, 2018 10:53 am
how does Opencart compare or differ from WordPress in its dev model/history? Because, and I say this from a pure user standpoint if OC had WP’s ease of updating and user friendly admin I might never think of leaving.
I’ll tell you, it’s the update process and just a few base functions that really leave me wanting
I've been playing with the other eCommerce sites for about a month now and comparatively I think OC is being left behind. The development for the other platforms are much more frequent. Sad thing is I don't think the guy that programs OC really cares. It's only open source because the source is available but in terms of development it doesn't feel like a open source project. This is unfortunate because there are a lot of things I like about OC compared to Magento, Woo and Prestashop.
Re: Staying with OpenCart
Posted: Tue May 18, 2021 3:28 pm
by dawnbailey1974
I believe opencart is sill a winner among the platforms. Especially in comparison with wordpress. I believe wordpress is much slower and more complicated in usage.