Can you recommend me some good templates?

Hello.
Can you please recommend me some good templates?

I don't mind if the templates require some customization with HTML, CSS and Javascript.
I just want something that will work well.

I went to websites such as themeforest and templatemonster and I cannot make up my mind.

I'm using the latest version of Opencart 3.0.3.3
My client will be selling Garden stuff such as BBQ stuff

web-coders wrote: ↑

Tue May 12, 2020 10:41 pm

Can you please recommend me some good templates?

My client will be selling Garden stuff such as BBQ stuff

Very funny
You are a web designer or mechanic?

xxvirusxx wrote: ↑

Tue May 12, 2020 11:39 pm

web-coders wrote: ↑

Tue May 12, 2020 10:41 pm

Can you please recommend me some good templates?

My client will be selling Garden stuff such as BBQ stuff

Very funny
You are a web designer or mechanic?

I'm a newbie Web Designer who just knows HTML5, CSS3 and Javascript.
I have 0 knowledge of OpenCart and I'm trying to learn about it.

web-coders wrote: ↑

Tue May 12, 2020 11:47 pm

I have 0 knowledge of OpenCart and I'm trying to learn about it.

So you told him? (your client)
Hey dude..I don't know nothing about Opencart.....but I will make your website with 1000$

xxvirusxx wrote: ↑

Tue May 12, 2020 11:52 pm

web-coders wrote: ↑

Tue May 12, 2020 11:47 pm

I have 0 knowledge of OpenCart and I'm trying to learn about it.

So you told him? (your client)
Hey dude..I don't know nothing about Opencart.....but I will make your website with 1000$

Actually I hid that particular part. If you start over-analyzing things of what you don't know and you know, you will never make a start.
It may be funny but I asked for 1.500€ and he agreed.
I told him that: it will take me about 1 month of making his new eshop.

That's because they already have an OpenCart 1.5.x store which hasn't been updated since 2012.
It's not responsive, no good color palette, it has repetitive text in product title and product description.
Outdated add-ons & modules and bad SEO Ranking, because Search Engines identify the repetitive text as spam.

So yeah, I explicitly told him:
Hey dude:
1. Your website is not responsive
2. It's unfriendly to mobile users.
3. I cannot add new modules and new features you ask because they are not compatible with your current OpenCart version.
4. Colors don't match in color palette.
5. Your products and categories need some updating because there is a lot of repetitive text
6. I will also need to update your accounting software and connect your products in your accounting software with Opencarts to reflect the latest quantity of your products.
7. I will also configure your mobile devices to be connected to your email accounts.
All of the above services for the price of 1.500€.

So yes I told him.
Having 0 knowledge in one department doesn't make you a zero and for me it's also a good opportunity to learn about OpenCart.

So please big guy, can you please recommend me some good templates?
I really cannot make a decision in themeforest & templatemonster.

Then...use Default theme...with some CSS changes...

web-coders wrote: ↑

Wed May 13, 2020 12:06 am

1. Your website is not responsive
2. It's unfriendly to mobile users.
3. I cannot add new modules and new features you ask because they are not compatible with your current OpenCart version.
4. Colors don't match in color palette.
5. Your products and categories need some updating because there is a lot of repetitive text
6. I will also need to update your accounting software and connect your products in your accounting software with Opencarts to reflect the latest quantity of your products.
7. I will also configure your mobile devices to be connected to your email accounts.
All of the above services for the price of 1.500€.

1. of course...1.5.x it wasn't made responsive
2. same as 1
3. yes... is like Windows XP...you can't install latest version of Firefox. Chrome...etc
4. is not a problem...CSS tweaks..
7. easy job.

What is you customer website?

xxvirusxx wrote: ↑

Wed May 13, 2020 12:24 am

Then...use Default theme...with some CSS changes...

No...?

Using custom CSS with default theme, as a startup, would be more ideal until the store being set-up officially on the live store. Once the store about to be set live and the knowledge becomes greater and larger with Opencart, then to set your custom theme. Otherwise, you could always look on the Marketplace or with themeforest or similar providers. Alternatively, you could create a new service request in the Commercial Support section of the forum to get this done a custom job.

web-coders wrote: ↑

Wed May 13, 2020 12:32 am

xxvirusxx wrote: ↑

Wed May 13, 2020 12:24 am

Then...use Default theme...with some CSS changes...

No...?

dont think you will get much help with answers like that

cyclops12 wrote: ↑

Wed May 13, 2020 12:38 am

dont think you will get much help with answers like that

You are very bad
You should help him for free to earn 1500 euros (not you).

xxvirusxx wrote: ↑

Wed May 13, 2020 12:41 am

cyclops12 wrote: ↑

Wed May 13, 2020 12:38 am

dont think you will get much help with answers like that

You are very bad
You should help him for free to earn 1500 euros (not you).

my bad, i hadnt thought of that
Just off to search for some templates

straightlight wrote: ↑

Wed May 13, 2020 12:32 am

Using custom CSS with default theme, as a startup, would be more ideal until the store being set-up officially on the live store. Once the store about to be set live and the knowledge becomes greater and larger with Opencart, then to set your custom theme. Otherwise, you could always look on the Marketplace or with themeforest or similar providers. Alternatively, you could create a new service request in the Commercial Support section of the forum to get this done a custom job.

My client already customers and products.
It is understandable why you recommend the default store.
But I would like something "fancy & flashy" but not too much.
This is why I wasn't very impressed with themeforest/template monster.
Some themes were too flashy and some others were entirely the same thing.


I'm also considering of making my own theme, I believe I can use edit the source files (WHICH IS A BAD IDEA) and add my own class names, Bootstrap, required files for Bootstrap and also use jQuery.

But the problem is with time. As I have already said I have 0 knowledge with OpenCart and PHP ( I focused on the MERN Stack (MySQL, Express, React, NodeJS)) and have some experience of making my own Web Applications and when I'm thinking of making everything custom my head hurts.

If I chose the custom route, my todo list would be something like:
- Make Table Relationships in SQL
- Make a Responsive Front End with React, HTML5, CSS3, Javascript
- Make Models with NodeJS ExpressJS
- Add User Authentication with PassportJS
and of course making my own custom modules for my customer needs.

The reason I chose OpenCart 3.X because my client already has an OpenCart 1.5 and most of the data is compatible with OpenCart 3.
I managed to transfer his products, clients with SQL (I know there are migration tools but sometimes you need to use your own knowledge to fix things)

This is why I still insist on purchasing a Template for OpenCart.

I saw in the sticky thread that Journal templates are big bad idea.

web-coders wrote: ↑

Wed May 13, 2020 12:52 am

As I have already said I have 0 knowledge with OpenCart and PHP

From that 1500 euro...hire another developer....or quit the job...will be more OK for customer.

web-coders wrote: ↑

Wed May 13, 2020 12:52 am

I saw in the sticky thread that Journal templates are big bad idea.

Just PRO (or not) developers hate Journal...my opinion.

web-coders wrote: ↑

Wed May 13, 2020 12:52 am

straightlight wrote: ↑

Wed May 13, 2020 12:32 am

Using custom CSS with default theme, as a startup, would be more ideal until the store being set-up officially on the live store. Once the store about to be set live and the knowledge becomes greater and larger with Opencart, then to set your custom theme. Otherwise, you could always look on the Marketplace or with themeforest or similar providers. Alternatively, you could create a new service request in the Commercial Support section of the forum to get this done a custom job.

My client already customers and products.
It is understandable why you recommend the default store.
But I would like something "fancy & flashy" but not too much.
This is why I wasn't very impressed with themeforest/template monster.
Some themes were too flashy and some others were entirely the same thing.


I'm also considering of making my own theme, I believe I can use edit the source files (WHICH IS A BAD IDEA) and add my own class names, Bootstrap, required files for Bootstrap and also use jQuery.

But the problem is with time. As I have already said I have 0 knowledge with OpenCart and PHP ( I focused on the MERN Stack (MySQL, Express, React, NodeJS)) and have some experience of making my own Web Applications and when I'm thinking of making everything custom my head hurts.

If I chose the custom route, my todo list would be something like:
- Make Table Relationships in SQL
- Make a Responsive Front End with React, HTML5, CSS3, Javascript
- Make Models with NodeJS ExpressJS
- Add User Authentication with PassportJS
and of course making my own custom modules for my customer needs.

The reason I chose OpenCart 3.X because my client already has an OpenCart 1.5 and most of the data is compatible with OpenCart 3.
I managed to transfer his products, clients with SQL (I know there are migration tools but sometimes you need to use your own knowledge to fix things)

This is why I still insist on purchasing a Template for OpenCart.

I saw in the sticky thread that Journal templates are big bad idea.

Since the problem is based on time to create custom development, Time Management can still be put on the tab to your client for the custom job you'd need to create based on what may have been discussed between you and your client handled by good Project Management process. You'd be correct to state it may not be the best idea to focus on the view-source. However, since you are insisting on purchasing an already developed Opencart custom theme, rather than developing your own for your client, it is still as equivalent as digging into the view-source to work on the desired look and feels your client may rather want to have from his stores in the end.

After careful thought and your tips.
I decided to develop my own template.
Maybe it's the best practice customizing your own.

I already know stuff about HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript and jQuery, I thought how hard can it be?
And now I'm reading the official opencart documentation keeping notes and testing here and there...
My brain gets a headache...

Interesting discussion above!

Anyway, welcome to OpenCart, you made a good choice of ecommerce platform

There's a theme called "Journal" - it looks very good but you should avoid it for these reasons:
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=157098

A lot of themes on Themeforest have fake reviews and are very badly coded.

So I would recommend going for a theme which is CSS only changes to the default theme. We have built 2 but I'm sure there are others:
https://www.opencart.com/index.php?rout ... n_id=36706
https://www.opencart.com/index.php?rout ... n_id=37931