Secrets of a successful online shoe store: Maksym Zdorovy shares the experience of N-SHOES on OpenCart

— How did the idea of ​​developing an online store come about? How long have you been doing this? What was your previous business experience?
Answer:
I have always been interested in the development of the Internet, since my university days.
This interest probably intensified during his 15 years of experience in the banking system, where he witnessed and participated in digitization and automation processes in the mid-2000s.
Observing the success of friends in IT companies also played a role.
The opening of an offline store and the first steps in online trading took place back in 2009, with experience and knowledge behind us, my wife and I decided to open an offline store in the SKY Shoe House.
At the same time, a simple business card site for the store was created using a free designer.
It was a bold step, because at that time NEXT SHOES was the first to open an online shoe store in Kharkiv.
Despite the rudimentary nature of the site, it turned out to be an effective tool for attracting new customers and promoting the offline store.
This first experience with online trading became a catalyst for the further development of the online store.
Over time, we had to learn new technologies, the OpenCart platform, researched the best practices of conducting online business and improved our store, which in 2021 shortened its name from "NEXT SHOES" to "N-SHOES".
The story of the development of the online store N-SHOES is a good example of how, thanks to persistence and willingness to constantly improve over time, you can achieve success in online business.

— Why did you choose OpenCart or do you have experience working with other CMS? What was the decisive factor when choosing a CMS?
Answer:
After a business card site was created on a free designer in 2009, many better competitor sites began to appear and positions gradually decreased and Google's requirements became stricter, and developers of designer sites also began to add a lot of their advertising on the store page. It was necessary to change something, so the search and experimenting with the creation of a full-fledged new online store was started.
The choice of OpenCart as a CMS for the N-SHOES online store was determined by a detailed analysis and comparison with other popular platforms.

Here are the key factors that influenced your decision:
1. Disadvantages of free site builders:
• Decrease in positions in search results due to the appearance of better sites of competitors.
• Google's tougher SEO requirements.
• Include developer ads on your site.
2. Search for a full-fledged CMS:
• The requirement to create a user-friendly website with a product catalog, filters and a blog.
• High cost and disadvantages of self-written site.
3. Comparison of WordPress, Joomla and OpenCart:
• WordPress: Lots of free templates, mobility but blog oriented, slow loading, lots of poor quality plugins.
• Joomla: Ease of installation, caching, variety of designs, SEO complexity, risks of downloading extensions from unreliable sources, limited technical support.
• OpenCart: Continuous improvement, adaptation to specific business needs, ease of development, good SEO functionality, detailed statistics, multilingualism, coupons and certificates, affiliate program, active forum.
4. Advantages of OpenCart for your store:
• Convenience for customers: Most of the customers preferred the site on OpenCart because of better indicators of activity and time spent on it.
• Functionality: Meets your needs in product catalog, filters, blog, SEO, statistics, marketing tools.
• Ease of use: Does not require significant effort to develop and maintain.
• Active community: Access to a forum with a lot of information and the ability to communicate with plugin developers.
Therefore, after analyzing all the disadvantages and advantages, it was obvious and the main thing for me was the choice and convenience for customers and search engines.

— Tell us more about the niche, assortment and share a link to the site. Have you had experience with this product or service before?
Answer:
N-SHOES is it
• Multi-brand shop for women's and men's shoes.
Assortment:
• More than 3,000 models from well-known manufacturers from Italy, Germany, Poland, Spain, the USA and Ukraine.
• The store offers quality shoes at affordable prices.
• Guarantees fast delivery and convenient service.
• Seasonal collections and permanent promotions.
Experience:
• The store has been successfully operating since 2009.
• There are retail stores in Kharkiv and Ternopil.
• It is planned to open new stores in Kyiv, Lviv and Dnipro.
• The online store operates throughout Ukraine: https://shoes-poland.com.ua/ua
• New international project: https://n-shoes.com/
• Has active pages in social networks:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/nextshoes2009
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/nextshoes2009
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/nextshoes2009

— Do you use OpenCart or ocStore, which version?
Answer:
Currently using ocStore 3.0.3.7 with update 10 December 2023
Both OpenCart and ocStore platforms are free, open source, and offer a wide range of features for creating an online store.

Some key differences are:
OpenCart:
• A more mature platform: OpenCart has a larger community of users and developers, as well as a longer development history.
• More extensions and themes available: Thanks to the wider community, more extensions and themes are available for OpenCart, which can help you extend the functionality of your store and customize its appearance.
• Better Documentation: OpenCart has better and more detailed documentation that can be helpful for beginners.
ocStore:
• Focus on Eastern Europe: ocStore is designed specifically for this market and has built-in payment and shipping modules that are popular in this region.
• Improved administration interface: ocStore has a slightly more modern and user-friendly administration interface compared to OpenCart.
• Better SEO Optimization: ocStore has some built-in SEO features that can help you improve your store's search engine rankings.

If you are new to building online stores and want a platform with a large community and a wide selection of extensions, OpenCart may be the best choice for you. If you focus only on the Ukrainian market and you need a platform with built-in payment and delivery modules for this region, ocStore may be the best choice. It is also important to test both platforms before making a final decision.

— How long did it take from the idea of ​​starting an online store to the finished site?
Answer:
The development time of the N-SHOES online store on OpenCart has significantly decreased over time:
• 2011: The first launch with an outsourced IT company took 4-6 months.
• 2021: Switching to the universal UltraStore template from OCTemplates reduced development time to 2 months - https://n-shoes.com/ua
• 2024: The launch of a new international project on the ShowCase template took less than 1 month - https://n-shoes.com/ua
In my opinion, for beginners who have no experience with OpenCart, the development and full launch time can be longer than 2 to 3 months, but if you use the existing resources and knowledge available on the OpenCart forum (https://forum.opencart .com/).
Here are a few factors that can affect the development time of an online store:
• Complexity of design and functionality: The more complex the design and functionality, the more time will need to be spent on development.
• Number of products: The more products you plan to sell, the more time you will need to spend filling the site with content.
• Your experience with OpenCart: If you have experience with OpenCart, you will be able to develop your store faster.
• Using ready-made templates and modules: Using ready-made templates and modules can significantly reduce development time.
• Availability of outsourcing assistance: If you hire an outsourcing company to develop your store, it can reduce development time, but also increase your costs.
Remember that the most important thing is to create a high-quality online store that will meet the needs of your customers.
Don't be afraid to spend more time on development to get the best result in the future.

— Did you set a goal and specific KPIs at the start of the online store launch? If so, over what period was it achieved? Or did you follow your intuition and adapt your strategy when launching an online store?
Answer:
It is necessary to set a goal and specific KPIs when launching an online store. This will help you:
• Focus your efforts: Clearly defined goals give you direction and help you make better decisions about how to allocate your resources.
• Measure your progress: Tracking KPIs lets you see if you're meeting your goals and make adjustments as needed.
• Motivate about the result, not the process: Clear goals and progress tracking can motivate better.
• Further involvement of investors in the project: if you will be looking for investment for your store in the future, you will need to demonstrate a clear understanding of what you want to achieve already and what you want to achieve in the future, and how you plan to achieve it.
Here are some examples of goals and KPIs that were set for the online shoe store N-SHOES:
Objectives:
• Increase sales volume by X% within Y years.
• Achieve X% market share in the niche.
• Build a base of loyal customers with N subscribers.
• Increase average check by X%.
• Reduce the rejection rate by Y%.
KPIs:
• Number of website visitors
• Conversion rate
• Average check
• Cost of the order
• Return on investment (ROI)
• Failure rate
• Percentage of returns sent to orders.

It is important to remember that your goals and KPIs should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound (SMART). This means they must be clearly defined, quantifiable, achievable, aligned with your overall goals, and have a clear time frame.

In addition, you should regularly review your goals and KPIs to ensure they are still relevant and meet your needs.
I am confident that by setting clear goals and tracking your KPIs, you will be able to succeed with your online store.

— Do you work on the online store yourself or do you delegate it to a developer?
Answer:
There was experience in developing the N-SHOES online store both independently and jointly with outsourcing companies:
Independent development:
• 2009: Launch of the first business card site.
• 2019-2020: Launch of a new online store project after completing courses in SEO, UI/UX design, HTML/CSS.
Cooperation with outsourcing companies:
• 2011: Development of the first online store by a Kyiv outsourcing company.

Advantages of independent development:
• Cost saving: No need to pay monthly salary to SEO specialist and copywriter.
• Information architecture control: You independently form the structure of the site and own all the data.
• Flexibility: You can quickly make changes to the site without having to coordinate with an outsourcing company.
• Security: You minimize the risks of leaking customer data.
Disadvantages of independent development:
• Time spent: You need to spend time learning new skills and doing the job.
• Limited capabilities: You may not have the experience or knowledge to implement all of your ideas.
• Lack of support: You will find it difficult to solve technical problems that may arise.
Advantages of cooperation with outsourcing companies:
• Save time: You can delegate work on the site to professionals and focus on other aspects of your business.
• Broad capabilities: Outsourcing companies have the experience and knowledge to implement complex projects.
• Technical support: You get access to a team of specialists who can solve technical problems.
Disadvantages of cooperation with outsourcing companies:
• Costs: You need to pay for the services of the outsourcing company.
• Loss of control: You delegate part of the control over your site to a third-party company.
• Possible communication problems: You may find it difficult to clearly articulate your ideas and tasks to the outsourcing company.
Selection of N-SHOES development strategy:
• Find the optimal balance between independent development and cooperation with outsourcing companies.
• Self-study of the basic skills of working with sites, which allows you to save money and flexibly respond to changes.
• Using the services of freelancers to perform minor touch-ups, and not to seek help from outsourcing companies for more complex projects.

— Did you create an online store based on a ready-made template or did you design it yourself? If ready, what template do you use?
Answer:
It was possible to use both individual development and ready-made templates to create the N-SHOES online store:
Individual development:
• The first online store: Developed individually.
Advantages of individual development:
• Unique design: Your site will be different from other sites on OpenCart.
• Bespoke functionality: You can get all the features you need without the extras.
Disadvantages of individual development:
• High cost: Developing a website from scratch can be expensive.
• Long development time: Developing a site from scratch can take a long time - from 6 to 9 months.
• Lack of support: It may be difficult for you to find specialists who can support your site after its further improvement.
Ready templates:
• Transition to universal UltraStore template from OCTemplates: 2021.
• New project on the ShowCase template: 2024.
Advantages of ready-made templates:
• Low cost: Ready-made templates are much cheaper than individual development.
• Fast launch: You can have your site up and running in no time.
• Wide selection: There are many ready-made templates to choose from, so you can find one that suits your needs.
• Support: Most template developers offer support for their products.
Disadvantages of ready-made templates:
• Lack of uniqueness: Your site can look like other sites that use the same template, but just customize it.
• Limited functionality: You may not be able to get all the features you need, but 95% of your standard needs will be covered.
Now I believe that the transition to using a ready-made universal template was the right decision.
This made it possible to significantly reduce development time and costs, as well as access to a wide range of functions and quality support.
It is important to note that choose templates from reliable developers who constantly update their products and have a team of qualified professionals.
This will give you confidence that your site will always be up-to-date and secure.

— From your personal experience, is it possible to set a template and set categories yourself?
Answer:
Yes, installing the OpenCart template and setting up the categories yourself is quite simple, because there are a lot of simple reviews on this topic:
• OpenCart documentation: https://docs.opencart.com/ has detailed information on how to install and configure OpenCart, including a section on templates.
• Video Tutorials: There are many free video tutorials on YouTube that show you how to install and configure OpenCart templates.
• OpenCart Forums: The OpenCart Forums (https://forum.opencart.com/) is a great place to get help and advice from other OpenCart users.
It is important to remember that before starting any changes to your OpenCart store, it is always recommended to create a backup.
In general, installing an OpenCart template and configuring categories is quite possible on your own. If you have no web development experience, you may find it helpful to hire a freelancer or developer to help out for a small fee.


— Which package of modules for OpenCart was mandatory at the start? Which ones did you buy next and which ones do you plan to buy again?
Answer:
The OpenCart modules used by the N-SHOES online store are mandatory and recommended based on their current set of modules and goals.
Mandatory modules
These modules are necessary for the basic functionality of any OpenCart online store:
• OCFilter: This product filtering module is essential to improve the navigation and experience of shoppers, allowing them to easily find the products they need.
• Branched Sitemap: This sitemap module creates an XML sitemap of your store that helps search engines index your website and improve its ranking.
• UniXML Google Merchants, Rozetka, Prom: This product data export module allows you to easily export your product information to various marketplaces such as Google Merchants, Rozetka and Prom.
Recommended modules
In addition to the required modules, there are many other modules that can be useful, such as for N-SHOES. Here are some recommendations:
• Cumulative discount by phone number: This module can encourage repeat purchases and increase customer loyalty by offering them discounts based on their purchase history.
• Accordion & Tabs & Steps, Faq & HowTo Microdata - content builder shortcodes, popup, insert modules, tabs, panels, banner, menu, gallery, accordions, Q&A, tips, etc.: This multifunctional content builder module can create more attractive and informative product pages and other website pages.
• PPO CheckBox Module for Opencart: This fiscal compliance module can help you comply with Ukrainian fiscal laws and avoid fines.
• OCDEV.pro - Multilingual SEO PRO, correct hreflang: This SEO module improves the ranking of the website in search engines for different languages.
• Convenient bulk editing in OpenCart: This bulk product editing module can help save time and effort when updating product information.

Choosing the right OpenCart modules is essential to the success of any online store. N-SHOES already has a nice set of core modules, but there are other modules that can be useful to achieve their goals. It is important to carefully assess your needs and choose the modules that best suit your requirements.
It is important to note that these are only general recommendations and the best set of modules may vary. It is recommended that you do your own research and consult with an OpenCart expert to determine which modules are best for your store.

— Did you customize the functionality for convenience or were you limited exclusively to ready-made modules?
Answer:
In most cases, ready-made OpenCart modules from N-SHOES were used, but sometimes it was necessary to add functionality.
Arguments in favor of using ready-made modules:
• Saving time and resources: Ready-made modules are already developed, tested and have accompanying documentation. Their use significantly saves time and resources that would be spent on developing such functionality from scratch.
• Compatibility: Ready-made modules are designed with compatibility with OpenCart and other modules in mind, which guarantees their trouble-free operation.
• Support: Developers of ready-made modules usually provide support for their products, which can be useful in case of problems.
Arguments in favor of adding functionality:
• Individual needs: Ready-made modules cannot always fully satisfy all user needs. In such cases, you have to add functionality to get the desired result.
• Optimization: Added functionality can be optimized for specific user needs, which can lead to better performance and efficiency.
• Unique opportunities: Adding functionality can provide an opportunity to realize unique opportunities that are not available to your competitors.
The decision on whether to use ready-made modules or add functionality is made in each specific case, weighing all the pros and cons. Basically, it is recommended to use ready-made modules, but sometimes adding functionality can be justified if it allows you to get the desired result, optimize work or implement unique features.

— What additional widgets were installed?
Answer:
OpenCart offers a wide range of widgets that you can use to enhance your online shoe store. Some of the most popular widgets frequently installed by N-SHOES include:
• What's New: This widget displays the newest products you've added to your store. This is a great way to attract attention to new arrivals and drive sales.
• Top Sellers: This widget displays the best selling products. This can help shoppers find products that are popular with others and can lead to more sales.
• Popular: This widget displays the most viewed products. This can help shoppers find products that others are interested in and can lead to more sales.
• Sold Out: This widget displays products that have been sold out. This can help shoppers find products they might want to buy before they disappear.
• Running out: This widget displays products that are running low. This can help create a sense of urgency for buyers and can lead to more sales.
• Promotion: This widget displays products that are on sale at a discount. This is a great way to draw attention to sales and drive sales.
• PREMIUM BRANDS: This widget displays premium brand products. This can help your store look more prestigious and can lead to more sales.
These are just a few of the many widgets that are available for OpenCart. You can choose the widgets that best suit your needs and goals.


— What CRM system do you work with?
Answer:
We currently use Zoho CRM - this is another popular CRM that offers a wide range of functions. It has modules for sales management, marketing, customer service and analytics. Zoho CRM also offers a number of additional features such as mobile access, collaboration and marketing automation.

— How long after launch did you get the first sales?
Answer:
N-SHOES online store, launched within 30 days, fully indexed by Google, received the first orders for the second month.
This indicates that it may take some time to reach the first sales, even if the store is well optimized and has quality products.
There are several factors that can affect how long it takes to get your first sales:
• Competition: If you sell products in a competitive niche, it may take longer to stand out and attract customers.
• Marketing: You will need to effectively promote your store so that people know about it.
• Pricing: Your prices must be competitive to attract customers.
• Product quality: Your products must be of good quality so that customers want to buy them.
• Customer Service: You must provide quality customer service to keep people coming back.
It is important to note that 2 months is not such a long time to get the first sales from a new online store. With time and effort, you will be able to increase the number of sales and make your store successful.
A few tips to help you get your first sales:
• Focus on SEO: Make sure your store is well optimized for search engines so people can find it.
• Use social media: Promote your store on social media to attract new customers.
• Offer discounts and promotions: This can help attract new customers and drive sales.
• Provide quality customer service: This will help you create loyal customers who will return again and again.
With hard work and the right approach, you can make your online store a success.

— What is the number of visitors to the online store today and the number of sales per month (if you can share the figures)?
Answer:
• Online store from 2021 https://shoes-poland.com.ua ≈ 12,000 new users
• Online store from 2024 https://n-shoes.com ≈ 1500 new users

— What traffic attraction channels do you use? Do you have a dedicated budget for marketing and advertising?
N-SHOES online store uses several channels to attract customers:
• SEO (Search Engine Optimization): 80% of site traffic comes from organic search results. This means that the store invests in optimizing its site for relevant keywords in order to appear higher in the search results of Google and other search engines.
• Social networks: 5-10% of traffic is generated through social networks. N-SHOES actively maintains pages on popular social networks such as Facebook and Instagram, publishing interesting content, offering discounts and interacting with followers.
• Marketing newsletters: 5-10% of traffic comes from email newsletters. N-SHOES collects customers' email addresses and sends them information about new arrivals, sales and other current offers.
• There is also growth through YouTube
Regarding the allocated budget for marketing and advertising, N-SHOES does not disclose this information.
However, given that SEO is the main channel for attracting traffic, it is targeted and significantly cheaper than the competition.
The optimal budget allocation for marketing and advertising may vary depending on the goals and specifics of the business. N-SHOES constantly analyzes the effectiveness of different traffic acquisition channels and optimizes its marketing strategies to get the most return on investment.

— What tools currently work best in your niche for attracting customers?
Answer:
The most effective tools for attracting customers in an online store in 2024:
Based on my data and market research, the following customer acquisition tools will perform best for online stores in 2024:
1. SEO (search engine optimization):
• Optimizing your site for relevant keywords: This will help your store appear higher in the search results of Google and other search engines when users search for the shoes you offer.
• Creating quality content: This includes product descriptions, blog articles, guides, and other content that will be interesting and informative to your target audience.
• Link Building: Getting links to your site from reputable websites will help improve its authority and search engine rankings.
2. Social networks:
• Active presence on popular social networks: Communicate with your audience, publish interesting content, offer exclusive discounts and hold contests.
• Collaboration with influencers: Collaborate with fashion bloggers and other thought leaders in your niche to reach a wider audience and increase brand awareness.
3. Email marketing:
• Collect customer email addresses: Offer discounts or other incentives in exchange for customer email addresses.
• Sending regular newsletters: Inform your subscribers about new arrivals, sales, promotions and other current offers.
• Personalization of newsletters: Segment your audience and send them personalized newsletters that match their interests.
4. Loyalty programs:
• Offer a loyalty program that will reward customers for repeat purchases. This may include discounts, bonuses, early access to new arrivals and other exclusive benefits.
• Use personalized recommendations: Based on the customer's purchase history, recommend other products that may be of interest to the customer.
5. Creating content that generates demand:
• Create interesting and informative videos about shoes, styles and trends.
• Publish blog articles on topics of interest to your target audience.
• Collaborate with other brands and influencers to create collaborative content.
6. Advertising on other websites:
• Advertise on websites that your potential customers visit.
7. Joint works with other brands:
• Collaborate with other brands that do not compete with you to reach a wider audience.
• Create shared products or collections.
• Run joint contests and sales.
The best set of customer acquisition tools will be different for each online store. It's important to experiment with different tools and track their performance to determine which ones work best for your store.

— What is the size of the team working on the site?
Answer:
The size of the N-SHOES team working on the site is minimal, many tasks are delegated to freelancers.

Delegating tasks is an effective way to:
• Reduce costs: Freelancers tend to pay less than full-time employees.
• Gain access to a wider range of skills: You can hire freelancers from around the world who have unique skills and experience.
• Increase flexibility: You can hire freelancers for specific tasks and then fire them when the work is done.
However, delegating tasks to freelancers also has its downsides:
• Communication barriers: It can be difficult to communicate with freelancers who live in different time zones or speak a different language.
• Risk of poor quality work: There is a risk that freelancers will not complete the work properly or on time.
It is important to carefully select freelancers before working with them. Read their reviews, view their portfolios, and interview them to make sure they have the skills and experience you need.

— What is the minimum amount required to launch an online store on OpenCart?
Answer:
An approximate estimate of the minimum costs for launching a store on OpenCart is $300:
• Site template: $60
*you can install it for free, but it is better to buy a normal one and not save on it.
• Core modules: $100
• Filling the site with content: $40
• Hosting and domain name: $50 per year
• Marketing: $50-100 per month


— Are you ready to share the total budget that was spent on creating and launching an online store (templates, modules, domain payment, developer work)?
Answer:
As I mentioned earlier, the minimum amount you will need to spend is around $300, but it all depends on your goal and KPI.
Here's a breakdown of that amount:
• Website development: $50-100
o This price may vary depending on the complexity of the site's design and functionality.
• Filling the site with content: $50-$500
o This price depends on the number of products you plan to sell and whether you will write the content yourself or hire a copywriter.
• Hosting and domain name: $50-$100 per year
o You can find hosting and a domain name for as little as $5 per month.
o However, for better performance and security, it is recommended to choose a more reliable hosting provider, which may cost more.
• Marketing: $100-$1000 per month
o Marketing costs may vary depending on which marketing channels you use.
o There are many free marketing tools that you can use,
o but you can also spend money on paid advertising, SEO and other marketing services.
It is important to note that this is only a rough estimate. Actual costs may be higher or lower depending on your specific needs.
Here are some tips on how to save money on starting an online store on OpenCart:
• Fill the site with content yourself: You can save money if you fill the site with content yourself.
• Use free marketing tools: There are many free marketing tools that you can use to promote your store.
• Learn how to administer the site yourself.
Starting an online store can be expensive, but there are ways to save money.

— Your biggest facap during the entire time of working with the online store?
Answer:
One of the most common mistakes online store owners make when working with outsourcing companies is working with a company that develops a custom website template and then ceases to exist. This problem did not escape us on the way to the development of the N-SHOES online store

— What advice would you give to beginners who are just starting or planning to start an online store on OpenCart?
Answer:
Tips for beginners who plan to start an online store on OpenCart:
1. Planning and research:
• Define your niche: Before starting, it is important to clearly define your niche and target audience. This will help you plan your store's design, content and marketing strategy. Test the relevance of your offer through simple ads on OLH and posts on Instagram.
• Research the competition: Study your competitors to see what they are doing well and what can be improved.
• Create a goal and business plan: Create a detailed business plan that will include your goals, marketing strategy, sales projections and financial plan.
2. Choice of hosting and domain name:
• Choose a reliable hosting provider: Choose a hosting provider that offers enough storage space, bandwidth and uptime for your store. For me, these are ukraine.com.ua and HOSTiQ.ua
• Register a domain name: Choose a domain name that is easy to remember and matches your brand.
3. OpenCart settings:
• Download and install OpenCart: You can download OpenCart for free from the official website.
• Customize the store: Adjust the design, language, currency and other parameters of your store as much as possible to the needs of all customers.
• Add products: Add your products, descriptions, photos and prices and make them as unique as possible.
4. Expanding functionality:
• Add modules: There are tons of free and paid OpenCart modules that can add functionality to your store, such as SEO, marketing tools, analytics, and more.
• Use themes: There are many free and paid OpenCart themes that will help you create a professional design for your store, but use responsive ones.
5. Marketing and promotion:
• Create SEO-optimized content: Optimize product descriptions, blog articles and other pages of your store for search engines.
• Use Social Media: Promote your store on social media such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
• Run ad campaigns: You can run ad campaigns on Google Ads, Facebook Ads and other platforms.
• Collaborate with other entrepreneurs: Collaborate with other online store owners and influencers to promote your products.
6. Customer service:
• Provide quality customer service: It is important to respond to customer inquiries quickly and professionally.
• Create a return and exchange policy: A clear return and exchange policy will help you gain the trust of your customers.
• Collect customer feedback: Use customer feedback to improve your store and products. Reviews are very much loved not only by clients but also by Google)))
7. Security and Updates:
• Protect your store: Install security updates and use strong passwords and change them periodically.
• Update OpenCart regularly: Update OpenCart to the latest version to access new features and bug fixes.
8. Training and support:
• Learn OpenCart: There are tons of free resources to help you learn OpenCart, such as documentation, forums, and video tutorials.
• Ask for support: If you run into problems, you can ask for support from the OpenCart community or hire a freelancer.
Remember that starting a successful online store takes time, effort and persistence.


— Is OpenCart relevant today for creating an online store?
Answer:
Yes, OpenCart is a relevant choice for creating an online store in 2024,
That's why:
1. Wide popularity and active community:
• OpenCart has millions of users worldwide, making it one of the most popular e-commerce platforms.
• Due to its popularity, there is a large and active community of users and developers who can help you with any questions you may have.
• Many free and paid extensions and modules are available to extend the functionality of your store.
2. Flexibility and scalability:
• OpenCart is an open source platform that gives you full control over your store.
• You can customize it according to your needs without depending on third-party developers.
• OpenCart can scale to meet the needs of both small and large stores.
3. Ease of use and accessibility:
• OpenCart is relatively easy to learn and use, even if you have no programming experience.
• Many tutorials are available and resources to help you get started.
• OpenCart is a free platform, so you can start your store without spending money.
4. Safety and reliability:
• OpenCart is a mature platform that is regularly updated to ensure security and reliability.
• Many security features are available to help protect your store from fraudsters and hackers.
• OpenCart is used by many large and reliable stores, which shows its reliability.
Overall, OpenCart is a powerful and flexible platform that is a great choice for building an online store in 2024.

— What trends in e-commerce are you following today?
Answer:
The world of e-commerce is constantly developing, and new trends are emerging that are important for businesses to monitor. There is an opinion that it is difficult to compete with large marketplaces such as Rozetka, Prom, Epicenter and others. But with constant improvement and the right strategy, you can have a victory over these giants in your niche with a minimal investment.

In my opinion, the key trends in e-commerce in 2024-2025 will be:
1. Personalization: A personalized and personal approach to each customer is increasingly important to online shoppers, and businesses that can offer a unique experience will have a competitive advantage. This can be done through methods such as TOP product recommendations based on purchase data, personalized emails, a customized system of discounts and promo codes, and targeted marketing.
2. Social Commerce: This niche is growing rapidly and more and more people are buying products directly from social networks. Businesses should create a strong presence on social networks and facilitate the purchase of their products on these channels in synergy with the online store.
3. Q-commerce: Q-commerce, or "queue commerce," is a new trend that allows shoppers to place orders online and pick them up in-store or at a convenient location. This is convenient for shoppers who want to pick up their orders quickly and can help businesses save on shipping costs. Example, Tabletka.yua, large hardware stores.
4. Artificial Intelligence, Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR): IA, AR and VR are increasingly being used in e-commerce to enable shoppers to instantly interact and "try on" products or virtually visit stores. This can help improve the customer experience and lead to more sales, especially for clothing and footwear stores.
5. Voice Shopping: Voice shopping is becoming increasingly popular thanks to assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. Businesses should optimize their websites for voice search so that they are easier to find when shoppers use voice commands.
6. Social and eco-responsible commerce: Supporting our advocates is important. Especially technical. Today it is about drones, the presence of which helps in reconnaissance, corrections, shooting down enemy quadcopters and saving lives. After effective testing, FPV drone warbirds are headed to the service of the Armed Forces. We continue to work for Victory.
The global trend is related to global warming, more and more buyers prefer environmentally friendly and sustainable products. You should emphasize your environmental initiatives to attract these buyers. Be sure to separate this direction into separate product categories, if you have the opportunity.

Businesses that can quickly adapt to and implement these trends will have the best chance of success in the competitive e-commerce environment.
In addition to these six trends, here are a few more to consider:
• Contactless payments: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and war, contactless payments have become more popular. Especially in cities and towns where businesses have closed and there is no alternative to find and order in an online store.
• Local commerce: Shoppers are increasingly supporting local businesses. Businesses should emphasize their local presence to attract these buyers, and in recent years there have been many updates to Google's search algorithms.
• Influencer Marketing: Influencer marketing is becoming an increasingly effective way to reach your target audience. Businesses should collaborate with influential followers in their niche, or creatively launch ideas in the direction of viral marketing, where a way to create advertising that will be distributed by the target audience itself.
It is important to note that not all trends are suitable for everyone. Businesses should carefully assess their own needs and goals before deciding which trends to implement.

paulfeakins wrote: ↑

Tue May 21, 2024 5:14 pm

Feel free to drop us an email for a quick estimate: info@antropy.co.uk

He doesn't want support, he's is just illegally advertising his online store, and his post should be deleted!

I share my work and experience on OpenCart.
Yes, I advertise the development of OpenCart.
Is not it?

max_32@ukr.net wrote: ↑

Tue May 21, 2024 5:38 pm

I share my work and experience on OpenCart.
Yes, I advertise the development of OpenCart.
Is not it?

This forum is for OpenCart users to request help, not for developers to offer their services.

I don't offer my services. I simply shared my valuable experience of working and developing the OpenCart online store for free. Perhaps you chose the wrong topic form. Sorry!