OpenCart: what it is, advantages and disadvantages, to whom it is suitable for

OpenCart is a platform for developing and managing e-commerce websites. You can customize the appearance of the online store, its functionality. It is a great tool to launch a small service to sell goods with minimal investment. OpenCart is suitable for the needs of small and medium-sized businesses.

Features of OpenCart

The platform is created using the PHP programming language. The database is stored in MySQL. OpenCart features:

• You can track the process of placing an order, its status, payment methods, delivery.
• There are statistics of purchases.
• Users have access to a convenient shopping cart.
• You can create promotions and promo codes, assign the status of “best seller”, “new”, “with this buy”.
• Convenient menu with filters for quick product search.
• You can create an unlimited number of product cards.

By default, OpenCart has everything you need to create an online store. The user only needs to add items, choose the design of the site from the available templates. The shopping cart is already configured. The administrator panel allows you to bind payment services and manage orders. In OpenCart you can prescribe meta tags, design page addresses, create a site map for search engine robots. Such optimization helps to increase the number of visitors and sales.

Advantages and disadvantages of OpenCart

Advantages of OpenCart:

• OpenCart has an open source code, due to which great customization options are available.
• The platform offers many paid and free extensions and add-ons.
• OpenCart has a built-in analytics system, you can connect Google tools to it.
• The basic functionality has everything you need to design an online store.
• The platform can be integrated with payment tools and CRM services.
• OpenCart supports many languages. Users have access to a personal cabinet, a system for entertaining access rights to the administrative panel.

Disadvantages of OpenCart:

• OpenCart is less developed compared to its competitors.
• The platform provides fewer features than its competitors.
• Add-ons with the most important features are paid.
• To improve OpenCart customization you need to change the code.
• It is not easy to install a design theme.
• Admin panel is complex, it takes time to understand it.
• The system does not have all the tools for search engine optimization.
• The engine version and modules may not be compatible.
• The online store may work slower if too many extensions and add-ons are installed.
• Export and import of products is not available in the basic version.
• Using some add-ons can lead to data loss.
• The registration form for buyers is complicated.

For whom OpenCart is suitable

The OpenCart platform is ideal for beginners and those who want to try their hand at creating websites for selling goods. This system is free, and if the revenue from the online store will be low, the damage will be minimal. However, it is important to be able to set up the site yourself or hire a specialist. It usually takes only a few weeks to launch an online store, activate advertising campaigns and get your first sales.