Are you looking for the right eCommerce platform for your online business? It can be confusing, due to the sheer number of options available. However, one of the most popular options for eCommerce sites is an open source platform.
While there’s also a wide variety of open source eCommerce platforms to choose from, there’s one that stands out above the rest, which is OpenCart.
In this article, we’ll review the top reasons for choosing this platform for your eCommerce website.
1). It’s Free
Did we mention that OpenCart is a free platform? It is! The main costs for you are buying the domain and paying a service to host your site. While OpenCart does include some paid modules and functionalities, you really don’t need to use these, unless you need to customise your shop in a certain way.
OpenCart is free, meaning anyone is able to download it and use the code. Some believe this makes the platform easier to hack; however, the platforms active community responds quickly when an issue is found in the code. Problems are resolved faster, as a result, and are efficient, as well as free.
On the other hand, with SAAS platforms, you’ll be expected to pay on a subscription basis, which usually works out to be a monthly fee. That gets expensive over time. In addition, they can put restrictions on your store and its development. With OpenCart, you don’t have to worry—there are no limits on anything including store categories, products, customers, and more.
2). Easy Development
OpenCart is extremely easy to learn and work with. In addition, you’ll find a wide variety of free and paid solutions that can save you time.
It works the same way for themes. In fact, because this platform is easy to develop, some believe this makes OpenCart easier to copy. This is a real concern when you have special design, appearance and site functionality. Of course, you’d worry about this. However, OpenCart provides a wide variety of themes that make it easy to customise your store. Your store will still be unique if you choose to go with OpenCart.
3). Optimised SEO
OpenCart offers one of the best optimised platforms around. It has everything you need to have an SEO optimised site including fields for meta titles & descriptions, alt tags, and more. You’ll also find modules that make it easy to automatically optimise all the main pages on your site, along with categories and products in your store.
All of this makes sure you stay on Google’s good side. OpenCart also makes it easy to create a personalised URL for each product, category, and more.
Another important fact about OpenCart is that it improves the site’s loading speeds. This is important both for search engines and site users. When a site runs too slowly, users will quickly leave. This also leads to falling in the search engine ranks, causing a double whammy to traffic.
OpenCart improves your site’s loading speed, which makes visitors and the search engines completely happy. You’ll gain more traffic, as well as go up in the search engines by using OpenCart.
4). Analysis & Statistics
OpenCart can also help you analyse your shop’s success. You can see which products are being purchased more often, check the number of orders by day/week/month/year, as well as analyse customer and visitor behaviour on the site, as well as their activities.
With this type of in-depth data, you can create new marketing strategies and more.
5). Allows You to Create More than One Store & More
OpenCart also makes it easy to have more than one store all covered in one admin panel. And if you’d like to take your business to an international office, this platform makes it easy. All you have to do is add the store, language and currency of your choice.
Of course, you will need to create another shop, but you can use another theme, add in functionality for a different language and currency. And each store is included under one admin panel. It couldn’t be easier than that to open a new store and reach new audiences in other parts of the world.
6). Clients & Client Groups
OpenCart also gives you the ability to divide your customers into groups, and the platform allows you to do this into as many subdivisions as you want or need.
The great thing about this is that you can create a specific group and then target them with special offers and prices that are shown only to them. You can add products and set the pricing, create promotions for a specific group, and more.
7). Affiliate Marketing Made Simple
Affiliate marketing has become a great way to reach new audiences and customers with your products. Not only do they learn about your products, but they also learn more about your company in the process.
Those involved in affiliate marketing promote your products or services, and then earn a commission from each sale.
With OpenCart, it’s easy to create an affiliate program. The platform makes it easy to fine tune commissions, as well as approve affiliates. It’s never been easier than with OpenCart.
8). Extras
In addition, OpenCart also includes the functionality to create:
- Coupons
- Vouchers
- Reward points
- Promotions
All of these can help increase business, ensure customers are happy (who’s not happy when they receive a discount?), and more. You’ll increase your customer base, while also gaining loyal customers if you offer discounts and exclusive promotions to help them save money.
9). Payments & Methods of Delivery
OpenCart gives you many payment methods, which are included in modules. If you’d like to change a payment option, then all you have to do is choose the module, and then install it with only a few clicks. It’s really that easy!
OpenCart offers over 40 payment methods including PayPal, cash, bank transfer, credit/debit card, and more.
And the platform allows you to create a delivery method that makes it easy to send products to customers.
10). Admin Panel is Easy to Learn
OpenCart’s admin panel is easy to learn and intuitive to use. Almost anyone can find their way around the admin panel, making it easy for most people to run their sites, even from a tablet or phone.
If you’d like more information about OpenCart, please reach out—we’re looking forward to talking with you!