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[TomC Moderator TomCJoin date: October 2014Posts: 14077Downloads:58Uploads:137 Thanks: 948 Thanked: 3155 times in 2495 posts]

#139653

I thought this would be an interesting (and hopefully enlightening) topic for discussion . . .

One of the roadblocks I have been dealing with over the past year is trying to conclude whether or not a Joomla + Virtuemart ecommerce venture is truly a worthwhile time/effort investment and equation fro success. Over the past year +, I have done what feels like countless research and review of open-source ecommerce solutions (including Virtuemart, Magento, osCommerce, ZenCart, etc.), trying to determine the best solution for me and my particular skill level in terms of being able to maintain and update my site(s) regularly.

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Let me supplement this discussion by saying that I would consider my skill level to be on the low end of “intermediate” in terms of workign within the Joomla environment and CSS design/modification. I feel I have learned quite a bit (most of which has been learned right here at JoomlART) – though I am about as far from a “coder/programmer” as one can get.

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As part of my research, I fairly regularly check out the online businesses/stores being created and showcased on the VirtueMart and Magento/ sites – as well as the “perceived” top ecommerce designs on CartCraze. I try to look at not only the overall look/feel, but the navigation, the category presentation, product page presentation / information, cross-selling, customer reviews integration, checkout process, issue/question processing, etc.

Thus far, I have to say that the majority of VirtueMart integrated stores/sites have – comparatively – been rather amateurish looking / feeling compared to those utilizing Magento. Given that they are both open source ecommerce shopping carts with, for all intents and purposes, the same basic functions – I have to ask myself WHY this seems to be the case? WHY is there an aesthetic and/or overall professional presentation difference between two open source applications . . . . both of which are based on CSS layout design?

The other quandry I have is – what has the success level / range been with stores utilizing the Joomla + VirtueMart formulary? Is VirtueMart geared more toward the “hobby” ecommerce entrepreneur? . . . or is it simply that most of those who utilize VirtueMart are simply slapping sites together “just to get them up” and do not really give much contemplative thought to storefront and inner professionalism / presentation ??

Mind you, the comments above are MY thoughts and observations on the issue – not a condemnation of one application in favor of another. I am genuinely interested in reading comments, thoughts and insights from those of you who might be struggling with similar decisive issues, or who (perhaps) have some “real world” experience with various ecommerce applications and might be able to share some educated insight/advice on the issue.

Looking forward to an enlightening discussion.

1 user says Thank You to TomC for this useful post

1. vietseo

[billyk Friend billykJoin date: January 2006Posts: 172Downloads:0Uploads:6 Thanks: 28 Thanked: 17 times in 1 posts]

#298531

I feel your pain TOM, really I do… Basically, you want to get the best solution for your client, no matter what combination of the options that are out there that you wind up using. Exceptional Functionality + Good Design = Happy People all around! 😀

I have found Gavick’s Templates and VirtueMart to be a good choice for some projects.

[TomC Moderator TomCJoin date: October 2014Posts: 14077Downloads:58Uploads:137 Thanks: 948 Thanked: 3155 times in 2495 posts]

#298536

I’m not sure it’s so much of a “template” issue as one of taking ANY template (or starting from scratch) and making it look / feel professional from there. While Magento has a lot of features that I really like, and the “showcase results” I’ve seen have largely been very impressive – I’m not altogether convinced that the same results cannot be achieved using VirtueMart and the various extensions available for it.

If this is the case, though . . . then why the apparent difference?

I see that VirtueMart is (finally) making efforts to “catch up” to Magento within it’s “roadmap” for VM 1.2 and 2.0 (both of which are, at this time, slated for release between September and December 2009) – though I still don’t see any indication of VirtueMart developing/integrating the kind of professional “layered navigation” that Magento offers out-of-the-box.

[wooohanetworks Friend wooohanetworksJoin date: September 2008Posts: 1239Downloads:0Uploads:2 Thanks: 148 Thanked: 138 times in 41 posts]

#298541

Well, I suppose you have read my posts about VirtueMart and when not, I will, as soon I find some time the next days, explain in detail why I have stopped the development of a larger store with VirtueMart and changed to Magento.

@billyk

I don’t know how you feel or think, but let’s stop fighting about issues anyone has an own opinion about, so when my comments somehow where offensive to you, please accept my apologies, this place should be about help and forward-going discussions, so I hope you share my viewpoint and can understand that also I get offended by other peoples attitudes and comments, but it leads to nothing to insist on continuing those regardless what opinion members have. Same goes out to QuestBG. Thanks.

[TomC Moderator TomCJoin date: October 2014Posts: 14077Downloads:58Uploads:137 Thanks: 948 Thanked: 3155 times in 2495 posts]

#298545

<em>@wooohanetworks 120899 wrote:</em><blockquote>Well, I suppose you have read my posts about VirtueMart and when not, I will, as soon I find some time the next days, explain in detail why I have stopped the development of a larger store with VirtueMart and changed to Magento.
</blockquote>
Actually, most of the comments I remember form you with regard to Magento were still within the “haven’t switched over yet” realm. So, if you finally have decided to switch over, I will be most interested to read your thoughts and comments as to why.

Again, I’m not seeing a whole lot of difference in terms of what CAN be accomplished in both
– which is the basis for this discussion topic.

[TomC Moderator TomCJoin date: October 2014Posts: 14077Downloads:58Uploads:137 Thanks: 948 Thanked: 3155 times in 2495 posts]

#298922

<em>@tcraw1010 120903 wrote:</em><blockquote>Actually, most of the comments I remember form you with regard to Magento were still within the “haven’t switched over yet” realm. So, if you finally have decided to switch over, I will be most interested to read your thoughts and comments as to why.
</blockquote>
Still looking forward to your thoughts on this issue, whoohan

[TomC Moderator TomCJoin date: October 2014Posts: 14077Downloads:58Uploads:137 Thanks: 948 Thanked: 3155 times in 2495 posts]

#299100

I’m actually becoming a bit more encouraged with VirtueMart than I have in a very long time. I was checking through the “Extensions” category on the VirtueMart website and I didn’t even realize that there were a good number of third party extension developers who have created some really nice enhancements for VirtueMart.

This, together with the power to modify layouts/themes to fit virtually whatever look/feel one wants – together with the myriad of payment function options available . . . not to mention the enhancements that are coming with the pending 1.2 and 2.0 releases slated for later this year – makes me a bit more excited and optimistic about utilizing VirtueMart for my ecommerce store project . . . at least for the initial start-up months.

Hey, if things take off and the revenues are coming in, I can always allocate resources for a more robust system down the road – if necessary.

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