I thought it would be a good/productive/informative idea and resource to have a focused discussion thread as to the issue of ECOMMERCE as it relates to Joomla – i.e. compatible shopping carts/extensions, analytics. seo, informational resources, etc.
Share your thoughts and experiences with the various current options and issues related to ecommerce for Joomla . . . . as I am certain that this will provide a valuable resource for all of us who have – or are thinking of starting – a Joomla/JoomlArt based eStore.
I’ve found that a great extension, especially for people with a smaller number of products, is Ecwid at http://www.ecwid.com (E Commerce Widgets). It’s very easy to use, has a Joomla plugin, integrates with a good number of payment processors, will support single sign-in (or maybe already does, this was a recent core update, but was still waiting on a plugin implementation), is pretty easy to style with CSS files that exist in the Ecwid account and a host of other features like a Facebook app and others.
I am not actually using this on my site and I don’t have a subscription to their service (it’s Free for most things, but their API and some other features are only available with the paid $17/mo account), but I often recommend it for others who are looking to sell things on their own site.
To further this topic and discussion along, how about we get some input/insight/review of the various shopping cart and ecommerce components and modules out there – available for Joomla – from those of you who have used them? For example, if you have used any of the following . . . please share your experience(s), thoughts, insight/advice – or warning(s).
RedShop
JoomShopping
HikaShop
iJoomla Shop
VirtueMart 2.0
MageBridge
Other
Hoping to generate some informative and insightful information and resources for everyone to learn and benefit from.
Been a year since we last visited this topic, so I thought I would BUMP the discussion and offer some additional thoughts with regard to Joomla related ecommerce applications. Specifically (today), I want to visit the relationship/integration of the open-source shopping cart platform OPEN CART within a Joomla based environment.
OpenCart is a turn-key ready “out of the box” shopping cart solution. You simply install, select your template, add products and you’re ready to start accepting orders. It has order management and multiple payment gateways already built in and we provide lifetime free support and free software updates.
Open Source
Documentation
Unlimited Categories
Unlimited Products
Unlimited Manufacturers
Templatable
Multi-Language
Multi-Currency
Product Reviews
Product Ratings
Downloadable Products
PCI Compliant
Automatic Image Resizing
Multiple Tax Rates
Related Products
Unlimited Information Pages
Shipping Weight Calculation
Discount Coupon System
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Unlimited Module Instance System
Backup & Restore Tools
Printable Invoices
Sales Reports
Error Logging
IN MY OPINION, OpenCart is the closest thing to Magento in terms of how robust and dynamic the application is out-of-the-box. Moreover, the EXTENSIONS & THEMES available for OpenCart – though a great many are free – are FAR LESS EXPENSIVE than are those available for Magento.
JOOMLA + OPENCART
In addition to simply having a separate OpenCart based store that you would simply link to through your Joomla based site, there are a handful of applications to facilitate the integration of OpenCart into a Joomla based site – for example . . .
MIJO SHOP MijoShop is a turn-key ready “out of the box” shopping cart and e-Commerce component for Joomla. It is the integration of two of the most popular open source projects in the world: OpenCart and Joomla!. It’s a native Joomla component (not bridge/iframe) and OpenCart is inside. MijoShop has an intuitive admin interface that allows you to have complete control over your store and detailed sales reports. It has hundreds Payment Gateway and Shipping Method integrations available.
With over 6000 extensions (except themes) for OpenCart that are compatible with MijoShop it will be very easy for you to customize your online shop in order to meet your website ecommerce needs. MijoShop always uses the latest OpenCart version, currently 1.5.5.1
JOOCART JooCart allows for displaying OpenCart v1.4.x or v1.5.x( latest stable version of opencart ) content within the Joomla! component-area but also ships with Joomla! modules and Joomla!TM plugins.It is compatible with Joomla! 1.5 ,1.6 ,1.7, 2.5.x, 3.x. Although it is a fully standalone (native) Joomla component,it can be used as a Joomla OpenCart bridge. Previous versions of JooCart is also available on request. JooCart is an online Joomla shopping cart system component or extension. A robust e-commerce solution for Internet merchants with the ability to create their own online business and participate in e-commerce at a minimal cost. It is designed feature rich, easy to use, search engine friendly and with a visually appealing interface.
ACE SHOP
AceShop is a full-featured e-commerce component for Joomla with an easy to use, search engine friendly and a visually appealing interface. AceShop is the integration of two of the most popular open source projects in the world: OpenCart and Joomla! We developed AceShop so you could enjoy the power & flexibility of OpenCart and ease-of-use of Joomla! right inside your Joomla! site.
Just some additional food for thought when considering ecommerce platforms for your JOOMLART template based website.
When i first started Joomshopping together with the JA Tiris template a little over a year ago: http://www.kiddiesart.nl. I was very pleased about the looks and ease of use compared to Virtuemart 1.xx.
It is basically the same. Just simpler. However. Support is very poor. So don’t expect to get much help with figuring stuff out.
Also new updates are not compatible with templates. They often provide updates that have lots of changes in core / template and other. When i started out. I could update like 2 or 3 times before the newer updates broke my website. Since then. i didn’t bother and started to live with the limitations:
– limited “sending” options
i didn’t find it possible to have a special shipping option display when the package is small enough to fit through someones mailbox. It kept displaying all the option regardless of settings.
– limited image sorting
– very limited usability regarding to joomla interface (no filtering, search, e.g.)
When you need extra stuff, even basic stuff. You’re probably going to have to pay for premium plugins. I guess for such a good e-commerce. paying for those things isn’t that big of problem. you need to support the people making it too.
Well after working with this webshop system for over a year we’re expanding the business. And now are looking at using Virtuemart instead. because it’s more open-source and lots more extensions available.
If someone disagrees with the following please reply. Maybe i get some new insights.
… this relating to the MijoShip (OpenCart) intengration with Joomla . . .
<em>@denisdulici 371974 wrote:</em><blockquote>
MijoShop is definitely a native Joomla shopping cart and not an iframe or bridge. You can find a detailed discussion about this between me and the “JED team” on forum.joomla.org as that was what they also thought initially but were convinced later.
Having OpenCart inside does not make MijoShop a pear and even the core of MijoShop has far more features than VirtueMart, all OpenCart extensions written according to OpenCart MVC standards works fine with MijoShop, except themes. Not to count that VirtueMart is not Joomla 3 compatible, even you count it as apple!
Anyway, the “best” shopping cart depends on your needs and here you can find an objective comparison presentation: http://bit.ly/10oQTXn
</blockquote>
Personally, I find Denis’ comments above very encouraging and fair – especially considering his last comment in which he correctly states that the “best” shopping cart application for a particular user/organization depends on that user’s needs.
While I’ve been a big fan of the core/out-of-the-box features and functions of Magento since it’s introduction into the open-source market, working within the Magento file structure remains (to this day) a big ole’ headache for me. Add to that the fact that most of the better extensions available for Magento are very pricey … some alomost restrictively so.
So, upon discovering OpenCart and – insofar as my interests are concerned – finding most of the same features within the core OpenCart application as are within the core Magento application . . . not to mention the substantial difference in the pricing of most of the best extensions for OpenCart (compared to Magento) . . . I am further encouraged by Denis’ comments above in the potential integration of OpenCart – via MijoShop – into a Joomla (specifically JoomlArt template) based site.
Should Mijoshop not be the shoppping cart that Joomlart should now be using since its seems to be the most robust and an extensive list of plugins.
Also Mijoshop are now developing the software on their own but using OpenCart as the base.
I’ve used most of the shopping carts available over the past few years and Mijoshop is currently blowing them all out the water – i am currently migrating a couple of sites to them.
I’m pretty sure that the unfortunate issue with JoomlArt utilizing MijoShop is the licensing fee associated with MijoShop
– as opposed to components such as VirtueMart and JoomShopping … the core components of which are free.
Now, JoomlArt could create a MijoShop based template – using MijoShop within the DEMO version (as JA does with the fee-based JomSocial component within the JA SOCIAL template). However, one would then have to purchase one’s own MijoShop license in order to utilize MijoShop with the template. Make sense?
Its not exactly alot of money for their cheapest option and as i say it is quite clearly leading the way for shopping cart software on Joomla at the moment.
Agree with that, Joomlart should be looking at the best option as a default shopping/general with shopping template and having to buy the 3rd party software should not be an issue for us as your customers.
You are now using the much superior commercial EasyBlog as a default blogging component in place of the free K2 so there is no difference in taking the same approach for a shopping component.
MijoShop rocks, miles ahead of the rest, so go ahead an design a template for it!
I wouldn’t mind paying for a joomla site with MijoShop properly installed and configured.
Now I’m suffering with VM nightmares with something that simple as to have some control over stocks in different variants of a product.
In short words: the cart shouldn’t be able to sell what you don’t have in stock, this is basic, but thousands of threads on VM forums regarding infinite problems around this makes me think about a change very soon.
A template with MijoShop and EasyBlog (providing Joomlart modules allow access to EasyBlog categories……….) would be a superb combination.
Joomlart produce excellent templates, so add the best components and allow people to buy them if they wish. You already have Joomshopping covered if people do not wish to pay for an ecommerce template.
Saguaros 10 years, 3 months ago.
