PrestaShop is an open source, feature rich and free ecommerce solution. It is considered as one of the best platforms to help run online stores via self hosting. The features and functionalities of this platform add to the ease of launching an online store. Themes and add-on features aid in selling services and products. PrestaShop is easy to use and builds a store with a responsive and intuitive interface.

With built in features that help in product listing, payment methods, shipping, suppliers and buyers, customisation is smooth and seamless.

Features of PrestaShop

• ▶ Cloud or Self Hosting

The store can be hosted or the PHP code can be downloaded or you can sign up for a free store.

• ▶ Integration

Add-ons, themes and features can easily be integrated which provide a more finished look to your store and make it easier to launch.

• ▶ Payment gateways

PrestaShop supports various payment gateways such as PayPal, Amazon Pay, Authorize.Net, Worldpay, etc.

• ▶ Marketing

Some of the features available on this platform are email marketing, free shipping, affiliate programming, etc.

• ▶ Store Development

The dashboard is quite similar to WordPress dashboard and hence has a feature rich development interface with product listings, navigation and more.

• ▶ Free and Open source

This feature allows users to develop a custom online store with cost and time efficiency. It makes the store accessible, scalable and manageable.

▶ PrestaShop is the 8th most popular framework in the open source category in India.

▶ It is the 15th most popular framework in India in the ecommerce category.

▶ PrestaShop stores increased 2.3% quarter over quarter in 2022.

▶ PrestaShop stores increased 8% year over year in 2022

▶ Instragram is used by 34.5% of PrestaShop stores.

▶ Facebook used by 48% of PrestaShop stores

▶ YouTube used by 11.9% of PrestaShop stores

PrestaShop Add-Ons

Having discussed a lot about add-ons and templates, let’s delve in deeper:

A large number of addons the platform offers to add a depth to your online store. These enable you to target different tasks. Analysis, logistics, customisation, sales and much more can be targeted with the modules. Let’s glance at top PrestaShop add-ons which can be implemented in ecommerce platforms.

• ▶ Verified Reviews Addon

With this addon, all positive reviews from customers and sueds can be assimilated at one place which helps in increasing sales. Along with third party reviews, this module aids in publishing and collecting reviews. This can also be collaborated with Google, increasing the store’s reliability and credibility.

• ▶ MigrationPro

This module helps with the migration of data and to keep everything updated. With just a few simple steps, an old PrestaShop online store can be transferred to the latest version. They also come with various premium features.

• ▶ PrestaShop Super Speed Addon

This tool maximises the page speed and helps the store to use the resources judiciously. It’s an all in one speed optimization tool. It comes with images, database optimisations, etc.

• ▶ Pretty URLs

This addon provides an SEO boost. The accessibility of the store increases. It removes numbers and IDs from the URL.

Apart from these, there are numerous add ons such as Advanced Search 4, Google Tag Manager Enhanced Ecommerce, Verified Reviews Addon, etc.

Moving on, we need to understand the importance of PrestaShop optimization . Over time the platform becomes slow and enhancing it is rather imperative. What are a few ways of optimisation? Let’s discuss.

• ▶ Uninstall any Unused Modules

Pre-installed features and modules can be uninstalled or disabled.

• ▶ Invest in a CDN

Use a content delivery network to make the process of content delivery fast. The content will be sent across a network of servers around the globe. Hence, the user’s request can be routed to the CDN’s nearest server rather than being sent to the original server.

• ▶ Pick a Cache Module

A cache module reduces loading time and reduces server load.

• ▶ Use the latest version of PHP

Using the latest version of PHP makes accessing the platform quicker and makes handling and managing data easier.

PrestaShop vs Shopify

A basic platform with simple technical aspects and predictable interface is built with Shopify. An advanced platform, with features of customisation, scalability and efficiency is built with PrestaShop. Having a standard online ecommerce platform that represents your brand can be a detrimental step for your business. Let’s checkout some of the key differences between PrestaShop and Shopify:

▶ PrestaShop is a self hosted platform while Shopify is a fully hosted platform. This allows the former to offer more flexibility and customizability and the latter to not be technically challenging.

▶ With Shopify only one store can run from the dashboard but with PrestaShop you can run multiple stores from the same dashboard.

▶ PrestaShop is an open-source ecommerce platform and hence, is free to download.

▶ Add-ons and themes can be purchased if required. Shopify, on the other hand, offers a monthly subscription with four pricing options.

▶ With PrestaShop you have access to modules and addons and control over security of the online store whereas with Shopify there are only a handful of free themes available with very few customisation options.

▶ There are options to handle orders, create accounts, interact with users and so on with PrestaShop while such options are missing with Shopify.

▶ If all the features of Shopify are not needed, its cost efficiency decreases due to recurring costs.

▶ PrestaShop gives you the option to create as many staff accounts as you like, free of cost. But, with Shopify only 15 accounts can be created for free.

▶ Global space: Shopify offers over 50 languages and PrestaShop’s support extends to over 75 languages.

While both these frameworks have their own pros and cons, most developers, companies and organisations prefer PrestaShop than Shopify due to ease of use, features and modules, pricing and so on. It is definitely the ecommerce platform development choice for 2023.

Conclusion

Let’s understand why it is important to partner with an experienced PrestaShop development services company:

▶ Opening an ecommerce store has its own challenges and being covered from the technological part of it, can relieve some of the stress. What might suit a particular company, might not be the right choice for you. Hence, a team that understands your needs, your vision and your product is beneficial. We have spoken of the addons and modules extensively. If they are used to the online store’s advantage, your business can easily beat competition.

▶ Having a team of developers who have in-depth knowledge and understanding of the framework is key. PrestaShop developers have expertise in developing and maintaining ecommerce platforms adding sustainability to your store.

▶ With the knowledge of PrestaShop, high quality, robust and intuitive online stores will be developed making your business a cut above the rest.

Metricoid has over 14 years of experience in developing PrestaShop ecommerce stores. Our team of professionals guide you at every step of the process making the whole experience a seamless one for you. We are committed to timely delivery of our services and that too at a price that fits your budget. We utilise the powerful features of PHP frameworks to deliver result-oriented and responsive web applications. We believe in a swift process saving time, capital and resources. The web developers at Metricoid will create a comprehensive, safe, and high quality web platform that can be accessed by the users. Apart from these solutions, we help you navigate through the toughest problems of scalability, beating competition and being relevant. Learn more about our services from our website.