Today, if a physical store wants to expand its target audience and increase sales volumes , it is essential to have an electronic commerce. In fact, it is worth noting that year after year, the level of retail revenue has been steadily increasing all over the world.
However, this boom also brings stiff competition in the product and service sales space, so brands need to find a way to distinguish themselves and maximize conversions . For this, it is necessary to pay attention to which platform to use in the creation of electronic commerce.
Indeed, it is no longer enough to know how to manage and sell through social networks or collective platforms (Amazon, EBay among others). Today, more than ever, a leap in quality must be made, professionalizing the store as much as possible, and for this, it is necessary to choose which content management system to use.
Among the most popular and most loved is the renowned Prestashop, a very intuitive and simple CMS that will help you prepare your online store with a couple of clicks. Thanks to its advanced features , its really effective and easy-to-use management environment, Prestashop has managed to convince many users.
So, if for some reason Prestashop has aroused your curiosity and you want to discover why this content management system is so famous, we invite you to stay and read this article that we have prepared for you.
Prestashop is a completely free open source platform, that is, open source, which was born in 2007 to create and manage electronic stores for the sale of products and services in a dynamic way. Being more technical, it is more appropriate to say that Prestashop is a CMS (Content Management System) that is, a web content management system similar to WordPress or Magento that uses the PHP programming language.
For its operation, the modular system is used, which helps to create basic sections in the store, add additional functions (payment methods, improve the visual aspect, promote products or track users, etc.). Today, this modular system is known for being intuitive and versatile, perfect for both non-programmers and experts alike.
The Prestashop platform is made up of two main sections: the part visible to the public known as the Front Office and the private part called the Back Office that corresponds to the control panel of the electronic commerce administrator . Also, Prestashop has two key elements: templates and modules . The templates are the pre-established designs that allow you to create and modify the visual aspect of the online store, being able to add sections and tools. While the modules are the extensions that allow adding new functionalities to the online store.
Before we continue, we have to point out that if you want to use the services offered by PrestaShop, you must have a web server installed that is connected to a database in order to access the web application from the browser.
Are you still doubting whether or not to use Prestashop? Don't worry! Next, we are going to tell you what are the main advantages that the platform offers to those who use it.
First of all, we have to highlight that the basic version of the CMS is free, so it has no fixed costs or sales commissions. You do not have to subscribe or pay any monthly fee. In this sense, if you are a small store or a medium-sized SME, you will be able to open your business without having to use the additional Prestashop modules that are paid.
In short, if your business is small, the costs are low and even non-existent.
Also, the CMS is very intuitive and easy to use, even beginners will be able to create their e-commerce with a couple of clicks. All this is possible thanks to its operation that uses the modular system that allows you to create a small and simple store and then develop it and customize each module according to personal needs.
To give you an example: Prestashop has modules that offer the possibility of including a detailed explanation of a product, for better SEO commerce (improving positioning by search engines) among others.
It is also for this reason that the CMS facilitates navigation within the platform thanks to the incorporation of a multitude of different templates that adapt the online store to your needs and the demands of customers.
So, Prestashop offers its users an easy solution to start e-commerce without any hassle. In this way, it is not necessary to have programming knowledge or have to hire a developer. The platform was built to be extremely practical, with a striking and attractive visual , an interface that easily integrates with advanced tools and functionalities so there are no pitfalls or surprises.
Likewise, from Prestashop fast loading times of the website of the online store are guaranteed in order to capture the attention of the possible purchase and prevent them from going towards the competition. We remember that the CMS makes available to the user tools that favor the optimization of the online store so that the search engine can locate it in a good position.
If you want your e-commerce to be successful and increase sales volumes, particular attention should be paid to the visual aspect of the website and to improve the user experience. The more pleasant and intuitive the online store is, the higher the chances that a visitor will make a purchase.
Knowing this, Prestashop decided to develop its editing tools as much as possible, enhancing the template designs and offering customizable modules so that the web encourages customers as much as possible.
Following the principles that we were showing you before, Prestashop made sure to configure the platform in such a way that it can be customized in each of its constituent aspects. Considering that the CMS has inductivity as its identity, it is key that users can interact with the different management modules of the online store .
Therefore, the platform offers many design options. In short, giving free rein to creativity and freedom of imagination are the fundamental pillars for Prestashop in order to achieve the best results .
In case you need help or advice, it is possible to ask the active community that, over time, has become the free support for users. Browsing within the community it is possible to find the answer to your question in a short time.
In this sense, remember that Prestashop is an open source platform, so developers can make changes when they want and in the same way they can help with configurations.
We cannot fail to point out that Prestashop is a stable and secure system , capable of resisting possible cyberattacks. In fact, in the constant search to improve security levels, the platform provides the user with all the necessary legal information.
Considering all the advantages that the CMS offers to the users, it is not surprising that Prestashop in 2014 was awarded for being the best e-commerce solution for companies and the best CMS for SMEs. Today more than 300,000 e-commerces have been created using Prestashop.
Prestashop is an ideal CMS for creating intuitive and easy-to-use online stores. Once the software is installed, you will be able to start preparing your e-commerce according to a few simple steps, since the administration of the website with this platform is really easy . Everything is within reach of a click.
To give you an example, with Prestashop you will be able to create inventories and categories of the products or services you want to sell, mark a product as featured on the main page, add a contact form, among others.
In addition, as an administrator, you will have access to customer accounts, you will be able to import a previously produced store, insert advertising banners and send emails through the data collected by the contact forms.
As you will see, the actions that you can do in Prestashop are infinite . All you need to do is create and boost your e-commerce using the tools, templates, and modules offered by this CMS. That is why it is extremely important to know how to choose the topics and modules. By entering the official website of the platform or doing a search on Google, you will be able to find a free or paid theme, filtering by style or area of use. As for what has to do with the modules, these can also be free and others paid and are installed from the official Prestashop website by performing a search by category.
In short, with Prestashop you are going to create the website for your e-commerce by configuring the shipping options, price management, inventory, catalog, application of discounts and integration with Google for optimization with search engines. Thanks to its constant development, and depending on the type of business you want to create, you will be able to customize the management of the entire store in all its details.
As we have mentioned before, Prestashop is a content management system that works with a modular system where each module integrates some function that can be customized.
Now, the modules are the Prestashop extensions . For you to understand better, we can compare them with WordPress plugins. These are functionalities that facilitate the use of the selected templates for the creation of the visual appearance of the store.
In this way you will have greater control over your online store in its different aspects, adding new features whenever and however you want. However, before continuing and introducing you to the most important modules, we need to tell you that many of the modules are paid.
Now yes, the time has come to introduce you to the most popular Prestashop tools.
In electronic commerce it is essential to enable the means of payment. To do this, Prestashop has developed a module where it is possible to decide which payment options to integrate into the online store. Among the most preferred are: Google Checkout, Paypal, Moneybookers, Authorize.net. Likewise, the platform allows you to accept payments with bank transfers and checks.
In addition, with the advanced functionalities, Prestashop has incorporated the possibility of rectifying the payment received, asking the customer for feedback and creating price and tax regulations by country.
On the platform, you can assign the updated prices and taxes of each product, assigning the values by country, category and customer group. Likewise, you can apply discounts for the total or percentage of the price of the merchandise.
This module allows you to create a dynamic list of products without limits. Thus, you will be able to create an inventory that you can update whenever you want, since attributes are set, discounts are applied and products are imported or exported depending on the season. In addition, you will be able to navigate in layers, receive replenishment news, manage suppliers, etc.
To promote a brand or a store, you must analyze some metrics that will help you monitor sales. In Prestashop you will be able to collect data from visitor interactions , track activity, analyze customer profiles, integrate with Google Analytics, discover the best-selling products, conversion rate by customer group among other types of information.
All the data collected will allow you to prepare a report that will be extremely useful to adjust your sales strategy .
If you are thinking of opening more than one online store, Prestashop has the tool for you. In fact, on the platform you will be able to work with the multi-store management module, resorting to the use of a single administration interface regardless of how large the stores are.
What Prestashop seeks with this tool is to make store management as easy as possible thanks to the use of templates and stock that are managed separately, while customer accounts can be shared between stores or kept separate. You can also duplicate a store by importing all the configurations you want.
Whatever the configuration, each store will have its own URL.
To increase the chances of making a sale, it is important to create an extremely intuitive and eye-catching checkout page. The ultimate goal is to improve as much as possible the experience lived by the user. That is why Prestashop offers the possibility of customizing the information fields to be filled in, creating special offers, adding the gift option and setting the sales conditions when the purchase is completed.
This function allows you to position your e-commerce in the first places shown by search engines. This increases the chances of increasing online traffic. To do this, a module has been implemented in Prestashop that allows you to edit the product tags, titles, meta description and meta tag without counting that it offers an autogenerated site map and cloud of keywords that should be used.
In Prestashop you will be able to customize the shipping module that connects with the main carriers . In this way, you will be able to facilitate the delivery of the order to the customer thanks also to the shipment tracking option.
By installing this module, you can calculate the weight, charges and even set restrictions on international or national shipments, while you can activate the sending of notifications that keep customers informed by email.
If you are interested in expanding your target audience internationally, you will have to customize the translation module choosing from more than 40 available languages. This is how your store will be translated, improving the visitor experience and increasing conversion rates. All you have to do is export and import the translation packages built into the modules.
In an online store, having a secure connection is vital in purchasing management. That is why Prestashop has a connection that follows PCI and SSL compliance. With these security systems you will have password expiration, account blocking, cookie encryption and fraud monitoring.
With this CMS it is possible to create categories that help to differentiate the products that you want to market. It should be noted that this module acts in the Back-office, so only the administrator will be able to access the category and subcategory management system.
Currently, Prestashop is one of the most loved and used CMS in the world of e-commerce. There are more and more stores and brands that decide to use this platform to create their online business and start marketing the products or services offered on the web.
Let's see now, which are the most successful virtual stores built with Prestashop and why they have managed to position themselves as examples of commercial success.
It is a company dedicated to the sale of frozen food products. Your website turns out to be very attractive because it combines ease of navigation with an intuitive design and the incorporation of high-quality images that capture the attention of the potential buyer. Likewise, it is noted that particular attention was paid to creating a good and precise description of the product, in addition to having integrated the functionality that allows opening a direct chat with the client.
This is another great example that shows that, if used creatively, Prestashop is capable of increasing sales volume. SelfPackaging is a company dedicated to the manufacture of cardboard boxes for packaging.
The brand's online store created with Prestashop was awarded numerous times as the best store. Why your success? Surely you have to see its configuration in 5 languages, its typography that perfectly matches the design, the well-written help section, the creation of the product sales page with a good description and the possibility of viewing customer reviews .
Finally, another great example of the success that can be achieved with Prestashop is the e-commerce created by Primor, a brand from Malaga that sells perfumes and skin care products.
Its website stands out from the competition for some key factors. It presents a help section and the possibility of starting a chat with a commercial advisor of the brand. Attention has been paid in developing the website to drive cross selling from the cart, while promoting sales with the available product notification system. Likewise, the potential buyer is offered the possibility of financing the purchase with Clearpay.
Now, you may be wondering why these brands decided to create their virtual store with Prestashop. We tell you.
Many choose to use this platform for its excellent cost-benefit ratio . In this sense, as we have been showing you throughout this article, the CMS offers those who use it many functionalities and complements that make your virtual store an easy-to-manage website capable of capturing the attention of visitors. All this for a reduced price and, if payment modules are not used, it can even be totally free.
In a few words, to close with today's article, we can say that Prestashop has become a perfect content management system for those who want to start venturing into the world of electronic commerce, thanks to its complete structure, friendly interface and constantly updated advanced functionalities.
