Are you looking for a reliable eCommerce platform to bring your business idea to life? PrestaShop could be the answer.
The open-source, Israel-based software company provides an intuitive back-office interface and a host of features to help you create, manage, and design a professional online store.
More than 300K live sites use PrestaShop as their eCommerce solution, making it the 6th most popular eCommerce platform globally.
Suffice it to say that it’s an excellent choice of business idea for small to medium-sized businesses.
And yes, PrestaShop could be the answer if you’re looking for an eCommerce solution that can scale with your business. However, it’s worth noting that building and maintaining a PrestaShop site takes a lot of business idea
What’s PrestaShop?
PrestaShop is a free, open-source eCommerce platform used by more than 300,000 online stores worldwide.
The software is written in PHP and has a wide range of features, making it a popular choice for small to medium-sized businesses.
However, PrestaShop is not a simple platform. It’s a complex piece of software that requires a lot of business idea to install, configure, and maintain.
That’s where a PrestaShop developer comes in.
Who’s a PrestaShop Developer?
A PrestaShop business idea is a business idea who specialises in building and maintaining PrestaShop sites.
PrestaShop developers have a deep understanding of the PrestaShop software and its inner workings. They know how to code in PHP and are familiar with the PrestaShop database structure.
PrestaShop developers also have experience with business idea in general and can provide valuable insights on how to grow your online business.
Why PrestaShop?
PrestaShop is a feature-rich platform with everything you need to build a professional online store.
The software is continuously updated with new features, making it an excellent long-term investment for your business.
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Ease of Use
PrestaShop is an easy-to-use platform with a user-friendly back-office interface.
The software is designed for non-technical users, so you don’t need to be a programmer to use it.
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Free and Open Source
PrestaShop is a free and open-source platform that you can download and use without paying any licensing fees.
You also have full access to the PrestaShop source code. So, if you wish, you can make changes to what happens under the hood of the software solution.
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Google Rich Snippet
By using the rich snippet feature, you can add extra information to your product pages and have them appear in Google search results.
That way, you can stand out from the competition and attract more clicks to your site.
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Mobile-Friendly
PrestaShop is a mobile-friendly platform with responsive themes that look great on all devices.
Your store will be automatically optimised for mobile devices, so you don’t need to create a separate mobile site.
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Payment Gateway Integration
PrestaShop integrates with a wide range of payment gateway providers.
So, you can accept credit card payments, PayPal, and other payment methods in your store.
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Easy Customisation
PrestaShop is a highly customisable platform.
You can find PrestaShop modules to add extra features to your store. Or you can hire a PrestaShop developer to create a custom module for you.
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Multilingual Support
PrestaShop comes with built-in language translation.
You can easily translate your store into multiple languages and reach a global audience.
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Marketing and Promotion
PrestaShop comes with a wide range of marketing and promotion features.
You can use the built-in newsletter tool to send email newsletters to your customers.
And you can use the coupons and discounts feature to create special offers and attract more sales.
Why Hire a PrestaShop Developer?
If you want to create a professional online store, you need to hire a PrestaShop developer.
A PrestaShop developer can help you set up your store, add features and functionality, and customise the platform to suit your needs.
PrestaShop developers also have a deep understanding of eCommerce and can provide valuable insights on how to grow your online business.
7 Benefits of Hiring a PrestaShop Developer?
#1. Expertise and Experience
Hiring a PrestaShop developer means gaining access to their expertise and experience.
PrestaShop developers have a deep understanding of the PrestaShop software and its inner workings. They know how to code in PHP and are familiar with the PrestaShop database structure.
PrestaShop developers also have experience with eCommerce platforms and can provide valuable insights on how to grow your online business.
#2. Save Time and Money
Hiring a PrestaShop developer can save you a lot of time and money.
If you try to build your store yourself, you will need to spend a lot of time learning how to use the platform and how to add features and functionality.
You will also need to invest in expensive tools and software.
#3. Access to Resources
When you hire a PrestaShop developer, you will have access to their resources.
PrestaShop developers have access to a wide range of tools and software that they can use to build your store. They also have access to a network of other PrestaShop developers who can help with the development process.
#4. Quality Assurance
Hiring a PrestaShop developer will ensure your store is built to the highest possible standards.
PrestaShop developers are professionals who know how to code in PHP and follow the PrestaShop coding standards.
They will also test your store before launch to ensure everything is working correctly.
#5. Support and Maintenance
Hiring a reliable PrestaShop developer also means you can trust them to be there for you after launching your store.
PrestaShop developers can provide support and maintenance services to ensure that your store is always up and running. They can also help you with any future changes or additions that you may need.
#6. Scalability
A PrestaShop developer can help you create a scalable store.
Scalability is important for any eCommerce business as it allows you to grow your business without compromising on quality or service.
#7. Security
Security is a major concern for any online business.
Any slight security breach is enough to jeopardise your whole business operation.
A PrestaShop developer can help you create a secure store by adding security features and ensuring your store complies with PCI regulations.
10 Top Websites Using PrestaShop
Whether you are looking for an eCommerce platform for your own online store or want to see what other businesses are using, you should check out the list of top websites using PrestaShop.
#1. Monsieur Chaussure
Monsieur Chaussure is a French online shoe store that sells a wide range of shoes for men, women, and children.
If you hover over the menu items, a list of site selections appears.
The website has a clean and modern design with a white background. The products are displayed in a grid format with photos, prices, and descriptions.
You can filter the products by size, colour, and type.
#2. KliknKlik
KliknKlik is an online store based in Jakarta that sells a range of electronic products, including printers, scanners, projectors, PC tablets, smartphones, etc.
The website has a clean and modern design. The products are displayed in a grid format with photos, prices, and descriptions.
The first thing you see at the top of the main page is a search line where you can type the name of the product you are looking for and a section with product categories.
#3. Sumo Lounge
Sumo Lounge is an online store that sells bean bag chairs.
It’s one of the most uncluttered sites designs you’ll ever see. The products are displayed very simply with just photos and price.
The site uses white as the primary colour with a few blue accents.
A popup on the main page asks visitors if they want to “see my coupon.”
#4. Lecuine
Lecuine is a digital store selling kitchen utensils, appliances, and gadgets.
The website has a modern design with a white background. The products are displayed in a grid format with photos, prices, and brief descriptions.
The site boasts a pleasant white, black, and green colour scheme, making site usage even more enjoyable.
You can filter the products by category, brand, price range, and customer rating.
#5. Tory Burch
Tory Burch is an American fashion designer who creates luxury clothing, handbags, shoes, and accessories.
The website has a very high-end design with a white background and black text. The products are displayed in a grid format with photos, prices, and descriptions.
You can filter the products by category, colour, size, and material.
6. Only Hangers
Only Hangers is a US-based online store that sells a wide range of hangers for home and commercial use.
You can browse the products by type, material, or colour.
The website has an intuitive design with a white background and clear text. The site was built using a grey-white colour scheme.
#7. Maniac Auto
Maniac Auto is an online store that sells car parts and accessories.
On the main page, you can see the product categories listed on the left, and on the right, there is a section with featured products.
The website is primarily white, with bright image colours that make it look livelier.
#8. Eichhorn Toys
Eichhorn Toys is an online store that sells a wide range of toys for children.
The website is predominantly white, with red accents. The products are displayed in a grid format with photos, prices, and descriptions.
You can filter the products by age range, category, and price range.
#9. The Body Shop
The Body Shop is a British cosmetics company that sells a wide range of skincare, haircare, and makeup products.
The website has a modern design with a blue and white colour scheme. The products are displayed in a grid format with photos, prices, and descriptions.
#10. Urban Outfitters
Urban Outfitters is an American clothing retailer that sells a wide range of casual apparel for men and women.
The website has a simple and edgy design with a white background. Products are divided into sections, where you can sort them out for men, women, home, and sale.
You can filter the products by colour, size, and category.
Technical Requirements for PrestaShop
For PrestaShop to run properly, your hosting account must meet the following technical requirements:
- PrestaShop will run on just about any server with PHP and MySQL installed, but you might want to consider using a specialised PrestaShop host to get the best performance and support.
- Your server must have at least PHP 5.6 and MySQL 5.0+ installed.
- PrestaShop will work with either Apache, Nginx, or Microsoft IIS web servers.
- Your server must have the mod_rewrite Apache module installed.
- PrestaShop will run on just about any Linux-based server, but we recommend using CentOS, Debian, or Ubuntu.
- PrestaShop will also run on Windows-based servers.
- You’ll need EasyPHP or WampServer for Windows, Bitnami or Xampp for OS X and Windows.
Most PrestaShop hosts will offer a one-click installer that will take care of all the technical details for you.
PrestaShop Key Features
PrestaShop is a powerful eCommerce platform with a long list of features and options. Here are some of the key features that make PrestaShop an attractive option for online stores:
- Unlimited Listings: There’s no limit to the number of products you can list for sale in your PrestaShop store.
- Powerful Data Management: PrestaShop comes with an easy-to-use back-office interface that lets you manage your products, orders, customers, and more.
- Built-in SEO Tools: PrestaShop includes several built-in SEO tools to help you optimise your store for the search engines.
- Mobile-Optimised Themes: PrestaShop offers thousands of mobile-friendly themes to choose from. This is important because more and more people are shopping on their phones and tablets.
- Flexible Shipping Options: PrestaShop lets you configure various shipping options for your store. You can offer flat rate shipping, free shipping, or real-time shipping quotes from UPS, FedEx, and DHL.
- Comprehensive Payment Options: PrestaShop supports many payment providers, including PayPal, Stripe, WorldPay, Skrill, Offline Processing, Authorize.net, etc.
- Advanced Security: PrestaShop is PCI compliant and has several security features, such as SSL encryption and firewalls.
- Sales and Order Statistics: PrestaShop provides built-in reports that give you valuable insights into your sales and orders.
- Precise Shipping Estimation: When you enter an address, PrestaShop will provide a shipping estimate based on the products in your cart and the shipping methods you’ve configured.
- Customisable Checkout Process: PrestaShop lets you customise the checkout process to match your store’s branding. You can also add custom fields to gather additional information from your customers.
- PrestaShop Add-ons: Thousands of available add-ons extend the functionality of your store. These include social login, abandoned cart recovery, and product reviews.
- Customer Emails Automation: PrestaShop comes with hundreds of email templates that you can use to automate customer communications. For example, you can set up an abandoned cart email to send to customers who abandon their carts.
- Inventory Management Features: PrestaShop features many features to help you manage your inventory, such as low stock alerts and product variants.
- Simple Import and Export of Data in CSV Format: PrestaShop makes it easy to import and export products, customers, and orders in CSV format.
- Extensive API Documentation: PrestaShop has extensive API documentation that makes it easy to integrate with third-party applications.
How to Work with PrestaShop?
Now that you know a little bit about PrestaShop, let’s look at how to work with it. This section will cover the basics of installing PrestaShop and setting up your store.
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Installing PrestaShop
PrestaShop can be installed on just about any Linux-based server. We recommend using a one-click installer hosting provider, such as Site Ground or A2 Hosting.
Once you’ve found a good hosting provider, simply sign up for an account and follow the instructions to install PrestaShop. If you’re not sure how to do this, your hosting provider should be able to provide instructions or customer support.
Once PrestaShop is installed, you’ll be able to access the back-office interface by going to yourdomain.com/admin. Use the username and password you created during the installation process to log in.
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Configuring Your Store
The first thing you’ll need to do is configure your store’s settings.
This is the main admin dashboard.
There are three main sections on the left-hand sidebar — SELL, IMPROVE, and CONFIGURE.
SELL is where you’ll manage your products, orders, and customers.
IMPROVE is where you’ll find PrestaShop’s built-in marketing tools.
CONFIGURE is where you’ll set up the general settings for your store.
All the tabs are expandable, revealing more options. For example, if you click on the Orders tab, you’ll see several sub-tabs, such as Invoices, Credit Slips, Delivery Slips, Shopping Carts, etc.
The main dashboard reflects the following analytics:
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Activity Overview
The number of visitors, pending orders, active shopping carts, abandoned carts, out-of-stock products, real-time notifications, newsletters, and messages.
It can also be integrated with Google Analytics (GA) if you have one.
Qualities of a PrestaShop Developer
A PrestaShop developer is responsible for developing and maintaining a PrestaShop eCommerce store. They must have experience with PrestaShop development and a good understanding of the PrestaShop framework. In addition, they should be able to integrate PrestaShop with third-party applications and services.
5 Qualities to Look for When Hiring a PrestaShop Developer?
Here are five qualities to look for when hiring a PrestaShop developer:
#1. Hire a PrestaShop “Certified” developer
The PrestaShop company offers a certification program that tests a developer’s knowledge of the PrestaShop software. This is an excellent way to ensure the developer you’re about to hire understands PrestaShop to the core.
Not only that. You also want to verify if their certification status is expired or not. You certainly don’t want to hire a developer with an outdated PrestaShop certification.
#2. Knowledgeable in Demanding Programming Languages
PrestaShop is written in PHP, a popular scripting language. However, it also uses the Smarty templating engine, written in HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript.
A good PrestaShop developer should understand all these languages and have experience working with the PrestaShop framework and codebase.
#3. Understanding of Ecommerce Concepts
A good PrestaShop developer should have a good understanding of eCommerce concepts such as shopping carts, customer accounts, catalogues, product types, shipping methods, payment methods, etc.
They should have a deep understanding of how customers interact with eCommerce stores and how to optimise the PrestaShop software to provide a better user experience.
#4. Familiar With the Latest Trends in eCommerce Technology
The eCommerce landscape is constantly changing. New technologies and trends are always emerging. A good PrestaShop developer should be familiar with the latest trends in ecommerce technology, such as headless commerce, Progressive Web Apps (PWAs), and artificial intelligence (AI).
#5. Ability to Work with Others
A good PrestaShop developer should be able to work with other development team members, such as designers, front-end developers, project managers, etc.
They should also be able to communicate effectively with non-technical staff, such as sales and marketing teams.
What Skills Must a PrestaShop Developer Possess?
A PrestaShop developer must have the following skills:
#1. Technical Skills
- PHP
- HTML
- CSS
- JavaScript
- Smarty template engine
- MySQL database
#2. Ecommerce Skills
- Shopping carts
- Customer accounts
- Product catalogues
#3. Project Management Skills
- Ability to work with other members of the development team
- Ability to communicate effectively with non-technical staff
#4. Interpersonal Skills
- Good written and verbal communication skills
- Good organisational skills
#5. Creative Skills
- Ability to think outside the box
- Ability to come up with innovative solutions to problems
10 Questions to Ask PrestaShop Developers Before Hiring One
Before you hire a PrestaShop developer, here are ten questions to ask:
#1. What Ecommerce Software Do You Use?
You want to make sure that the developer you’re hiring is familiar with PrestaShop. Ask them what eCommerce software they use and why they like or don’t like it.
#2. What’re Your Experience Building Ecommerce Websites?
You want to hire a developer with experience building eCommerce websites. Ask them about their past projects and what they did on those projects.
#3. What Are the Terms of Your Contract?
You want to make sure that you’re clear on the contract terms.
The contract should outline the following:
- Fees and Payment Terms: You should know how much the developer charges and when they expect to be paid.
Some developers prefer to be paid hourly, while others prefer to be paid a flat fee.
- Scope of Work: The contract should outline the scope of work. That is, what the developer will be responsible for and what they will not be responsible for.
For example, the contract might state that the developer will be responsible for building the website’s front-end but not the back-end.
- Deadlines: The contract should also include deadlines. There should be a clause detailing what will happen if the developer doesn’t meet the deadline.
- Post Development: The contract should outline what will happen after completing the development work. For example, it should state whether the developer will maintain and support the website after it’s launched.
- Include All Expectations: The contract should include all your expectations. If you want the developer to do something not included in the contract, it’s likely they won’t do it.
- Additional Fees: The contract should also state whether the developer will charge additional fees for maintenance, SSL, themes, plugins, etc.
#5. What’s Your Development Process?
You want to hire a developer with a defined development process. Ask them about their development process and how they typically work on projects.
Here’s how a typical development process might look:
- Discovery: The first step is discovery, where the developer learns about your business, goals, and target audience.
- Planning: The second step is planning, where the developer creates a plan for the project. This plan will outline the work that needs to be done, the timeline, the budget, etc.
- Design: The third step is designed, where the developer creates the design for the website.
- Development: The fourth step is development. Here, the developer embarks on the development process. It’s where they start writing the code for your site.
- Testing: The fifth step is testing, where the developer tests the website to make sure it’s working properly.
- Launch: The sixth and final step is launch, where the website is launched and made live for the world to see.
#6. What Special Feature Will You Develop for My Website?
This may or may not be important to you, but it’s always good to ask. You never know. The developer might have a great idea for a unique feature that you didn’t even think of.
You want to ask them the following:
- Will you be using a pre-made theme, or will you create a custom one?
- If you’re using a pre-made theme, which one?
- Will you be building any feature from scratch? If yes, please describe.
#7. Do You Offer Any Maintenance or Support Services?
You want to ensure the developer offers maintenance or support services.
This is important because things will inevitably go wrong after the website is launched. When they do, you’ll want someone who can help you fix the problem as quickly as possible.
#8. What SEO Fundamentals Will You Integrate?
Make sure the developer is using some basic SEO fundamentals. Ask them about the following:
- Keyword research
- Title tags and meta descriptions
- Headings (H1, H2, H3, etc.)
- Anchor text
- Alt text
- Schema markup
- Sitemaps
- Robots.txt
#9. How do You Run Tests?
Last but not least, you want to ask the developer how they run tests. Testing is important because it helps ensure that the website works properly before launching.
Here are some things you might want to ask about:
- What type of testing do you do?
- How do you test for compatibility?
- What browsers do you test in?
- What devices do you test on?
#10. Do You Have Any Questions for Me?
This is an important question because it shows that the developer is interested in your project and is looking for ways to make it better.
It also shows that they’re willing to work with you to ensure the project’s success.
How to Hire a PrestaShop Developer
So, how do you hire a PrestaShop developer?
Here are a few tips:
- Make sure you have a clear idea of what you want before you start looking for a developer.
- Take your time to find the right developer. Don’t just hire the first person you come across.
- Ask for referrals from people you trust.
- Once you’ve found a few developers you like, ask them about their process, experience, and rates.
- Make sure you understand the terms of the agreement before you sign anything.
- Be prepared to pay for quality work. Hiring a cheap developer will likely cost you more in the long run.
- Do your research and make sure you’re hiring someone reputable, with a good track record.
- Be clear about your expectations and communicate with the developer throughout the process.
- Ask for regular updates and be involved in the project.
- Test the website before it’s launched to ensure everything is working properly.
- After launching the website, you want to make sure you have a plan in place for maintenance and support.
Where to Hire a PrestaShop Developer
Now that you know how to hire a PrestaShop developer, where can you find one?
Here are a few places to look:
#1. Freelancer.com: Freelancer.com operates a lot like upwork.com, but their developers are cheaper.
#2. Upwork.com: Upwork is also a good option because you can read the developers’ reviews before hiring them.
#3. Fiverr.com: Fiverr is a good option if you’re on a budget.
#4. PeoplePerHour.com: People Per Hour: PPH is a UK-based site, but they have developers from all corners of the world.
#5. Toptal.com: Toptal is a good place to start your search because they pre-screen all their developers to ensure they’re top talent.
#6. Guru.com: Guru is a good option if you’re looking for a developer to work with on an ongoing basis.
#7. Hubstaff Talent: Hubstaff has a very user-friendly interface and allows you to easily find developers based on their skills, location, and hourly rate.
#8. 99designs.com: 99Designs has a large pool of designers to choose from, and they offer a money-back guarantee if you’re not happy with the results.
#9.DesignCrowd.com: Designcrowd has a wide variety of design services, including web design, logo design, and graphic design.
#10. Crowdspring.com: CrowdSpring makes an excellent option if you’re looking for someone to help with branding or design.
Wrap Up
Hiring a PrestaShop developer isn’t as difficult as it may seem.
Just follow the tips in this guide, and you’ll be well on your way to finding the perfect developer for your project.
