01 · OpenCart development

OpenCart stores:fixes and migration

We take over support of OpenCart and ocStore stores: fixing modules, syncing with your ERP and inventory, speeding up the catalog and upgrading the version. We don’t start new OpenCart stores by default — for a new project we’ll honestly compare the options

Timeline
from 3 days

We take your store as it is

Third-party modules, core edits, an old version — that’s a normal starting point. We figure things out first, then suggest what to do with the store

  • 01

    Store support

    Your previous developer has gone quiet, but orders keep coming in every day. We take over and look after the store

    • Access handover and server review
    • Scheduled backups
    • Fixes on request within agreed times
    • Checkout testing
  • 02

    Modules and customization

    Need a new filter, a shipping method or your own discount logic? We build it so the next upgrade won’t wipe it out

    • Custom modules, not core edits
    • Resolving modification conflicts
    • Filters, attributes, promotions
    • Theme and layout fixes
  • 03

    ERP and inventory sync

    Stock and prices are copied by hand, and customers order items that are already gone. We set up a scheduled sync

    • Stock and prices from your ERP
    • Store orders flow into your books
    • Sync and error log
    • Product feeds for marketplaces
  • 04

    Catalog speed

    Categories with thousands of products take seconds to open and the admin panel crawls. We find the cause instead of adding yet another module

    • Speed measured before and after
    • Heavy database queries analyzed
    • Caching and image compression
    • Unneeded modules removed
  • 05

    Version upgrades

    Your store runs on an old OpenCart or ocStore, and your host is dropping old PHP. We upgrade it on a copy first

    • Module compatibility check
    • Core edits moved into modules
    • Move to a current PHP version
    • Upgrade on a staging copy
  • 06

    Store migration

    When keeping OpenCart costs more than moving. We migrate products, orders and customers and keep your URLs

    • Advice on where to move
    • Products, photos and attributes
    • Customers and order history
    • Old URLs and redirects

Building OpenCart stores from scratch isn’t our main work: for a new store we compare platforms and custom development — see our e-commerce page. For moving platforms, see website migration. We take on live OpenCart stores for support and growth

We fix your store without pausing sales

Five steps from audit to release. The live store keeps taking orders the whole time, and every change goes through a copy first

  1. 01Version and modules

    We look under the hood

    We check the OpenCart or ocStore version, the PHP on the server, the list of modules and modifications, and any core or theme edits. We note what gets in the way

  2. 02Store copy

    We make a staging copy

    We back up the files and database and deploy the store at a separate URL. Meanwhile, the live store keeps taking orders

  3. 03Modules and code

    We fix it on the copy

    We move core edits into modules, resolve conflicts, upgrade OpenCart and PHP, and tune slow queries. Everything happens on the copy first

  4. 04Cart and ERP

    We test orders and sync

    We walk the customer journey through to payment and check shipping, emails and the ERP sync. You review the copy yourself and sign off

  5. 05Release

    We go live and monitor

    We release the changes to the live store during quiet hours, keep a fresh backup for rollback, and watch errors and orders for the first few weeks

In every OpenCart project

  1. 01Review of the version, modules and core edits
  2. 02Backup of files and database before any work
  3. 03Staging copy of the store at a separate URL
  4. 04Module compatibility check
  5. 05Changes in modules, not in the core
  6. 06Cart, payment and shipping testing
  7. 07Catalog speed measured before and after
  8. 08Scheduled off-server backups
  9. 09A report on what’s done and what’s left
  10. 10One month of support after release

Your store, connected to stock and payments

Stock from your accounting system, payments, shipping and product feeds. Customers see what’s actually in stock, and orders reach your manager right away

Platforms and services we work with: OpenCart, ocStore, Modules, ERP sync, Inventory systems, Online payments, Shipping services, Product feeds

Before we start, we check which sync and payment modules are already installed and what they can do. If an off-the-shelf module falls short, we write our own. We only promise what we’ve tested on a copy

What usually goes wrong with OpenCart

An OpenCart store lives for years and piles up modules and patches. These six problems come up most often, and we know how to fix them

  • Conflicting modules

    Two modifications patch the same file, and installing a third breaks the cart. We work out what clashes with what and remove the excess

  • Edits in the core

    A previous developer changed system files, and now the store can’t be upgraded. We move those edits into modules so an upgrade won’t wipe them

  • Slow catalog

    Thousands of products, filters and category counters overload the database. We find the heavy queries, set up caching, and show measurements before and after

  • Stock updated by hand

    A manager reconciles the warehouse with the site in a spreadsheet, and customers manage to order what’s out of stock. We set up a scheduled sync with your ERP or inventory system

  • Outdated PHP

    Old OpenCart and ocStore versions don’t run on current PHP, and hosts are dropping the old one. We upgrade the store and modules before the site goes down

  • No backups

    Backups sit on the same server or don’t exist at all. We set up scheduled backups of files and database to separate storage and test the restore

OpenCart work: packages

The cost depends on the version, the number of modules and the catalog size. We send a detailed estimate after auditing the store and don’t change it after kickoff unless the scope changes

  • Audit and urgent fixes

    Custom quote

    from 3 days

    • Review of version, modules and server
    • List of issues and risks
    • Off-server backup
    • Urgent bugs fixed
    Get an estimate
  • Customization and sync

    Custom quote

    2–3 weeks

    • ERP or inventory sync
    • Custom modules, not core edits
    • Faster catalog
    • Cart and payment testing
    Get an estimate
  • Upgrade or migration

    Custom quote

    from 4 weeks

    • New version and current PHP
    • Or a move to another platform
    • Products, customers and orders
    • Old URLs and redirects
    Get an estimate

What drives the cost

  • Many modules with core edits that need rewriting
  • Tens of thousands of products with complex attributes
  • A non-standard sync with your accounting system
  • Multiple warehouses, currencies or languages
  • A new design instead of carrying over the old theme

How the work runs

  1. 01

    Access and audit

    1–3 days

    A 30-minute call, then access to the admin panel, server and database. We review the version, modules and code, and make a backup

  2. 02

    Plan and estimate

    1–2 days

    We lay out what to do: fix, upgrade or migrate. If the choice isn’t obvious, we estimate both paths

  3. 03

    Work on a copy

    per estimate

    Every change goes to a staging URL first. We demo each phase and close it with a sign-off; payment is per phase

  4. 04

    Release and support

    30 days

    We release the changes to the live store and hand over a report and access. A month of support is included

Common questions

Open 01 of 07

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  1. First we compare it with the alternatives

    We don’t start new projects on OpenCart by default. For a new store we give you an honest comparison: OpenCart, other off-the-shelf platforms and custom development. We look at catalog size, accounting sync and your support budget. More on new stores in our e-commerce section

  2. It depends on scope

    An audit with urgent fixes takes from 3 days. Customization, accounting sync and speed work take 2–3 weeks. A version upgrade or migration takes from 4 weeks. The cost depends on scope: you get a fixed estimate after the audit, and it doesn’t change unless the task does

  3. Yes, but first we move the edits into modules

    Upgrade a store like that directly and every change to the system files is lost. So first we find them by comparing the files with a clean install and move them into modules or modifications. Then the upgrade runs on a staging copy

  4. Yes, on a schedule and with a log

    Stock, prices and new products come in from your accounting system, and store orders go back. We use proven sync modules or write our own if the task is non-standard. Every sync run is logged, so errors show up right away

  5. Yes, ocStore as well

    ocStore is a localized distribution of OpenCart and works the same way. Audits, customization, upgrades and migration follow the same steps

  6. Yes, starting with an audit

    That’s almost always the case. We review the version, modules, theme, server and backups, then tell you what can be fixed right away and what will take time. If there’s no documentation, we work it out from the code

  7. Everything stays with you

    The code, database, access and backups belong to the store owner. We work on your server or move the store to hosting of your choice. Calls and phase demos happen over video

Show us your store

Send us your store’s URL and tell us what’s getting in the way: modules, accounting sync, speed, an old version or a platform move. We reply within two hours during business hours and send a plan and estimate after the audit

What you need

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