PrestaShop store: ready-made or custom template?
Given that most customers now shop through online stores, it's worth considering adding this option to your own business too. Keep in mind, though, that both a functional and a fast website need a well-chosen template. Many business owners don't realise how important this element really is. This raises the question: which template should you choose? Ready-made or custom?
What are ready-made and custom templates?
A ready-made PrestaShop template is usually based on a so-called page builder. It offers various editing options and so lets you adapt it to your own preferences. Because it's already a finished solution, it can easily be set up by people who are just starting out with an online store. A custom template, on the other hand, is designed and coded from start to finish by experienced developers. Using one, you can be sure your online store is unique and distinctive: after all, it's built around your own idea!
Price differences between ready-made and custom templates
Prices for ready-made templates and custom ones can differ significantly. Alongside a wide range of paid templates in premium versions, you'll also find free ones. Setting these up doesn't require specialist experience or a significant amount of time. This means that choosing this option can effectively save you money. The situation is different with custom templates: as we've already established, implementing them requires not only a considerable amount of time but also specialist expertise. Both factors visibly increase the cost of implementing this type of custom store.
Making changes to ready-made and custom templates
Making changes to a free PrestaShop template is usually done through a specific editor, where you can add blocks and other elements. Customisation is somewhat limited, though, because of the editor's constraints. It only offers certain types of blocks and functions, and changing them can be not only difficult but also very time-consuming and simply not worth it.
Deciding on your own custom PrestaShop template opens up not only a range of new possibilities but also the chance to implement elements fully tailored to your individual vision for the online store. With the help of developers, you can get almost any add-on you need for the site to work effectively.
Mobile version of the template: what to look out for
Whichever type of template you choose, you always need to consider how it looks and works on mobile devices such as phones and tablets. Since most shopping now happens on mobile devices, this is an extremely important element. While a lot of attention is paid to this when a template is custom-coded, it's often overlooked with free templates. Most previews are shown only on computer and laptop screens, and it's fairly rare to also see how the template looks on a mobile device. So it's worth being careful, because later fixes to a template's mobile version can generate unexpected costs and reveal other technical problems.
Custom or ready-made template: which should you choose?
Now that you've read the whole article, do you have enough knowledge to decide on the right template for your online store? Definitely not! Besides theoretical knowledge, it's worth considering other key factors, such as the size of your business and the budget you can allocate to building a working site. These will play an important role in the decision-making process.
You also shouldn't forget how much depends on the functionality you need and on the sales of your specific product range. Often you'll need completely individual solutions that aren't available in templates, and that will not only make things easier but also effectively boost sales. To make the best choice, we recommend consulting specialists, who can advise you and answer any questions you have.
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