Best Theme Ideas

Hi from smallcar.com, a long time CS-Cart customer.
We're using CS-Cart version 4.6.1
We're using theme Alpha Responsive v2 from Developer MysticThemes who no longer exist. It sucks.
If we stay with CS-Cart we must use a better theme.
Which vendors and themes do you recommend we look at for our website?

Thanks from Small Car Performance, FIFE, Washington USA

YOUPI and UniTheme art the moment most popular themes with various styles and useful addons

I am also considering a new theme and am seriously thinking about YOUPI with ALL of the recommended add-ons that go with it. I'm currently using vivashop and am starting think it too clunky for today's expectations. Plus not real happy with how it looks on mobile. Could just be the way it was set up but I'm still ready for a change.

My concerns are getting everything set up and configured so that it is ready to go live and start selling products. It would take me a very long time to learn how it is set up so I would definitely order the installation service also. But installing is only the beginning.

Plus, new images would need to be created to fit the places.

Color scheme to match.

Blog needing to be integrated properly.

Moving from a left hand column category tree to the top menu.

I'm sure there are a ton of other configuring that I don't even realize right now.

It's just an awful lot switching from one theme to another and having it done in a timely fashion and then getting it all set up so that it looks good and works perfectly.

How easy or hard has this been for those who have used this premium theme? It looks good and I'm impressed with the SEO, usability, and other improvements this theme boasts.

Are the add-ons for this theme worth it as far as performance?

What other concerns should I have?

I'd really appreciate any insights as well as recommendations. It's quite costly going with everything but it could be worth it in the end.

Thanks!

I am also considering a new theme and am seriously thinking about YOUPI with ALL of the recommended add-ons that go with it. I'm currently using vivashop and am starting think it too clunky for today's expectations. Plus not real happy with how it looks on mobile. Could just be the way it was set up but I'm still ready for a change.

My concerns are getting everything set up and configured so that it is ready to go live and start selling products. It would take me a very long time to learn how it is set up so I would definitely order the installation service also. But installing is only the beginning.

Plus, new images would need to be created to fit the places.

Color scheme to match.

Blog needing to be integrated properly.

Moving from a left hand column category tree to the top menu.

I'm sure there are a ton of other configuring that I don't even realize right now.

It's just an awful lot switching from one theme to another and having it done in a timely fashion and then getting it all set up so that it looks good and works perfectly.

How easy or hard has this been for those who have used this premium theme? It looks good and I'm impressed with the SEO, usability, and other improvements this theme boasts.

Are the add-ons for this theme worth it as far as performance?

What other concerns should I have?

I'd really appreciate any insights as well as recommendations. It's quite costly going with everything but it could be worth it in the end.

Thanks!

Between YOUPI and Uni..Uni has more usable UI than YOUPI. Compare product display in category list, buttons and size of the box, Uni is lot more compact and cleaner than YOUPI. Even if you remove buttons, box is still takes lot of space because it has a space to list features.

I think for both themes product images on product listing page are too small compare to most shopify stores out there.

That grey box with shipping and guarantee - it won't work for vendors if you have mv store.

Most of the add-ons are good and works but did not like the product suggestion add-on, implementation is very confusing.

Not sure about Uni but Youpi uses bold (700 pt) fonts through out the theme, those fonts are not optimal for very high resolution screens like Macs. Recent trend is to use bigger but thinner fonts and weight not more than 600, these guys haven't caught up yet.

As of this writing Amazon uses 21 px (weight 400) on product display pages.

Content pages are blah..no formatting or design, to me these are the most important pages.

Even if you ready to pay, they won't do any customization whatsoever.

Upgrading themes to a newer version is NOT one click operation like CS-cart upgrade.

Support for theme is expensive, you can not open a ticket without having technical points, and every time you open a ticket it will cost you points, even if it is a bug in theme. Once you run out of 30 points they give you with purchase, you will have to spend $30 to buy points. A request for upgrade will cost you $40.

Only six months of theme updates included in the purchase, after that you will have to spend minimum $99 (1 year) to get updates.

Its adds up pretty quickly..

Hope this helps.

Hey does anyone know how to develop a new theme without affecting the current theme?

The only way I see so far is buy another storefront.

- Jim

Hey does anyone know how to develop a new theme without affecting the current theme?

The only way I see so far is buy another storefront.

- Jim

You set up a local dev server on either Xampp or a dedicated server.

You set up a local dev server on either Xampp or a dedicated server.

Already have a local CS-Cart WAMP copy. How you suggest to copy all the DB data over to the live unit? Also what about the licenses for the theme installed on 2 servers?

12ka4, Thanks for the informative response.

12ka4, Thanks for the informative response.

My recommendation:

Contact Fotis @cscart.biz, if you would like a design like this: https://espiti.gr/

He is reasonably priced and highly recommend him.

My recommendation:

Contact Fotis @cscart.biz, if you would like a design like this: https://espiti.gr/

He is reasonably priced and highly recommend him.

If my suggestion works out I would like a free pepper spray :mrgreen: