Upgrade OpenCart 2 to 3. A How-To Manual for Non-Techies [2021 Guide]

Updating an eCommerce cart is like updating any program you are currently using on your computer. You can either perform it now or put it off till another time. Because the truth is, why mess with the solution that works perfectly fine? Users often forget that the updates were designed to enhance the functionality of the software, make it better, more user-friendly, and bug-free. By declining the modernization, they deprive themselves of useful features that could ease the store management process in the future.

OpenCart, like any other competitive eCommerce solution, constantly releases new versions of its software. Therefore, if you’re running a store on this platform, it is essential to be up to date. Read our post and find out the advantages of upgrading OpenCart 2 to 3, also we’ll provide you with a step-by-step guide on how to perform the transfer.

What OpenCart 3.0 Has to Offer?

OpenCart is a free, open-source eCommerce solution that comes packed with numerous features, a friendly interface, and a vast number of themes and extensions. The main benefits of the OpenCart 2 to 3 upgrade include:

• Easily navigable administrators dashboard.
• Possibility to manage multiple stores from a single admin interface.
• Inbuilt affiliate system.
• Ability to add supplementary product variables.
• Unlimited listings (including categories, products, and manufacturers).
• Multi-language and multi-currency support.
• Numerous modules add functionality to the cart.
• Advanced backup and restore tools.
• Multi-lingual SEO.
• Integration with Crowdin, localization management software.

Basically, these are just a few of the main features that software provides its users with. Each update comes with something new, improved, and exciting. So, if you’re still doubting whether to upgrade OpenCart 2 to 3 — there’s nothing to worry about. You won’t be disappointed.

But keep in mind that upgrading an open-source platform is not that easy, especially for those who have minimal tech skillset. There’s a chance that you could lose some data in the process, or even damage the structure of the store. The more reliable way is to hire a developer. Thus, you will not have to worry about code manipulations, but be ready to spend a substantial amount of money.

Automated migration service (like Cart2Cart) is a decent alternative to the above-mentioned methods of store upgrade. It has been specifically designed to make the whole transfer process easy and accessible for everyone (both newbies and tech-geeks).

Upgrade OpenCart 2 to 3. Where to Start?

First of all, we advise you to perform the store’s audit. Make sure to update all the information and delete the unnecessary or irrelevant data from your store.

Then backup your current OpenCart 2 store. Even though our automated tool doesn’t delete any files from the store, we highly recommend you to backup the database. There are two possible ways: to use the built-in OpenCart functionality or log into the phpMyAdmin and backup data from there.

Also, you need to download the latest version of OpenCart. Once done, please install it and get the necessary store credentials.

Additionally, Cart2Cart provides its users with the two free options:

• Migration Preview Service gives the possibility to export data (up to 10 entities) to Cart2Cart’s test store (it will be available online for three days). This alternative is especially useful for those who wish to test the performance of the migration service and check their store on the updated version of OpenCart.
• Migration Estimator helps calculate the exact price of a specific migration. You just have to provide the correct number of products, customers, and orders.

Please note that the differences between various OpenCart versions are pretty significant, so the whole process of upgrading is called migration. The data from your old version of the software will be transferred to the newly-established OpenCart account.

How to Upgrade OpenCart 2 to 3 Automatedly?

OpenCart 2 to 3 upgrade isn’t difficult if equipped with Cart2Cart and planned properly. We will guide you through the whole process. But before that, please pay attention to the following steps:

• Make the OpenCart store audit to remove all the outdated and unnecessary data. This will speed up the export process.
• Make a store backup. Cart2Cart will not delete or modify your data, but you’ll still want to back up your store just in case.
• Make sure you have enough funds in your Cart2Cart account before using our migration tool.

So, to upgrade your current OpenCart store to the latest version, we recommend you to follow these steps:

Set-Up OpenCart Stores

To begin the upgrade, you have to choose the OpenCart from the list of supported carts (both Source & Target Carts) and copy stores’ URLs to the corresponding fields. Besides, you will have to download Connection Bridges and install them to the root folders.

In case you have any questions on Connection Bridge installation, please watch this video guide:

Select Data Entities & Additional Transfer Options

Now you have to choose OpenCart data that will be transferred to the new store. There’s a possibility to pick particular entities or click “Select all” to continue. When done, proceed to the additional migration options to expand the data transfer possibilities:

• Choose the “Migrate categories and products SEO URLs” option to save all the links from your old OpenCart 2 store.
• Pick “Migrate customers’ passwords” in case you decide to provide customers with the possibility to log in to your new store using old credentials.
• To save the current OpenCart 2 store product/category/customer IDs after the upgrade, consider selecting the “Preserve product/category/customer IDs on Target store” option.

Start Free Demo OpenCart Upgrade

Free Demo Migration lets users observe our service in action. You will be given the possibility to transfer some of the data (10–30 entities) to the new OpenCart 3 store just within 30 minutes and see the imported data on the new store.

If you want to check demo migration results on your new OpenCart store but don’t know where to start, the video below will come in handy:

Continue With Full Migration

After checking the results of the Demo import, you can start the actual OpenCart 2 to 3 upgrade by clicking the Start Migration button.

Keep in mind that your store will remain active during the migration. Hence, you can safely continue running your business.

When you’ve received the email notification about your migration, there are still some things to be done before your store goes live:

• Check the new store to prove that everything is working properly on the customer’s side. Ideally, you should make a purchase and go through the entire process yourself. That way, you can see if there’s anything different.
• Customize your OpenCart store according to your business needs and requirements.

Final Words

Once you’ve been notified that the Full Migration is over, please take your time to check the performance of your store: test it for common mistakes, inspect the frontend, register new clients and make some purchases, etc.

Also, if new data (customers, purchases, etc.) has appeared on your old store during the migration, you can use our Recent Data Migration Service.

That’s it! Now you can enjoy the functionality of your new OpenCart 3 store to a full extent. And if you’re still hesitating, remember that doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will!