Redesign of the online store: a new storefront at the old addresses
A store redesign is a replacement of storefront templates on a catalog that already works: it has card addresses, uploads to marketplaces, reviews, and accumulated order statistics. Design is rarely the most expensive part here. More expensive is the category tree: in most OpenCart stores, the card address contains the category path, so "menu simplification" silently rewrites the addresses of the entire catalog along with the links in the feeds. Therefore, we start with an inventory of addresses, and only then draw. The term is 23–42 working days. We name the cost after a free audit, when we see how many addresses are in the directory and how many modules hold the storefront.
How many addresses can be hidden behind one product
25,537 entries in the site map for 6,857 unique addresses, measurement 07/31/2026
after a free audit
Price
30
Guarantee
days after project sign-off
25,537
How many addresses can be hidden behind one product
entries in the site map for 6,857 unique addresses, measurement 07/31/2026
category with 100 products — 554 KB HTML with main 143.6 KB
The weight that decides, not the weight of the head
123
Standard site map after works
addresses, zero duplicates - measured sample from our sample
23-42
Term
working days, six stages
free store audit, 3-5 working days
Before the estimate
guarantee of 30 calendar days and re-measurement after two weeks
After acceptance
Who it's for
Situations where this service delivers results
Scenario 1 of 4
The store is selling, but the theme has remained since launch
Orders are coming in, the catalog is alive, and the showcase was put together six years ago: the filter on the phone opens half the screen, the card requires horizontal scrolling, the "buy" button runs under the keyboard. Here, processing gives a visible effect quickly, because it changes not the taste, but the physical ability to reach the basket from a mobile phone.
We'll review your situation in a free audit
Scenario 2 of 4
The catalog grew, and the navigation remained from the start
We started with two hundred items and five categories, now there are several thousand items, and the sections are the same. The buyer scrolls through the pagination page instead of filtering. This task affects the structure, so it is more expensive than simply changing the templates - and that is why we show it as a separate line of the estimate.
Scenario 3 of 4
The store came to you with someone else's theme
They bought a business or changed a contractor, and inside the theme there are changes in the core that no one documented. Changing the color breaks the layout of the card, updating the module breaks the checkout. Before redesigning, such a store must first be described, and this description is half the work of the audit.
Scenario 4 of 4
There is a season or advertising budget ahead
Getting ready to flood traffic and don't want a feed or purchase event to fall off at the peak. Then the order is as follows: first measurement and verification of downloads, then processing of the storefront, then advertising - and there is a margin of two weeks between switching the topic and starting the campaign.
Cases
Tasks and results in numbers — all metrics measured by us
online store of professional tools, catalog of over 6,000 items
Task
Sell the tool to both a retail craftsman and a VAT company: a catalog with filters and a checkout with payment methods common in Ukraine.
Solution
Store on OpenCart, two language versions, ten payment methods and four delivery methods, JSON-LD OnlineStore.
Result
6,486 product pages and 361 categories — 6,857 unique addresses. Measured on 07/31/2026: TTFB 671.2ms at 407.8KB HTML main. Found defect: the site map has 25,537 entries, that is, each product is present in it on average 3.9 times under different category paths, and it takes 34.2 seconds to generate.
store of automatic irrigation systems, catalog of 300 items
Task
Collect a technical assortment where elbows, couplings and tees differ only in diameter and thread, so that the buyer can find the part without calling the manager.
Solution
OpenCart 3 on nginx with HTTP/2 and brotli compression, four nested directory with filter module, canonical on all page types.
Result
Measure 08/01/2026: 300 products in 40 categories at four nesting levels. First server response 235ms, full HTML 262ms. The main one weighs 143.6 KB uncompressed and 22.5 KB in brotli, and a category with 100 products is 554 KB. In the checkout, there are six delivery methods from two carriers and three payment options — verified by real ordering.
online store of professional cosmetics, catalog of over 5,000 items
Task
Consolidate a large assortment into a catalog with navigation by brands and types of means and clear payment terms.
Solution
OpenCart 3, navigation by brands and types of means, micro markup Organization.
Result
5,561 products in the live catalog (standard search: 55 pages for 100 items and 61 for the last one). Measured on 07/31/2026: TTFB 801.2ms at 153.8KB HTML. Defects found: /sitemap.xml and the feed return HTTP 200 with an empty body, there is no counter on the main one - no GTM, no gtag, no pixel.
a niche store of dental materials
Task
Combine a compact catalog of materials with a content part for the professional community.
Solution
Store on OpenCart by Cloudflare, sitemap as a four-file index, cash on delivery at the carrier's office.
Result
96 products and 21 categories - exactly 123 addresses in the sitemap with zero duplication, compared to 3.9 duplicates per product in the tool store from the same sample. TTFB 440.7 ms at 103.2 KB HTML. Defect found: zero JSON-LD blocks and no counter in the main markup.
What's included
Complete list of work and what you get as a result
We count the addresses of the catalog to the works using two methods — the site map and regular CMS search — and compare the numbers with each other
We draw showcase templates: main, category with filter, product card, cart, checkout, payment and delivery pages
We leave the addresses of cards and categories in place: the cheapest way to save items is not to move
We don't touch product identifiers in the database: they are tied to downloads, reviews, and accumulated statistics
Where the address does change, we do 301 one-to-one and run each rule individually
We fix the target HTML weight of categories and cards before layout, rather than explaining it after launch
We are moving the showcase modules to a new theme: filter, quick view, 1-click ordering, reviews, messenger widgets
We reorganize e-commerce events according to new templates: view list, view product, add to cart, checkout, purchase
We check the feeds on the marketplace and in the Merchant Center after switching the theme, not at the end of the month
We put the Product, Offer and BreadcrumbList micromarkup on the new templates
We bring the sitemap to a state without duplicates and return the working Sitemap line to robots.txt
We run an end-to-end test order on each payment method and repeat the measurement two weeks after launch
Terms of work: 50% advance payment, two rounds of edits at the design stage, warranty period of 30 calendar days
When this service isn't right
What's not included — so there are no surprises at delivery
Moving to another platform is a migration with a separate estimate
Update of the major version of the engine
Completing the catalog and copywriting product descriptions
Product photography
Post-launch advertising and compensation for seasonal fluctuations in demand
Hosting, domain, acquiring
Process steps
Transparent stages with approval at every step
Total duration:23–42 days
1
Measurement and map of addresses
3-5 working days
We count the catalog using two methods, we take the speed and weight of the main one, categories and cards, we list the modules and active feeds. The output is a document based on which the estimate is calculated.
2
Showcase prototypes
3-5 working days
Category, card and checkout skeletons: where is the filter, what is visible in the card before scrolling, how many steps to confirm the order. Editing here costs hours.
3
Template design
6-10 working days
Home, category, card, cart, checkout in your identity. Here we fix the target weight of the category page - a number in the document, not a wish.
4
Collection of the theme on the copy
7-14 working days
Layout of templates, transfer of storefront modules, filter settings, checking the cart and checkout. All this is on a copy of the store, the live site works as it did.
5
Analytics, feeds, markup
2-4 working days
E-commerce events under new templates, Product and BreadcrumbList in the markup, feeds to the marketplace and Merchant Center, site map without duplicates.
6
Test order and switching
2-4 working days
End-to-end run of the order on each payment method, checking the rules of redirects, switching the topic at the quietest hour of the day, re-measurement after two weeks.
Free store audit before redesign
Before the models, you should know that you cannot touch them in the store. Therefore, the audit counts addresses, looks at the topic and modules, and checks whether there is something to measure the result.
What we measure
How many addresses are actually in the directoryWe count the number of cards using two methods — the site map and regular CMS search — and reconcile. The discrepancy means that part of the products is not seen by the search, and after the redesign it would be attributed to the new design.
Is the card address bound to the category pathThe main fork of the estimate. If the address contains a category, the menu rebuild overwrites the addresses of the entire directory. In the tool shop we measured, each product is located in the site map an average of 3.9 times under different paths.
What keeps the showcase apart from the themeFilter module, quick view, 1-click ordering, reviews, messenger widgets. Everyone is tested on a new topic separately, and this is what half the term consists of.
The weight of the category page, not the main pageTraffic from search comes to the category and card. In the measured irrigation store, the main one weighs 143.6 KB, and the category with 100 products is 554 KB; the redesign changes exactly this number.
Where are the feeds going?Uploads to the marketplace and Merchant Center link to specific product addresses. We list all active feeds for works so that you can check each one after switching topics.
Is there something to measure "before and after"We see if the counter is alive and if the cart and purchase events are configured. At the measured cosmetics store with a catalog of 5,561 products, there is no counter at all - there is nothing to confirm the processing result.
What you get
A list of directory addresses marked with those that cannot be changed.
The fork of the estimate: what it costs to change the storefront and what it costs to rebuild the structure.
Measurements "to": the first response of the server, the weight of the main, categories and cards, the state of the site map.
A list of modules and extensions that need to be moved to a new topic.
Conversation for 40 minutes on the document.
Timeline: 3-5 working days
Why is it free
Because after the measurement, some stores receive a different answer: the topic is normal, but the checkout or the speed of the category destroys the applications. Saying this before the contract is fairer than selling a redesign and not changing anything.
What's next
After the audit, there is an estimate by stages with dates, a separate line of work on saving addresses and feeds. We measure again two weeks after switching the topic.
Short form: your contact and site URL
Contract, act and 30-day warranty
Every project gets a written contract: scope, deadlines, amount, acceptance procedure. After delivery — act and invoice, then 30 calendar days of warranty.
Sole proprietor & bank transfer
The contractor is a registered sole proprietor. Payment by invoice with closing documents.
Rights & access — yours
Code, design and materials transfer to you after full payment. Domain, hosting, repository and analytics are registered to you.
Client portal instead of email chains
During the project you get access to a portal: contracts, invoices, acts and project status in one place.
European clients
Among our work — projects for Norway, Bulgaria, Moldova and Spain.
Verifiable numbers
Every case in the portfolio comes with a link to a live site and a technical measurement.
Audit first, then pricing
There is no price list on the site intentionally: the scope of the same work differs multiples between clients.
We say "no" when unsure
If the task isn't ours or the deadline is unrealistic — we tell you upfront.
Did not find your case?
Describe how it works on your side — we will tell you whether “Redesign of the online store” fits and what it means in your situation. No brief and no call: one question, one answer.
What affects the price
Why two seemingly identical tasks are priced differently
Number of templates, not pagesA store with ten thousand addresses lives on six or seven templates: main, category, card, basket, checkout, information page. They are the ones who count. The catalog does not affect the design, but the scope of inspection after work.
Do we touch the category treeThe biggest fork in the estimate. Showcase without changing the structure is the expected work. The new tree adds address inventory, one-to-one 301 mapping, facet address validation, and feed reloading.
Current topic statusA boxed theme with settings changes with ease. A theme with core edits and a bunch of ocmods requires first to describe what exactly has been done there - this description is the least predictable line of the estimate.
The number of modules in the showcaseFilter, quick view, 1 click, reviews, selection of analogues. Each interferes with the output of the category or card, so each is transferred and checked separately. Five modules is about a week of non-design work.
Language versions and feedsEach language double checks for patterns and redirect rules. Each active feed is a separate download, which, after switching the topic, is checked for addresses, prices and availability.
The state of analytics at the startIf the counter is alive and the events are running, the "before and after" comparison is zero. If there is no analytics, we put it on the old topic and wait for two or three weeks of data — this shifts the calendar deadline, although it does not increase the amount of layout.
Technologies & integrations
What we build on and what it connects to
Stack
OpenCart 3.x and 4.x — change the theme, the catalog and orders remain in the same database
Theme templates (tpl / twig) - edits go to templates, not core: otherwise the next update will destroy the work
ocmod — when the modification cannot be carried out in the template; limitation: two modules can cling to the same pin and conflict
OCFilter — filter in categories; restrictions: facet addresses must be closed with canonical, otherwise the directory is multiplied in the index
nginx + HTTP/2, gzip and brotli — return static and compress markup
WebP and delayed loading of images is the main article of weight of a category page
Cloudflare - cache and TLS; limitation: cache hides a slow server, not cures it
dataLayer for GA4 - cart and purchase events are re-collected on each new template
Integrations
Google Tag Manager
GA4 with e-commerce events
Google Search Console
Google Merchant Center
Rozetka
Prom
Meta Pixel
LiqPay
WayForPay
Nova Poshta
Ukrposhta
eSputnik
Binotel
Redesigning the storefront versus moving the store to another platform
How this option differs from the alternative
Moving to another platformOur approach
What about directory addressesare regenerated by the engine, a full match map is requiredremain unchanged if we do not touch the tree of categories
What about product IDsnew, so feeds and reviews are transferred in a separate jobthe same: feeds, reviews and order history on the spot
What about order and customer datatransferred by the script and checked by checksumsremain in the database, we do not transfer anything
What about the technical debt of the platformcloses with a platform changeremains: the old version of the engine will not go anywhere
When appropriatethe platform is limiting, there are no updates, you need features that it does not havethe engine suits you, the question is about the appearance, convenience and speed of the showcase
What we need from you
We can't start without this — best to prepare in advance
1Access to store admin, hosting and domain control panel.
2Access to GA4 and Search Console - without them, it's unclear which categories and cards are driving traffic.
3A list of extensions and modules that cannot be lost when changing the theme.
4Offices where feeds live: Merchant Center, Rozetka, Prom.
5Permission to place a test order on a live store.
6Logo in vector, company colors and one person with the right to approve layouts.
If something is missing — let us know, we'll help you gather it or do it as a separate task.
FAQ
Most frequently asked questions — with concrete answers
If you change only the topic, will the items sink?
When the addresses remain, it is the same page in a new design for searching, and the risk is minimal. Usually something else breaks: the micro-markup that the old theme provided disappears, the category page becomes heavier, the analytics events fall off because they were tied to the old selectors. Therefore, we rearrange the markings and events together with the layout, and not after complaints. We will not promise that delivery will not move: decisions about items are not made by the contractor.
Is it possible to rebuild the category tree at the same time?
It is possible, but this is a different amount of work, and it is a separate line in the estimate. In most OpenCart stores, the card address contains the category path, so the new menu overwrites the addresses of the entire catalog along with facet addresses and feed links. In the tool shop we measured, the site map has 25,537 records at 6,857 unique addresses — each product is present under different paths an average of 3.9 times. Rebuilding a tree means a map of redirects to all these options, and you can't do it blindly.
What will happen to the feed on Rozetka and in the Merchant Center?
The feed links to product addresses. As long as the addresses have not changed, the upload continues, but you still need to check it: the theme affects the price and availability markup, which is where the feed generator often takes data from. If the addresses change, goods with broken links go to rejected, and the rejected goods are never shown in the goods issue. Therefore, we check the download on the second day after switching the topic.
Will feedback and order statistics be saved?
Yes, if you do not touch the identifiers of the goods in the database. Reviews, order history and accumulated data are tied to them, not to registration. A storefront redesign, in our understanding, changes the templates and styles, but leaves the catalog tables in place. IDs change only when moving to another platform - and this is already a neighboring service with a different estimate.
Will the store have to be closed during the launch?
No. A new theme is assembled on a copy, test orders are passed there, and switching on a live store means changing the active template and resetting the cache. We put it on the quietest hour of the day according to your analytics and keep the old theme ready to come back for the first week. If something goes wrong after the switch, rollback takes minutes, not a business day.
Will the store be faster after the redesign?
Depends on what to do. Home is rarely a problem, and traffic from search comes to the category and card. In the irrigation system store we measured, the main page weighs 143.6 KB, and the category page with 100 products is 554 KB; it is the second number that decides what a person will see from the mobile Internet. Therefore, we fix the target weight of the category template before layout. A fair boundary: our measure is server throughput and document weight, and what a particular buyer will experience depends on their device and network.
How long does the redesign of the store take and what is stretching it?
23-42 working days from approval of prototypes. Six stages: measurement and address map 3-5, storefront prototypes 3-5, template design 6-10, theme assembly on copy 7-14, analytics with feeds and markup 2-4, testing and switching 2-4. It's not the design that's dragging the deadline, it's the modules: each one that interferes with card or category output is moved and tested separately. A store with a filter, quick browsing, 1-click ordering and reviews easily adds a week to the deadline.
We don't have analytics - is that a problem?
This means that comparing "before" and "after" will be nothing. Such stores happen: on the catalog of professional cosmetics we measured, there are 5,561 products and not a single counter in HTML - no GTM, no gtag, no pixel. In this case, we put analytics on the old topic before the start of work, collect two to three weeks of data, and only then switch the showcase. Otherwise, a month after the launch, the conversation about the result will be reduced to impressions.
Send the address of the store and in one sentence - what exactly does not suit you in the window.
In response - measurements of your catalog, a list of addresses with a mark of inviolability and an estimate of works by stages with dates. If it turns out from the numbers that the issue is not in the topic, you will hear it in the first email.
From measured cases6,486 product pages and 361 categories
There is no price list on the site on purpose: the same work differs several times over between two clients, and a “from” figure explains nothing in that case. First a free audit — we count your pages, duplicates and speed — then we name the sum and the deadline and fix both in the contract.