[iSenseLabs Weekly 96] New OpenCart Features & Fixes, Video Tutorials and Latest E-Commerce News
This week the labs are on fire.
A few major updates to important OpenCart extensions were rolled out, but one of them is a real game changer that will give your store a healthy boost in performance if you own it.
Talking about NitroPack here. The number of improvements and their power make this release one of the biggest milestones for the web performance framework.
A lot more interesting updates were released this week, so make sure to update your OpenCart modules!
Also, if you still haven’t learned about the coolest new YouTube channel for OpenCart management and setup video guides - subscribe to it now!
OpenCart Extension Updates
NitroPack 1.8.15 & 2.5.15 & 3.5.15 (OC 1.x, 2.x & 3.x)
New Feature: AJAX cache - allow certain routes to be cached even when requested via AJAX
Improvement: Better first time visitor cache hit rate
Improvement: Pre-caching no longer makes requests to non-cacheable pages
Improvement: Pre-caching is now compatible with Journal2 popup and header notice
Improvement: Simplified browser cache setup
Improvement: General improvements in the way browser cache is handled
Improvement: Add status check for the database cache in NitroPack's admin panel. The indicator will be red if there is an issue with the configuration or green if everything is working properly.
Improvement: Precache the home page before checking the PageSpeed score. This should ensure more accurate results.
Improvement: Add an option to configure the category depth for the pre-cache
Improvement: Increase the range of resources that will get served from a configured CDN
Improvement: Much better pre-caching algorithm
Improvement: Update the default page cache expiration time to 30 days
Improvement: Overall performance improvements
Bug fix: Supported cookies now properly construct the cache filename
Bug fix: Long-running CRON tasks were not sending out e-mails
Bug fix: Fix an issue with reading attribute values in the DOM parser
Bug fix: Fix an issue when there is only one image in the entire page
Bug fix: Fix an issue with multiline script comments parsing in the DOM parser
Bug fix: Fix the ProductManager compatibility
Bug fix: Exclude caching for journal2/assets route by default. This helps fix sporadic issues with broken CSS and JS on Journal2
Bug fix: Fix an issue with tab switching in the admin panel when jQuery does not recognize a selector properly
RelatedProductsPro 2.3 (OpenCart 2.0.x - 2.3.x)
New feature: Automatic fallback to product manufacture or category if no related products found
New feature: AjaxComplete listener to reload cart page when product added
Bug fix: Fixed the product description enabling/disabling functionality
Bug fix: Fixed the store switcher links in the admin panel for OpenCart 2.3.x
NotifyWhenAvailable 2.8.9 (OC 2.0.x - 2.3.x)
Bug fix: Can not close the form when is open on iOS - iOS 11 Modal inputs bug
Bug fix: Restoring the add to cart button when toggling between in and out of stock options
Bug fix: Fixed the install script - the check if we need to add the new column no longer fails on fresh installs
Improvement: 3rd party theme compatibility improvements
Improvement: Positioning of the form on mobile devices
Improvement: Journal 2 compatibility
NotifyWhenAvailable 3.8.6 (OpenCart 3.x)
Bug fix: Can not close the form when is open on iOS - iOS 11 Modal inputs bug
Bug fix: Restoring the add to cart button when toggling between in and out of stock options
Bug fix: Brought back enabling buttons that are disabled by the theme when the product is out of stock
Bug fix: Fix for disabled button
Improvement: Improvements to the event which adds the hidden input field in the admin product form
Improvement: Better compatibility with out of stock options
Improvement: 3rd party theme compatibility improvements
Improvement: Positioning of the NWA form on mobile devices
SuperQuickCheckout 3.0 (OpenCart 3.x)
Initial release for OpenCart 3.x.
New feature: Added a dashboard module.
New feature: Added new form fields - Terms and Conditions, Comment, Customer Name.
New feature: SuperQuickCheckout order tables show the store where the order was made.
New feature: Conversion to order now pre-fills all of the customer details in case there is a match in the e-mails.
New feature: Customer form values are preserved in the session for the next quick checkout.
New feature: The extension remembers which products the customer has already ordered. Instead of a form, it displays a message "You have ordered this product. Click Order again to order a new item."
Improvement: The extension is 100% event-based. It does not rely on any modifications.
Improvement: Admin panel has been reworked.
Best E-Commerce Knowledge Resources of the Week
How to Create a Winning Video Testimonial Strategy
By Wistia
To have a testimonial strategy means to showcase the real and most important customers to represent what kind of audience you have. It also puts the focus on what kind of problems your product solves and backs up your value propositions and promises with real statements and evidence of success. There’s no better demonstration of your product’s benefits in action.
Entry Popups Could Be Killing Your Conversion Rate (And You Can’t Even Measure It)
By GoInflow
How to know if your entry popups help or destroy your conversion rates? Well, first thing is to track back when you implemented them and view your analytics for drops in conversion. If your conversions suffer, then there’s an alternative to entry popups you can restort to - pushups and pushdowns. These are the notification bars appearing on the top or bottom of a site that have the same purpose of the popup but are much less intrusive and damaging to the user experience.
What 20 Studies Say About Email Subject Line Best Practices (How To Boost Open Rates)
By CoSchedule Blog
The subject line is not only what determines whether your email will be opened. It can also make or break your conversion. The guys from CoSchedule know their subject lines and give you their best practices for making your open rates skyrocket. It’s about your subject line length, number of characters and words, as well as the focus, call-to-action and tons more.
Boost OpenCart 3.x Sales with Intelligent Product Recommendations
By iSenseLabs
One of the easiest and most reliable ways to increase click-through rates and conversions is adding related products to your OpenCart 3.x product pages. However, being too random with your recommendations won’t work much. You need to be smart about it and suggest the most relevant items to each product so customers can find alternatives or add-ons to what they’re looking for in your store.
Learning Basic OpenCart Management One Video at a Time
How to Start and Track a Marketing Campaign in OpenCart 3.x
You can setup a marketing campaign in OpenCart 3.x with just a few clicks. Use the tracking code and you’ll be able to gather data about the clicks and total sales that your campaign has generated.
Editor’s Choice: Freebie Pick of the Week
Deck is a free cross-platform UI kit for designers who want to create the most beautiful card-style website they possibly can.
