Virtuemart Dead or Alive ? Whats the roadmap and future ?

dirkb · December 17, 2020, 15:50:12 PM

Hi, so the subject would also be my question.

A few years back, with Joomla 1.5, 1.7, 2.5 etc. I followed the virtuemart path, with a great shopping system and a great support forum.

About 2 years ago, or longer, we had to switch. Template providers, Plugin and Extensions just took out virtuemart support completely, well and we had to follow.

I know all this sounds like a provocation, but I'm just stating the facts.

Would like to know if you guys plan to get back to the top competing with the other popular shopping systems.

pinochico · December 17, 2020, 17:12:33 PM

I don't know, but we have more then 140 extensions and we are continue

StefanSTS · December 19, 2020, 02:20:44 AM

Quote from: dirkb on December 17, 2020, 15:50:12 PM
About 2 years ago, or longer, we had to switch. Template providers, Plugin and Extensions just took out virtuemart support completely, well and we had to follow.
I know all this sounds like a provocation, but I'm just stating the facts.

You are clearly stating your facts. Others have other facts. The people with other facts stayed, because they didn't face your facts. And if there were some that lost support for something, they found another. The choice to leave needs other motivations.
Nowadays people are migrating their shopify shops to VirtueMart, because they realise that VM is the better solution for their needs, because these fixed shop systems are not as flexible as VirtueMart is. But for some these fixed shops are good. Nice shops out of the box, looking all a bit the same but that's fine for some businesses. So all have their purpose and their right to have a share.

atrus · December 19, 2020, 14:32:00 PM

We are using Virtuemart for more than 10 years and it's better than even before with many 3rd party extensions, no way we would change now.

Linro · December 23, 2020, 19:20:47 PM

Quote from: atrus on December 19, 2020, 14:32:00 PM
We are using Virtuemart for more than 10 years and it's better than even before with many 3rd party extensions, no way we would change now.

that's right, I agree with this statement

Troels_E · January 18, 2021, 03:00:48 AM

I must admit that I think first impresson when visiting the VM websites is that everything looks dated, not something that attracts more users.
Looking at alternatives their web presence looks better and is more to the point, sorry.

I myself was about to move away from VM because I lacked some extensions that I could not afford to have developed (i'm no dev).
I missed two extensions that had to do with payment methods and one related to shipping, all three available for free for other platforms like Prestashop, Woocommerce, Magento etc. These where all specific for Denmark so that narrows the userbase a lot as we are few VM users here.

Anyway I have some other joomla sites (not Ecommerce) and feel at home in this system, but still I gave Presta and Woo a try.
Presta I did not like and gave up on pretty fast, Woo I also did not like but I used it a bit more and actually moved our shop to this system.
But I still did not really like it as much as J!+VM, so now I decided to stay on VM and I finally got last of our extension problems sorted as of today :-D

VM itself has been a rock solid experience for a long time now but it would benefit from a makeover of the web presence and from a nicer admin interface and default template.

I still would like a POS system that was actively developed, POS for webshops should have been the best ever available for VM I am told, but no one can get in touch with the author (I tried many times here, his mail, his fb etc.).
Don't we have any users in the Netherlands that coud pay him a visit? Seriously if he just abandoned it I would chip in a fair amount to get him to opensource everything so it could get an update :-)

sirius · January 18, 2021, 12:03:46 PM

Hi
be aware with Woo, that product options prices variant are pain in the ass to manage. (you can make variant, but you must update ALL variant prices one by one, because changing the base price has no effect)
Iv' tried and still have some sites under Woo, Presta and Magento, but despite lack of some options that should be implemented by default that others systems do have, Joomla + VM is still the one that I prefer.

For the POS system, do you know this one: https://equatepos.com/features/screenshots.html (sorry modos feel free to remove if needed)
It was compatible up to VM 3.2.x perhaps would you try to ask too to consider an update for VM 3.8.x ?
I have test it long time ago.

GJC Web Design · January 18, 2021, 12:46:49 PM

QuoteI still would like a POS system that was actively developed, POS for webshops should have been the best ever available for VM I am told, but no one can get in touch with the author (I tried many times here, his mail, his fb etc.).
Don't we have any users in the Netherlands that could pay him a visit? Seriously if he just abandoned it I would chip in a fair amount to get him to opensource everything so it could get an update :-)

I have also given up on contacting him but have also managed to fully update POS for webshops for the latest VM and php7.4. using the latest encryption etc and its working very well for a couple of clients now.

It is quite an impressive system. But I have no idea about the legality of what I have done.
He has now removed the demos and the buy buttons from his site .. there is just the info there now.

If u need the extension updated then you can PM me and we can come to some arrangement.

ermes · January 18, 2021, 17:37:32 PM

I said it too long ago: VirtueMart is not ready to run a clothing store. Yes, you can do it, but it's require a long time to do it. Virtuemart needs a better UI to manage color and sizes (child quantity etc..) like woocommerce. A better solution for multimedia file managing ad so other. Yes i know that there are extensions like Custom Fields For All and others, but this must to be a core feature for a modern e-commerce system. I use VM in my agency since 2009, i know that it's a rock. Very stable. Performant. But, in my opinion this lag must be filled.

Troels_E · January 18, 2021, 22:19:55 PM

Quote from: GJC Web Design on January 18, 2021, 12:46:49 PM
QuoteI still would like a POS system that was actively developed, POS for webshops should have been the best ever available for VM I am told, but no one can get in touch with the author (I tried many times here, his mail, his fb etc.).
Don't we have any users in the Netherlands that could pay him a visit? Seriously if he just abandoned it I would chip in a fair amount to get him to opensource everything so it could get an update :-)

I have also given up on contacting him but have also managed to fully update POS for webshops for the latest VM and php7.4. using the latest encryption etc and its working very well for a couple of clients now.

It is quite an impressive system. But I have no idea about the legality of what I have done.
He has now removed the demos and the buy buttons from his site .. there is just the info there now.

If u need the extension updated then you can PM me and we can come to some arrangement.

Thanks, but I never got around to actually buying the software as he did not reply to any contact even years back. He's got a FB profile but company does not exist anymore. I wish devs would be better to part with stuff that they loose interest in. Opensource, sell or whatever, just to bad that a component that could be usefull just goes to waste but off course their work hours, their choice:-)

dr.spot86 · February 20, 2021, 19:31:52 PM

Hi everyone,

I read with interest this thread and I would like to share my point of view. I'm not a developer, I am more like a "digital entrepreneur" from 2011. I've tried many platforms out there and I can say this...

VirtueMart + Joomla has a lot of potential. Other platform, light WOOcommerce + WordPress, Shopify, and so on, they seem to me like IKEA furnishings: good design with bad structure. And, if you want to change just one piece, you have to pay a lot more.

One thing is certain: VirtueMart + Joomla have very very very ... very! ... ugly websites that doesn't encourage people, for example, like me: those who do not have vertical skills on development, but horizontal skills (management and so on) that give them the awareness that having a solid structure is essential for business growth.

I would like, if allowed, to help the VirtueMart Development Team, not in technical development, but in developing a marketing / communication strategy that can allow to intercept that target of people who understand the value of a good structure for scalability and growth, but not knowing VirtueMart is forced to fall back on worse or damn more expensive solutions (WOOcommerce, WordPress, Shopify ...).

I hope this message will be taken into consideration.

All the best,
Vincenzo T | Oukside

Milbo · February 22, 2021, 18:22:55 PM

I got your mail and answered, please contact me via skype. Gratie

pinochico · February 23, 2021, 02:26:22 AM

Hello Max

I send email to you and contacted by skype, without answer.
It is ok?

StefanSTS · February 23, 2021, 10:18:57 AM

Quote from: pinochico on February 23, 2021, 02:26:22 AM
Pinochico said:
"I send email to you and contacted by skype, without answer.
It is ok?"

Pinochico, I read a few of your post here and, honestly, they were mostly self advertisement and some posts were not very friendly.
There were some with helpful content too, but I guess it is the broad picture that leads to a decission if someone puts you into the "important" folder or the "let's see if I find time to answer some day" folder which might conveniently be forgotten.

Speaking only for myself, the picture you have painted of yourself has not put you into my "important" folder.

Stefan

Oukside · February 26, 2021, 13:58:46 PM

Quote from: StefanSTS on February 23, 2021, 10:18:57 AM
Quote from: pinochico on February 23, 2021, 02:26:22 AM
Hello Max
I send email to you and contacted by skype, without answer.
It is ok?

I read a few of your post here and, honestly, they were mostly self advertisement and some posts were not very friendly.
There were some with helpful content too, but I guess it is the broad picture that leads to a decission if someone puts you into the "important" folder or the "let's see if I find time to answer some day" folder which might conveniently be forgotten.

Speaking only for myself, the picture you have painted of yourself has not put you into my "important" folder.

Stefan

Hi Stefan,

I quite agree with you, the support is scarce and not always "kind".

I'm not a type who justifies mistakes: when you have a certain product and a community is created on that product, you start to have responsibilities that force you to create a solid structure, where everything runs smoothly (development, assistance, support , the documentation).

But I am not able to not be grateful to those who have had the determination to develop and continue to manage a product that has allowed us all to keep our businesses going, without asking much in return.

And I am not able to not analyze the context and the temperament of the people: the synthesis, the coldness and the hardness of Max in the answers, are the same things that allow VirtueMart to exist.

If someone things VirtueMart can improve in its aspects (from interface, to code, to customer service, to documentation), I think it would be respectful and helpful, to have some concrete advice.

I think it's too easy to say what's wrong, what's we don't like, leaving someone else to fix things. Convenience comes far after values.

I hope this answer will inspire you to provide some advice so that VirtueMart can start to stand out again. Personally, I try to do it, I am doing it, and I will do it. If we will do it together, maybe, we will all get something very useful out of it.

Regards,
Vincenzo

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Virtuemart Dead or Alive ? Whats the roadmap and future ?

dr.spot86