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Joomla VirtueMart what is it. Joomla VirtueMart: installing and configuring an online store Adding a category to Virtuemart

VirtueMart is an Open Source (open source) solution for an online store made using the content management system (CMS) Joomla! VirtueMart is installed on Joomla! as a component and plugin. VirtueMart is launched in the form of a trading basket or in catalog mode.

To create an online store on Joomla! First of all, you need to install CMS Joomla! and then install and configure VirtueMart.

VirtueMart is an all-in-one online store solution for e-commerce. It must be used in conjunction with the CMS Joomla! . Both are released under the GNU General Public License. This means that they are free to download and use. Joomla! and VirtueMart are written in the PHP programming language and made to be easy to use in a PHP/MySQL environment.

1. To start working with joomla virtuemart, you need to download the latest stable version of Joomla!. The original version of Joomla! it is better to download from the official website of Joomla! (www.joomla.org). On the Joomla! (extensions.joomla.org ) you can download the VirtueMart package.

Note: All Joomla! extensions, including VirtueMart, are installed in English by default in the original version. To install a Russian translation package (this is called Joomla localization!) you need to separately install Russian localization packages for both CMS Joomla! and VirtueMart.

2. Using CMS Joomla! as a basic basis for an online store, yours can be either a separate project or an integral part of a voluminous Internet portal, along with other extensions, a forum, photo galleries, FAQ, etc. 3. Joomla! one of the best and most functional content management systems. To create an online store VirtueMart, there are a large number of special templates designed specifically for online stores. Most templates are free and available from joomlaorg and many other sites.

In addition, Joomla! can be manually rebuilt by changing the CSS and XHTML files of the template.

How much does VirtueMart cost?

VirtueMart is free software released under the terms of the GNU General License. There are no restrictions for VirtueMart. You can create and maintain an online store with an unlimited number of categories, products, orders, customers, etc.

The parameter the number of products that can be put up for sale is a very important parameter for an online store. Most online store platforms limit the number of free products that can be listed for sale. For example, you exhibit 100 products for free, the rest for a subscription fee.

However. In the free content of joomla virtuemart cannot provide the full functionality of the online store. You will have to buy separate virtuemart modules on their official extensions website: extensions.virtuemart.net

Disadvantages of VirtueMart for Russian e-commerce

Any online store should have an integrated payment system, and, of course, not just one. So, VirtueMart integrates for free only with Robokassa.

How to get started with VirtueMart

Install Joomla! the latest stable version to your server. At the time of writing, this is Joomla! 2.5.10. and 3.1.0. 25-06-2015: The current version of Joomla is 3.4.0, Joomla 2.5.29 remains. Running VirtueMart 3

09/24/2016. Joomla versions change often enough to immediately go and look, and then grab the working version of VirtueMart on the official website here: http://virtuemart.net/downloads, official site).

Joomla! it is a content management system (CMS). It can be installed on a web server and will allow you to create and manage your dynamic website. You must download the Joomla! and install it on your web server. Joomla! installation process quite easy and can be done even without special skills.

After installing Joomla! You need to install and connect the Russian localization of the CMS. Next, find and install a template for the online store site.

The next step is to install the VirtueMart component and VirtueMart-aio with the main plugins and modules. The joomla virtuemart component also requires localization.

If you are new to Joomla! and decided to create an online store on it using VirtueMart, then you can simultaneously start learning Joomla! and building a store. With basic knowledge of CSS and HTML programming, learning Joomla! will not cause difficulties, especially since there are many training sites on the Internet for Joomla!

Article notes

  • The latest stable version of Joomla! 2.5.10; Joomla 3.6.2.
  • Latest version of VirtueMart 2.0.20beta ; Virtual Mart 3.
  • Joomla! official site, link HERE: http://joomla.org;
  • Joomla! Extensions Official Site — http://extensions.joomla.org ;
  • VirtueMart official website, http://virtuemart.net/;
  • Download VirtueMart Russian localization package, you can from the archive of the site. .

Especially for the site ""

In this article, we will look at creating an online store on Joomla using the VirtueMart extension. This component and its accompanying modules and plugins are popular when creating online stores in RuNet.

Advantages of Virtuemart for online stores

Firstly, stores on Virtuemart have decent functionality to fulfill most user needs. You can create a platform with a large number of products, categories, filters, etc.

Secondly, due to the high popularity of the extension among the Russian-speaking audience, you can find a lot of information in Russian on solving problems that arise, on implementing some additional functionality, and simply discussing this product.

Thirdly, a huge number of extensions have been written for VirtueMart for integration with Russian payment services (Robokassa, Yandex Money, etc.). Moreover, many of these extensions are either free or very cheap.

Fourthly, it is completely Russified.

Installing VirtueMart

So, for starters, go to the official website, to the extension download page. There we will download Virtuemart 3 or a higher version.

1. Download the latest version of the extension to your computer.

2. Go to the localization page, find the Russian language (Russian (Russian federation)), click on it. On the page that opens, go down to the very bottom, click “Download now” and download the archive to your computer.

The archive with the extension must be unzipped. In the resulting folder, we will have three archives: com_virtuemart.3.2.1 is the component itself, com_tcpdf_1.0.2 and com_virtuemart.3.2.1_ext_aio is a set of modules and plugins that will help make your online store more functional and convenient.

Now you can proceed to the installation:

1. Go to the installation page ( Extensions => Extension Manager => Install).

2. By clicking on the “Select file” button, select the archive of the com_virtuemart.3.2.1 component.

3. Click the "Download and install" button.

The component is large and will take a long time to install. After installation, the message “Component installation completed successfully” will appear.

In the same way, we install VirtueMart modules and plugins - com_virtuemart.3.2.1_ext_aio and com_tcpdf_1.0.2.

The last step in the installation is Russification. Russification (archive ru-RU.com_virtuemart) is installed in the same way as the component. To check Russification, just look at the VirtueMart menu:


Now our Joomla online store is in Russian.

Virtuemart setup: global settings

At the very beginning of the settings, we will disable unnecessary countries and leave only those in which we will work. In our case, this is Russia.

1. Go to Components => VirtueMart => Configuration.

2. Go to "Countries".

Now we remove all countries from publication:

1. Check the box next to “Name” to highlight all the items on the page.

2. Click the "Unpublish" button to disable countries.

Do the same for all other pages.

1. Enter “russ” in the filter field in order to quickly find our entry.

2. Apply the filter by clicking the "Next" button.

3. Opposite the entry “Russian Federation”, press the “Publish” button in the form of a red cross.

4. If you plan to sell goods only in your region, you can disable all unnecessary regions in the same way and enable your own by clicking on the "Regions" link.

Now we need to do the same procedure in Virtuemart with currency:

1. Go to the "Currency" section.

2. Put a tick next to “Currency”.

3. Click on the “Unpublish” button to disable unnecessary currencies.

Repeat all the steps for the rest of the pages to disable all currencies.

1. In the “Filter Currency” field, enter part of the name of the currency (“russ” - russian ruble).

2. Click on the "Forward" button.

3. We publish our currency by clicking on the button with a cross.

VirtueMart errors with global settings and how to fix them

Go to the global VirtueMart settings ( Settings => Settings) and immediately detect a warning and an error:

VirtueMart offers a solution to problems itself. Let's take his advice.

To resolve the warning, go to “Content Languages”:

The problem is solved quite simply. We will need to create a Russian language here, which is simply not there by default. To do this, you can use the "Create" button on the top toolbar and fill in the proposed form fields as follows:

Title - Russian

Title in "Native" language - Russian

Language code for URL - en

Image prefix - en

Language tag - ru-RU.

Now let's move on to solving the error. In the message, VirtueMart asks us to create a folder to store invoices and files in a safe place and specify the path to this place in the “Safe Path” field.

The recommended path is one level above the site root, which is not always possible. Therefore, we will use the second tip - “You can also use a complex directory name as a password for the example "/home/site/public_html/administrator/components/com_virtuemart/NUTrlivMFKGB/"”.

We copy this path, for example, into a notepad and go to our hosting via FTP using a file manager:

1. Go to the public_html/administrator/components/com_virtuemart/ folder on the server.

2. Copy from Notepad the name of the folder for the files.

3. Create a folder on our hosting.

Now we need to register this path on the “Templates” tab of the “Settings” section in the “Safe Path” field:

We save the entered data, and then we refresh the page - there are no more errors.

Setting up an online store on Joomla Virtuemart

Now let's go through all the tabs and configure the necessary parameters. Basically, all the default parameters are suitable for launching an online store, so we will only adjust the fundamentally important ones, and we’ll just talk about the rest. You may need to change them in your version.

Store tab

Most of the settings are clear from the name or tooltip. Therefore, we will not describe them all in detail and focus only on a few.

1. The store is not open. If you are doing any technical work (changing templates, assortment, prices, etc.), you can set this checkbox. When it is set, the visitor will be shown an Offline message when entering the site. You can write your own message text.

2. Use as directory. When this checkbox is enabled in Virtuemart, the cart is disabled and the store becomes a product catalog.

3. Enable Joomla plugins, Enable 404 error handling in VirtueMart- everything is clear from the pop-up hints. We set checkboxes in both paragraphs.

5. Store supported languages. Store language is specified. In the case of multilingualism, all languages ​​used are indicated.

Email tab

On this tab, events are configured, upon the occurrence of which the buyer receives an email notification. There is nothing complicated here, so we will consider only two points:

1.Use the seller's email address. We mark the checkbox in case the e-mail of the store differs from the e-mail specified in the Joomla settings.

2. General postage. Allows you to specify a file that will be attached to all sent emails. For example, an advertising brochure. The field to fill in indicates the path to the file.

Appearance Tab

On this tab, the appearance of the VirtueMart template is configured. All settings are clear from the description or tooltip. Let's briefly analyze the sections of this settings area:

1. Main parameters. The units of measurement and the display of the product card print and PDF product card icons are configured.

3. Use coupons, Product list, In-stock action, Buyer rating. In these sections, everything is clear without explanation.

Templates tab

In this tab, you can choose your own templates for the store as a whole, categories or the main page of the VirtueMart online store. All settings are clear from the description or tooltip. Let's briefly review the sections:

1. Appearance settings. In this section, you can set your own templates for the store as a whole, categories, product or basket. Such parameters are set as: the number of goods, categories and manufacturers in the line.

2. Templates and Layouts. Allows you to specify different templates for the store, category, cart, product page.

An online store for those who have no time to understand the development. Ready in 5 business days, over 100 tools for sale! Just upload your products and start selling! Shopconstructor will do the rest.

3. File settings. Here paths to various directories of the VirtueMart component are specified. It also sets the size of the image thumbnails.

Advice! Specify the width of the image explicitly, and in the “Height” item, set the value to “0”. This will keep the proportions of the non-square images as well as avoid "breaking" the layout.

4. Specify the pagination sequence for the list. This section sets the number of products on the page depending on the number of products in the line.

5. CSS styles and JavaScript scripts. Allows you to turn off VirtueMart styles and use your own, and also manages the included script libraries. In order to avoid library conflicts, we strongly recommend unchecking the checkbox Use Virtuemart jQuery.

Tabs “Pricing”, “Checkout”, “Sorting settings”, “Feeds”, “SEO”

On these tabs, the main part of the set parameters is clear from the name or tooltip. Therefore, we will not dwell on them in detail, however, as well as change something.

Setting up a Virtuemart store

After we have made the basic settings for the VirtueMart component, you need to specify the name of your store, set the main currency, logo, and more.

Seller tab

First, fill in the information about the seller:

1. Go to the section VirtueMart => Store => Store.

2. Select the tab "Seller".

Fill in all sections in turn:

Seller Information

This section contains basic information about the seller:

1. Name of shop. Specify the name of your store, for example, "Best Shop"

2. Name of the seller. Specify the name of your legal entity (if any), for example, Best-Shop LLC. If there is no legal entity (or individual entrepreneur), we duplicate the name of the store.

4. The minimum value of the order amount for the store. If you do not have a minimum order amount limit, then leave 0.

Advice! Pay attention to the quotation marks in the name of the organization. It is recommended to use "Christmas tree" quotes, otherwise, an error may occur when saving changes. Quotes-"Christmas trees" are entered on the numeric keypad while holding down the Alt key. The code for the left quote is "- alt+0171, the code for the right quote" is alt+0187.

Currency

1. Specify the main currency of the online store.

2. Specify the currencies that you also accept. If the store allows you to pay in different currencies, indicate all of them.

Images

In this section you can upload the store logo. The logo will be used, for example, on invoices sent to the customer.

1. Check "Download"

2. Press the "Select file" button and select our logo.

Description

Here you can write a short description of the online store, which will be displayed on the main page if the corresponding setting is enabled ( Settings => Templates In chapter “Appearance Settings” parameter “Show store description”).

Terms of Service

Each store has its own Terms of Service, which govern the relationship between the Seller and the Buyer. Depending on VirtueMart's settings, the buyer will have to read them and agree upon purchase.

legal information

The content of this section governs such aspects as copyright, personal data protection, disclaimer for the content of other sites that you link to, and so on.

Meta Information

Here you enter the data that is needed for the correct issuance of the site in search engines.

1. Custom page title. You can set your own name.

2. Meta keywords. List of keywords or phrases separated by commas.

3. Meta description. Brief description of the page (no more than 160 characters). It will be displayed in the search results, under the link to the site.

4. Meta Robots. Page indexing options. You can read more about the parameters in Yandex.Help.

After filling in the Seller tab, go to the Buyer Information tab.

Buyer Information Tab

Here we need to fill in all the fields marked with asterisks. Here's what we got:

Tab “Accounts/E-mails”

In this tab, you can configure the appearance of the invoice sent to the buyer after the order is made. Here you will need to change the font to Free Mono (UTF-8 Unicode):

Setting up delivery in Virtuemart

Now let's move on to setting up delivery methods. We will set up delivery by courier with a cost of 500 rubles. and free with an order amount of more than 3000 rubles.

1. Go to VirtueMart => Store => Shipping Methods.

1. Write the name of the delivery method.

2. Specify an alias in Latin. Must be unique.

3. We publish the method so that it is available to visitors.

4. We write a description of the delivery, which will be visible to visitors.

5. Save the delivery method by clicking on the "Save" button.

After saving, go to the “Configuration” tab to set up our shipping method:

1. Specify the cost of delivery (delivery cost). In our case, 500 rubles.

2. Specify the minimum order amount at which delivery will be free. In our case, 3000 rubles.

We save.

Setting up Virtuemart payment methods

Now let's move on to setting up payment methods. Since we have delivery by courier, we will make payment in cash to the courier:

1. Go to VirtueMart => Shop => Payment Methods.

2. Click on the "Create" button to create a new method.

On the tab "Payment Methods" fill in the following fields:

1. Specify the name that will be displayed to the visitor when choosing a payment method.

2. We write a pseudonym in Latin. Must be unique.

3. Select "Yes" to make our payment method published and available for selection.

4. Write a description of the payment that will be displayed to visitors.

5. Select a payment method handler. In our case Standard.

6. We save our method.

Thus, we have created the easiest delivery method.

Adding a product to Virtuemart

Before adding a product, we need to create manufacturers and product categories.

Adding a manufacturer


1. Go to VirtueMart => Manufacturers => Manufacturers.

2. Click the "Create" button.

We fill in the manufacturer's card:

3. Specify a pseudonym - a unique name in Latin.

4. Go to the "Image" tab and upload the manufacturer's logo.

We save the changes. Now we have a manufacturer.

Adding a category to Virtuemart

1. Go to VirtueMart => Products => Categories.

2. Click the "Create" button

2. Enter the category alias in Latin. It must also be unique.

4. Fill in the meta-information for search engines.

5. Go to the “Images” tab and upload the category image.

Adding a simple product


1. Go to VirtueMart => Products => Products.

2. Click the "Create" button.

Information tab

For example, let's take a popular smartphone today - Iphone 7.


Most of the fields are clear from the name or tooltip. Therefore, we will not describe them all in detail and focus only on a few:

Discontinued. Set if the product is out of production.

GTIN (EAN, ISBN). This field specifies the product barcode in GTIN format or in legacy EAN and ISBN formats. The field is optional.

Alias. The name of the product page in the address bar of the browser. If you do not fill in the field, an alias will be generated automatically based on the product name.

MPN. The article used by the manufacturer of the product. The field is optional.

override. Allows you to set a discount on a product.

Two fields with dates allow you to specify the period of validity of this price or discount.

- Quantity range. This indicates the quantity of the purchased goods, at which this price begins to operate. For example, from 1 to 10 units of goods one price, and more than 10 another.

- Add new price. Adds another pricing section.

Description tab

The Description tab indicates Short description, which is displayed on the product showcase, detailed Description, it is displayed in the product card, as well as Meta-information.

Status tab



The "Status" tab allows you to manage the quantity of goods. All fields are clear from the name, therefore, we will not dwell here in detail, except for one point - Quantity steps. Allows you to set the order quantity. For example, you are selling a product in a package of 5 pieces, and you indicate the price per unit of the product to make it seem lower. Accordingly, the number 5 must be entered in this field.

Tab “Dimensions and weight”

This tab indicates the dimensions and weight of the goods, the weight or volume of the package and the number of goods in the package.

Images tab

On this tab, you can upload one or more images of your product, as well as delete previously uploaded images.

Custom Fields Tab

Allows you to specify related products and categories that are displayed in the product card, as well as add specific product parameters using the Field Type section.

After filling in all the fields, click the "Save" button. Thus we have created a simple product.

Adding a complex product

Now we will make the same Iphone 7 a complex product, which will have the ability to choose a color without changing the price (gold and pink) and choosing a capacity with a change in price (32 GB - 52,000 rubles, 128 GB - 60,000 rubles and 256 GB - 68,000 rubles).

First, we need to create the “Color” and “Capacity” fields in Virtuemart:

1. Go to VirtueMart => Products => Custom Fields.

2. Click the "Create" button.

On the page that opens, we need to fill in the following fields for the “Color” parameter:

1. Select the field type “String”.

2. Enter the title of the parameter. In our case, Color.

3. Set to "Yes". The first cart attribute is responsible for passing the field data to the cart so that the administrator can see what color the customer is ordering.

4. Put "Yes". The second attribute of the cart is responsible for the customer's choice of color.

5. We specify our colors through a semicolon.

6. We write the text that will “pop up” next to the parameter.

7. We save our parameter.

After saving, we need to make two more settings:

1. Switch the list to “Yes” so that the default values ​​\u200b\u200bare displayed in our list on the product page.

2. “as radiolist” set to “Yes” so that the values ​​are displayed instead of the list with radio buttons - this will be displayed more aesthetically.

We save again.

Now we add the second parameter - “Capacity”. It is added in the same way as the color, just enter other values ​​(32 GB, 128 GB, 256 GB) and the attribute “List?” put in “As Adminlist” so that we can add a price change depending on the selected value

Now we need to add these parameters to our product. We go to our previously created product and in the tab “Custom fields” we go down to the section “Field type”. We add one parameter “Color”, since the price will not change.

Now let's add the "Capacity" parameter three times. The first one is left unchanged. In the second, we change the value and price. Only in the price we write the value of the difference between the main product and the product with a changed value. In our case, the cost with a capacity of 128GB is 60,000, and the main one (32GB) is 52,000. Thus, 60,000 - 52,000 = 8,000 is the value and enter it in the “Price” field. We do the same with the third one. We save.

This is what should end up in the admin panel:

And here is what we got in the product card in the frontend:

Thus, we have created a more complex product with the ability to choose the color and capacity of the device.

This was a brief instruction on how to make an online store on Joomla with the Virtuemart extension. But the possibilities of the latter are not limited to this. We have shown only the basic functionality necessary for a quick launch of the store. The possibilities of VirtueMart are so extensive that you can write a very large encyclopedia on it.

Install CMS and experiment! And that's all! I wish you success!

In the next article from this section, we will talk about working with the control panel of an online store based on VirtueMart and take a closer look at setting up the global configuration of this component.

Good luck to you! See you soon on the blog pages site

You may be interested

Setting up user registration in VirtueMart and entering information about the online store
Categories list output modules in VirtueMart - add pictures using Category List and Frontpage Categories
Creating a menu item in Joomla for a store on VirtueMart, installing and configuring the main module
Adding a product to an online store based on VirtueMart - creating a list of manufacturers and a category structure
Module for displaying and scrolling products Product Scroller and VirtueMart Product Snapshot plugin for inserting goods into a Joomla article
Solving problems that often arise in VirtueMart, finalizing the functionality and appearance of the online store for Joomla
Search and shopping cart in VirtueMart using modules and plugins for an online store on Joomla
How to add several photos to a product or attach a file in VirtueMart, as well as create a digital (downloadable) product
Setting up the VirtueMart template, ways to display categories and products, shopping carts, printable versions of pages
Setting the type of product and its parameters in VirtueMart, for subsequent organization of search with filters in the online store

What is Virtuemart for many thousands of users around the world? It is a powerful open source Joomla online store system that helps so many people to sell their products. What can be done, what extensions to install in order to increase sales?

Of course, the Virtuemart version out of the box often does not have the necessary functionality. But this problem can always be fixed with the help of various add-ons. Some of them are free, some are inexpensive, and some are quite expensive. However, quality extensions for Virtuemart will help you make it more functional, beautiful and efficient.

And now, let's take a closer look at 9 functional and powerful Virtuemart plugins and extensions that will help make your Joomla online store much more profitable for you and much more convenient for users.

Product Builder for Virtuemart

Are your products attractive? Do they catch the eye of the client? If you want your product pages to really surprise the customer and make them hold their eyes and seriously think about buying - try Product Builder!

It provides an easy-to-use editor for deep customization with many unique features. You can change colors, fonts, add videos or spectacular pictures. And you can do it even without much effort. We are confident that there are enough effective tools here to help you create amazing page designs for your products in Joomla!

VP One Page Checkout for VirtueMart

Once a customer has come to your online store and made a purchase decision, you must provide him with every opportunity to do so. And the user should do it with minimal effort. Your goal is to make sure that the purchase is made in the minimum number of steps. The fewer such steps, the better. Therefore, this extension can be useful for you, it will help your favorite customers to make a purchase in just a few clicks. As the name suggests, VP One Page Checkout allows you to make a purchase literally on one page and has all the features to reduce the number of clicks to purchase, thereby increasing the conversion of your online store.

Virtuemart Reward Points

How can you encourage customers to return to your store and become loyal customers? Here is a simple solution that can be a real lifeline for your online store! A powerful reward system will allow customers to accumulate points for orders and spend them to get additional discounts, special shopping conditions and gifts. This is a really cool tool that will help you improve customer satisfaction and increase the number of purchases from returning users.

Cherry Picker for Virtuemart

As a rule, searching for the right product on the site is boring. Customers have to browse through a large number of pages, categories and pages to find what they are looking for. This has a rather negative effect on the number of purchases. Why don't you make this process easier for customers? The Cherry Picker extension will help you create a block for sorting and displaying products. You can sort products in Virtuemart by categories, price, colors, etc. Your customers will love it for sure!

Wishlist

Another simple feature that will improve customer loyalty and increase the number of regular customers is a wishlist for Virtuemart. Install this module to allow customers to collect the items they would like to buy someday. The saving of products is carried out in the customer's account on the website. In addition, if users abandon their last shopping cart selection, you will have the option to send them reminders and return them to purchase.

Emails for VirtueMart

Automated messages that inform customers about changes in the status of their orders can increase the level of trust in your service. This is very important, so try not to miss the chance to create attractive and informative messages right away. Install Emails for V irtuemart in your store so that your customers are always happy and can trust your online store.

Awo Coupon Starter

Discounts always delight customers of any store or product in all areas. Therefore, the AwoCoupon extension for Joomla and Virtuemart can be the very tool that will help you earn extra income without much effort. Plus, it's much easier to organize your holiday sales with this simple extension.

cat product

The product listing on your website can be much more informative and beautiful than you might think. At least that's what the developers of the Catproduct extension think. Catproduct for Virtuemart is a tool that will help you display any information and even child products and other additional fields. Thus, customers will be able to fully explore the product and all its options and immediately see the price change. This plugin seems to be quite useful for clothing stores with a lot of product variations.

VM Affiliate

One of the most effective ways to increase sales is an affiliate program. Turn it on for your store and you will get an army of partners who will generate sales and traffic on the site. Plus, you won't need to pay them until the customers they refer to pay. This method is simple, reliable and worth using for every store.

Conclusion

This is a list of 10 extensions that are recognized as the most popular among thousands of existing ones. Thus, you can always add one of them to your online store if you see a need for it.

We wish you to get the maximum profit from your store on Joomla and Virtuemart!

Is it possible to make an online store on CMS Joomla? There is only one answer to this question: of course you can. Is it possible to create a selling online store on Joomla. I will answer this: you can, if you choose the right extension for creating an online store. Judging by the popularity, the Joomla component of the VirtueMart online store is the best option to create an online store on Joomla 3.

What is VirtueMart and how much does it cost?

VirtueMart is a Joomla CMS extension specially designed for creating, organizing and running an online store. VirtueMart will allow you to create a store of any subject, for the sale of any real goods.

I can't say that with the help of VirtueMart you can sell intellectual property products (programs, movies, etc.) using the paid download method, as well as sell services.

The basic, minimal, but sufficient version of VirtueMart costs nothing and is distributed free of charge. There is no catch here, earnings come from paid add-ons and paid templates.

Where can I get (download) VirtueMart

To download VirtueMart, use the official site of the extension here ( https://virtuemart.net/), download page here ( https://virtuemart.net/download).

Please note that you can download three variants of VirtueMart packages and a translation package to choose from:

  • VirtueMart+Joomla;
  • Separate components of VirtueMart;
  • past versions.

The VirtueMart+Joomla package includes Joomla 3.6.2 with the Virtuemart component already installed. In this option, you need to carry out a standard installation of Joomla, for example via FTP. As a result, you will get an almost ready-made Virtuemart store on the Joomla platform. It remains to make its settings and design. First, I'll show you how to install the VirtueMart+Joomla build.

Build VirtueMart+Joomla

On the pages of the official site, download the VirtueMart3.0.18_Joomla_3.6.2-Stable-Full_Package distribution kit (link above).

Note: Preparing this article, I installed VirtueMart 3+Joomla in the VirtueMart3.0.18_Joomla_3.6.2-Stable-Full_Package package on a clean domain, paid hosting. Impressions are the most negative.

The Joomla version is outdated, there is no Russian localization package in Joomla itself, plus the localization of the component into Russian is incorrect (conflict between the system localization language and the VirtueMart language). As a result of two reinstallations, I achieved a more or less correct launch of VirtueMart. But this is not the effect that you can count on, if you want to save time and install both Joomla and VirtueMart at the same time.

I do not advise repeating this, but for general development it can be useful. By the way, the authors of the store recommend the VirtueMart + Joomla version for installation. Which I do not wish you, although it may lead you.

Installing the full package VirtueMart 3.0.18+Joomla 3.6.2

To install the full package, you need (full path):

  • Rent a domain and shared hosting or dedicated VDS for your online store;

Note: Don't forget the hosting software requirements: PHP 5.3+; MySQL 5.5; Enable PHP; Preferred hosting (server) RAM 128 MB RAM. Minimum MB RAM value for PDF invoices.

  • Create a database in the hosting account and the root directory of your domain;
  • Unpack the downloaded archive VirtueMart3.0.18_Joomla_3.6.2-Stable-Full_Package;
  • Using an FTP client or a hosting file manager, upload the folders and files of the unpacked archive to the root folder of your domain;
  • In the browser, open your domain, for which enter the address of the domain in the address bar;
  • The Joomla installer will open with detailed installation instructions.

Stages of installation (installation) Joomla + VirtueMart

Delete the Installition folder and enter the site panel using the link.

Important! As a result of the installation, you will receive a Joomla site in English and VirtueMart also in English. Next, do everything step by step:

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  • On the Extensions→Plugins tab, disable the Joomla Update plugin (it will interfere with its messages);
  • First, localize the Joomla system into Russian. How to do this read the article here. The panel should become Russian-speaking;
  • Only after that, install 2 (two) zip files of VirtueMart translation into Russian taken from the official site. Install them as simple Joomla extensions.
  • Exit and enter the panel to activate transfers. Everything should work out.

Important! If you are installing VirtueMart on an already working site, don't forget to back up the site in case it fails, or transfer the site to a local server and try installing VirtueMart there.

If you are working on a new domain, I recommend that you first install the latest Joomla stable version. Localize it during installation into Russian, but only then, sequentially install the component, plugins, additional VirtueMart modules and only then install two translation packages. With such a seemingly long installation, there will be no problems. So, step by step:

Install Joomla (detailed in the article Installing Joomla 3 on hosting). I remember in pictures.

I skip the installation itself (photo above), I show the translation during installation:

  • Joomla stands and speaks your language;
  • Download ZIP archive com_virtuemart.3.0.18_extract_first (the download address is above);

Unpack the downloaded archive. We see three components of the extension:

  • main component (com_virtuemart.wxyzip);
  • VirtueMart AIO component (com_virtuemart_ext_aio.wxyzip);
  • TCPDF component for invoices and invoices (com_tcpdf_1.0.0.zip).

Consistently, install all three components on the previously installed and localized Joomla 3 language.

The result of the installation will be a new item in the top menu of the site (VirtueMart), a menu item on the "General Settings" page and a separate panel of the store itself. We have received an online store in English. It needs to be translated.

Virtue Mart Translation

To translate VirtueMart, we need two language packs:

  • component translation package ( http://virtuemart.net/community/translations/virtuemart/ru-RU) And
  • plugins and modules translation package ( http://virtuemart.net/community/translations/virtuemartplugins/en-US).