Readymade Theme or Custom Theme for your Magento Store

Magento known as the big name in the world of eCommerce with several functionalities to cater user demands that makes it the powerful eCommerce platform ever. Yet, more factors require your attention to sell the products online and cater customer demands.

Foremost consideration is how your eCommerce store should look like. The first decision you will make is how your Magento theme design should be? Here, the question arise if it’s readymade or custom theme for your store. Both themes have different functions and outcomes and have their benefits. To help you out in decision making process, we have mentioned pros and cons of both ready-made theme and custom theme to let you choose what suits best for your eCommerce store.

Before elaborating the facts about themes, let us first tell you the basic difference between these two themes.

Readymade Magento Theme

If you look on various online resources, you may find tons of website templates are available online that can be customized according to your requirements and used quickly. Such Readymade Magento templates were designed by other designers who have already build them and uploaded online to be downloaded by any user. Whoever wants the buy template, can download, modify and use it. Generally, readymade templates are used by several users already and if you want to buy and customize, then be ready to pay big bucks.  It’s better to have your customized template in that case.

Here is a list if Pros and Cons of using Readymade Magento Theme:

Pros

Affordable

Using readymade website design renders the major benefit of saving cost of hiring a developer to design it for you. You may start anytime with a readymade template. Only, you need to pay for integrating the website. It’s a cost-effective way to step to the eCommerce world, mainly for the small companies who have just started their business.

Support 

As these website themes are designed by any developers in the world, there is always support and troubleshooting guide provided by them. Even, if you want to learn how to customize it, you will be able to find the relevant information from its existing base code. Lots of reading material, forums, FAQ, blogs and other helpful information are also available online to provide support to the users.

User-Friendly 

This is one of the major concern of users, however, whether they have a single or multiple product store, the website themes are user-friendly. These templates are designed to fit the business requirements, hence using these themes will make your website catering business needs. 

Add-ons

Even if you feel website theme lacks few functionality, then it’s not a major problem as it’s provides with the add-on on the given app store where you can find the relevant service that performs the specific function.

Cons 

Limitations 

The biggest disappointment you experience is the lack of customization beyond a certain point. Designing these themes according to your business requirements mean adding extra cost that may reflect your budget. It possess limitation to expand further if used for long time and your eCommerce store is growing. Grabbing your customers by providing with additional functionality will not be fulfilled by these readymade made themes. 

Brand Fit 

Another drawback of using such themes is its incapability to represent your brand online. As these themes are designed embedding general functionalities, therefore, it will be hard to fit them in your brand. Moreover, such themes have been already used by other business, therefore, it possess high risk of demonstrating your websites same way as other websites. As setting your brand apart from competitors and gaining customer interest in uttermost important, therefore having a similar look will not work for long. 

Responsive

Other devices in addition to desktop is in high demand. Lacking responsiveness leads to poor rankings of websites. As Google even prefer responsive website, therefore, find a responsive website theme, however you need to do vast research which seems very difficult.

Customized Magento Theme 

On deciding to go for website design without using any existing template or framework, then the website designing is done by using the scratch. Commonly, this is a type of drawing a sketch on a paper or using a wireframe software to have your idea into an outline of how your website should look like. This basically contains webpage elements like navigation panel or block placed on the desired location. Using software puts a real impression of the website color, features and feel. On finalizing, designers convert this PSD to HTML to create your website template. It gives an idea to designer of how to design your webpage by placing the elements as shown in the scratch.

Here is a list if Pros and Cons of using Customized Magento Theme:

Pros

Functionality

Identification and understanding of the business needs will interpret the right way of how to design your website. It restricts from inexpensive modifications and tremendous changes before finalizing the actual end-product. Custom made designs fulfill the customer needs by deploying designs understanding the unique business needs. Choosing the right color, design, layout, pictures, background and endless things gives a unique look and feel to your website by applying your vision. It gives you the numerous features that you are looking for your website. You will get freedom to make it as powerful as you want to tailor business needs.

Unique 

Planning to have a website design is not enough if it does not cater user requirements.  Already, the market is flooded with tremendous online stores, recognizing your brand among competitors is better provided by unique website design. After all, it is your representation of business. Custom made design will reflect your identity and differentiate it from rest. Establishing a powerful presence by owning a website having custom made designs will gain potential customer attention and letting them knowing how serious you are about your products and services.

SEO Friendly

Custom designed website is SEO friendly, this makes sure of getting top rankings for the website. Increased chances of ranking the website ahead among competitors. More exposed to traffic, maximum visitors will come resulting to increase ROI. The websites are designed using your ideas and customized to make it perfect for the business representation.

Control

Utilizing the custom theme gives you complete control of your website. This is the best way to control how your website will look like, how your brand should be showcased to the customer, how to improve the websites and how to make it impressive for the users.

Recommended Read: Why Custom Design for your eStore

Cons

Maintenance 

When you decide to have a custom designed website, then be ready to add extra cost to its maintenance. Whether you have an in-house developer or want to hire a professional, maintaining the website needs an extra investment. The cost may range depending on the complexity of the website, size and type. This will allow you to make the website promoting the brand. So, don’t fear in investing the amount in website as its going to benefit business. 

Expensive

Planning to have a custom designed website requires developing it according to the business demands. So, it will be expensive for you additionally if you do not know how to code it or don’t have any in-house developers. Only a professionally highly skilled developer will be able to manage it right way, making good use of your investment.

Our Words 

We have listed down Pros and Cons of both Readymade and Customized Magento Theme to help the users in taking the right decision for their business. It is your decision to choose by considering several factors including the budget and urgency of having them. As “one size does not fits all”, therefore consider all requirements before deciding one.

Want to discuss your needs for upcoming website? Talk to our Magento designers now!