PrestaShop 1.6: Key Updates & New Features

Good news for web store owners! PrestaShop 1.6 is here, marking an important step forward for PrestaShop. As everyone hurries to learn about the new features in PrestaShop 1.6 and make sure their products work well with it, this article will help clear up any confusion. PrestaShop 1.6 not only fixes problems from earlier versions but also brings many new features.

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Some of the issues and bugs in PrestaShop 1.5 are discussed here:

Issues in PrestaShop 1.5

Following are some of the problems that are present in PrestaShop 1.5:

Responsiveness Challenges

PrestaShop 1.5 lacked responsiveness, which posed a significant drawback for users accessing the store from various devices.

SEO Limitations

PrestaShop 1.5 did not offer advanced SEO options out-of-the-box, necessitating additional software like Advanced SEO Optimizer and PrestaShop Pretty URL.

Theme and Formatting Difficulties

Editing themes in PrestaShop 1.5 required a developer with specialized skills, making it a cumbersome process.

Discover how to streamline your theme customization with How to Create Stylish Blog in PrestaShop.

Lack of Advanced Features

Features such as Bootstrap, FontAwesome, D3 Data-Driven Documents, and Sass Compass were absent in PrestaShop 1.5, limiting customization and functionality.

Now here is a brief look at the advanced features added to PrestaShop 1.6:

What's New in PrestaShop 1.6

PrestaShop 1.6 brings a wealth of improvements, addressing the shortcomings of its predecessors. Here’s a quick overview of the major enhancements:

Enhanced Responsiveness

One of the most notable upgrades is the improved responsiveness. PrestaShop 1.6 now allows you to view and manage your store seamlessly across any device—whether it's a tablet, laptop, or smartphone.

Redesigned Back Office

The PrestaShop 1.6 back office has been revamped for simplicity and functionality. With real-time data and a notification system, managing your store has never been easier. The back office now follows an MVC structure, facilitating customization and management with ease.

To further optimize your store’s backend, check How to Create and Manage Events in PrestaShop?

Advanced Sales Analysis

Gain deeper insights with PrestaShop 1.6's enhanced sales analysis. Track sales, abandoned carts, traffic, conversions, subscriptions, and traffic sources with integrated Google Analytics.

Intelligent KPIs

Access crucial KPIs such as best-selling products, abandoned carts, customer engagement, and new registrations effortlessly.

Shopping Confirmation and Cross-Selling

When customers add items to their cart, a pop-up confirms the action and suggests related products, enhancing the cross-selling experience.

Improved Templates and Formatting

PrestaShop 1.6 simplifies theme and template customization. You can now easily change themes, colors, and fonts from the back office without needing extensive coding skills.

Stylish Menu and Quick View

The menu now supports dropdowns, and category pages can feature banners to showcase products. The Quick View option allows customers to see product details like price, color, size, and stock availability in a convenient pop-up.

Redesigned Footer and Viewing Options

The redesigned footer includes essential information like social media buttons, shipping methods, and contact details. Additionally, customers can toggle between grid and list views to suit their preferences.

Advanced Built-In Features

PrestaShop 1.6 introduces several advanced features:

Bootstrap

Bootstrap is a framework offering web design elements and functions for consistent and compatible outputs.

FontAwesome

FontAwesome enables customizable vector icons for a more polished design.

D3 Data-Driven Documents

D3 Data-Driven Documents convert data into informative visual formats, such as graphs and tables.

Sass Compass

Sass Compass enhances style sheets with features like nested rules, mixins, and variables, streamlining CSS management.

Conclusion

PrestaShop 1.6 represents a significant upgrade from previous versions, offering enhanced performance, efficiency, and a better overall experience for both store owners and customers. With built-in features eliminating the need for paid modules, merchants can expect increased sales and conversions.

Download PrestaShop 1.6 Modules now! Existing customers should verify compatibility with their modules' pages before updating their product packages.