Where Is Your PrestaShop Store on Its Growth Journey?

Every online store grows differently — some are just launching, while others are already optimizing for conversions and scaling sales. No matter where you are on the growth journey, understanding your current stage helps you make smarter decisions: What to prioritize, which problems to solve now, and which PrestaShop modules or themes will bring the most impact.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the 4 common growth stages of a PrestaShop store — and share curated recommendations of PrestaHero modules to support you at each step. You’ll also find a list of helpful modules for special cases that can arise at any point in your store’s evolution.

As you read, ask yourself: Which stage is your store currently in? Identifying it can help you make better decisions about what to focus on next.

Stage 1: Building Your Website

At this stage, the goal is to build a store that works well and is easy for customers to use. It's important to set up the basics — making sure people can browse products, sign up accounts, and place orders smoothly. A good foundation will help everything run better as your store grows.

Recommended modules & themes:

• Mega Menu PRO: Makes it easier for customers to find what they need with a clear, good-looking menu. It’s perfect for new stores, helping visitors navigate quickly and stay longer on your site.
• Home Products PRO: Displays featured or popular products right on your homepage. It helps new stores highlight what matters most and grab customer attention from the start.
• Social Login: Allows users to sign up or log in using their social accounts like Google or Facebook. It makes the process faster and easier, helping you get more sign-ups and turn visitors into buyers.
• Cookie Banner (FREE): Shows a cookie consent message to meet privacy rules. It helps build trust with visitors — something that’s especially important when your store is just getting started.
• Free Themes: Choose any theme from our Free PrestaShop theme collection to match your products. A clean, professional design makes a great first impression and helps your store look more trustworthy.

Stage 2: Adding Advanced Features

Once your store is set up and running, you may want to add advanced features that offer more value to your customers or meet your industry’s needs — depending on what you sell and how your business works. These advanced tools help your visitors better understand your products and services, build trust in your brand, and make confident purchase decisions.

Recommended modules (based on your store type):

• Product Options: Let customers customize what they buy — like choosing gift wrapping, adding a message, or selecting extra services.

These small options make your products feel more personal and valuable.

? Best for stores selling gifts, personalized products, or items with additional services.

• Custom Fields & Tabs on Product Page: Sometimes, customers need more details to decide. This module lets you show extra info, technical specs, or important notes right on the product page. It helps reduce confusion and support better buying decisions.

? Ideal for stores with technical, detailed, or specification-heavy products.

• Contact Form Ultimate: Let customers send special requests, make bookings, or ask detailed questions through custom forms.

It improves your customer service and shows that your business is responsive and professional. You can also collect valuable contact information from these forms — perfect for building your email list and running future marketing campaigns.

? It’s ideal for stores needing specialized interactions, enhancing customer service and engagement at this growth stage.

• Free Translate & AI Content: Translate your store into 110+ languages and generate helpful content using AI. It saves you hours of manual translation and makes your store easier to understand for customers around the world.

? Great for multi-language stores or businesses expanding into new markets.

• Marketplace Builder: Let other sellers list their products on your store. This brings in more products without needing more stock, and helps your business grow faster. You can also earn extra money from commission or listing fees.

? Suitable for businesses that want to grow through third-party vendors and earn commission or listing fees.

Stage 3: Optimizing Customer Experience & Building Trust

This is the stage where you should focus on giving your customers a better experience and building their trust. A smooth, fast, and reliable store helps people feel more comfortable — which makes them more likely to buy again and stick with your brand.

Recommended modules:

• Super Speed: Nobody likes waiting. A fast website makes your store feel more professional and trustworthy. This module helps your pages load quicker, so visitors stay longer and are more likely to finish their purchase.
• One Page Checkout & Social Login: Long checkout steps can make people leave. This module makes the process fast and easy — everything happens on one page. Customers can also log in with Google or Facebook, which saves time and helps them feel more secure.
• Total Search: If customers can’t find what they want, they’ll leave. Total Search helps them find products instantly, even when they don’t type the exact order of the product name. It makes shopping easier and keeps people on your site longer.
• Product Reviews: Real reviews help people feel confident. With this module, customers can leave ratings and upload photos or videos. New buyers will trust you more when they see feedback from other real shoppers.
• Live Chat, Contact Form & Ticketing System: When customers have questions, they want quick answers. This module gives them multiple ways to reach you — through chat, contact forms, or tickets. It shows that you care and builds trust naturally.
• Geolocation: Make every visitor feel like your store was built for them. This module automatically shows the right language, currency, and tax based on where they’re from — making the whole experience feel smooth and local.

Stage 4: Scaling SEO, Traffic, & Sales

At this stage, your store is ready to grow. Now it’s time to bring in more visitors, turn more of them into customers, and make every order more valuable.

Recommended modules:

• SEO Audit: If people can’t find you on Google, they won’t become customers. This module helps improve how your store appears in search results — so more people discover your products without you having to pay for ads.
• BLOG or Simple Blog (FREE): Blogging is one of the best ways to attract visitors naturally. By sharing helpful tips, updates, or product stories, you can bring in more traffic and build trust with potential buyers.
• Abandoned Cart Reminder: Many visitors leave their cart before buying — but that doesn’t mean the sale is lost. This module brings them back with automatically follow-up emails, helping you recover missed revenue with minimal effort.
• Loyalty, Referral & Affiliate Program: Getting new customers is great, but keeping them is even better. This module rewards people for buying again, referring friends, or promoting your store — helping you grow through loyalty and word of mouth.
• Cross Selling PRO: When people are ready to buy, it’s the best time to suggest something extra. This module shows related products to help customers discover more of what they need — and helps you earn more from every order.
• Promotion Pro: Discounts and deals make people act faster. With this module, you can run smart offers like “Buy X, Get Y” or free shipping to catch attention and boost conversions — especially during sales campaigns.

Special Purpose Modules for Unique Store Needs (At Any Stage)

Some modules aren’t tied to any one growth stage — but they solve important problems that can show up anytime.

Whether you're just getting started or already scaling, these modules help you manage your store more efficiently, keep it secure, and avoid technical headaches.

Recommended modules:

• Direct Upgrade: Keeping your PrestaShop version up to date is important — but it can feel risky or complicated.

This module helps you upgrade easily, so your store stays secure and stable without needing much technical knowledge.

• MigrationPro Ultimate: This module helps you transfer all your data — products, orders, customers, categories, and more — safely and smoothly. It saves hours of manual work and avoids the risk of losing important data during migration.
• Order Manager or Delete Order (FREE): Managing orders can get messy as your store grows. These modules help you edit, delete, export, and organize order list to keep everything clear and easy to follow. It saves time and makes daily admin work smoother.
• CAPTCHA - reCAPTCHA or reCAPTCHA (FREE): Spam can be a big problem — fake accounts, fake messages, fake reviews. These modules block bots and protect your forms, helping keep your store clean and secure.
• Product Manager: If you have many products, editing them one by one takes a lot of time. This module lets you update them in bulk — helping you keep your catalog accurate and up to date with less effort.

Explore More Modules and Themes

Whether you're just getting started or ready to scale, we have the right PrestaShop modules and themes to help you at every stage:

• Premium PrestaShop Modules: https://prestahero.com/130-prestashop-modules
• Free PrestaShop Modules: https://prestahero.com/148-free-prestashop-modules
• Free PrestaShop Themes: https://prestahero.com/159-free-prestashop-themes

Conclusion

Choosing the right PrestaShop modules at the right stage can make a big difference in how your store grows. Whether you're just starting or scaling up, we hope this guide gave you a clearer picture of what to focus on next.

If you’d like personalized recommendations or have questions about any of the modules mentioned, feel free to reach out to our team — we’re always here to support you on your journey.