PrestaShop 1.5.4.1 is released. I advise everyone to update as soon as possible, as PrestaShop 1.5.4.1 fixes many bugs. From changelog:
Fixed bugs:

[-] Installer: installer now work even if no settings.inc.php file is created with an installer session already here
[-] Installer : do not select activity if not defined
[-] INSTALLER : add counter loop in update_order_messages
[-] Installer : Fix bug #PSCFV-8606 bad performance when updating messages
[-] INSTALLER : fix bug #PSCFV-7688 mailalert_customer_oos not existing in database
[-] Installer: fix installer in PT languahe
[-] Installer : Missing directory separator when upgrading images types
[-] Installer: Switch test of session.save_path to optional test
[-] INSTALLER : Fix bug, can not check rights on theme folders
[-] INSTALLER : Fix bug #PSCFV-8167 duplicates product_sqlstock INDEX

[-] FO : do not use dispatcher routes for static files
[-] FO : invoice: do not display taxes table if there is not tax to display
[-] FO : Fixed product comparator CSS
[-] Fo : Remove additionnal space in phone field value
[-] FO : fix bug #PSCFV-8684, phone not required in guest checkout when not set in BO
[-] FO: send current product to some hook like displayProductTabContent on product page #PSCFV-8825
[-] FO : Fix bug #PSCFV-8728 context country not updated after changing delivery address in OPC
[-] FO: fixed some css bug for ie7
[-] FO: Add the protocol content to the cache id of modules #PSCFV-8810
[-] FO : empty cache getContextualValue_ when updating cart quantity
[-] FO : Disable confirm order when already clicked
[-] FO : address alias lost
[-] FO : Undefined free_shipping in POC when updateQty
[-] Fo : Fix big pic alt with jqzoom
[-] FO : Class free order name for validateOrder
[-] FO : First part of fix #PSCFV-8636, cart rule on specifice carrier / all carriers
[-] FO : Fix bug #PSCFV-8623 : Cart rule without code is applied automatically
[-] FO : add cart rul when cart rul has several groups
[-] FO: Fix bug too much call of updateCartSummary when OPC and cart rule
[-] Fo : Fix undefined var in cart-summary when updating id_address_delivery
[-] FO : Fix login cookie issues
[-] FO: fixed bug #PSCFV-3238 - compareController typo
[-] FO: Fix #PSCFV-8722 displayed specific prices on product page was sometimes wrong
[-] FO : Fix bug #PSCFV-8589 do not loose max level depth when upgrading
[-] FO : standardize behavior of selected country in the list when create a new address
[-] FO: fixed bug DOCTYPE line - #PSCFV-8602
[-] FO: Fix htaccess generation when disable mod_security is selected #PSCFV-8675
[-] FO: Don't display vat_number field if not required for the country on address.tpl
[-] FO: Extension test on file attachment for contact form should not be case sensitive #PSCFV-8616
[-] FO : Do not fade out on bigpic source change
[-] FO : Fix bug #PSCFV-7743 and #PSCFV-8286, bigpic source change
[-] FO: fixed bug Cart Summery Borders - #PSCFV-8421
[-] FO : Fix bug #PSCFV-8286, displayImage bad selector called
[-] FO: fixed bug Solved a problem with JSON.stringify problem with IE8 - #PSCFV-8340
[-] FO : Fix bug #PSCFV-7825 removing import of grid_prestashop.css and displaying errors in AdminPerformances
[-] FO: fixed bug missing <div class="clear"></div> in product.tpl - #PSCFV-8164
[-] FO : Add ccs and js to frontcontroller for old modules
[-] FO: change logo position
[-] FO : Fix bug #PSCFV-8183 lost order message in OPC

[-] BO : Fix htaccess generation for subfolders installation
[-] BO : Fix bug witth shop address and no state in country
[-] BO : Fix bug for csv export
[-] BO : Can not set PS_ORDER_OUT_OF_STOCK in one shop
[-] BO : Bad gender image when no gender
[-] BO : Fix #PSCFV-8827 fixed price of specific price rules should be a float
[-] BO : Fix admin carts currency prices on view and listing
[-] BO : Remove typo in address formating fields links
[-] BO : Remove undefined name when module can not be installed
[-] BO : Don't delete the directory of modules before upgrade them
[-] BO : fixed bug css - #PSCFV-8737 - AdminScenes.php ~~ remove inline css forcing a border to #large_scene_image
[-] BO : Fix #PSCFV-8730 display of selected dates on the backoffice listings header - thank to pitt phunsanit for the patch
[-] BO : Deactivate backwardcompatibility module
[-] BO : PSCFV-7685 parent category for root categories after upgrade
[-] BO : Fix bug #PSCFV-8626 rename actual admin folder
[-] BO : fixed bug Cart rules - Javascript error - #PSCFV-5045
[-] BO : Fix bug #PSCFV-8620 returns with customized product
[-] BO : Fix #PSCFV-8683 order_way collusion on listing between 2 tabs
[-] BO : Fix bug : #PSCFV-8631 no download-product.tpl in languages packs
[-] BO : Fix bug #PSCFV-8540 setting cookie key in cache key
[-] BO : fixed bug In back office, in product modification page, image pane, the image list appears broken in IE8 - #PSCFV-8024
[-] BO : Fix the Htaccess rewriting generation when one shop has the rewriting enabled and the last one on the same domain not
[-] BO : fixed bug #PSCFV-8258
[-] BO : Clear cart when customer is changed in back office orders #PSCFV-8520
[-] BO : Remove warning on ProductDownload
[-] BO : fixed field value saving when value is equal to 0 #PSCFV-8530
[-] BO : Fix bug #PSCFV-8481 no live edit on index when one language is active only
[-] BO : fixed bug #PSCFV-8095 now maximum weigh for carrier is float

[-] Classes : Bug fix : OrderOpcController, check instance of blocknewsletter module
[-] Classes : Bug fix : Mobile hooks, check PayPal for payments only

[-] Core: fix redirection loop for bugged versions of mysql using column name aliases on order by
[-] CORE : Fix bug #PSCFV-8636 again, cart rule with a reduction and free shipping
[-] CORE : Fix bug last part #PSCFV-8636, cart rule with a reduction and free shipping
[-] CORE : Fix bug #PSCFV-5624 set order reference to CHAR(10)
[-] CORE : fixed bug #PSCFV-8475 - Email templates with {shop_url} append url with index.php
[-] Core: Cache of Cart::getPackageList is now per cart
[-] Core: Local cache could never be totally cleaned

[-] MO: homefeatured - numbers are now the same
[-] MO: Fix product cover image on blockviewed with multishop
[-] MO : Fix rand parameter in favorite module js
[-] MO : Fix bug #PSCFV-8430 bad post type ajax request, thanks to maofree
[-] MO : Fix bug #PSCFV-8399 dictinct categegories in module blockcategories

Improved/changed features:

[*] Installer : Set context in upgrader
[*] Installer: Add PHP CLI installer

[*] FO : one_phone_at_least should be set
[*] FO : add steps to authentication pull request 002f468958 thanks to radovanx
[*] FO: use subdirectory per template for smarty cache
[*] FO : Check if grid_prestashop.css is available in theme before including
[*] FO : Retrocompat for default theme 1.4.10

[*] BO : Add block "close_td" in list_content.tpl
[*] BO : Add block "close_td" in list_content.tpl
[*] BO: The translation of modules are now made in the theme if modules are overrided or directly in the module folder
[*] BO: List all modules with an upgrade available on AdminModules header

[*] TR : Removed hard-coded dot in history.tpl
[*] TR : Improved English text of installer
[*] TR : added russian installer tabs
[*] TR : Fixed wrong use of translation functions in AdminTranslationsController
[*] TR : Added tab translations for installer languages

Added Features:

[+] BO: show all languages in setting of employee

Thanks to your support, our developers have been working day and night to come up with an awesome new version! With over 400 optimizations, both merchants and customers will be pleased with the useful improvements and changes.

PrestaShop v1.5.4’s back-office has been totally improved for easy navigation on almost any device, meaning you can access and navigate your back-office on the go by using your iPad or mobile device. Go ahead, check your sales or make some changes while you’re waiting on the train platform! Improvements to the back-office don’t end there—modules can now be accessed directly from menus and sub-menus from within the back-office! Speaking of modules, we’ve added a new one called Merchant Expertise, which all merchants will find useful. It’s a great tool for merchants to track and develop their activities in a fun and easy way by setting goals for their shop. Check out the “Merchant Expertise” tab to see where your store’s progress stands and the things you can do to improve your sales.

Mar 27 2013
Introducing PrestaShop v1.5.4!

Author: Nicole Spiteri

Categories: PrestaShop News

PrestaShop 1.5Thanks to your support, our developers have been working day and night to come up with an awesome new version! With over 400 optimizations, both merchants and customers will be pleased with the useful improvements and changes.

PrestaShop v1.5.4’s back-office has been totally improved for easy navigation on almost any device, meaning you can access and navigate your back-office on the go by using your iPad or mobile device. Go ahead, check your sales or make some changes while you’re waiting on the train platform! Improvements to the back-office don’t end there—modules can now be accessed directly from menus and sub-menus from within the back-office! Speaking of modules, we’ve added a new one called Merchant Expertise, which all merchants will find useful. It’s a great tool for merchants to track and develop their activities in a fun and easy way by setting goals for their shop. Check out the “Merchant Expertise” tab to see where your store’s progress stands and the things you can do to improve your sales.

You’re not the only one who will see the changes in PrestaShop v1.5.4—customers now have an improved order funnel, in which the whole process from cart to payment have been drastically enhanced. You’ll never have to worry about losing customers during the checkout process! Ensuring your customers are happy with their experience is one of the no-brainers of business, but communicating with them can sometimes be easier said than done. Here at PrestaShop, we understand that your customers can come from all over the world, speaking a variety of languages. With PrestaShop v1.5.4, you can now see the preferred language of customers directly on their profile pages. Say hello, bonjour, hola, cześć with confidence!

Read more at PrestaShop Blog

At PrestaShop, we harbor an attitude of growth and positive change. At the same time, we don’t easily forget what brought us here, to this amazing point. Together, with your amazing support and knowledge, we have grown and evolved to offer the best Ecommerce software available. Our latest version PrestaShop 1.5.3 is both powerful and innovative. However, for thousands of our stores and merchants who are successful and content with v1.4x, we haven’t forgotten about you either.

We have refined and improved our beloved PrestaShop v1.4x to create 1.4.10. Don’t worry, we are still supporting and maintaining v1.4x for our merchants waiting to upgrade to 1.5. Aside from the normal housecleaning we’ve also added new and exciting features.
PrestaShop 1.4.10 Improvements

Some of the major changes you can expect in v1.4.10 are listed below. To view the full list of improvements, we invite you to check out the changelog.

iPad navigation and check out has been optimized and enhanced.
Stabilized the processes of shipping/delivery addresses and carriers.
Updated compatibility with latest PHP versions.
Updated integrated modules. Added new Partner modules Stripe, PayU LatAm, Shoppingfeed, Itembase.

Download 1.4.10 today! (Make sure to navigate and click on v1.4 and download 1.4.10 released on Feb. 19th 2013.) Click here to download the zip file directly.

PrestaPOrtal has now new default green theme

Hi all

As I found some serious problem with previous green theme, so I changed board default theme. Right now we using myBB default theme, but I hope soon change it.

We at PrestaShop not only believe in the power of change, we embrace it. We welcome outside collaboration and attempt to harness the intellectual prowess of our global Community. We nurture new ideas and innovative thinking by remaining open to constructive criticism. In fact, we encourage it.

We do these things because we believe in the value of chasing a dream. We believe in providing an online world driven by technology with a free and powerful tool for economic success. We also believe that criticism helps us become stronger, and that collaboration yields better results.

All that said, PrestaShop isn’t perfect, we know that. But we also know that together we can achieve great things by working through imperfections to deliver something special.

PrestaShop v1.5.3 is a great example of this, and it gives us great pleasure to announce that the newest version of our software is now available for global use.

Those already familiar with PrestaShop will be thrilled to know that v1.5.3 houses more than 400 improvements, many of which came from users like you via GitHub (thanks for that).
For those looking to enter the e-commerce market, v1.5.3 makes opening, operating and maintaining a successful online store easier and more economical than ever.

Some of the major changes you can expect in v1.5.3 are listed below. To view the full list of improvements, we invite you to check out the changelog.

The new v1.5 mobile theme has been optimized
URL’s have been simplified for enhanced SEO
We’ve improved the functionality of the shopping cart
Customer login issues have been fixed
Improved cookie management
Streamlined price and stock administration
Redesigned 404 messages (You can now redirect shoppers to similar products when one product is out of stock)
Several native partner modules have been simplified and improved
The one-click upgrade module has been reimagined and is now more stable than ever

For existing merchants, the one-click upgrade module is by far easiest way to take full advantage of the new version. However, before upgrading in your Back Office, you’ll need to download the latest version of the auto upgrade module from the Addons store, install it and then follow the steps provided (Click here if you need help).

Read more http://www.prestashop.com/blog/en/get-e-...op-v1-5-3/

From official PrestaShop forum:
We are very excited to announce that PrestaShop 1.5.2 will be released on Monday, October 22nd 2012. Our Developing Team worked hard fixing bugs while improving functionality and features. Here is a quick rundown of some of the major improvements in 1.5.2

-Improved performance of the shopping cart.
-Fixed Bug that caused an Error when Generating an Invoice.
-Fixed the Filter in back office which crashed on “Customer” tab
-Fixed the Sort filter that was not working on any back-office tab.
-Fixed various issues with the Combinations Generator.
-Improved CSV Import functionality.

Since October 4th, we have fixed en estimated of 230 reported bugs.
We have also made great strides to improve the 1-Click Upgrade- AutoUpgrade Module. Here are some improvements we have made.
- Redesigned the user interface of the home page.
- Rewrote various text for clarity including the descriptions, options, help, etc.
- Removed the need for validated options, the module now sets default values instead.
- Improved “Expert Mode” experience when completing a Back-Up
- Removed unnecessary warnings and re-incorporated them into the text.
-Corrected bug in which the option to “RollBack” was displayed even if no backup was available.
-Corrected missing strings to be translated in French, Spanish, Italian, German and Portuguese.

Thank you all for choosing PrestaShop. Without your loyalty and support PrestaShop would not be where it is today. We continue to value your suggestions and feedback to make PrestaShop better day by day.

Original link http://www.prestashop.com/forums/topic/1...-10222012/

A few weeks back, PrestaShop v1.5 changed the open-source e-commerce game by delivering a complete, modern and user friendly online shopping platform. Today, PrestaShop is announcing the release v1.5.1, which means the amazing e-commerce solution you've grown to love just got better.

The new version contains more than 320 improvements, and many of the troublesome glitches once housed in previous versions of PrestaShop no longer exist.

In addition, v1.5.1 includes improved URL rewriting, custom CMS pages and advanced invoices. A Portuguese-Brazilian translation has also been added to better serve our South American Community.

Other updates included significant module performance improvements (ie. PayPal), and PrestaShop's developers have created a completely re- envisioned -- natively included -- mobile template.

Read more at http://www.prestashop.com/blog/en/upgrad...op-v1-5-1/

Download available here: http://sourceforge.net/projects/zencart/files/

PCI Compliance
v1.5.0 is PA-DSS certified.
v1.5.1 is an optional update, and will not be submitted for formal recertification.
If you are involved with a PCI Compliance situation, you will need to self-certify the changes in 1.5.1 if you intend to use it.


Minimum Requirements
Zen Cart® v1.5.1 requires a minimum of the following:

PHP 5.2.14 or higher
MySQL 4.1.3 or higher
Apache 2.0 or higher.
Apache configured with AllowOverride set to either 'All' or at least both 'Limit' and 'Indexes' parameters, and preferably the 'Options' parameter as well.
PHP configured to support CURL with OpenSSL



While Zen Cart® can run on Windows/IIS servers, Linux/Apache servers are recommended for best results, superior performance, and easier use by shopowners.

What's New In v1.5.1:
Improvements include:

CHANGE-207 - Add bypass to bandage the performance/caching problem with products_viewed counter on busy sites, inspired by an idea from data-diggers. This step simply splits the logic out into an observer class, and adds a switch to turn it on or off. Doesn't change any schema or any reports. But of course if the switch is set to something other than 'on', then the reports will be useless too unless alternate custom data tracking code is added to the observer class.
CHANGE-208 - Implement data-diggers querycache
CHANGE-220 - Add optional constant 'DOWNLOADS_SKIP_DOT_PREFIX_ON_REDIRECT' to overcome rare problem on some servers which won't allow use of dot-prefixed temporary files. Usage: define('DOWNLOADS_SKIP_DOT_PREFIX_ON_REDIRECT', TRUE); in /includes/extra_configures/ folder.
CHANGE-238 - php 5.4 Updates, mainly for htmlentities() calls
CHANGE-240 - Add form auto-focus on advanced-search results and admin category lookups
CHANGE-265 - Add children support to category-specific stylesheet overrides -- ie: c_XX_XX_children.css
CHANGE-273 - Add css-driven antispam support to contact-us, create-account, and product reviews
CHANGE-282 - Add improved notifier support for the shipping calculate_boxes_weight_and_tare() function to allow for easier intercept by plugins
CHANGE-283 - Add coders the ability to allow for a custom count query in split page results class
CHANGE-284 - Update db schema and various code bits to handle longer lengths for IP addresses, to accommodate IPv6
CHANGE-287 - Add hooks for encryption tools needed by modules such as PPA
CHANGE-297 - Add improvements to notifier support for Downloads script (add all order data to observer resources)
CHANGE-298 - Move debug logging to separate /logs/ folder, as a performance improvement measure, and be more semantically meaningful



Bugfixes include:


CHANGE-201 - Fix JS_STATE typo in /admin/includes/languages/english.php
CHANGE-202 - Fix compounding or multiple tax problems
CHANGE-204 - Fix problem with unescaped error messages in zc_install
CHANGE-205 - Fix error on Windows hosts: 'gzpost' can't have default value
CHANGE-206 - Fix admin profiles code to also manage product types
CHANGE-209 - Prevent the "apple double" effect in auto-loading folders ... ie: skip all files starting with "." or "_"
CHANGE-211 - Fix for bug where renaming an Admin Profile name allowed a blank entry.
CHANGE-213 - Fix missing check for EMAIL_DISCLAIMER constant, to help prevent problems caused by people who incorrectly delete the define from the language files.
CHANGE-214 - Fix various documentation errors
CHANGE-215 - Fix BOC currency exchange rate lookup to use newer source. Fix bug which could return 0.00 mistakenly in some cases.
CHANGE-216 - Fix handler for HTML Editor plugins - was missing trailing slash in lookup path
CHANGE-218 - Fix Admin alert email text (HTML content missing) on change of user details
CHANGE-219 - Fix multiple-content-length headers when downloading by redirect
CHANGE-221 - Fix cause of error message: PHP Warning: strlen() expects parameter 1 to be string, when triggered by customer notification preferences submission at checkout
CHANGE-222 - Fix the .htaccess restriction which was preventing the .cur image files from working with spiffyCal
CHANGE-223 - Fix Authorize.net SIM/echeck module "currency code invalid" error when customer is shopping in non-USD currency
CHANGE-230 - Fix password reset vulnerability (random seed/entropy issue)
CHANGE-231 - Fix page_not_found on session timeout to time_out instead
CHANGE-233 - Fix HTML error in admin/profiles.php page - /head should have been /thead
CHANGE-236 - Fix: Customer authorization e-mail not sent out on pressing "the red button".
CHANGE-239 - Fix virtual cart problem causing error: "PayPal has unexpectedly returned a blank address" only on carts with all virtual products
CHANGE-241 - Fix Improper handling of '0' as search keyword
CHANGE-242 - Fix output/display errors in admin user/profile tools.
CHANGE-244 - Fix name of form field for javascript character count which could break in non-english translations
CHANGE-246 - Improve exceptions for testing Authnet in Test Mode
CHANGE-249 - Fix to allow more than one onetime fee in the shopping basket
CHANGE-255 - Fix missing [close] from popup_search_help template file
CHANGE-256 - Fix validation errors in manufacturers sidebox if manufacturer_name contains ampersands
CHANGE-259 - Fix Admin menu problem occurring only in Opera 12 on Windows
CHANGE-261 - Fix outdated error message text about PHP 5.4 and configure.php file problems
CHANGE-262 - Fix PHP Error when no Record Company ID with Typefilter
CHANGE-263 - Clarify password-expiry language to minimize alarmist reactions for those who don't understand the common use of expiring passwords
CHANGE-264 - Fix PHP Fatal error: 1062: Duplicate entry '1-1' for key 1 when adding option values
CHANGE-268 - Fix Hardcoded text in Reports/Customer Referrals
CHANGE-269 - Fix misspelled Germany state (zones table)
CHANGE-275 - Fix json_encode error on non-UTF8 sites
CHANGE-277 - Rebrand PayPal products (for USA merchants only) according to changes implemented by PayPal in Q2 2012
CHANGE-279 - Fix PayPal Processor Decline Fails to Show Error Message when debug logging disabled
CHANGE-280 - Fix inconsistency in dist-configure.php example files
CHANGE-281 - Fix incorrect database constant used in tpl_account_default.php
CHANGE-294 - Fix issue where a customer who is banned after login could still checkout
CHANGE-296 - Update outdated Admin error message text for secure usernames
CHANGE-299 - update to change-230
CHANGE-199 - Fix various vulnerabilities in zc_install
CHANGE-325 - Admin Configuration does not correctly encode html entities in text boxes
CHANGE-327 - Update PayPal sandbox endpoints
CHANGE-334 - PHP Warning: strip_tags() expects at most 2 parameters, 4 given, in coupon_admin.php





UPGRADE NOTES
To upgrade from v1.5.0 to v1.5.1
Simple: if you are using v1.5.0 already and have not customized any of the files listed in the changed_files-v1-5-1.html document, then simply replace those files with the new versions contained herein.
If you HAVE customized or altered certain files, simply re-do your customizations in the new version of those particular files by making the same changes needed.
If you are using Addons/Plugins that have made alterations to those files, it is best to compare those changed files against the original v1.5.0 files, and see what changes were there ... and then re-build those changes in the v1.5.1 file.

To upgrade v1.5.1 from v1.3.9h or older
If you are upgrading from a version OLDER than v1.5.0, then please do a standard complete site upgrade: http://www.zen-cart.com/upgrades


NOTE:

Many people have asked about the "missing ?> at the end of some PHP files".
This is INTENTIONAL, and explained here: http://tutorials.zen-cart.com/index.php?article=313
It is NOT an error in the files or the download.
.

1.) Introducing PrestaShop v1.5

When PrestaShop opened its doors in 2007, we employed five people and powered approximately 200 active online stores. Nearly one year later, PrestaShop released v1.0, a revolutionary open-source e-commerce solution specifically designed to make the world of online sales accessible to everyone.

Since our inception, PrestaShop has experienced tremendous growth. Today we employ more than 100 e-commerce addicts and power approximately 125,000 active online stores in 43 countries.

Through the years, our commitment to deliver the fastest, most efficient and user friendly e-commerce experience has never wavered. We’ve nurtured our company and watched it grow. We’ve made amazing advancements in technology, formed partnerships with global industry leaders and hosted e-commerce events all throughout the world.

Yet here we stand today, just as proud as we’ve ever been, ready to announce the next great achievement in the world of open-source e-commerce. Many of you have been a long time to read these words, so with further ado… PrestaShop v1.5 is now final and available for global use!

Those already using PrestaShop will be thrilled to discover just how simple it is to upgrade your current store. PrestaShop’s core developers have spent countless hours designing a “1-click upgrade” module that, when installed through your Back Office, will allow every PrestaShop merchant to upgrade to v1.5 with effective ease and efficiency.

While the entire PrestaShop team stands behind the one-click upgrade method, it is strongly advised that you download, install and sample v1.5 locally before updating your live store. This way, you can take v1.5 out for a virtual test drive before deciding if its right for you and your business.

If PrestaShop is new to you, the release of v1.5 means there has never been a better time to download our free, open-source software. If you want to sample the new version of PrestaShop for yourself, for simply click here and you’ll automatically be redirected to our download page.

Installation and customization are a breeze, and we invite you to watch this short configuration video to see how simple it is for everyone to start their own online business with PrestaShop v1.5.

No matter who you are or what you do for a living, owning and operating an online store has never been easier. With more than 300+ out-of-the-box features included in PrestaShop v1.5, anyone can create a truly unique and successful online business.

The list of new features housed in v1.5 is far too long to mention in its entirety here, but we’re happy to highlight some of the key ones for you, below.
2.) New Features

Multistore management

With options for multiple currencies, multiple languages and multiple domains, multistore management is complete, efficient and integrated into PrestaShop v1.5. This new feature will allow any merchant, regardless of business size, to manage multiple stores from a single Back Office.

Cart-pricing rules

PrestaShop v1.5 allows you to manage your cart’s pricing rules easily through an ergonomic interface. Additionally, merchants can now provide discounts on any and all items in a customers’ cart. This feature provides an overtly-efficient way to market promotional offers upon checkout.

New modules API

For new APIs, the structure has been revised to help you simply and efficiently manage updates to all of your modules. The APIs will now automatically check to ensure you always have the latest version(s) of each module installed into your Back Office.

Rewritten Core

PrestaShop’s core software has been rewritten to meet the MVC pattern and the object paradigm. This will make it even easier for all developers using PrestaShop.

Redesigned Back Office

With an improved ergonomic Back Office and an updated graphical layout, PrestaShop’s new Back Office design is visually stunning and very easy to use. The redesign respects the MVC pattern to allow developers to quickly make customizations, if needed.

Editing commands in Back Office

The editing commands in the Back Office have been optimized and relaxed. You will now be able to modify customers’ shopping carts as well as products already ordered. You will also be able to place orders from the back office, allowing you to help customers make purchases on your site (i.e. when they contact you by phone).

Improved Front Office Design and Functionality

The customer experience has been improved, including the order and checkout processes. Merchants will now also be able to offer comprehensive product descriptions on a homepage that has been reimagined, and rebuilt from the ground up.


Improved After-Sales Service

The integrated customer service feature has been greatly improved to centralize all of your customers’ messages from multiple sources. This new feature allows you to sync all of your email accounts so you can view and send messages directly from your Back Office.

Improved inventory management, supply orders, product returns and partial deliveries

For greater efficiency, PrestaShop will now include an inventory management tool allowing you to discern your physical stock from available quantities. In v1.5, you will now be able to manage your inventory in various warehouses, generate supply orders and view your stock through clear and specific interfaces. This inventory management tool is natively compatible with the new multistore feature, so managing your entire catalog of products has never been easier. Finally, for flexibility in managing customer orders, partial deliveries will now be available.

Improved management of downloadable products

We have made selling downloadable products (photos, music, computer files, etc…) easier. You will now be able to manage product variations and create packages of multiple downloadable products. The file upload process has also improved.

In addition to the features provided above, multiple delivery addresses are now available. This way, if a customer chooses to shop for Christmas, or some other big event, they can buy multiple products at once and ship them individually to family and friends all over the world.

Several new partner modules have also been added as native features inside PrestaShop v1.5′s source code.

New partner modules include:

Jirafe
Allied Wallet
Kiala
Wexpay
PrestaShop Assurance
Merchant Warehouse

We’ve also taken extensive time to improve numerous existing partner modules so you can maximize your stores functionality and profitability.

3.) Improved Performance

Since making the first release candidate version of 1.5 public, PrestaShop’s developers have made 626 improvements to our software. Check out the graph below for a visual representation of the number of issues reported versus the number of fixes made.

As you can see, 379 issues were reported and our developers resolved 626 issues. So what does this mean for you, the merchant? Quite simply, it means the troublesome glitches that once existed in previous versions of PrestaShop no longer exist.

PrestaShop developers have also spent a great deal of time improving merchant SEO. For example, your store’s URLs will now be produced by configurable URL rewriting, thus allowing for maximum optimization across search engines.
4.) Upgrade your store

Now that we’ve told you a little about PrestaShop v1.5, let us show you how to utilize the one-click upgrade method. The information provided below will walk you through the entire process. If you have any questions or upgrade concerns, feel free to email PrestaShop’s customer support department.

(While we fully support the efficiency of the 1-click upgrade module, please back up both your database and files before starting the upgrade process. If you are not sure how to back up your store, please refer to your hosting provider)

Login to your PrestaShop Back Office.
Visit the add-ons store and search for “1-Click Upgrade”

Download the 1-click Upgrade module
Navigate to the Modules tab and then click “Add a module from my computer”

Click “Browse” under “Module file” and select the 1-click Upgrade module you just downloaded

If the module was installed successfully, you will see a green box appear at the top of your Back Office

You will now need to deactivate your store by visiting the Preferences tab and selecting “No” for Enable Shop

Navigate to the modules tab and search “1-click Upgrade”

After locating the module, you will need to install it.

Now you’ll want to make sure the module is configured properly. You can do this by clicking “Configure” after installation

Scroll through the options toward the bottom of the page and make sure your store is ready for the upgrade. You will need to meet all of the required checks listed below. When you are finished customizing your options and all the checks have been met, make sure to click SAVE before starting the upgrade. This is crucial.

Only after saving your options, click “Upgrade PrestaShop now.” Doing so will automatically download the latest version of PrestaShop (v1.5) and start the upgrade process.

The upgrade may take some time, so be patient. All details about the upgrade will be listed in the activity log see below.

Once the process is complete, your store will be running PrestaShop v1.5!

The entire PrestaShop team would like to assure our Community that if done properly, upgrading your store to v1.5 will absolutely maintain the integrity of your stores files, modules and layout.

Once you’ve completed the upgrade, be sure to enable your store under the Preferences tab. Failing to do so will keep your website offline!

Once you’ve reactivated your store, your online business will be running PrestaShop v1.5!
5.) Special thanks to our Community

While we are eternally grateful to PrestaShop’s core developers for making v1.5 the best version of PrestaShop to date, we would like to extend a special thank you to our Community for their continued support and feedback. In particular, we would like to thank the following users who have been deemed PrestaShop’s Top 100 Contributors on the Forge.

We would also like to extend a special thank you to the following Forge contributors: phrasespot, conny2500, jacky75, Rocky, mel62 Melinda, miromax.ua, maofree, Zeneth One, adamus007p, and angora.

Their contributions helped power our developers through endless hours of coding in order to deliver this incredible new version of PrestaShop, v1.5.

Also, a huge thank you is owed to Oleacorner– a.k.a Olivier Bonningues — for all of his efforts in helping us optimize the cart page by making it faster for every PrestaShop user.
6.) Conclusion

The world of e-commerce is a vast and untapped economic resource. Recent figures provided by Forester Research suggests a 15% industry growth increase in the next four years. Additionally, research indicates average consumer spending will escalate by 44%.

125,000+ merchants around the world use PrestaShop to power their online businesses. And with PrestaShop v1.5 now available for global use, there has never been a better time to open your own e-commerce website.

All it takes to be successful in the growing world e-commerce is a great idea, a little hard work, focus and an unwavering commitment to succeed. In other words, you supply the drive and determination, and PrestaShop will provide the necessary tools needed to help you achieve your entrepreneurial dreams.

Read more at PrestaShop Blog