Where are All the Free OSCommerce Templates?

Here's two good sites with really inexpensive but very high quality oscommerce templates!

www.myoscommercetemplates.com

www.myonlinetemplates.com

Oh, it gets better. I've been fighting the oscommerce template fight for years now and finally decided to bite the bullet and pay for what is advertized as truly turnkey. Before I go on, let me say that I have NO problem paying someone for their work, despite the very valid point about the grayness of the whole GNU licensing, partly because I consider a template/skin/wrapper/whatever you want to call it, a separate beast altogether. More importantly, I worked in professional application and web development in a 'past life' so I know what is involved.

My particular gripe is that while oscommerce development marches on, template development doesn't. You may find a perfectly suited template, only to find out that it is not compatible with your version of OsC, and that can be significant, given how clumsy and bloated OsC has become for code developers.

Here is my particular story to explain exactly what I'm talking about.

I'm running the latest and greatest version of OsC because it's a new install and that is the version currently available, duh. I found the perfect template at the web's largest paid template provider - you know the one, so I'm not about to give them free advertizing here. Their stock might well be huge, but not all templates are compatible with the currently available version of OsC. So unless you are using, or can find, an outdated version of OsC, this provider's option to you is that if you pay them an additional fee, they will upgrade their obsolete template to work with the current version.

Part of me says, ok, fine, let's just get this over with, but then I make the mistake of thinking logically and asking them a very important question: Once I pay this fee to upgrade your template to something currently useful, does this become the new version available to other customers? Or will you charge the next person an 'upgrade fee' as well?

The answer I got was more sales talk about how it would then definately work with the latest version, but my very pointed question was cleverly and blatantly avoided, no matter how many times I asked it.

So.... at the very best, I am paying their development fees for a product they will now be able to sell over and over again. At worst, I will have paid their development fee, but then so will everybody else who wants or needs the upgrade, despite the fact that the work has already been done and paid for. For all I know, someone may have already gone down this same road and paid to have it upgraded once already.

Incidentally, this is one of those vendors that leads you in with 'free templates' because they have two or three 'samples' available for download to try their product. Those may be free to download, but can't be used because they are so heavily watermarked.

The bottom line to my story is that I have decided to leave the perfect template on the shelf, and have found a less perfect, though graphically modifiable substitute elsewhere from someone who doesn't play these bait and switch games.

I just can't believe that in this current economic climate, someone was willing to lose a ready, willing, and able buyer's few hundred dollars because they were holding out for a few dollars more to provide the product they claim to provide to begin with.

So not only is it impossible to find a decent free template, but you cant even buy one at the advertised price once you've been lured in by the bait-and-switch shops.

Exactly my thoughts! I am struggling to find templates too. grrrr...

On the hunt for a some nice OSC templates now. I have read a pile of horror stories about buying from template monster.. So, not gonna go there.

I am have a very difficult time finding templates for os 3.0 version. does anyone have any suggestions? If anyone is working with smooth populate or easy populate for zen cart or os commerce, check out this website: apsona.com. The software easily integrates with both carts and has a great back office.

It is depressing that about 3 years on this is still the issue. If I find anything of use on my hunt today I will post them up.

I have been seeing the same thing! Most of the results you get for "free oscommerce templates" are just selling templates and if you're lucky they might have 1 or 2 free versions. In fact I found this blog post via that same search.

I have been working with zen cart. I was all about it till i saw how much room to took up. There are plenty of templates for zen cart. I just switched to OScommerce, but now i am playing the template game. Nice.

Do you know what the OS stands for? OPEN SOURCE. How about I send YOU a 5k bill for violating the terms of the GNU which clearly state that any edits should be released OPEN SOURCE, FREE OF CHARGE. I hate people like you who cash in on open source designs. You are destroying the open source community. Go and work for M$.

Its highly informative. I would be visiting your blog hereafter regularly to gather valuable information.

There are a couple one @ http://www.freetemplatesnow.webs.com/

Oh and Martin, you need to leave your contact info, as we would all like to get in touch with you.

Aren't OsCommerce templates harder to build? There are literally thousands of free WordPress themes out there but I struggle to find one decent decent OsCommerce template.

There are some nice free osCommerce version 3 templates available at http://www.freeoscommerce.com - look like good clean templates

@deeogee, thanks very much for providing and hosting your very nice designs. It definitely shows what can be done with oscommerce by a skilled hand, and mind.

Instead of looking for a free template, one may simply edit an existing out of the box template via trial and error to change colours and images. This should make your site unique. Free templates are easily duplicated if no changes are worked upon.

I have some free oscommerce templates that designed by me, not stolen from somewhere else

http://e-themes.info/category/oscommerce-templates...

^ +1. Jared Ritchey certainly is one of those douchebags without whome the web would be a better place.

Jared Ritchey your website's like masturbation without the payoff.

you can find free oscommerce templates in this website http://www.ezosc.com/store/osc-templates-c-39.html

thanks

Nice article, great read! If I am honest Magento is better than osCommerce by far. It just has so much more functionality and freedom its unreal. The only issue I find is that on the hosting side it can be a little demanding but it swings in roundabouts.

Anyway thanks again!

I strongly suggest that you try Zen Cart, http://zen-cart.com.

These designers based their original design on oscommerce, but have completely rewritten the code.

To top it all off, they have a plethora of free designs. Here's a site that showcases many of the free designs, and they all work.

http://zencarttemplates.info/

I have some free oscommerce themes

http://themes.floridakeysnews.info/

I also found the 13 free templates at http://garcya.us/blog/13-free-oscommerce-templates... but then I also notice that these same templates are being sold (albeit very cheaply) at http://www.almat-computers.co.uk/index.php.

So not sure whats going on here. Either someone is selling them when they shouldn't be or someone is giving them away for free when they shouldn't be.

Can anyone help with this?

I am going to provide free templates for osCommerce as for CRE Loaded and Zen Cart soon. We are in the middle of the development, so keep an eye on our site ;-)

Hi! I`m looking for a template monster os commerce # 17028

¿?¿? is impossible, i searched for everywhere and nothing.

please help! me!

I found this website, You can download 2000+ professional website templates for
Totally FREE!

http://www.download-123.com
Username: e2350
Password: G2ue5in

Enjoy

I saw a few here: http://www.trendblogging.org/2008/03/07/oscommerce...

I've tried some of the free templates out there and they never seem to be fully finished, even some of the paid ones had weak points but with the paid ones you had a little support. Yes, the free templates reskin the shop but I've now taken to just doing the skins myself after design direction. I've released about 10 shops now and I make a point of maintaining my own core 'build' with all the useful contributions typically used (and any tweaks/fixes migrated back to the core). It makes deployment much much quicker and straightforward.

Once you've skinned one or two shops, you'll find it a breeze - it's just getting the head down and doing that first one or two! :)

Hi Josh,

I've started up a project to collect and collate free oscommerce templates over at www.ososcom.org .

It's a small beginning, but I'm committed to growing it into a great resource.

Kind regards,

James

Martin - you didn't leave your contact information!!!

Here's what I found on my meaningful search.

It seems that there are 13 available here
http://garcya.us/blog/13-free-oscommerce-templates...
just scroll down to the bottom of the thumbnails and click on the "Download os commerce templates here" link

and there are some tutorials here but they don't look too in depth
http://www.vodahost.com/tut_osc.htm

Not much help I know, but I thought I'd try and contribute....

I have been using and writing modules for OSCommerce for about 4 years now, and can truly say - If you are really struggling with finding designs and templates, contact me. I don't do them for free, but rather as a token of my time charge a small fee - less than 1% of what most people charge for a custom template. The reason I charge is to stop people taking advantage. :)

1. http://www.almat-computers.co.uk/oscommerce-beauty...
It's three pounds which is cheap, and they have others. Not free, but darned close

2. http://www.almat-computers.co.uk
No, it isn't free, but for the prices he's charging....it might as well be.

3. http://www.oscommercegraphics.co.uk/
Light pink lips and doggies - lovely.

4. http://www.freetemplatesonline.com/templates/categ...
Quite a variety

I've used some free templates in the past but not been satisfied. I am wondering if there are any OScommerece/PHP developers out there that would be interested in skinning the Store section of my website?

sean [att] layeredcorp (dott) com

Hi Agata,
How can you know those templates are not uploaded by their designers as a business promotions. if you are the designer of all these templates, how can I know if you use this way as a trick to attract users and then you just want them to pay you big bill because you say they are uploaded by others illegally.
I know some some big software companies to use this way to develop a country market.

Hey Josh, damn nice forum. I'm adding you to my blog roll tonight. I see in my logs that a few people have clicked on a link here for the free osCommerce themes. Well they are a reality and they do exist so here is a brief list.

I know the temptation is to go out and just download some hacked versions of Template Monster stuff but in all honesty the TM stuff is known to break in almost every situation if you follow posts in the osCommerce forums.

http://www.jaredritchey.com/available-downloads

Again, nice blog, keep up the good work.
~ Jared Ritchey

Hey guys, I'll advice you against all the links provided here because most of them are stolen design. If you use it, chances are that one day the rightful owner would send you a $5K bill and you'll have no option than to pay because the site you downloaded it from would be offline and gone. Is that not too much a price to pay for a free template?

I have sent emails to several of those sites and they either just start spamming me or something else.

beside, how are you sure there are no autodialers in the template steling your password and your clients credit card information?

Daryl of http://how2make.blogspot.com/ is aiding and distributing illegal product and he knows that...I told him and he says he doesn't care!

and to post 23 of logo design ... now I know you are also selling illegal products too... how can you as a designer say you get all template monster product free somewhere...how can they be free?

I'll catch up with all your clients! :)

Hi there,

I offer a few oscommerce templates for free over on:

http://www.oscommercegraphics.co.uk/

Thanks,
Eddy

Here are quite a few good ones. I found them at the osC forums...
http://www.dangerstudio.com/portal/index.php?a=osc

Hey Guys,

Checkout this website. you can pretty much get any of the template monster templates on this website. i use it all the time. at the moment its currently offline, but try it again in a few hours and ull see. http://www.allfreetemplates.org/

template monst

There are very few if not any free OS Commerce templates, before you could download them from torrent sites, just look up Template Monster, maybe you could get a coder to do one for you with sponsored links but you would probably need at least 7-10 links in its footer.

Well I hope things have changed since the last post, as I am now joining your ranks. I will advise if I find anything. Bes tof luck to all!
miKel

It's sad to see how such a great product, doesn't have a easy way to create your own templates. Or at least a descent manual how to create them.

I think it's a shame !

Let's hope v3.0 has more to offer in creating nice shops.

Good point, surely isn't enough free templates for oscommerce out there. We are hoping to have some css based ones developed for osc v3.0 as soon as its released from beta. doing templates for v2.2 with the 3.0 just weeks away waste time i think, lots of people are excited about switching to the css based v3 soon....will be interesting to see how the final version comes out of beta =)

I have searching by google too, but the result is same...

BOLOX!!!
And maybe i need to use the free templates that not good enough and making modified for that..

regards..

Yeah but look at the prices !!!!!
and half are the same just in diferent colours....
il stick to uktrading.biz i think lol

Good find though

I found some not so bad templates @www.7dana.com. However their premium ones are better...

Thanks for the links.

I've been looking at setting my own oscommerce store recently, but the templating has been an issue - So just having something I can work from to create my own is a great help.

Thanks Marty, cool site