Interview with the CE Phoenix Cart Core Team

We spoke with the creators of eCommerce software, CE Phoenix Cart, Gary Burton, Matt Fletcher, and Robert Bell – who are proudly hosted by 20i.

They shared insights on what led them to CE Phoenix Cart, the challenges they face developing FOSS, the steps they’ve taken to ensure security against threats, how they are adapting to emerging trends and much, much more.

Can you provide a bit of background information yourselves?

GB: Back in the late 90s I was kind of at a loose end, wondering what to do next after being made redundant. A UK based computer magazine gave away a very early version of Dreamweaver which hooked me into “coding” – I then bought a “HTML for dummies” book and never looked back.

A couple of years later, an online acquaintance found a new e-commerce software called The Exchange Project (TEP, later became osCommerce) which was something no-one had really seen before – software with no limits. 

That introduction to TEP really opened my eyes, some years later I was invited onto the osCommerce Team, which ultimately led to the emergence of the Community Edition osCommerce (which later became Phoenix). I’ve been involved since Day 0 of Phoenix. 

MF: I started with The Exchange Project in 2003 and almost immediately updated to 2.2. When I first started, TEP 2.1 was the “stable” version and osC 2.2 was experimental.

I was working as a network administrator including maintaining an online store. I was looking into lower weight options for the store. I searched for free open source shopping cart and, at the time, osCommerce was the only option. I started doing some project work and in 2004 was working on cart customisations full time.

I worked for Amazon.com exclusively from 2005 through 2008. I’ve gone through waves where I was working on other things and then back. I’ve been working on CE Phoenix Cart since 2019 and version 1.4.0. 

RB: I’ve been involved in retail and ecommerce industries for many years. My journey into ecommerce started with working with various platforms which led me to what later became CE Phoenix Cart.

My role with CE Phoenix Cart has been to contribute to its growth, ensuring that it remains a robust, modern and a user-friendly ecommerce solution. 

Why do you believe open-source is the best path forward for ecommerce software? 

GB: The idea that anyone is able to take the code and make it more suitable for their individual needs is powerful. That they then share that code makes the whole eco-system even more exciting and dynamic. 

RB: Open-source ecommerce software gives business owners full control over their platform, allowing them to customise and scale their online shops as needed.

Unlike closed-source, proprietary solutions, CE Phoenix Cart enables community-driven innovation. It’s that community that fosters a collaborative environment where developers, designers and shop owners can contribute to improving the platform. 

What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in maintaining and growing Phoenix Cart as an open-source project? 

GB: It’s the bigger eco-system – having people understand that Open Source is all about give and take. 

If someone is using Open Source to continually take take take, they are not going to benefit from the ethos of sharing. Who wants to share with someone who never gives back? 

RB: One of the biggest challenges is balancing stability with innovation. We want to continuously introduce improvements while ensuring that the platform remains lightweight and reliable.

Growing an open-source community also requires ongoing effort, from documentation to support and encouraging contributions. 

How does Phoenix Cart differentiate itself from other open-source ecommerce solutions like WooCommerce, PrestaShop, or OpenCart? 

GB: Because we have a modular, hookable, over-rideable and templatable system, it’s super simple to change the look and appearance of Phoenix. Most of the Addons available for Phoenix do not change core code. Upload, turn on and the shopowner has brand new functionality to play with. That flexibility is our selling point. 

RB: Our focus is on flexibility without the complexity of some larger platforms. Unlike WooCommerce, which is heavily dependent on WordPress and can become bloated with plugins, Phoenix is a standalone solution optimised for speed and performance.

Compared to PrestaShop and OpenCart, Phoenix offers a streamlined core with built-in ecommerce essentials and some truly unique features like our Queued E-Mail system. 

Security is a major concern in ecommerce. What steps has Phoenix Cart taken to ensure stores remain secure from vulnerabilities and threats? 

GB: Security is important. We are quite responsive to “real life” security issues, which is why we can easily put out patches and fixes within a very short time-frame. 

MF: I think that this is a major triumph of the modular ethos. For example, out of the box, we use PHP’s default password handling. If PHP updates, our default updates automatically.

However, if someone wants to take the responsibility of maintaining their own, they can override the default behavior, possibly using Argon and/or fifteen orders of magnitude. In general, we choose a sane default balance between security and usability, but we allow store owners to choose their own balance point if they prefer. 

RB: Security is a top priority. Phoenix Cart follows best practices, such as keeping the core lightweight to minimise vulnerabilities, regularly updating code to address potential risks and providing clear security guidelines for our users.

We also encourage shop owners to keep their servers and addons up to date and implement security measures like HTTPS and strong passwords. 

The ecommerce landscape is constantly evolving. How does Phoenix Cart adapt to emerging trends, such as headless commerce or AI-driven personalisation? 

GB: Our focus is on a “lean and mean” core download, which anyone can flesh out by using modules. 

Some years ago this was perfectly illustrated when a shopowner quoted; “Why build a cathedral when I just need a tiny church”. It’s this ethos I’ve worked by ever since. 

RB: We keep a close eye on ecommerce trends while maintaining our core philosophy of a streamlined, efficient platform. While headless commerce and AI-driven personalisation are growing trends, our approach is to ensure that Phoenix remains adaptable.

We focus on providing a solid foundation that developers can build on, whether through API integrations, custom themes, or external services that add AI-driven features without compromising the platform’s simplicity. 

Can you share any success stories from businesses using Phoenix Cart

RB: A lot of businesses switch to Phoenix because it’s lightweight and faster than what they were using before. That alone can make a huge difference in sales.

Some have grown from small startups to well-established brands, while others have saved money by moving away from expensive SaaS platforms. One of the biggest things we hear is that store owners love the full control they have over their site – design, functionality, everything. 

What are some of the most exciting new features or improvements users can expect in the near future? 

GB: We’re going full Bootstrap 5 from version 1.1.0.0 onwards. Because of the way templating works in the Shop Side, users are not limited to Bootstrap 5 – stay on BS4 or go Tailwind or Material or any other – our flexibility makes it possible with relatively little effort. Our Shop Side is agnostic – it doesn’t matter to Phoenix what front end is in use… it will all still work. 

RB: We’re continuously working on improvements and performance enhancements to ensure that Phoenix remains one of the fastest ecommerce solutions available.

Our most recent release in January 2025 includes a system to enable all customers to be compliant with the recent GPSR (General Product Safety Regulations) obligations for online shops. 

What’s your vision for the future of Phoenix Cart? Where do you see the platform heading in the next five years? 

GB: I believe that having full control over the software you use in your business is paramount. 

Phoenix will never place limits on what you can or cannot do with our code. 
We want to build a community of shopowners who will help to drive Phoenix forward both in terms of the codebase (by sharing code they’ve built) and the wider eco-sphere by getting involved at our Forum.

RB: The goal is to make Phoenix Cart the go-to open-source ecommerce platform for businesses that value speed, flexibility, and control.

Over the next five years, we aim to further refine the platform, improve user experience and expand our community. We also want to ensure that Phoenix remains adaptable to new ecommerce trends while staying true to its lightweight and efficient nature. 

How can new developers or contributors get involved with Phoenix Cart? 

GB: For developers everything is available at Github. Feel free to pitch in by getting involved in discussions, issues and polls. 

MF: Assuming you don’t want to just give money (e.g. through our VIP program), just start creating extensions. CE Phoenix Cart is designed to be easy to add your own extensions. If you want to add functionality, do it as an add-on first. You can share it and get feedback as an add-on.

Also, for those who don’t want to code themselves, our Certified Developers are a major part of the ecosystem. Paying them to develop add-on code for you supports them directly and the project indirectly (because popular customisations tend to turn into public add-on contributions; you can even specify that as one of the project goals when you’re gathering quotes).

Want to build your own template so as to completely customise the front-end, building in React or Angular or Vue or whatever? Want to change from HTML to XML? Want to turn off the core product description module and offer your own AI-personalised alternative? Go for it. All those things are possible without core changes. 

RB: The best way to get involved is by joining our community, whether through our Forum or GitHub. Developers can help by suggesting improvements or creating Addons that enhance Phoenix’s functionality. We welcome anyone interested in helping improve the platform, whether through coding, design or sharing their knowledge with other users. 

What advice would you give to a small business or entrepreneur looking to launch their first online store with Phoenix Cart? 

GB: Get onto our Forum. There are many business owners who you can learn from and who want to learn from you. 

RB: Start with a solid plan to define your brand and products before launching. CE Phoenix Cart is a great choice because it’s easy to set up and has already done most of the heavy-lifting.

Keep things simple at first with a focus on authoritative content with high-quality product images and descriptions. Then customise with your unique style to create brand recognition and make your site truly stand out to give a lasting impression. Also, don’t be afraid to reach out to the community for help and advice! 

➡️ Don’t forget to check out our CE Phoenix Cart Hosting!