As e-commerce transforms business models, the demand for robust e-commerce solutions built on open-source frameworks has never been higher. Laravel has emerged as a leading option, with its powerful tools simplifying development.

However, successfully implementing these systems requires proven methodologies. This paper discusses planning digitally-native storefronts, integrating platforms seamlessly, and optimizing core workflows.

We cover strategic considerations for catalog structures and ordering processes. Integration techniques for payment providers are also outlined.

By following these pragmatic best practices, technical teams can efficiently deliver feature-rich solutions meeting business objectives. Our focus is empowering Laravel users to capture online opportunities by designing commerce solutions leveraging the framework’s full capabilities.

Whether enhancing existing solutions or developing new digital brands, this reference guide establishes a solid foundation for architecting sophisticated stores at any scale. Now let’s explore each element in depth.

Planning your Store

Careful planning at the outset lays the foundation for a successful online store. The first step is defining business and product requirements.

Define Business and Product Requirements

Clearly articulate your goals, buyer personas, products/categories and business model. Define must-have features, prioritize nice-to-haves. Consider mobile optimization. Conduct buyer research to understand desires. This ensures technical specifications align tightly with users’ needs.

Choose an E-Commerce Platform

When selecting an e-commerce platform, it’s important to evaluate integration options like Cartalyst/LaravelCart, Omnipay or DropShip. Consider hosted platforms like Shopify/BigCommerce if custom solutions are too complex. Factors include features, flexibility, scalability and merchant services integrations. Proper due diligence here is critical to the long-term success of your store.

Design Database Schema and Models

With the business and technical requirements defined, the next step is to plan the database structure. Use entity relationship diagram (ERD) tools to visually map out how each entity such as products, orders, users and other key models will be represented in tables, along with their relationships.

Carefully craft each table schema, defining column names, data types and constraints. Then generate the corresponding Eloquent models in Laravel, focusing the model classes on representing real world objects through relationships, attributes and rules. Define model relationships like belongsTo, hasMany etc.

Set validation, migration and seeder rules. Run test migrations to populate database tables with sample seed data. Verify model binding and queries work as expected. Iteratively refine the schema based on evolving requirements. Proper planning at this stage lays the groundwork for smooth development.

Choose Themes and Templates

For the storefront user interface, select appropriate frontend frameworks to streamline prototyping of pages, sections and UI components. Popular options include Bootstrap, Tailwind CSS and VueStorefront.

Evaluate commercial and open source themes tailored for e-commerce that can be customized or modified. Ensure the theme integrates seamlessly with Laravel through Blade templating. Mobile-first responsive design is critical to ensure usability across devices.

Incorporate key technical SEO elements like sitemaps, schemas and meta tags to help drive organic traffic. Integrate payment gateway buttons and other commerce widgets. Define administration interfaces if selling functionality is needed. Choose looks that complement business branding goals.

Setting up Laravel Project

Now that planning is complete, it’s time to set up the core Laravel application.

Installing Laravel via Composer

To install Laravel, open a command prompt and run:

composer create-project laravel/laravel e-commerce-project

This downloads Laravel and its dependencies. Alternatively, initialize an existing folder with composer installs.

Set file permissions: chmod -R 777 storage bootstrap/cache

Configure the app .env file with your database credentials.

Test installation with php artisan and php artisan serve.

Project Folder Structure

Laravel embraces best practices like MVC and Dependency Injection. Familiarize yourself with key folders:

• app/ contains core Laravel code including Controllers, Models, etc.
• bootstrap/ contains autoloading configuration
• config/ stores configuration files
• database/ contains database migrations and seeds
• public/ is the document root containing index.php
• resources/ stores frontend assets like views and JS/CSS
• routes/ defines URL routes and controllers
• storage/ is used for files like logs, cache, and sessions
• Authentication Setup

Run this to scaffold authentication:

php artisan make: auth

Login, register, and password reset views and routes

App\User model with migrations for the user’s table

Authentication controllers and middleware

Next, implement user roles and permissions for authorization control.

// CheckPermission middleware

if(!$user->can('edit-products')) {

abort(403);

}

Environment Configuration

Configure .env vars for database credentials, application key, mail settings, and other services like queue, cache, and file storage drivers.

php artisan vendor: publish

This establishes a solid foundation for developing the full commerce system on top of the Laravel framework.

Adding Products

Products are the central inventory that powers the online storefront experience. Carefully designing the product implementation sets the store up for success.

Creating the Product Model

Generate a Product model to represent product data:

php artisan make: model Product -m

The migration will create a product table. Key fields include:

• id
• name
• description
• price
• quantity
• image
• category_id
• created_at, etc
• Include validation rules, indexes, and foreign keys in the migration.

Managing Products

Build an admin view to CRUD products by extending the backend layout.

Create ProductController with methods like index(), create(), and store().

Enable image uploads through Intervention Image to multiple optimized sizes.

Implement form requests for validation. Leverage mass assignment protection.

Construct a Product repository class encapsulating database operations.

Integrate a WYSIWYG editor like CKEditor for product descriptions.

Organizing with Categories

Generate the Category model. Populate categories through seeding.

Define a belongsTo relationship from products to categories.

Retrieve nested category hierarchies by extending the Larrytron Nestedset trait.

Perform joins to fetch products organized by category on the front end.

This establishes well-designed products and category implementations empowering an optimized shopping experience.

Setting Up Shopping Cart

Now that products are managed, it’s time to build the shopping cart system. This allows customers to select items before checkout.

Installing a Cart Package

Popular choices include Catalyst/LaravelCart and Darryldecode/Cart. They handle common cart operations out of the box.

Install via Composer, configure the database tables, and then register the package service provider and facade.

Cart Management

Create CartController with methods for:

• Adding products to the cart
• Updating quantities
• Removing items
• Emptying the entire cart

Integrate the cart into the navigation as a mini-view displaying total items and amounts.

Cart Widget

Build a reusable Blade component to display the cart contents on multiple pages like:

• Cart page showing items, thumbnails, totals
• Mini-cart included on product pages
• Cart dropdown for quick access
• Include features like quantity selectors and remove buttons.

Handling Stock

Integrate with the Product model to check stock levels before allowing adds/updates.

Display availability and prevent over-selling out-of-stock products.

Thoroughly test all cart cases like merging/restoring cart contents between visits.

Checkout

With products and cart functionality established, it’s time to implement the checkout process.

Checkout Workflow

Design the checkout flow with steps for:

• Customer information (address form)
• Shipping options selection
• Payment details
• Order review/confirmation
• Build reusable Blade templates for each step.

Address Management

Leverage a dedicated Address model to associate customer addresses.

Integrate address autocomplete APIs for a better UX.

Allow adding/editing addresses during checkout or account profile.

Payment Integrations

Register Stripe, PayPal, etc API keys. Install payment gateway packages.

Expose payment buttons for selected methods on checkout.

Process transactions using payment provider SDKs on form submissions.

Order Management

Generate Order and OrderItem models/migrations to store fulfilled orders.

Save order information along with items, and shipping details on purchase.

Send order/payment confirmation emails to customers.

Admin can view orders through a dedicated backend interface.

Thorough testing across browsers/devices is critical before going live.

This establishes the full buying experience from adding products to delivery.

Adding Additional Features

To enhance the shopping experience, additional high-impact features can be implemented.

User Account System

Build out user profiles by extending the default authentication:

• Name, and address fields in the registration
• Edit profile form and account dashboard
• Order history and tracking widgets

// User model

public function addresses() {

return $this->hasMany(Address::class);

}

Wishlist

Allow users to save products for later:

// WishlistController

public function store(Product $product)

{

$wishlist = Wishlist::firstOrCreate(['user_id' => auth()->id()]);

$wishlist->products()->attach($product->id);

}

Notifications

Integrate a notification system for order/shipping updates:

// Send order notification

Notification::route('mail', $user->email)

->notify(new OrderShipped($order));

Admin Panel

Build a backend interface for managing:

Products, categories, attributes

Orders, reports, settings

Users, roles, permissions

Additional Tweaks

• Search functionality
• Ratings & reviews
• Abandoned cart reminders
• Newsletter subscriptions

Proper testing ensures high quality.

Conclusion

You now have an extensive overview of how to build a powerful e-commerce system from the ground up using the Laravel PHP framework. Implementing the technical and planning steps outlined allows merchants to manage products and sell online efficiently.

While this guide provided the fundamentals, there are always additional opportunities for improvement and customization as business needs evolve over time. Extending functionality with features like subscriptions, custom shipping calculations or integrated marketplaces can help expand the business further.