Based in Edmonton, AB | Remote, Worldwide
E-Commerce Backend Development in Edmonton
Custom e-commerce development for Edmonton and remote clients: platforms, integrations, and application logic. We are a development shop, not a design agency.
VVS IT is based in Edmonton, Alberta. We work with e-commerce businesses and digital agencies across Canada and internationally; all engagements are remote and asynchronous. We build and extend online stores on OpenCart, PrestaShop, and WooCommerce: custom modules, checkout logic, payment and CRM integrations, performance under load, and platform migrations. We also take on custom and inherited PHP e-commerce stores, Magento backend work, and custom PHP/Laravel web applications where the work is development-heavy. We are not a fit for brochure or marketing-only websites, WordPress theme-only projects, or pixel-perfect implementation from Figma mockups with no backend scope.
Platforms We Support
OpenCart, PrestaShop, and WooCommerce are our core e-commerce platforms. Each has different extension architectures and checkout patterns. We also take on custom and inherited PHP e-commerce: stores built on in-house or discontinued platforms, and Magento installations that need backend work, troubleshooting, or an upgrade. Our work is development and integration: custom modules, checkout logic, APIs, and performance, not leading with storefront design or marketing-site builds.
OpenCart
OpenCart is where we have the deepest bench: custom module development, checkout and payment-flow bug fixes, and performance tuning under real production load. If a store is slow, breaking during sales, or needs a custom feature none of the stock extensions support, this is the work we do most often.
- Custom OpenCart extensions (payment, shipping, product logic)
- Checkout flow debugging and payment callback handler fixes
- Stripe and Moneris payment gateway integration
- OpenCart version upgrades and migrations without extended downtime
- Performance tuning: query optimization, caching, and load testing before sale events
PrestaShop
PrestaShop module development, checkout customization, and platform migrations. We handle the server-side logic for carrier rate calculations, custom product attributes, and payment module configuration, including work delivered white-label to agencies whose frontend teams do not have PrestaShop backend experience.
- Custom PrestaShop modules and overrides
- Checkout and cart rule customization
- Payment and shipping module integration
- PrestaShop version migrations with data integrity checks
WooCommerce
WooCommerce development: custom plugins, checkout logic, performance bottlenecks, and integrations with external systems. Theme customization and visual design are not our focus; we work within existing themes or alongside your designer. If the work involves PHP logic, plugin architecture, or database performance behind the store, that is our scope.
- Custom plugin development and conflict resolution
- Checkout and payment gateway debugging
- WooCommerce performance: slow queries, object caching, cron jobs
- ERP, CRM, and inventory sync integrations
Custom & Inherited PHP E-Commerce
Not every store runs on OpenCart, PrestaShop, or WooCommerce. We also work on custom-built PHP e-commerce systems and Magento stores, especially when an agency or business inherits a codebase from a previous developer with little or no documentation. This is development work on non-standard checkout, cart, payment, and order logic, not a fixed recipe for a known CMS.
- Bespoke PHP e-commerce built in-house or by a previous agency, with no standard CMS underneath
- Magento stores: module fixes, checkout and payment troubleshooting, and version upgrades
- Undocumented or partially documented stores taken over from a previous developer
- Non-standard checkout, cart, and order logic that does not map to a known platform's conventions
- Custom payment gateway integrations built outside a standard plugin or extension architecture
Common Problems We Fix
These are the problems store owners and agency PMs bring us most often. Each one has a backend root cause, even when it surfaces as a frontend symptom.
- Checkout failures under load. Intermittent payment callback errors, race conditions in order processing, or timeout issues during high-traffic sale periods.
- Payment gateway integration or debugging. Stripe, Moneris, or other processors misconfigured, returning errors, or dropping transactions silently.
- ERP or CRM sync issues. Inventory, order, or customer data out of sync between the store and an external system, often caused by fragile webhook or cron-based integrations.
- Broken platform upgrades. A version upgrade left custom modules incompatible, checkout broken, or admin functions failing.
- Performance degradation. Store response times climbing as catalogue size or traffic grows, usually traceable to unindexed queries, missing caching, or poorly written extensions.
- Stock, tax, or shipping edge cases. Logic errors in custom modules that only surface under specific product combinations, regions, or carrier rules.
- Undocumented legacy code. A previous developer left with no documentation, and no one on the current team knows how the checkout or a critical module actually works.
For Agencies and Store Owners
Digital agencies: We provide white-label backend capacity for your client e-commerce projects. You manage the client relationship and project timeline; we handle the OpenCart, PrestaShop, or WooCommerce backend work, Magento troubleshooting, and custom or inherited store code under NDA with no VVS IT branding in the delivery. See white-label backend development for how that process works in detail.
Direct businesses: If you run an e-commerce store and need senior backend work without hiring a full-time PHP developer, we work directly with you on the same async model: email, Slack, or Jira, scoped engagements with clear deliverables. Learn more about the practice on our about page.
Typical Engagements
Two typical scenarios showing the kind of work we take on. Names and locations are omitted.
Problem: A retail store's OpenCart checkout was failing intermittently during high-traffic sales periods.
Constraint: The store's previous developer had left with no documentation.
What we built: An audit of the checkout flow that isolated a race condition in the payment callback handler, followed by a rebuilt module with proper locking and logging.
Result: Checkout failures during sale events stopped, and the store owner now has a documented module instead of an undocumented black box.
Problem: A Canadian digital agency's PrestaShop client needed a custom shipping rate calculator tied to a regional carrier's API, and the agency's frontend team had no backend capacity to build it.
Constraint: The work had to happen fully white-label, with no direct contact with the agency's client.
What we built: A custom PrestaShop module integrating the carrier's rate API, delivered to the agency with documentation and no VVS IT branding anywhere in the code.
Result: The agency shipped the feature under its own name, on schedule, without adding backend headcount.
Frequently Asked Questions
What e-commerce platforms do you support?
OpenCart, PrestaShop, and WooCommerce are our core platforms. We also take on custom and inherited PHP e-commerce, including stores with no well-known CMS, and Magento backend work. We handle custom modules, checkout flows, payment gateways, performance tuning, and platform migrations. We take on new development and complex extensions, not only fixes on existing stores.
Can you fix a store another developer broke?
Yes. Taking over an undocumented or partially broken store is common work for us. We start with an audit before making changes, so fixes don't introduce new problems.
Do you work on themes or design?
Our strength is development and application logic: modules, checkout, integrations, and performance. We can work within an existing theme or coordinate with your designer, but we do not lead with storefront design, marketing-site builds, or pixel-perfect implementation from Figma mockups. For design-only projects, a design-focused partner is the better fit.
Do you work white-label for agencies?
Yes. See our white-label backend development page for how that process works.
Are you local to Edmonton?
We're based in Edmonton, AB, but all work is remote and async. Location isn't a constraint for agencies or direct clients.
Get Started
Email [email protected] with your platform, a short description of the problem, and any relevant links. For what to include in your first message, see our contact page. You can also return to the homepage for an overview of all services.