A Comparative Analysis of Open-Source Content Management Systems for E-Commerce Applications Among Traders in Owerri, Imo State

The proliferation of e-commerce activity in Nigerian urban centres has increased demand for accessible and affordable platforms that enable traders to establish online storefronts without extensive technical expertise. This study conducts a comparative analysis of three prominent open-source content management systems, namely WordPress WooCommerce, PrestaShop, and OpenCart, evaluating their suitability for small-scale traders in Owerri, Imo State, South East Nigeria. The research adopted a mixed-methods approach, combining a survey of 90 market traders with a technical benchmarking exercise assessing each platform's performance, ease of use, payment gateway compatibility with Nigerian banks, and total cost of ownership. Survey findings revealed that 68 percent of respondents were willing to migrate to an online sales model but cited technical complexity and setup costs as major deterrents. Benchmarking results indicated that WooCommerce offered the most extensive community support and local payment integration options, while OpenCart demonstrated superior loading speeds on low-bandwidth connections common in Nigerian environments. PrestaShop scored highest for inventory management depth but presented the steepest learning curve. The study recommends WooCommerce as the most pragmatic starting point for traders in Owerri, supported by locally available web developer communities. Keywords: content management systems, e-commerce, WooCommerce, Owerri, Imo State.