Decima is a static HTML5 and CSS3 template for online shops, sold on ThemeForest for $16 by the developer ThemeWoodmen. It provides 30 pre-built pages covering product catalogues, carts, blogs and portfolios, plus 37 Photoshop files for designers who want to rework the visuals before coding. It suits freelancers and small agencies building a lightweight storefront or a catalogue-style retail site that does not need a database-driven platform. The Decima eCommerce HTML Template retail package is a front-end starting point, not a full shopping system, and that distinction shapes almost everything below.
What the Decima eCommerce HTML Template actually delivers
The template is built on Bootstrap 3, the widely used front-end framework that supplies a responsive grid and a library of interface components. That foundation means layouts reflow from desktop to tablet to phone without extra work, and anyone familiar with Bootstrap classes can adjust spacing and structure quickly.
The 30 pages cover the usual retail journey: category listings, individual product pages, a cart, checkout, plus supporting pages such as about, contact and blog templates. Product widgets and several image hover effects give merchandising options out of the box, so a catalogue can show alternate angles or a second colour on mouseover without custom JavaScript.
Two features deserve particular attention because they are less common in templates at this price. The first is an AJAX-driven portfolio that loads additional items without a page refresh, with no stated cap on the number of works. The second is a Twitter feed integration that pulls a live stream of tweets into the page. Both depend on server-side code: the Twitter module requires PHP and the vendor notes it uses the current Twitter API at the time of writing.
The contact and newsletter forms are also functional rather than decorative, again requiring PHP on the host. The vendor specifically mentions Gmail account support for outgoing mail, which removes one common configuration headache for small sites. A Flexslider component handles image and video slideshows and accepts arbitrary HTML inside slides, and a lightbox handles image previews. Font Awesome supplies more than 250 icons, and colour values are described as unlimited, meaning the palette is controlled through stylesheets rather than fixed presets.
Where this template fits and where it does not
The strongest fit is a small retail brand that wants a fast, hand-coded storefront with a distinctive look and no CMS overhead. A boutique clothing label, a furniture maker or a photographer selling prints could take the product and portfolio pages, drop in their own imagery, and have a presentable catalogue in a short time. Agencies will find the 37 PSD files useful for pitching visual concepts before any code is written, and freelancers can use the template as a base for client mockups that need to feel finished.
It is also a reasonable choice for a marketing or catalogue site where purchases happen elsewhere — a lookbook that links out to a marketplace listing, for instance, or a wholesale enquiry site where the cart is presentational.
It is the wrong choice for anyone who needs a working shop. There is no payment gateway integration, no inventory management, no customer accounts and no order database. A business that expects to process transactions needs a platform such as WooCommerce, Shopify or a custom application, and Decima would only serve as the visual layer in front of it. The template is also a poor fit for teams that cannot run PHP, since the forms and Twitter feed simply will not function on static hosting. Finally, the last vendor update was in January 2017, so anyone requiring current accessibility patterns, modern CSS architecture or ongoing security patches should look at actively maintained alternatives.
What setup involves in practice
Installation is a file-copy job rather than a guided process. The buyer downloads a package containing the HTML pages, stylesheets, scripts, PSDs and documentation, then uploads the HTML portion to a web host. There is no installer and no admin panel, so every change — swapping a logo, editing prices, adding a product — happens directly in the HTML files. A code editor and basic comfort with markup are prerequisites; this is not a drag-and-drop builder.
To activate the contact form, newsletter signup and Twitter stream, the host must support PHP and the relevant files need mail credentials configured. The vendor states Gmail accounts work, which usually means an SMTP setup rather than the server’s default mail function. Expect to spend time on this if the host restricts outgoing mail.
For a developer working steadily, replacing demo content with real copy and imagery across the core retail pages is a day’s work, perhaps two if the design needs recolouring and the PSDs are used to regenerate assets. A non-technical site owner should budget for hired help, because the template assumes code-level editing throughout.
Strengths and limitations
Strengths
- Thirty pages and 37 PSDs for $16 is unusually generous coverage for the price, and the source files make rebranding practical.
- Bootstrap 3 provides a predictable, well-documented responsive base that most front-end developers already understand.
- Working forms and a live Twitter feed add real function rather than placeholder markup, provided PHP is available.
- The AJAX portfolio and multiple product image effects give a small catalogue a more polished feel than a flat grid.
- 259 sales on ThemeForest indicate a product that buyers have taken a chance on, though the figure is modest for the category.
Limitations
- No commerce engine of any kind. The cart and checkout pages are static layouts with no payment processing, stock tracking or order storage behind them.
- The PHP dependencies mean forms and the Twitter module break silently on static hosts, and the Twitter integration relies on an API that has changed substantially since 2017.
- Bootstrap 3 is legacy. It predates modern flexbox and grid layout, so customising beyond the supplied components means working within older conventions.
- No content management. Every product, price and blog post is edited in code, which does not scale past a small catalogue or a non-technical team.
- The template has not been updated by the vendor since January 2017, and the listing gives no indication of compatibility with current browsers or accessibility standards.
How it compares with the wider template category
Retail templates generally fall into two groups: front-end HTML packages like this one, and CMS themes that plug into WordPress, Shopify or similar platforms. The CMS route costs more and carries hosting and plugin overhead, but it gives non-technical staff the ability to add products, process payments and manage orders. Decima sits firmly in the first group, competing on price, design quality and the inclusion of source files rather than on features.
Against other static HTML retail templates, its differentiators are the PSD bundle, the AJAX portfolio and the working form integrations. Against modern front-end templates built on current frameworks, it loses on code age and long-term maintainability. The honest framing is that Decima is a design asset with functional extras, and buyers should compare it to buying a design system rather than to buying a store.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the Decima eCommerce HTML Template process payments?
No. The cart and checkout pages are static HTML layouts with no payment gateway, order database or inventory logic attached. Any transaction handling must be added by a developer or handled by a separate platform. Buyers wanting a shop that takes money on day one should choose a CMS-based ecommerce theme instead.
Does the template require PHP to work?
Only for specific features. The pages themselves are plain HTML and render on any host, but the contact form, newsletter signup and Twitter feed rely on PHP scripts. On static hosting those three elements will not function. The vendor notes Gmail accounts are supported for outgoing mail, which helps with form delivery.
Is Decima suitable for a large product catalogue?
Not comfortably. Every product page is a separate HTML file edited by hand, so a catalogue of dozens of items becomes laborious to maintain. It works best for a curated range of a few dozen products at most, or as a design layer in front of a proper ecommerce system that handles the catalogue data.
What do the 37 PSD files include?
The vendor supplies Photoshop source files alongside the coded pages, covering the template’s layouts so designers can adjust colours, typography and imagery before exporting assets. The listing does not break down exactly which pages are represented, so buyers needing a specific screen should confirm with the developer before purchasing.
Verdict
Buy Decima if the goal is a visually finished, lightweight retail or catalogue site built by someone comfortable editing HTML, and if $16 for 30 pages plus 37 PSDs represents good value for that work. It is a sensible pick for freelancers producing mockups and for small brands whose storefront is presentational rather than transactional. Do not buy it expecting a functioning shop, a content management system, or code that has kept pace with the last several years of web standards. Teams without PHP hosting or front-end skills should put the budget toward a maintained CMS theme instead.
