The Magento platform is one of the most popular solutions for building an advanced online store. It belongs to the category of open-source engines (similar to Shopware), which means that you can freely edit the code, adapting it to your own needs. Besides the free version with open source,
Magento history and development
The beginnings of Magento date back to 2007 when Roy Robin started working on the first version of this platform, which saw the light of day less than a year later. Between 2008 and 2014, Magento 1 gradually developed. Maybe it was not the most dynamic progress, but from version to version, some new features and security patches were added. At this time, Magento was acquired by eBay, which resulted in the creation of a completely new version of the system – Magento 2.0 in 2015. The following years were marked by the stable development of Magento e-commerce. The year 2018 brought another breakthrough in the life of this project. Adobe, a technology company producing programs like Photoshop or Illustrator, acquired Magento for over $1.5 billion. There were concerns in the industry that the free open-source version would disappear or be charged for. However, nothing like this has happened so far. Of course, one can observe that the paid variant is developing faster, after all, this is where Adobe earns. However, Magento Open Source remains a free technology.
The history of Magento may seem tumultuous. Within 15 years, the platform changed its owner twice. And each time it was paid millions (even billions) for it. This shows, however, that although the development of this engine is not as fast as the members of the community would like, the Magento platform is a mature solution that remains one of the biggest players in the e-commerce industry.
Magento 1 vs Magento 2
If you have previously looked for information about this engine, you have surely come across articles from the series: Magento Migration – why is it worth it? Now, however, it is no longer a matter of profitability but necessity. In June 2020, support for “one” was suspended. This means that Magento 1 is no longer being developed, and therefore, no security patches are being released for this version of the engine. If your store is still on “one”, it is more susceptible to hacker attacks and data leaks. So it’s high time to move your store to Magento 2”.
Besides the lack of updates, what differentiates these systems?
Magento 1 is an engine that uses PHP, Apache, MySQL, and jQuery. However, it does not support newer technologies such as HTML5 or CSS3, which are offered by Magento 2. “Two” besides the previously mentioned technologies, also uses Nginx, Varnish, Redis, Symfony, and Composer, which gives quite good possibilities when creating advanced online stores. One of the major drawbacks of Magento 1 is the lack of possibility to create web applications according to the PWA postulates. In times when most online purchases are made via mobile devices, Magento PWA represents a huge opportunity to increase sales. “One” is also complicated to use, unresponsive, and difficult to implement. Compared to Magento 2, it has significant shortcomings.
Magento 2 e-commerce
Magento Open Source is a great foundation for implementing an advanced online store. It is an engine flexible enough that you can enrich it with any features. However, already out-of-the-box Magento 2 offers a complete set of functions needed for the proper operation and development of your e-commerce.
Magento 2 gives you access to all orders in one administrative panel. It also allows for data filtering, automatic change of order statuses, or setting notifications of new purchases made through your online store. Through the Magento 2 panel, you will also perform all mass actions related to your orders, issue several invoices for one order, and handle returns.
Magento 2 allows you to view and export reports in the time range you choose. Data included in the sales summaries take into account, among others, the number of orders, their value, billing status, or delivery methods. In the Magento Open Source panel, you will also generate product reports concerning, for example, the most frequently purchased products.
Product catalogue management
Thanks to the Magento 2 engine, you will add an unlimited number of products, categories, and subcategories to your store. You will define their attributes, set the tax threshold, and specify advanced price calculation options. Magento 2 will also enable you to mass import and export products, manage inventory levels, and collect opinions and reviews about individual products.
The Magento platform will also allow you to mass implement promotions, set different pricing rules, and offer duration. From the panel of this engine, add a promotion for the entire catalogue, its part, or an individual basket. Magento 2 does not limit you in terms of the type of promotion. It can be a percentage discount, free shipping, or even a freebie added to the order.
Customer management
Thanks to the Magento 2 platform, you can manage all the customers of your e-commerce in one place. You will gain access to their order history, create customer groups based on any variables, specify the data retention period, and also perform mass actions, such as collective unsubscribing from the newsletter.
CMS, users management and other features
Magento 2 has a built-in CMS (content management system). Thanks to it, you will add, remove, and edit content, assign it to appropriate categories, properly format it, set metadata, and even create a blog. Payment and delivery handling
The Magento engine allows for the integration of various payment and delivery methods. Just add the appropriate extension to your store. The most popular payment service providers offer their official plugins on the Magento marketplace, most of which are free. The situation is similar in the case of courier services. Through the Magento 2 panel, you will also inform customers about the status of their payments and deliveries, and specify delivery costs based on the place of delivery, dimensions, or weight of the shipment.
Magento also allows for the integration of e-commerce with sales and marketing systems. Thanks to the flexible structure of this engine, you will integrate your store with a CRM system, analytical tools, price comparison sites, and marketplaces such as Amazon or Allegro, as well as with Google Merchant Center.
The Magento engine will allow you to implement multiple language versions of your online store. Besides easy adding of translations, it will also enable you to set the appropriate currency, tax, payment methods, and deliveries. On the Magento platform, you will also adjust settings such as units of measurement or contact data to the specifics of a particular market.
Like any e-commerce platform, the Magento 2 system also has its strengths and weaknesses. Let’s see what makes the biggest players in the market use this solution.
Magento is flexible, secure and efficient
The open-source platform from Adobe offers enormous customization possibilities. Thanks to access to the source code, you can freely change the appearance of the store, add advanced functionalities, and integrate your ERP system.
The Magento 2 system is the current and continuously supported version of this engine (currently 2.4.5). Therefore, updates containing security patches, which protect against hacker attacks and data leaks, are systematically released. With regular updates, a store on Magento is very secure.
This platform is capable of handling an extensive product base reaching even hundreds of thousands of products. It can also handle large traffic, and when placed on a good server, it will work quickly and efficiently. The efficiency of a store based on Magento 2 largely depends on how this code is written and the quality of the server architecture that supports it.
Thanks to its extensive API, Magento allows for easy integration of external systems with the online store. This engine will not cause major problems if you want to connect your e-commerce with your B2B customers’ sales system. Magento’s API will also allow you to efficiently implement PWA for your online store.
Multistore support
Magento Open Source allows you to set up multiple stores based on one Magento system. Individual stores can completely differ from each other in language, design, product catalogue, and even functionalities. However, maintaining multiple stores in one instance makes it easier to maintain consistency between them. Magento offers ready-made extensions
In the marketplace, you can find over 3,500 extensions that will help you build an advanced online store. Some of them are free, for some, you have to pay. The possibility of their use increases the capabilities of the “out-of-the-box” Magento 2 and shortens the time of creating complex solutions.
SEO and Community Support
The source code of Magento 2 is open, while its core remains unchanged. Thanks to this, any company specializing in this technology can take care of implementing your online store at any stage of its creation. So, if the cooperation with the current implementation company does not go as you wish, you can freely change it. Of course, there are more and less profitable moments for such a migration. However, Magento 2 Open Source allows you to change agencies, which cannot be said about SaaS solutions and dedicated applications.
Magento’s inherent SEO-friendly features, including customizable meta tags and clean URLs, facilitate higher search engine visibility, driving organic traffic to your store. The platform’s structured and clean code further aids in efficient crawling and indexing by search engines. A vibrant community of developers and users offers an extensive support network, contributing to Magento’s continuous improvement through shared knowledge, extensions, and solutions.
A fairly large community has gathered around this solution, which, if you are using the open-source engine, can help you with problematic issues, acting as a kind of unofficial technical support. The Magento community is also a source of additional extensions. Developers working on stores for themselves or their clients often create dedicated solutions, which, if they are sufficiently universal, can be made available to the Magento 2.0 community. Magento allows changing the implementation company
Mobile Optimization and Integration Capabilities
Recognizing the significance of mobile commerce, Magento ensures an optimal shopping experience across devices with its responsive design. This not only improves user experience but also supports SEO efforts as search engines favor mobile-friendly sites. Moreover, Magento’s capacity for seamless third-party integrations, from payment gateways to CRM systems, allows for a cohesive and efficient eCommerce ecosystem, enhancing operational productivity and customer satisfaction
For whom Magento 2 will be a good solution?
Magento is an engine that starts where other platforms end. Therefore, we recommend it rather to larger e-commerces, which have large product catalogues, require advanced functions such as configurators or virtual fitting rooms and want to scale their business, also to foreign markets.
In light of Magento’s extensive capabilities and adaptable framework, it stands out as an exceptional platform that enables eCommerce ventures to thrive and expand. For those operating within the Irish market, where the need for flexible and diverse eCommerce solutions is paramount, we at Magento Developers position ourselves as the ideal partner. Our proficiency in crafting tailored Magento solutions ensures that Irish businesses can secure a competitive advantage in the vast digital marketplace. By choosing us, you’re opting for a foundation that promises not just growth and scalability but also security and robust community support, essential for achieving long-term success and customer satisfaction.
