One of the biggest e-commerce platforms in the US, and increasingly the rest of the world as well, is Magento.
Magento is used by about 200,000 websites, and yours might be one of them. What is Magento, though? Magento is an Adobe-owned e-commerce website platform that focuses on building e-commerce websites. Users of Magento have access to hundreds of special features that enable them to communicate with and sell their products to clients.
Continue reading to find out more about Magento and how you can use the platform for your online store. We have all the information you require.
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What Is Magento?
Table of Contents
- What Is Magento?
- Who Should Use Magento?
- What Is Magento 2?
- What Is an Extension in Magento?
- What Is the Difference Between Magento 1 and Magento 2?
- Architecture
- Website Performance
- Optimization for Mobile
- Using Magento’s Admin Panels
- Checking Out
- Security
- Extensions
- Customer Support
- Should I Choose Magento 1 or Magento 2?
- What Is Magento Commerce?
- What Is Magento Open Source?
- Magento Commerce vs Magento Open Source – Which Is Better?
- Pros of Magento
- Cons of Magento
- Magento Payment Gateways
One of the top e-commerce platforms is Magneto. It was developed by its designers using open-source software. This allows users to alter the appearance, features, and content of their online store without affecting the purchasing experience. Additionally, Magento offers a wide range of functional tools and capabilities to its consumers. These tools include those for marketing, SEO, and catalogue management.
Overall, any size store can use the platform. Magento provides both a free Magento Open Source and a feature-rich Magento Commerce, so the platform can grow and adapt with your business whether you serve just a few or a million consumers. As their operations expand, firms frequently need to switch platforms.
However, Magento makes it simple to remain in one place while expanding. Additionally, the platform gives users a selection of plug-ins and themes to choose from so they may customise their websites as they wish. Additionally, they can strengthen client relationships and improve client experiences.
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Who Should Use Magento?
You ought to think about Magento if you manage or operate an online store. The platform’s designers made it simple for regular people to utilise. Thus, technical or developing experience is not required.
The system is solid, though. The system becomes a little bit more complicated as you expand because it can manage millions of consumers.
Typically, firms must use outside assistance. However, this only happens when the company begins integrating numerous systems into its website.
What Is Magento 2?
The most recent upgrade to be released by the developers is Magento 2. The system is periodically updated, with Magento 2 being one of the greatest revisions to date.
Customers can take advantage of the following features of Magento 2:
- Flexible architecture for websites
- Engaging customer experiences
- More efficient business experience
- 50% faster loading speeds
- More secure payments
- Easier maintenance and upgrades
Magento 2 is a better, faster version of Magento. After hearing complaints and comments, the developers stripped the platform down and rebuilt it. If you’re looking for a faster, safer, scalable website, Magento 2 is the way to go.
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What Is an Extension in Magento?
Users can add Magento extensions, which are pieces of software, to their web shops. They accomplish a number of objectives, including quickening page loads and enhancing user experience.
The backend integration of these programmes and services with your online store gives clients more options than ever.
You can choose from thousands of Magento extensions in the Magento Marketplace. You’ll find extensions for all sorts of needs:
- Customer services
- Payments
- Security
- Marketing
- Accounting and finance
- Shipping and fulfilment
- Site optimization
You should search for the appropriate software at the Magento Marketplace if you want to add something unique to your store, integrate other business accounts, or enhance something that already exists within your store.
What Is the Difference Between Magento 1 and Magento 2?
The apparently updated version of Magento 1 is called Magento 2. What are the actual distinctions, though? Is Magento 2 an improvement over Magento 1?
Let’s investigate how Magento 1 and 2 contrast in a number of areas.
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Architecture
More technologies are included in Magento 2 that enhance website customization and optimization. For Magento 2, the programmers entirely dismantled the previous technological stack and created a new one. Because of this, transferring to the programme requires more than just a straightforward data migration.
The following are some of the most notable technologies that Magento 1 does not include:
- Composer – allows you to reuse third-party libraries without dealing with source code, reduces extension conflicts
- NGINX – serves as a reverse proxy, HTTP cache, and load balancer
- Redis – uses database cache and broker for messages
- Symfony – makes content control easier, improves functionality, and betters website appearance
- Varnish – increases website speed
Website Performance
With Magento 1, one of the challenges was website performance. Website performance is now a primary priority for engineers working on Magento 2. They desired to permanently address these client problems and provide what the users desired.
No upgrade or patch would have been as effective at fixing the software as Magento 2.
Because so many new technologies were incorporated, Magento 2 is optimised for quicker server response times and faster page loads. Additionally, you now have access to more plugins that will aid in enhancing website performance.
Additionally, Magento 2 offers users greater customizability and flexibility in terms of website design and content. This implies that you have more influence over how your website is presented. By optimising the content on your website, you can make it load faster.
Optimization for Mobile
One of the main issues with Magento 1 was mobile optimization, along with website optimization. Mobile websites were not as necessary as they are now when they were initially developed.
All websites and businesses now require mobile optimization. With this in mind, developers created Magento 2.
Compared to Magento 1, Magento 2 is substantially more mobile-friendly. More responsive themes and a simpler checkout process are available to users.
Also supported by Magento 2 are progressive web apps. This enables users to produce a mobile application that can enhance the user experience for their clients.
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Using Magento’s Admin Panels
Another area where Magento 1 fell short is covered by Magento 2. In Magento 1, the admin panel was challenging to use. This is fixed in Magento 2.
Users will find an intuitive panel with Magento 2. However, there is still a learning curve that users must go through in order to use the feature effectively.
Some tasks can be quite difficult. Users had hoped for an easy setup process, but they were disappointed. It is advantageous to the procedure that Magento 1 demanded, though.
All in all, you can find the following information on the dashboard:
- New orders
- Last orders
- Average orders
- Lifetime retail sales
- Top search keywords
- Income tax
- Bestsellers
With them, you’ll discover more beneficial facts that you can utilise to better manage your company and meet the needs of your clients.
Last but not least, Magento 2 makes it simple for users to modify data as needed. Therefore, the improvement will enhance the consumer experience.
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Checking Out
The checkout process was extensive with Magento 1. Customers faced six steps:
- Checkout Method
- Billing information
- Shipping information
- Shipping Method
- Payment information
- Reviewing the order
Even worse, these steps were often presented on different pages that the customer had to tab through. Many users feared that customers would be left in the middle of these steps because it made the checkout process difficult.
Luckily, Magento 2 simplified the process into two steps:
- Shipping
- Review payment
In addition, customers can get accelerated payment options with Magento 2. Overall, this vastly improves the checkout experience and makes checking out easier than ever.
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Security
Because Magento 1 is no longer supported on the platform, there are no more security patches or updates. Those individuals who are still using Magento 1 need to upgrade or they could be putting their sites at risk.
On the other hand, Magento 2 allows you to make your site as secure as you want to make it. You have regular patches and updates. With these, you can use extensions that enhance security.
We should note that you are responsible for PCI compliance. This is not automatically done as a part of the platform, but it is easy to do as long as you aren’t overdoing the customization of your website.
Extensions
Magento 1 was known for having multiple extension conflicts. Users complained that third-party extensions wouldn’t work on the platform or caused usability issues.
With Magento 2, developers have solved this problem. Magento 2 allows extensions to overlap. This makes it easier to install and use extensions as much as they want.
However, you should be careful not to overload your store. Extensions can be helpful, but you wouldn’t want to have too many. This can lead to loading issues and usability issues.
Only use extensions that are going to bring value to your website, improve the customer experience, and help you make sales. At the same time, you may want to integrate other company accounts or improve security.
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Customer Support
Magento 1 is no longer supported on the platform. Therefore, you can’t get any updates or patches from the developers. This means that you’re left to figure out the platform on your own.
With Magento 2, customer support depends on the version that you’re working with. Keep in mind that Magento 2 includes Magento Open Source and Magento Commerce
The first option is free but does not come with customer support. The other version has a cost but does come with customer support.
Should I Choose Magento 1 or Magento 2?
Magento 2 is the upgraded and updated version of Magento 1. Because Magento 2 is safer and more efficient, Magento has stopped supporting Magento 1 as of June 30, 2020.
If you’re still using Magento 1, you’re at risk for fines secondary to non-compliance and security issues. We recommend upgrading as soon as possible.
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Magento 2 Commerce vs. Open Source
Magento 2 offers two options for e-commerce stores that are using the platform. Depending on the size of your e-commerce store, your goals for your website, and your individual needs, you may find one more advantageous than the other.
Let’s review both Magento 2 Commerce and Magento 2 Open Source.
What Is Magento Commerce?
Magento Commerce was previously known as Magento Enterprise Edition. Developers made this version of Magento for larger businesses. With a price tag of $24,000 per year, you’d need some hefty income to make that kind of financial commitment.
What Is Magento Open Source?
Magento Open Source is the free version of Magento. It is for e-commerce companies that are smaller and do not need as much support as larger companies. However, large companies can still use the platform successfully. If you have a low-maintenance business, the free option could be a better way to go.
Magento Commerce vs Magento Open Source – Which Is Better?
Both options are viable for e-commerce, but we do recommend trying Magento Open Source before investing money in Magento Commerce. The features of each platform may make you think that Magento Commerce is better, but this isn’t necessarily true.
You have to consider the price that you’re paying and the number of features that you need. You can likely get away with the free version.
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Pros and Cons of Magento
Lastly, let’s look at the pros and cons of the platform. This will help you see whether or not you should consider Magento as an e-commerce platform in the first place.
We’re going to consider the pros and cons of Magento 2, considering that this is the active and recommended version of Magento as of now.
Pros of Magento
- The platform is flexible for users
- The platform offers free services
- The community is supportive and will help lost users navigate issues that they may be having
Cons of Magento
- Potential hosting and security expenses
- Paid customer support
Magento Payment Gateways
Magento comes with default payment gateway options: credit cards and PayPal.
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