What is Magento ecommerce and Why should you use it?
Magento software supports the growth of the business, ideal for small, medium, as well as for large enterprises. It provides highly native features, which are highly beneficial for effective eCommerce marketing and SEO, including catalog management. In this post, we provide you with all the important information regarding what is Magento ecommerce and why should you use it containing its definition, various versions, and editions, plus advantages and disadvantages.
What is Magento ecommerce?
Magento (Adobe Commerce) is a self-contained PHP platform that helps programmers build and sell eCommerce websites online. It was published on March 31, 2008, by Varien and developed on Zend Framework. Magento is one of the most popular eCommerce platforms where vendors can create an online store and provide their customers with online shopping experiences. It works like other popular eCommerce platforms WooCommerce, Shopify, Wix, and BigCommerce. Up to now, hundreds of thousands of companies have utilized this open-source to start their e-shop, among others, giant businesses like Nike, Samsung, etc.
Adobe purchased Magento for the price tag of $1.68 billion back in 2018. Magento will now gain further with its attainment at the enterprise marketplace too.
As stated by Techliance, Magento has topped off the lists at 1st position among the leading 10 eCommerce platforms in 2021 worldwide.
Related topics you may enjoy: Laravel
What is Magento 2?
Magento offers two primary versions: Magento 1 and Magento 2. Magento 2 is the direct successor to Magento 1, which has vast improvements in speed, security, and functionality. Magento 2 supports PHP versions 7.4 and later. It also features an automatic update system for eCommerce sites. Magento 2 further improves website optimization to become more SEO-friendly and mobile-responsive.
Here are the key features that distinguish Magento 2:
- Flexible Website Structure
- Customer Experience Enhancement
- Enhanced Payment Security
- Business Efficiency Optimization
- 50% Improved Load Speeds
- Maintenance and Upgrade Process Simplification
What are the different versions of Magento?
Magento editions are variants of the Magento eCommerce platform developed for specific business requirements. Some of the available Magento editions are Magento Commerce, Magento Open Source, and Magento Commerce Cloud.
Magento open-source
Magento Open Source formerly known as Magento Community is a free, open-source platform that is downloadable to use. Magento Open Source will suit small and medium-sized business ventures that will need a significant level of personalization.
Magento commerce
Magento Commerce, formerly known as Magento Enterprise, is the paid, self-hosted version of the eCommerce platform, designed for larger businesses. It has various advanced functionalities and additional security features and updates. It also provides dedicated support for those who choose to manage their own infrastructure.
Magento commerce cloud
Magento Commerce Cloud is a managed, cloud-based version of Magento Commerce. It offers all the features of Magento Commerce, with added benefits like enhanced scalability, performance, and maintenance. It is an ideal choice for businesses that want to streamline operations without the complexities of self-hosting.
What is the difference between Magento open source and Magento Commerce(Adobe Commerce)?
Their differences lie in the features and support. Magento Open Source is an open-source platform that provides all the essential functionalities for online stores, absolutely free. This makes it possible to customize a user's website, as the extensions are also found on the Magento Marketplace.
Adobe Commerce, formerly Magento Commerce, is the premium version that provides additional features and support. It has advanced tools like customer segmentation, content staging, and personalization. The users of Adobe Commerce also get dedicated technical support provided by Magento experts.
Although the two versions are basically the same core structure, Adobe Commerce has far more features, which are actually designed for large businesses. This includes improved security and performance-enhancing tools, both of which work to better your user experience on your website.
Why use Magento software?
1. Advanced Customization options
Magento is an open-source platform, that allows you to customize and enhance your online store based on your needs. With the source code available, you can make the best of the platform for your business.
Magento gives you the freedom to create a fully branded and customized online store. Its versatility supports a wide range of product types and business models, which makes it the best choice for businesses that anticipate growth and expansion.
2. Multilingual and Multi-Platform Integration Reach Globally
Magento features a strong power of integration based on multilingual and multi-platform integration. Magento will help you in making various language online stores, catering to different regional clients. Thus, this would enhance the expansion to a broader scale for the store and serve diverse clients.
3. Seams integration of the third-party plugin
Magento offers several features that make it easy to manage multiple stores and accounts. It allows easy management of multiple accounts via channel partners and enables users to manage multiple stores simultaneously.
Magento makes it very easy to integrate third-party add-ons and modules into your online store.
It offers complete customization. Shop owners can simply add necessary functionality like Google Analytics and secure payment processors like PayPal., Magento allows integration with other payment gateways, shipping companies, and marketing automation tools as well.
4. Versatile Hosting Option
Magento offers eCommerce stores the flexibility of choosing their own hosting provider. It allows the retailer to opt for a hosting solution that falls within their budget.
Choose Magento hosting that suits your scalability and performance requirements. It assures more operational efficiency and smoother business performance.
5. SEO-Friendly
Magento uses an SEO-friendly content management system, which involves powerful SEO tools such as optimized URLs, XML sitemaps, and layered navigation. Its content management is always updated with the latest ranking factors of search engines. Also, Magento includes URL structure as well as options for meta-implementation to enhance the performance of SEO. Furthermore, the embedded analytics feature, which tracks your website visits, makes it highly useful for gaining increased visibility to your site.
6. Magento for Better Customer Experience
The features of Magento including its page builder CMS and headless commerce ensure flexibility and customization about customer engagement. Segmentation and targeting are also included in the features; thus, the interactions can be more personalized. The multi-site capabilities with responsive themes will lead to visual and functional websites.
The site also features smart search functionality, layered navigation, and AI-powered product recommendations that are based on browsing and purchasing history. All these personalized suggestions increase conversion rates, making for a better shopping experience overall.
7. Custom Catalog Management for Clients
Magento simplifies the management of large product catalogs and categories from one centralized dashboard. You can also create custom catalogs for specific client groups or B2B customers. It enables you to define unique product offerings, pricing, and discounts. The platform supports third-party PIM integrations, providing tailored experiences and simplifying sales processes.
8. Mobile Optimization
Magento is leading the way in mobile web design. It is free and community and business edition is based on HTML5, ensuring that your eCommerce store is totally optimized for mobile shopping. Magento also allows a PWA (Progressive Web App) strategy, providing an app-like experience that enriches the shopping journey across all screen sizes.
9. Advanced Security and Reliable Support Options
Magento supports SSL and TLS certificates. It encrypts data for security purposes while being transmitted between the customer's browser and the merchant's server.
The platform also offers security features, such as secure payment gateways, encryption technology, and regular security updates to protect your online store.
Magento has different certifications, such as developer, solution specialist, and business professional certifications, as well as access to resources such as Magento Community forums, DevDocs, and other forms of support.
Comprehensive sources to help merchants apply best practices in securing their online store and a safe environment for customers.
Why Choose Magento Commerce?
1. Pricing Structure
Magento Commerce offers flexible pricing based on licensing, infrastructure, and required functionality. Here is a breakdown:
- Free Open Source: Magento's Open Source edition is free. It makes it an excellent option for startups and small businesses that want customization without additional costs.
- Licensing: The basic licensing of Magento Commerce begins at $22,000 a year. It is indicative and may vary with the specific requirements of the company or the Gross Merchandise Value (GMV).
- Infrastructure: Infrastructure depends upon your needs and preferences. In some cases, it will add to your bill, and in others, it will be part of your package.
- Basic Functionalities: Magento Commerce offers a wide range of basic features in its pricing to support the setup and running of an e-commerce store effectively.
- Advanced Functionalities: For businesses that require advanced features, the pricing will depend on the functionalities needed.
2. Hosting
Magento Commerce offers a cloud-hosted version known as Adobe Commerce Cloud, which has hosting included within the cost of the software license. This makes it possible for Magento to be flexible in terms of hosting choices, so that businesses can pick the hosting solution that best meets their needs. This applies both to the Open Source version and the Commerce edition.
3. Extensions and Themes
The Magento marketplace contains more than 3,000 extensions designed to meet the diverse needs of eCommerce businesses, from customer communication to sales support. It is, therefore, essential to evaluate your requirements and choose extensions that align with your business objectives.
Magento also provides three free theme templates and two paid themes, which cost $499 each. You can also find a wide range of free and paid Magento themes from third-party providers, which enhance the visual appeal of your online store and provide a better shopping experience for your customers.
4. Inventory Management
Magento Commerce offers a powerful product management system that allows you to efficiently create, organize, and edit products. You can easily control stock levels to meet customer demand. The platform supports various product types, including simple, configurable, and grouped products with different variations, such as size and color.
Magento also provides flexible algorithms and fulfillment methods, helping merchants optimize their order processing to meet customer expectations efficiently.
5. Customer Support
Magento Commerce offers detailed support options such as a dedicated support team and expert resources. In this area, merchants can raise support tickets, track the existing requests, and contact the support team. The Help Center also gives access to the Adobe Solutions library, which provides solutions to common problems.
The support team consists of a Customer Success Engineer (CSE), who helps with onboarding, platform setup, upgrades, and event management, and an Advanced Support Engineer (ASE), who is part of the 24/7 global incident management team for Adobe Commerce on Managed Services. They also provide expert advice on integrations and customizations.
Pros & Cons of Magento Commerce
Every eCommerce platform has its pros and cons. However, knowing the pros and cons of each platform helps you make the right decision when building your online store. Let's have a look:
Pros
- Extensive Customization & Scalability (Supports up to 1,000,000 SKUs)
- Advanced SEO Features
- Easy Third-Party Integrations
- Mobile Optimization
- Magento Community of Experts
- Advance Security
- Easy Store Management
- Smart Product Filtering
- Easy to use Content Management System (CMS)
- Wide Range of Extensions and Plugin
- Customized Catalog Management for Clients
Cons
1. High Maintenance Costs
2. Stiff Learning Curve
3. Need for strong Hosting (VPS, Cloud, or Dedicated Servers)
Conclusion
Magento ecommerce is a powerful eCommerce platform that allows you to fully customize your online store whether you're a small business owner or a large enterprise, Magento eCommerce can help you achieve your sales goals with ease. .These include powerful marketing tools, mobile optimization, and scalability, and thus, it suits businesses of all sizes. Within this context, We also have covered the major features of Magento, namely support for mobile devices, marketing capability, scalability, and a myriad of available payment options. In this context, we also spoke of the major differences that separate Magento versions that will better enable you to make the right choice for your e-commerce needs.