It was not so long ago that companies who wished to take the plunge into eCommerce had to either commission a bespoke platform built specifically for their needs, or engage with one of the large enterprise level platform providers. Both options required deep pockets with costs quickly surpassing six figures. Then along came open source.
The largest and most well-known open source platform is Magento eCommerce; a fully-functional enterprise level solution. You need only view Magento’s impressive client list which includes Paul Smith, The North Face, Nespresso and Nike, each of whom use Magento to power their online stores to realise they must be doing something right!
But, is it right for your business? Here are some of the pros and cons of the world’s fastest growing eCommerce platform:
Pros
Open Source
The big advantage of Magento is that it’s open source, meaning that the code is publicly available and royalty free. Open source technology offers your business ultimate flexibility making it possible for you to modify the platform to fit your requirements, which isn’t always available with other eCommerce platforms.
Community
Magento has a growing community of passionate developers, users, and providers. The benefit to your business is that answers to common problems are easily accessible and help is on hand no matter how bespoke your requirements.
Advanced Functions
Magento is considered to be the most advanced eCommerce platform available on the market. If your business needs are complex i.e. they require non-standard eCommerce practices, such as personalisation of products, Magento has the capability to do it through its vast array of available plug-ins.
Integration
One of the headaches with any eCommerce project is the integration with third party systems such as payment gateways, delivery providers and ePOS systems. Magento is now so widespread that most large organisations (Google, PayPal, SagePay, Royal Mail) have developed specific Magento APIs that greatly simplify the integration process.
Cons
Less intuitive than other providers
To the uninitiated, the Magento platform can seem very complex. If you are using Magento for the first time, you might need the help of a professional who can guide you through the process. There may be other platforms on the market that are more user-friendly.
Lack of Developers
Magento has grown rapidly and, as such, Magento experts/developers are in high demand – there simply aren’t enough to go around. As a result there are many who claim to be proficient with Magento, but few who are truly experts. Fortunately, we have several based here at Graphic Alliance, ready to take your call.
Specific Hosting Environment
In order to work effectively, Magento must be setup on the correct server environment. Failure to choose the right environment may have an impact upon on the loading speed of the site and, more importantly, your sales. Hosting is something that should not be overlooked but yet often is. To get the best out of your website, whichever eCommerce platform you choose, you’ll need to ensure that your hosting package is right for the platform. It must offer enough bandwidth to cope with your anticipated traffic levels and be secure and PCI compliant especially if you are taking payment online.
Now that you are aware of some of the pros and cons of Magento, you’ll be able to make a more informed decision as to whether it’s the right eCommerce platform for your business.
For more information on Magento visit: http://www.magentocommerce.com/. If you would like to chat with the Graphic Alliance team for more advice on Magento, please email: hello@graphicalliance.co.uk
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