April 3, 2023

What Is Magento eCommerce Platform And Why Should You Use It?

Magento is a highly flexible platform that can be customized and tailored to meet the unique needs of each business. It offers a wide range of extensions and themes that can be used to add new features and functionality to your online store. It was first released in 2008 and has since become one of the most popular eCommerce platforms in the world.

Magento comes in two versions: Magento Open Source, which is free and open to anyone to use and modify, and Magento Commerce, which is a paid version that offers additional features and support. Both versions are highly scalable and suitable for businesses of all sizes, from small startups to large enterprises.

Understanding Magento eCommerce

Magento is an open-source eCommerce platform that provides merchants with a flexible shopping cart system, as well as control over the look, content, and functionality of their online store. It was first released in 2008 and is nowadays owned by Adobe.

Magento is built on the PHP programming language and uses the MySQL database system. It offers a modular architecture, which allows developers to extend and customize the platform according to their needs. Magento also offers a wide range of themes and templates to choose from, as well as a robust set of APIs and integrations with other tools and platforms.

While Magento is a powerful platform, it can be complex to set up and manage. Merchants may need to hire a developer or agency to help them get started with the platform, or to handle ongoing maintenance and support. However, for businesses looking for a scalable and flexible eCommerce solution, Magento can be a great choice.

What Is Magento Commerce?

Magento Commerce is the enterprise version of the Magento eCommerce platform. It provides larger businesses and high-volume merchants with additional features and capabilities to help them manage and grow their online stores. Magento Commerce includes all the features of the open-source Magento platform, as well as additional features designed for larger businesses.

Some of the key features of Magento Commerce include:

• Advanced content management: Magento Commerce includes a more advanced content management system than the open-source version, allowing merchants to create and manage complex content and product pages.
• B2B features: Magento Commerce includes features designed specifically for business-to-business (B2B) transactions, such as customizable price lists, customer-specific catalogs, and account management tools.
• Advanced reporting: Magento Commerce includes advanced reporting capabilities, allowing merchants to create custom reports and dashboards to track sales, customer behavior, and other key metrics.
• Advanced marketing tools: Magento Commerce includes a range of advanced marketing tools, such as personalized product recommendations, abandoned cart recovery, and advanced segmentation.
• Staging and preview: Magento Commerce includes staging and preview tools, allowing merchants to preview changes to their online store before making them live.
• Customer loyalty and rewards: Magento Commerce includes tools to help merchants build customer loyalty and increase repeat purchases, such as customer reward programs and store credit.
• Support and training: Magento Commerce includes access to dedicated support and training resources, to help merchants get the most out of the platform.

However, as an enterprise solution, Magento Commerce comes with a higher price tag than the open-source version and may require additional development and support resources to set up and maintain.

What Is Magento Open Source?

Magento Open Source is a free and open-source e-commerce platform used for creating online stores. It was originally developed by Varien Inc., but is now owned and maintained by Adobe Inc.

Magento Open Source is highly customizable and provides a wide range of features to its users, including product catalog management, customer account creation and management, order management, payment gateway integration, and more.

The platform is built on the PHP programming language and uses MySQL or MariaDB as the database management system. It is also highly extensible through the use of third-party extensions and modules, which can be downloaded from the Magento Marketplace.

As an open-source platform, Magento Open Source is available for free download and use, making it an attractive option for small to medium-sized businesses who want to create an eСommerce site without incurring significant costs. However, it does require technical expertise to set up and manage, so some businesses may opt for the paid version, Magento Commerce, which provides additional features and support.

Magento Commerce vs Magento Open Source – Which Is Better?

The decision between Magento Commerce and Magento Open Source depends on the needs and budget of your business.

Magento Open Source is a free, open-source platform that provides a range of features for creating an online store. It's a great option for small to medium-sized businesses that are just starting and have limited budgets. Magento Open Source offers a wide range of features and flexibility, but it requires technical expertise to set up and manage.

Magento Commerce, on the other hand, is a paid version of Magento that offers more advanced features and support options. It's a better option for large enterprises or businesses with complex needs, high traffic volumes, and specific customization requirements. Magento Commerce provides features such as advanced B2B functionality, customizable checkout pages, and more extensive support services.

If you're looking for a cost-effective solution and have technical expertise, Magento Open Source may be the best option for your business. If you're looking for more advanced features, scalability, and support, Magento Commerce may be a better choice.

Below we will list the pros and cons of the eCommerce platform.

Pros of Magento

• Feature-rich: Magento is a highly customizable and feature-rich platform, offering a wide range of functionalities such as multi-store management, multiple payments, and shipping options, product catalog management, and more.
• Scalability: It can scale up to handle large volumes of traffic and transactions, making it a great option for businesses of all sizes. Open source: Being open source, this platform allows for more flexibility and customization than some other e-commerce platforms.
• Strong community: Magento has a strong community of developers and users who contribute to its development and support.
• SEO-friendly: Magento has built-in SEO features that can help improve the visibility of your online store on search engines.

Cons of Magento

• Complexity: Magento can be complex to set up and requires technical expertise, making it challenging for small businesses without in-house developers or technical resources.
• Hosting Requirements: The platform requires dedicated hosting resources, which can be expensive and require ongoing maintenance and upgrades.
• Cost: While the open-source version of Magento is free, the costs associated with hosting, customization, and development can add up quickly.
• Performance issues: Magento can be resource-intensive, and poorly optimized sites can suffer from slow load times and performance issues.
• Security: Magento has been targeted by hackers in the past, and maintaining the security of your online store requires ongoing attention and resources.

As you can see there are several pros and cons of using Magento, but it is still one of the best decisions for an online store.

Using Magento’s Admin Panels

Magento's Admin Panel is a powerful tool for managing your online store. It provides access to a wide range of features and functionalities, such as managing your product catalog, Magento commerce order management, configuring payment and shipping options, and more. The Admin Panel is user-friendly and customizable, allowing you to tailor it to your specific needs.

Checking Out:

Magento's checkout process is designed to be user-friendly and customizable, providing a smooth and seamless experience for your customers. You can configure various checkout options, such as allowing customers to check out as guests, enabling one-page checkout, and more. Additionally, Magento supports multiple payment and shipping options, allowing you to offer your customers flexibility and choice.

Security:

Magento takes security very seriously and provides various built-in security features to protect your online store from threats such as hacking, malware, and data breaches. These features include secure payment gateways, SSL support, and advanced user management options. However, it's important to keep in mind that maintaining the security of your online store requires ongoing attention and updates.

Extensions:

The platform offers a vast library of extensions and plugins that can help you enhance the functionality of your online store. These extensions range from simple plugins that add new features to more complex solutions that integrate with third-party systems. While extensions can provide additional functionality, it's essential to choose them carefully and ensure they are compatible with your version of Magento.

Customer Support:

Magento provides a range of customer support options, including a knowledge base, community forums, and paid support services. The knowledge base provides access to a wide range of resources, including user guides, tutorials, and troubleshooting articles. Community forums allow you to connect with other Magento users and developers and get help with specific issues. Paid support services provide more extensive help, such as phone support and dedicated account managers.

Who should use Magento?

Magento is suitable for all businesses, from small startups to large enterprises. It is particularly well-suited for businesses that need a flexible and customizable eCommerce solution that can handle a large number of products, complex product catalogs, and multiple storefronts.

Magento will be appropriate for:

• Online retailers with many products, complex product configurations, and multiple storefronts.
• B2B businesses need a platform that can handle complex pricing structures, order workflows, and integration with third-party systems.
• Large enterprises require advanced customization and integration capabilities, as well as high performance and scalability.
• Businesses that require a platform that can support multiple languages, currencies, and payment options.
• Businesses need a platform that can be easily integrated with other systems, such as CRM, ERP, and POS systems.

However, it's important to note that Magento can be complex and requires technical expertise to set up and maintain. Therefore, businesses that do not have in-house technical expertise or resources may need to hire a Magento developer or partner with a Magento agency to get the most out of the platform.

Should I Choose Magento 1 or Magento 2?

If you are considering using Magento for your eСommerce platform, it is essential to note that Magento 1 is no longer supported. While Magento 1 may still work, it will no longer receive security updates or patches, making it a less secure option. Therefore, we recommend choosing Magento 2 for your eСommerce platform.

You can read below what is Magento 2 and some reasons why you should choose Magento 2 over Magento 1:

• Performance: Magento 2 is faster and more efficient than Magento 1, which translates to better page load times, faster checkout, and an overall better user experience.
• Security: Magento 2 has stronger security features than Magento 1, making it less vulnerable to security threats and attacks.
• Mobile-friendly: Magento 2 is mobile-responsive out of the box, making it easier to build a mobile-friendly e-commerce site.
• Improved admin interface: The admin interface in Magento 2 is more intuitive and user-friendly than in Magento 1, making it easier to manage your e-commerce site.
• More features and functionality: Magento 2 includes many new features and functionality, such as improved search capabilities, streamlined checkout, and better integrations with third-party systems.

Magento 2 is a more advanced and secure eСommerce platform than Magento 1 and is the recommended

Bottom Line

Magento is a powerful open-source eСommerce platform that allows businesses to create and manage their online stores. At Stfalcon we offer Magento eСommerce platform development services, we have a team of experienced Magento developers who can help businesses build custom Magento stores that are tailored to their specific needs. This includes designing and developing the website, integrating payment gateways, configuring shipping options, and setting up product catalogs. If you are interested, just contact us, and we’ll discuss everything you would like to know.