While Magento does offer an Enterprise version for large retailers, most businesses will be interested in their open source community edition. This version has been around since 2007. Today, it hosts over 150,000 stores including big names like Toms Shoes. Read our Magento CE review below.
OverviewMagento bills itself as a fully customizable platform that comes loaded with features. While this may be true, there are some things you should be aware of upfront. Magento is not especially easy to use. You will have to be fairly tech savvy to build and operate a store. Otherwise, your company will have to have the resources to hire a professional developer. Magento may be free and customizable, but it is not meant for beginners.
Tech Specs and Limitations
It probably can’t be said enough: Magento requires some pretty impressive coding skills. If that doesn’t describe you, then you should look for a different eCommerce platform. In addition, Magento lacks some major tools that are a part of any shopping platform. You will need to purchase:
While open source software is free to download, that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t involve certain costs.
Installation
To download Magento, all you have to do is visit their website. The software is completely free. However, you will have to purchase a domain and provide hosting. Any site created through Magento is meant to stand on its own. If you have an existing website and want to add a shopping cart function, keep shopping.
Scalability
While there are some exceptions, Magento is capable of growing with your business. Most companies that choose Magento will already be well-established and running a medium-sized operation. The fully customizable platform can easily expand as you add products and options. Also, you can always opt for the Enterprise solution. This plan is meant for truly large-scale businesses. Enterprise services start at $15,000 per year.
Reputation
Magento has a reputation as an industry leader. However, it is not known for ease of use. In 2011, the founders sold the company to eBay and their X.commerce division. Since then, the platform has been on shaky ground. It hasn’t been a smooth transition to new management, and one of the original developers has left altogether. This could result in significant changes in the coming months. It is something to keep an eye on.
Why Choose Magento eCommerce Software?
If you have access to a Magento expert, then you can design a unique site and offer plenty of features. The platform provides a reliable, feature-rich foundation. From there you can run a medium to large size business.
Key FeaturesExperts also confidently recommend Magento, but they are also quick to point out that the program may not be for everyone. While users certainly seem to be pleased with the program, Magneto is really aimed towards more established businesses that plan to list a significant inventory.Small businesses who are just getting started would be better off going with a cloud-based option that includes hosting and security. This is the only reasons that critics don’t endorse Magneto across the board as an optimal all-around solution.
Larger businesses with technical resources who are looking to create a store that can keep up with rapid growth will be well served by choosing Magento. The program is incredibly flexible and scalable. Just remember that you will have to do a lot of troubleshooting on your own, especially if you don’t opt for one of a more extensive package.
For the right business, Magento is a great solution and receives high ratings from experts. The key is to know your needs and that you find a platform that aligns with your skill level, resources, and goals.
The vast majority of users who took the time to write a review were extremely likely to recommend Magento to others. Here are a few of features that were continually praised by satisfied customers:
Consumer reviews of Magento are overwhelmingly positive. Users commonly award it a perfect score.They are so happy with the product that any negative reviews sound more like suggestions than critics.After looking at a wide range of feedback on the program, there were two common threads when it came to room for improvement.
Beyond these two complaints, there were no other overriding themes when it came to weak spots in the program.
Design & CustomizationOne of the big advantages of choosing an open source platform is unlimited design options. Magento comes with plenty of free themes to choose from. You can also purchase a theme from a third-party developer. The quality of the themes can vary since they are created by developers from around the world. The good news is that there is an impressive number of truly attractive options. Just remember that even a theme will require a good bit of coding to finalize your storefront.
| Feature | Overview |
| Website Builder Interface | The backend is where things start to get messy. There are a ton of options. In theory, this is a good thing. However, it makes for a crowded and confusing interface. Even an expert coder can end up feeling overwhelmed by so many choices. It doesn’t help that some of the menus and navigation features just don’t seem to make sense. You can end up spending way too much time searching for pages that seem randomly organized. |
| Content Management | Adding simple page text is straightforward. However, adding products can be complicated. Product “attributes” are split into groups, and the organization can quickly become confusing. An experienced developer may not have problems. But for most people there is a steep learning curve involved. |
| Mobile Site Building | Magento allows you to integrate a mobile version of your website. Again, this is something best left to an expert, but the capability is there. This is an essential feature of any online business. |
| Access to CSS and HTML | Magento exclusively uses PHP. You or your developer will have to be fluent in this coding language. |
Features & Tools When it comes to managing orders, there are no limits. Magento comes with some great basic features. From there you can customize options through coding or add plugins. Each section of our site can be as robust as you want.
| Feature | Overview |
| App Integration | The Magento marketplace offers thousands of apps that can be easily integrated into your website. The search tools make it easy to locate the tools you need. Also, the prices are clearly displayed, and a five-star rating system provides a quick look at the quality of the app. |
| eBay and Amazon Integration | Since Magento is owned by eBay, the integration is smooth. You can access an extensive list of eBay extensions to help sell your products. The platform can also be integrated with Amazon. These extensions do come with a price tag, though. Be prepared to spend a few hundred dollars to partner with Amazon. |
| Language Support | If you want to handle international sales, there is an app for that. Different language packages will allow you to provide translations and language tools. Choose from a variety of free and paid options. |
| Hosting, Security, and PCI compliance | With Magento, you are responsible for providing hosting and security. Most Magento businesses are large enough to provide their servers. Otherwise, you will have to partner with a hosting service. Perhaps most importantly, you will have to take steps to improve site security. Otherwise, customers won’t feel comfortable supplying their sensitive information. You can shop modules in the Magento marketplace. Just be sure to look for PCI compliant payment processors. |
| Bandwidth and Storage | Again, this depends on your individual setup. Every server and hosting provider comes with different limitations. Magento is fully scalable. It will be up to you to choose the best options to accommodate your store. |
| Payment Processing | Magento can be integrated with just about any payment gateway. Choose from PayPal, authorize.net, and 2Checkout. You can partner with industry leaders to provide trusted and reliable checkout services. |
| Shopping Cart Plugins and Add-ons | The great part about the open source software is that it is continually being improved. Developers are always creating new plugins to solve problems. You are almost guaranteed to find a plugin that addresses any problem you might encounter. |
| Order Management | The admin panel displays all your vital order information. Unfortunately, the show isn’t exactly visually appealing. This makes it difficult to navigate. If you want to access quickly specific information, it can be difficult. |
| Inventory Management | Magento’s inventory management tools are quite helpful. You can customize tax rates and highlight best-selling products. Everything can be molded to fit your needs. |
| Abandoned Carts | The Magento marketplace offers many abandoned cart plugins. You can easily find a free version to fit your needs. This will allow you to email customers abandoned their carts and improve your conversion rates. |
| Security Features | This is one area where you will have to be diligent about adding the right plugins. Out of the box, Magento doesn’t offer any protections. You will need to make sure that you take appropriate measures to ensure security. |
| Payment Card Industry (PCI) Certification | While Magento isn’t PCI certified, practically every payment processor is. It is just a matter of integrating the processor that will work best for you and your customers. Any Magento site can be integrated with big name processors. |
| Gift Certificates, Deals, and Coupons | Unfortunately, Magento CE doesn’t offer gift certificates or store credits. These features are exclusive to the Enterprise plan. However, you can easily offer coupons to your customers. In some cases, this may require purchasing another plugin. |
| Tax and Shipping Calculators | All of your tax and shipping settings are completely customizable. The biggest challenge is finding exactly where to make these changes. You may have to spend some time searching for options before you find the ones you want. |
| Shipment Tracking | Both you and your customers can easily track orders and packages. Partner with major shipping companies and customers will receive a unique tracking number. The entire process will be automated so that you can focus on other aspects of your business. |
| Marketing | Marketing tools are a real strength for Magento. You can
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| Reporting | Magento also comes with plenty of reporting tools to track your website performance. You can track top performing products. This will help with promotional efforts. Also, you can view exactly how customers are navigating to your site and research popular search terms. If that isn’t enough, integrating Google Analytics is as easy as pasting a snippet of code. All the marketing tools you could want are at your fingertips. |
Plans & Pricing Magento Community Edition is Free! (sort of). Yes, downloading the software is free. From there expenses quickly add up. Purchasing a domain is super affordable. Even hosting services can be bought pretty cheaply. The real cost comes with adding functionality to your site. A payment processor is going to come with a price tag. As will most other plugins. You also have to take into account the price of paying to keep a developer on staff. The cost of maintaining a Magento supported site can be significant. This is exactly why it is best suited for medium to large size companies. You will need to have a certain level of resources to use Magento.
Customer Support When it comes to open source platforms, support can be limited. This is particularly the case of Magento. You will be on your own when it comes to troubleshooting problems. That makes it all the more important to work with an experienced developer. There simply aren’t a lot of resources for coders outside of community forums. However, even these only offer limited help. Unlike other open source platforms, Magento doesn’t have a particularly active community.
If you do some searching on their website, you can find an 800 number and a general email address. These are more for sales purposes, though. You won’t be able to get direct technical support. Typically, platforms will, at least, provide an extensive knowledge base or library of video tutorials. Again, this isn’t the case with Magento. Be prepared to do your problem solving without any outside assistance.
Ease of Use Store Setup
Downloading the software and choosing a theme is easy. However, there are a few more things you will have to do to create a fully functional store. You will need to purchase a domain and choose a hosting service. Adding security will be an additional concern and cost. The best way to ensure an easy setup is to hire a developer with Magento experience.
Products Management
Magento comes with an extensive list of features. An experienced developer can take these standard features to a whole new level. The proper coding can create interesting product pages and displays. The one drawback is that the backend’s hard to navigate. Options are always nice, but in this case, Magento offers so many that is can feel overwhelming.
Conclusion Is Magento CE the Right Choice to Build Your Online Store?
Maybe. While Magento has a strong reputation and is used by hundreds or thousands of businesses, it isn’t for everyone. If you have a large business that sells thousands of products, then Magento provides a flexible and scalable option. It can grow with you and be fully customized. For established businesses, it may be well worth the cost. Just keep in mind that is will require a professional developer. Magento is not for startup businesses on a shoestring budget.
Reasons Why You Should Choose Magento over the Competitors
It is feature rich, scalable and fully customizable. You will have the freedom to create a unique store that best serves your customers and highlights your products. There is no need to worry about limitations. Magento will allow you to take your site and your business wherever you want.
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