Migration to Magento 2
It has been known since 2018 that Magento 1 will no longer be officially supported after June 2020. We recommend all merchants with a Magento 1 based shop to take the appropriate measures to secure their shop after this date. One option is to switch to Magento 2.
What does a migration from Magento 1 to Magento 2 mean?
A migration is not an update
Except for the database with product, customer and order data, no information can be transferred from Magento 1 to Magento 2. Switching to Magento 2 is like building a new home. Your furniture – the data – can be moved. Be prepared for all other parts to be recreated.
For some functions there will be an equivalent for Magento 2, for example for modules from payment providers.
Magento 2 is not suitable for everyone
If we stick to the metaphor of the house, Magento 1 is a simple wooden house, while Magento 2 is a modern stone house. The necessary budget and the longer construction time are rewarded by higher stability, expandability and performance.
For smaller shops with an annual turnover of less than 500,000 euros, we advise against using Magento 2. The target group of Magento 2 is different from Magento 1.
Magento is moving up-market.
Advantages of Magento 2
For many years Magento 1 was a good choice for various e-commerce projects. But today a more modern, high-performance base is needed. Magento 2 has got this covered it’s a stable solution with the now released version 2.3.
Designed for large shops
Due to its focus on online shops with high revenues, Magento 2 is an e-commerce platform that has grown in terms of stability, performance and solidity even with large numbers of visitors and numerous orders.
Preview of changes
From a small text change on a product text to the complete revision of a page, Magento 2 Commerce allows changes to be planned in advance and previewed at any time to make sure changes look as planned.
Warehouse Management
Developed by the community, Magento 2 includes a Multi Source Inventory (MSI), which makes it possible to store several stocks for a product. It also adds a control over which point of sale accesses which storage location.
Intuitive CMS Editor
In Magento 2 Commerce, the PageBuilder is available, which allows to create content pages by drag & drop. Various predefined elements are available, which can be arranged and adapted by mouse click.
Continuous improvement
Not only Magento’s internal team, but several hundred developers worldwide ensure that Magento 2 is continuously improved. This willingness of the community to perform gives Magento and therefore the shop operators a big advantage. These optimizations are available to all Magento dealers with every new version released of Magento 2.
Ready for B2B
Online sales to companies has special requirements. Approval processes of offers, discount granting after offer creation, simple reordering and individual prices per customer are some of the functions contained in the B2B Suite for Magento 2 Commerce. With this package, a Magento 2 online store meets the requirements for B2B commerce.
Technical innovations
Even behind the scenes Magento 2 stands out from its predecessor.
Automated testing
Magento 2 is equipped with automated tests so that after each adjustment, you can check if the shop’s functions have remained functional. This ensures the shop’s reliability.
Improved API
Many functions in Magento 2 can be accessed via API, making it easier to link and synchronize the online store with external systems and interfaces, such as an ERP or CRM tool.
Prepared for PWA
Progressive Web Apps are conquering the mobile web by linking smartphone features to websites. For example, an online store as a PWA can send push messages.
Varnish Integration
Varnish enables a faster display of websites by storing them in virtual memories, even if they contain extensive, dynamic content – exactly the right thing for personalized online shops.
Our mission
We accompany your project from the concept to the finished shop and beyond.
Every online shop has a unique combination of workflows, product catalog and interfaces to other systems. Magento 2 is a perfect foundation, but changes are always necessary to adapt the software to the specific requirements and legal framework. In order to be able to rely on a proper functioning of the adaptation even in critical areas such as order processing, these changes should be performed by experts of Magento 2.
This is where we come in. We know both Magento 1 and Magento 2 inside and out thanks to our many years of experience. We know what is possible in the default system and what is not. We also know the pitfalls of running Magento 2, from hosting and deployment to marketing and UX optimization. Our work always has a long-term orientation. Therefore, adaptations to the shop are implemented to be maintainable, secure and updatable even after years.
In order to be able to advise our customers on current developments in e-commerce and innovations at Magento, we regularly participate at important Magento events. Thanks to this view of the bigger picture, we can proactively make suggestions for optimizing your online shop. You will also benefit from our excellent network in the German and international community.
Our approach
With these steps we lead your project from idea to realization.
Conception
Initially, we advise you extensively, clarify the requirements and create a concept for the implementation of the project with particularly detailed planning of interfaces.
Realization
The development of your shop project is done using agile methods, so that we can react quickly to feedback. In doing so we pay attention to current development standards.
Optimization
After carefully transferring existing data to the new shop and putting it into operation, we are ready for further optimizations, accompanying your team with their first tasks in the new store.
What you should expect from your project
Review your budget
Your planned budget should be sufficient for the project. Otherwise you will not be successful and satisfied with the result. Of course, the necessary budget strongly depends on the requirements, but experience has shown that it is at least five figures.
We will be happy to provide you with more concrete numbers after clarifying the requirements and frame conditions of your project.
Migration takes time
Two aspects are important for scheduling: First, the availability of the agency, as many shop operators currently want to switch to Magento 2. You should therefor expect a few months’ lead time before the start of your project.
Secondly, switching to Magento 2 requires time. Usually a migration takes months rather than weeks. In addition, a conception phase is important to clarify the requirements before the start of implementation.
Take advantage of the change
Many stores run on the same platform for years. Over time, they accumulate a number of functions and integrations, some of which lose their necessity. Migrating to Magento 2 is the perfect time to cut off old customs. If only those features are implemented in Magento 2 that really benefit you, resources can be used more effectively. Besides, a shop with fewer features is often clearer and faster.
Alternatives to Magento 2
As mentioned above, Magento 2 is not the best solution for all shops. These are some popular alternatives:
Magento LTS
LTS is short for Long Term Support. The Magento community is behind this fork, a copy of Magento 1. it is unclear how security problems will be solved from June 2020 onwards.
MageOne
MageOne is a German company founded by Magento experts with the goal to provide security patches at a fee for Magento 1 after June 2020. A cooperation with Magento LTS is not planned.
Change over to SaaS system
With software as a service such as Shopify or plentymarkets, the flexibility for change requests is usually somewhat limited, but there is usually no need to worry about topics such as hosting.
You can find more information about what options shop owners have
besides Magento 2 in our article Magento 1 or Magento 2? A Guidebook.
What plans do you have for your online shop?
Let’s discuss the requirements of your project and determine together whether Magento 2 is a suitable option.