There Are Many Reasons Why You Should Upgrade to Magento 2

With support for Magento 1 coming to an end, it is important that e-commerce websites do everything in their power to continue to be recognised by their target market.

It was back in 2014 that users were provided with the opportunity to see what Magento 2 was all about. This e-commerce platform had already been a success with online businesses, as it provided them with an intuitive shopping cart system as well as control over the design of their store. What’s more, it also came with a wealth of functions. However, since the initial release of Magento 2, both 1 and 2 have been running in parallel but now the support for Magento 1 has ceased, now is the time to upgrade.

Should You Upgrade to Magento 2?

If you have been using Magento 1 then you are going to be in for a surprise because Magento 2 is totally different. It won’t be a simple case of moving across from Magento 1 to Magento 2.

You are going to need to spend time understanding the changes so you can make the upgrade in the right way. While Magento 1 was a huge success, it was clunky but now, the new Magento 2 has made several significant changes.

It comes with streamlined admin processes while it is more intuitive to use, giving users a more immersive experience. So, why should you upgrade?

The Directory Has Been Streamlined

Users will no longer have to spend time organising and searching for files because they have chosen to reduce the number of root directories down to five from nine. This enhances store management, making the process faster.

Enhanced Usability

The navigation interface of Magento 2 has been improved, making it possible for users to find what they need. As a result, the Magento 2 dashboard now includes the following information:

Lifetime Sales
Average Order
Last Orders
Last and Top Search Terms
Revenue Tax
Shipping
Quantity
Bestsellers
Customers

If users require migration capabilities then the native Data Migration Tool can take care of transferring existing data.

Implementation of the Latest Technologies

The experience of using Magento 2 is enhanced through the implementation of some of the best technologies currently available. This provides a slicker experience and minimum hassle.

No requirement to install a third-party module as it uses Varnish caching
New product uploads are more efficient through the Product Creation tool.
It’s possible to link videos to products
Additional Javascript can be added without problems as Prototype has been removed.

Improved Experience for Shoppers

While Magento is for business owners, it also has to provide an efficient and user-friendly shopping experience for consumers. As a result, Magento 2 comes with:

Product images included within the order summary
Checkout includes easier registration for shoppers
Incorporates a range of payment solutions such as PayPal, WorldPay, Cybersource and Braintree
Consumers can make use of the Guest Checkout feature while those who have registered previously will have their information provided to them.
Enhanced security as well as improved hashing algorithms.

Improvement of the Framework

Business owners and e-commerce users have fed into the changes made to Magento 2. This has resulted in several changes to the framework and this includes:

Compatibility with both PHP 7 and HHVM
Magento Marketplace has incorporated Magento Connect and all extensions are being actively monitored by the Magento Team
It’s possible to transfer the majority of Magento extensions from significant extension providers into Magento 2 while keeping their functionalities.

Improves Loading Speed With Image Compression

Javascript, CSS and HTML are all minimised while images are compressed to improve loading times.

Also Read: Shopify Markets and your eCommerce Store

Slow loading times are commonly caused by images that have not been optimised and in particular, high-resolution images can also use a large portion of bandwidth causing speed issues. Therefore, if they are fully optimised it will provide a faster, more immersive experience for users while reducing bounce rates and discarded shopping baskets.

New Revenue-Based Pricing Model

Instead of using the per-licence pricing structure, they have opted to implement a new revenue-based model. This is based on the different tiers of Gross Merchandise Volume (GMV) and so, e-commerce businesses can use new servers without being penalised and instead they pay a single fee.

Magento 2 is Worth the Wait

Through all of its changes over the last few years, Magento 2 has made some significant improvements. These changes are going to bring a wealth of benefits to e-commerce websites and so, many businesses are likely to see improvements if they make the upgrade to Magento 2.

For further advice about the way in which Magento 2 can enhance your business, get in touch today or get a quote? We also have an array of e-commerce solutions that could help your business, so take a look.