Adobe recently announced that Magento would enter the end-of-life (EOL) on September 8, 2022. This means that Magento will no longer be receiving official support from Adobe, and Adobe Commerce will replace it. If your business is currently using Magento, you must migrate to a different eCommerce platform. This blog post will discuss what you need to know about the Magento EOL announcement and how it could impact your business.
Magento EOL means that Adobe will no longer release new security patches or provide support for Magento bugs. This leaves businesses using Magento vulnerable to security threats and stability issues. Additionally, Magento EOL will impact any extensions or integrations built on top of the current version of Magento.
Magento Commerce Optimization Tips:
Performance Optimization:
- Caching: Improve page load times by leveraging Magento’s in-built Full Page Cache (FPC) and Varnish Cache mechanisms.
- Image Optimization: Use lazy load techniques along with image resizing and image compression to improve the image load time on the eCommerce Store.
- Minification and Combining: Improving load speed requires minifying and synthesizing CSS and JavaScript files.
- Server Optimization: Reliable and scalable hosting is vital for optimizing your eCommerce solution on Magento. The content delivery network, cache mechanism, and server resources are critical for Magento optimization.
- Database Optimization: Enhancing query performance requires database table optimization through various database cleaning tools.
User Experience (UX) Optimization:
- Mobile-First Design: Since 80% of eCommerce transactions come from mobile devices, your eCommerce store must be optimized for all mobile devices and resolutions for superior user experience.
- Simplified Navigation: Your store’s navigation system should be clear, simple, self-explanatory, and intuitive so that customers can conveniently search for products of their choice.
- High-Quality Product Information: To increase customer confidence, provide all vital product information with HDR images and genuine customer reviews.
- Fast Checkout Process: Offer a one-click checkout option and streamline the entire process by reducing steps, integrating security features, and using multiple payment gateways.
- Search Functionality: Offer AI-powered search features to help customers find their products quickly. Provide relevant information, attributes, similar products, and personalization for quick buying decisions.
Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO):
- A/B Testing: eCommerce development solution should offer an A/B testing feature to compare and evaluate multiple design, layout, typography, and CTA button options to adapt to the most convenient version of your eCommerce store.
- Personalized Recommendations: Magento offers many built-in features, such as product recommendations and personalization based on customers’ shopping history, search history, and behavior.
- Promotions: An eCommerce store must run targeted and personalized marketing campaigns to enhance customers experience to make their shopping decisions.
- Retargeting Campaigns: eCommerce stores must track abandoned carts and customer search histories to run retargeting campaigns for specific categories to inspire buying.
- Optimize Product Pages: Continuously optimize product information, category page content, product image, and product rating and reviews to increase conversation rates.
Additional Tips:
- Security: Keep your Magento eCommerce website fully protected against cyber threats with the highest security measures and continuously update security with the latest encryption, authentication, and more.
- SEO Optimization: Search Engine Optimization is critical for an eCommerce store for the consistently high ranking of keywords and featuring products and blogs on search engines to improve reach and engagements.
- Analytics Integration: Magento allows the integration of analytics solutions to track customer behavior, monitor marketing campaigns, and observe competitors to improve bottom lines.
What Does It Mean When a Product Reaches EOL?
The end-of-life (EOL) stage is the final stage of a product’s lifecycle. Once a product reaches EOL, extended support is no longer available, and new security patches are not released. This can leave businesses vulnerable to security threats and stability issues. If your business is using Magento, it is vital to start planning a migration to a different eCommerce platform.
Why Make Changes Before Magento EOL?
Security Flaws and Deficiencies
Any business using Magento after the EOL for its eCommerce needs is hazardous. Magento’s end-of-life (EOL) is set for September 8, 2022, and store owners must make changes to ensure their business is not left behind.
After EOL, there will be no more security updates or patches released for Magento, leaving stores vulnerable to attack. Hackers can exploit any flaws or deficiencies in the system, putting your store and customer information at risk.
In addition, your brand reputation could be damaged if you are seen as using an outdated and insecure platform. Making the switch to a new eCommerce platform may seem like a daunting task, but it is essential to protecting your business. With so much at stake, there is no reason to wait. Businesses using Magento for ecommerce development should make the necessary changes now.
No Software Support
When a software program reaches the end of its life, the manufacturer will no longer provide support for it. This can pose a serious risk to users, as they will no longer have access to upgrades or security patches.
This can lead to compliance difficulties and security issues. In the case of Magento, the end-of-life is scheduled for September 8, 2022. This means that users still using Magento must find an alternative before that time. Failure to do so could result in severe consequences.
Risk of Data Breach
As any business owner knows, data security is essential. A data breach can lead to financial losses and damage to your reputation and relationship with your customers. That’s why making changes before Magento’s end-of-life is essential.
Migrating your data to a new platform lowers the risk of a breach, and it also helps to ensure that you won’t lose any data if there is a problem with the platform. If you wait until after Magento’s end-of-life, you could risk your business. So make the switch now and help keep your business safe.
Quality and Features
As the end of life for Magento 2.3 approaches, it’s essential to ensure that you are preparing to make changes. Magento will no longer add new features or improve its quality as the EOL approaches. This means you’ll need to ensure that your site runs on a different eCommerce platform before Magento’s end-of-life date. Additionally, you should take this opportunity to review your site and ensure it’s running smoothly. If any areas need improvement, now is the time to make those changes. By taking these steps, you can ensure that your site continues to run smoothly and efficiently after Magento 2.3 reaches its end of life.
Security Best Practices for Magento Commerce:
Always Update:
Do you often keep the doors open? A dated Magento eCommerce store can be a sweet spot for hackers, who are always in search of cyber vulnerabilities. Ensure that your Magento eCommerce store is updated with the latest version and that all the plug-ins are updated as well. It was found that 56% of old Magento eCommerce stores were hacked.
Strong Passwords are King & Queen:
An eCommerce store that can easily be hacked must have weak passwords. Setting strong and unbreakable passwords for admin accounts is the key to protecting data, plug-ins, and a system. Use a mix of all – numbers, alphabets, and special characters to generate strong passwords. 81% of security breaches used weak passwords.
Two-Factor Authentication (2FA):
There is nothing wrong with being doubly sure about the security of the Magento eCommerce store. 2FA is a second lock on your data and applications. Either you need an OTP from your mobile device or a secret key from your email provider to get access. It is witnessed that 99.9% of cyberattacks were prevented due to 2-factor authentication.
Suspicious Activity? Block It!
Magento development offers built-in security features that protect your eCommerce store from suspicious cyber activities. Businesses can opt for an IP-blocking feature to restrict access from specific locations. You can also prevent login after a certain number of attempts.
Keep Extensions Up-to-Date:
Magento eCommerce stores are usually equipped with various extensions. These additional functionalities help eCommerce stores meet customers’ expectations and provide support. It is imperative to keep those extensions safe and updated. If dated, replace it with a better extension and remove the dated ones.
Regular Security Scans:
Wouldn’t you look for damages in your home? To protect your Magento eCommerce store, you need to constantly scan your systems and databases for vulnerabilities. Fix those errors and bugs immediately to secure your eCommerce store. It was found that 48% of web applications have critical vulnerabilities.
What Are My Options?
Magento 2.3 end-of-life is coming soon, and you need to consider what eCommerce platform you will migrate to. There are many options, and it can be overwhelming to figure out which is right for you. That’s where Sigma Solve comes in. We can help you assess your needs and find the perfect platform for your business. We have three options for you to choose from, and we’ll help you every step of the way, from planning to execution.
nopCommerce
The nopCommerce development platform is a full-featured, on-premise eCommerce shopping cart management system that retailers of all sizes can use. Its popularity and ease of use have made it a favorite among many online businesses today!
Shopify
Shopify is an advanced, flexible e-commerce platform that can help you launch and manage your business. It’s easy for anyone to shopify audit and set up a store—no technical skills are required! And when you use the Shopify POS app with hardware such as tablets or Bluetooth scanners, it becomes even more effective in generating sales at any location.
BigCommerce
BigCommerce is an easy-to-use, web-based eCommerce platform that saves your business time and money by providing cloud features you can’t get anywhere else. It’s perfect for established and rapidly growing businesses looking to expand their reach. With enterprise features, such as an online payment system and analytics, into one platform for ordering fulfillment services, BigCommerce is the best choice for expanding your business into new markets while cutting costs.
Conclusion:
Magento 2.3 will reach EOL on September 8, 2022. If your business is currently using Magento, you must migrate to a different eCommerce platform immediately. Sigma Solve has many eCommerce platforms to choose from, so we can help you find the perfect solution for your business. Are you ready for digital transformation? Contact us today for more information.
