Magento is an eCommerce platform that started as an open-source platform but was bought by Adobe in 2018.
If you run an online store built in Magento, now might be a very good time to look for good alternatives to Magento.
Now is the time to talk with the eCommerce specialists at Concise Digital. We can help you understand your various eCommerce options and recommend the best approach for you and your business.
What’s Wrong With Magento?
Targets for Online Hackers
Magento online stores were already targets for online hackers, but after June 2020 it got much worse.
The Magento V1 software no longer receives any security updates from Adobe. For Magento V1 stores, this is called ‘End-of-Life’ or EOL.
As the owner of a Magento V1 online shop, you will need to migrate to alternative eCommerce software, or risk having your site hacked and infected with code that steals customers’ payment details. (This is happening already with Magento stores. It’s going to get worse.)
You could migrate to Magento v2. The latest Magento version is the 2.x branch, which has security patches on a regular basis. Migration from Magento V1 to Magento V2 is possible but can be complicated and problematic. And why would you bother? We think the smartest move is to move away from Magento.
Other Platforms Offer More Value For Money
In our view, Magento used to be a good option for eCommerce, but now that it’s part of Adobe, Magento has changed.
Magento salespeople will tell you that the new Magento is better, but we no longer recommend it.
This is mainly because we want to always deliver great eCommerce solutions that are flexible, always reliable and secure.
Plus our clients want “value for money” and we think there are better alternatives to Magento.
Complex & Costly
Magento is a very large and complicated platform. This means you will need specialist developers to work on it. Any customisations will be time-consuming on Magento compared to other eCommerce platforms, which can be more costly in the long run.
The Best Alternatives to Magento
Now is the time to look at better alternatives to Magento. There are several excellent alternative eCommerce systems that are solid and secure, highly functional and reliable, and with well-supported software platforms.
PrestaShop
PrestaShop is a free open-source enterprise eCommerce system from France. PrestaShop is an excellent alternative to Magento for larger enterprise eCommerce stores. Concise Digital is a PrestaShop Certified Partner, the leading PrestaShop agency in Australia, and the only certified PrestaShop development agency in Australia.
Shopify
Shopify is a fully hosted online shopping platform, with a monthly fee. Shopify may be a good option, and Shopify Plus is an option for larger stores. Concise Digital is a Shopify partner and one of Australia’s most experienced Shopify development and design agencies. As certified Shopify experts, we can help you unlock the full potential of Shopify.
WooCommerce
WooCommerce is another option and can be an ideal alternative to Magento for smaller online stores. We’ve been building WooCommerce websites for over 15 years and have earned the trust of hundreds of growing businesses across Australia.
