Magento is one of the leading ecommerce platforms globally for a reason – it’s continuously looking to improve its offering and not resting on its laurels.
As such, with each new iteration, Magento is bringing something to the table and looking to improve the ecommerce capabilities of retailers around the planet. Magento 2.2.2, 2.2.3 and 2.2.4 have all been released to bring new benefits to users, and Magento 2.3 is expected at some point in 2018.
Magento is helping to shape the future of ecommerce, and there are a host of existing reasons to select Magento 2 as your ecommerce platform.
The recent Magento Imagine event shed some light on the company’s plans moving forward, so what can companies expect and how might they be able to take advantage of the new capabilities for the Magento platform?
Progress around Payments
New bundled extensions have been introduced to Magento Commerce 2.2.4 and Magento Open Source 2.2.4 that will make a big difference around payments.
Magento has added Amazon Pay, Vertex and Klarna Payments as extension offerings.
Amazon Pay offers a trusted payment platform that allows merchants to build engagement and loyalty within their customer base. Vertex is a great way to simplify the sales tax calculation process, while Klarna Payments gives shoppers the option to pay now, pay later or pay by installment.
These bundled extensions for Magento 2.2.4 are providing retailers with higher levels of flexibility around payments.
Creating App-like Experiences
The Magento Progressive Web Applications (PWA) Studio makes it easier for retailers to tailor their ecommerce website offering to mobile platforms.
By bringing together the best of mobile and web applications, PWAs help deliver an engaging experience that increases the chance of mobile conversions.
According to Jason Woosley, SVP of Product & Technology at Magento Commerce: “PWA Studio will provide developers and merchants with the tools they need to compete and deliver the convenience and utility of a mobile app combined with the searchability and buying experiences they get from their desktop experiences.”
It’s all about meeting customers’ needs via the mediums they regularly use and consistently providing that same level of operability and experience. Mobile technology a prominent ecommerce area, and Magento’s PWAs are aiming to allow ecommerce retailers to move with the times.
Making APIs more digestible
Magento 2.3 is set to be introduced at some point on 2018, and the Magento Conference in December 2017 saw the company outline a few additions it is planning to make.
As such, another progressive web app is expected as part of the Magento 2.3 release – GraphQL 1.0.
This is a query language for APIs and a runtime that allows users to fulfil queries with existing data. GraphQL provides complete, digestible descriptions of data within an API, meaning they’re easier to evolve over time. This allows users to better identify what it is they require.
Enhanced Site Editing
Those not blessed with coding skills will be delighted to hear that Bluefoot Technology is expected to be integrated with Magento 2.3. This powerful set of tools makes it easy to create and manage content on your Magento ecommerce store.
This content management system and page builder will take some of the hassle out of site maintenance, allowing users to avoid using additional platforms and systems unnecessarily and offers additional levels of flexibility and ease of use.
Continuous Patch Changes
Magento is committed to continually enhancing its Magento 2 platform and its various iterations. As such, patch changes are being made on an ongoing basis.
This is all to help make the user experience better, remove bugs, and provide the full promise of the Magento platform to customers.
Make the Move
Williams Commerce is a Magento Enterprise Partner and one of 12 strategic European Magento partners across Europe. We’ve helped scores of companies enhance their online offering and boost their business.
We have specialism around Magento 2 and other Magento platforms, so if you like what you hear, why not get in touch and see if moving to Magento could be the right move for your business.
Contact our team of experts and let our Magento agency help you begin your journey towards ecommerce success.
