Member Article

The digital clock is ticking… Is your eCommerce system ready for this year’s changes?

IT software solutions specialist, KFA Connect, is reminding companies to prepare to switch to a new eCommerce platform or risk facing the challenges of an unsecure website or one that doesn’t work. In June 2020, any websites running Magento 1 will no longer be supported. As a result, it’s important that businesses have made the move to Magento 2 or started to get the wheels in motion ahead of the deadline.

New Business Director at KFA Connect, Richard Austin, commented: “There are many reasons why companies running Magento 1 cannot put the change off for much longer. Once the official support for Magento 1 ends, websites will be more exposed to security risks and threats, including cyber-attacks. This means the move to Magneto 2 is essential for online businesses who could otherwise end up with a loss in sales and a non-performing website. As well as minimising risk, the move to Magneto 2 also offers many new benefits to businesses.

“We know that an increasingly large audience are accessing eCommerce websites from mobile devices, for regular shopping to large big-ticket purchases. Even though it’s a requirement to move away from Magento 1 by June, there are some huge benefits to Magento 2 which companies can take advantage of now, including better optimisation for mobile devices and a much simpler buying process. These will all have a positive impact on any eCommerce website, allowing customers to purchase faster and easier, which in turn improves customer satisfaction and drives repeat business.”

The team at KFA Connect are specialists in the development of Magento 2 eCommerce websites, which are generally used by businesses with more than 200 products in their range and by those businesses looking for more bespoke eCommerce functions. The platform offers an excellent opportunity to grow online businesses.

Bike It is just one of KFA Connect’s clients to have already switched to Magento 2. Bike It’s website offers a product match system, which provides a one-stop-shop to access bike parts and information. The company’s products and parts are sold based on the exact year, make and model of bike the part is for. Bike It wanted an effective way for their trade customers to be able to search for bike parts and for the information to be updated in real-time. KFA’s solution was to develop a new Magento 2 eCommerce website that was fully integrated with an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution with full customer details, order and stock integration.

Stuart Milne from Bike It commented: “The Magento 2 eCommerce system has transformed our business. This new system is innovative, works effectively across mobile and desktop and has given us a solution to manage our entire business, including accounts, stock management and sales order processing. Our customers have been delighted with the new website and we’ve seen an increase in sales and more repeat business as a result.”

Richard continues: “Businesses shouldn’t panic. It may all seem a little overwhelming but even if it may appear challenging there are a huge number of benefits. You don’t want to be caught out and left with an unsecure website, giving your competitors a head start while you try and catch up. Although switching to Magento 2 is not something to panic about, there’s no quick fix, so it’s definitely time to review if you haven’t already.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by KFA Connect .