During the recent Imagine 2013 Global eCommerce Worldwide Conference, eBay Enterprise announced the release of Magento Enterprise Edition version 1.14 and Community Edition version 1.9. Promising an easier, faster and streamlined system, eBay Enterprise head of Product and Strategy Mark Lavelle stated “The latest Magento platform updates are a direct reflection of our commitment to help brands and retailers quickly and cost effectively build a better shopping experience.”
With improvements in three main areas – responsive theme, payment options and security, the newest versions will help ensure increased customer conversions and greater ROI.
A consistent customer experience, regardless of device, helps businesses and developers save time and reduce costs. The new mobile responsive design theme will appear the same whether accessed through a computer, tablet or smart phone. By following the best practices for mobile sites, the end result will be a better experience for the user, increased SEO for the retailer and higher customer engagement.
An update to payment options include improved integration with PayPal. If a credit card is rejected the customer will be presented with alternative payment options, allowing the transaction to complete. The Bill Me Later option will also be available, which gives the shopper the option to purchase now and pay later, increasing sales with no added costs to the merchant. The checkout process can be simplified by eliminating steps such as the order page review and order update page, making the purchasing process easier for consumers and merchants.
Through the eBay Enterprise Affiliate Extension, merchants can easily integrate with eBay’s network of 200,000 affiliates and have the tools needed to monitor and launch affiliate programs. The eBay Enterprise Display Extension will allow merchants to display personal, product specific ads targeted directly to lost buyers.
Security improvements have fixed checkout vulnerability issues eliminating the problem of showing the wrong order to the wrong customer. Changes to the security of URL’s, such as the customer billing agreements, has also been implemented. Additionally, indexing improvements will allow for faster searches and quicker administrative responsiveness.
By providing a more responsive theme, better integration and payment option enhancements, Magento is helping to create a better, faster and higher converting shopping experience. Customers will find the new system easier to use and businesses will save in both time and development costs resulting in higher ROI, which is the ultimate goal!
