Magento Shop: You need to know this store system!

You've probably already noticed: an efficient store system is essential for your e-commerce success. More than 150,000 active online stores already use the popular software, and from a wide variety of sectors. Whether in the automotive or beauty industry - the number of Magento stores is growing and their turnover is in the billions. Find out what makes the platform so special.

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Interesting facts about the Magento store system

Magento is an open source e-commerce platform based on the PHP programming language and supports various frameworks such as Symfony and Laminas. Magento Inc. first published it in 2008. In the meantime, Ebay bought the company, but Magento has been part of Adobe since 2018. Thanks to its modular design, you can flexibly adapt the store system to your needs.

Do you use different systems for your online business? Magento has been capable of headless commerce since version 2.3: This means you can use the front and back end independently of each other.

Functions and extensions of the store solution

Illustration: Einkaufswagen auf einem liegenden Handy, um den Wagen herum liegen Symbole für Rabatt, Einkaufswagen, Geschenk

How flexible is the system? Quite! Thanks to its numerous functions, it can be easily adapted to your individual requirements. The store solution is suitable for large retail groups and medium-sized companies as well as for small companies with high demands on their store system. The basic installation can be configured and expanded exclusively: Additional modules and own developments for individual functions are no obstacle. Special requirements, such as checkout optimization or integration into a content management system (CMS) such as TYPO3, are also possible.

The basic functionalities are adapted to important needs - for example, you can configure the management of different stores. This makes managing catalogs and customer bases for different stores with different domains child's play for you.

Your store can be expanded depending on the needs you want to fulfill: You can easily use your own templates and themes. The software is used on the German market and abroad. In Germany, for example, it requires modules to meet the legal requirements for online stores and to operate the store in compliance with the law.

The advantages and disadvantages of Magento

When choosing a suitable store system, you should bear in mind that each platform has its own strengths and weaknesses. While Magento is a good choice for some companies, it is unsuitable for others. You should therefore define your requirements for your online store in advance in order to keep an eye on scalability in the future.

Advantages

  • License-free software
    Magento Open Source is free and easy to download. One advantage: the entry threshold for developers is very low.
  • Flexibility and adaptability
    The software allows you to design and customize your online store according to your individual needs. You can expand your store with a variety of extensions and plugins. For example, you can create a connection to your system landscape or responsive design for an optimal user experience on mobile devices.
  • Scalability
    The store solution is able to manage online stores of any size, type and product volume. It is suitable for small and medium-sized businesses as well as larger companies with thousands of products and hundreds of customers.
  • Developer community
    The e-commerce software has a huge, active developer community that develops extensions and plug-ins. They help to customize and improve Magento.
  • Multistore support
    The system allows you as an online retailer to run multiple online stores with a single installation. This feature is particularly useful if you sell several brands or product lines and want to present each with its own store.
  • Extensive management functions
    The software offers a wide range of tools for managing your online store, including extensive product, order and customer management as well as reporting functions.
  • High security
    The application has a strong security architecture and offers numerous functions to protect your customers' data and the transactions in your store.
  • SEO-friendly
    Wondering if the software fits your SEO strategy? Magento is optimized for search engines by default. It offers numerous tools and settings that you can use to customize your store system for search engines. This includes, for example, the option to create and maintain relevant content areas and to store metadata.
  • Partners for every need
    Partners must meet certain requirements and regularly take part in training and certification tests in order to retain their partner status. There is a wide range of partners who offer the right service for your needs.
    • Solution Partner:
      Solution Partners such as atlantis dx offer you advanced services such as custom extension development and integration as well as design services.
    • Technology Partner:
      Technology Partners provide you with integrated technologies such as payment gateways, shipping services and ERP systems.

Magento can be flexibly adapted to your requirements: Thanks to its modular structure, the store system is scalable and powerful. You can access the large developer community at any time to adapt your online store to your needs.

Grafik aus Linien: Glühbirne mit Strahlen nach außen

Tip

Due to its popularity, the platform is also a target for hackers. You should therefore keep your system up to date. This includes regular software updates, the use of strong passwords and two-factor authentication as well as the use of an SSL certificate to protect your customer data.

Disadvantages

  • Additional costs
    Although the powerful open source platform is license-free and you therefore incur no annual costs, there may be additional expenses for the development, hosting and maintenance of the online store.
  • Complex configuration and maintenance
    The software architecture is very complex, so it can be difficult to configure and maintain the system yourself. For example, if you use a headless commerce approach (frontend and backend are separate), you will need in-depth development knowledge to connect all systems together. Overall, a high level of technical expertise is required to use the platform effectively.
  • Performance problems
    The hosting package does not match the size of your webshop? This can lead to performance problems. Especially if you have a large product portfolio that attracts a lot of visitors to your site. The result: the store loads slowly and the user experience deteriorates. Make sure that your hosting package matches your requirements: Ideally with a specialist at your premises or with a hosting service provider.
  • Updates
    Due to the complex software architecture, it can be difficult to update the system to newer versions. This may require additional costs and resources from you. You should therefore ensure that updates are carried out approximately quarterly. This is important in order to stay up to date, close security gaps and continuously develop your store.

Magento requires developer support: Without an experienced development team, it is difficult to successfully use and expand Magento. Plan enough budget to set up and operate your store securely and efficiently with your own competent employees or a professional Magento agency. If your company is very small and requires a simple store, the cost of this software may be disproportionate. In this case, less extensive options are better suited to your requirements.

Different software versions

With many e-commerce solutions today, it is common for there to be a free (usually "Community Edition") and a paid version (usually "Enterprise Edition") - as is the case with Magento.

Free vs. paid version: Open Source vs. Adobe Commerce

The free Magento Open Source software (Community Edition) is available to everyone. It serves as a free version, while Adobe Commerce (formerly Magento Commerce) as the Enterprise Edition functions as a paid version that comes with more functions as standard.

Would you like to download the free version? You can download the software from various providers. Our recommendation: Get Magento directly from the manufacturer Adobe. Download Magento here.
If you would like to take a closer look at Adobe Commerce, you can make an appointment there for a free demo version.

Rechteckige Grafik: linke Fläche in Rot mit weißem Text Open Source, rechte Fläche in Gelb mit weißem Text Adobe Commerce, Flächen durch einen dunklen Blitz getrennt

Magento vs Magento 2

Support for older Magento stores ended in June 2020. If your store was built on this basis and has not been updated, it is still functional. However, the core of the software will no longer be developed further.

Magento 2 was released at the end of 2015 - the software has a new architecture, but is based on a similar technology stack as the previous version. The current version provides a significant improvement in performance, for example.

Rechteckige Grafik: linke Fläche in Gelb mit weißem Text Magento, rechte Fläche in rot mit weißem Text Magento 2, Flächen durch einen dunklen Blitz getrennt

Companies that use Magento successfully

As already mentioned, the store solution is used by a wide range of companies from various sectors. Thanks to its flexibility, it can be adapted to any requirement. Below we present two practical examples:

EVENTIM Sports

EVENTIM Sports offers a comprehensive product and service portfolio for ticketing in sport: from modular system solutions for ticketing, CRM, access and resale to customized services in the areas of consulting, marketing, ticket stores and hotlines.

atlantis dx developed a scalable online store platform for the sale of merchandising articles, based on Magento 2. 

Bauer Media Group

The Bauer Media Group is a multi-business company that entertains, informs and serves over 200 million people. Its four divisions - Publishing, Audio, Online Comparison Platforms and SME Services - operate in 13 countries.

Bauer Media Group uses the online store developed by atlantis dx on the basis of Magento 2 for the sale of magazine subscriptions.

Create a Magento store: With or without an agency?

Do you have development skills in your company? Great! However, if you don't employ your own web developers, the effort involved in developing a store from scratch is very labor-intensive. In this case, we recommend working with a professional service provider. Once the basis has been created, the management knowledge can be passed on through training so that you can maintain your online store independently.

Are you looking for a Magento agency for the implementation, support or further development of your store? We would be happy to help you.

Contact us now

Foto: Frontalaufnahme von Denis Rathig, lächelt, weißes Hemd, Hintergrund dunkel
Your contact person:
Denis Rathig, Management | Partner

FAQ about the store system

A customer-friendly online store is now a matter of course in the B2C (business-to-consumer) sector. Interactive and appealing design, comprehensive sales advice, various applications and features are now standard. But online stores are also evolving in the B2B (business-to-business) sector and operators have realized that they can use them to optimize their business. The store solution can meet this standard for your B2B and B2C requirements.

In brief: From ... to ... ! The Community Edition of the software is free of charge, but there are some high development costs. How expensive this is depends entirely on your requirements for your store. A self-developed store starts at around a five-figure sum, whereby the upper end is almost unlimited.

In short - the system that best suits your requirements. You will find the right store solution for almost every online business. E-commerce systems such as Shopware and Magento or a digital experience platform such as Ibexa are ideal for different needs. Think about what criteria your store needs to meet and get advice from experienced e-commerce experts to find the right solution for you.