It is a fairly broad concept that covers multiple aspects of how an eCommerce store can be developed using Magento.
In this blog post, I will try to talk about the most important things you need to know before starting your magento website development journey for Ecommerce.
So let’s cut to the chase and talk about the things you’re reading this blog for.
What is Magento?
Magento, now recognized as Adobe Commerce, is an open source e-commerce platform built on PHP. This platform allows merchants to set up and manage their eCommerce stores effectively.
With a wealth of tools and features, Magento makes it easy for businesses of all sizes to quickly launch and operate their platforms for seamless selling experiences.
According to a notable report, stores leveraging the Magento platform experience a growth rate three times faster than their counterparts.
Renowned brands like VMware, Ford, Coca-Cola, Landrover, and more opt for Magento to power their eCommerce websites.
Steps to Create an Ecommerce Store with Magento?
Let’s see how you can create an eCommerce store in Magento step by step:
1. Discover Magento stack requirements
Before starting Magento eCommerce development, it is essential to understand the prerequisites of the platform. Meeting these requirements ensures the perfect functioning of your eCommerce store.
Since Magento has two major series, Magento 1 and Magento 2, understanding the system requirements for both is crucial.
Here is a list of the requirements:
Operating System
Magento 1: Linux x86-64
Magento 2: Linux based operating systems like RedHat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), CentOS, Ubuntu, Debian, etc. are supported.
Note: Magento will not work on Windows and Apple operating systems.
Web server
Magento 1: Apache 1.3.x, 2.0.x, 2.2.x, 2.4.x, Nginx 1.7.x or higher
Magento 2: Apache 2.0, Nginx 1.18
Memory
Magento 1: At least 512MB or more RAM
Magento 2: At least 2GB or more RAM
Installing Magento and its extensions would require at least 2 GB or more of RAM.
Database
Magento 1: MySQL 4.1.2 or higher.
Magento 2: MySQL 5.6, 5.7 and 8.0 (for Magento 2.4.x)
PHP
Magento 1: PHP 7.2 or higher and 8.0 or higher (for Magento 2.4.x)
Magento 2: PHP 5.4 or higher.
Security
For both Magento 1 and Magento 2:
A valid Secure Socket Layer (SSL) certificate
Transport Layer Security (TLS) is for PayPal and repo.magento.com integration.
Note: Self-signed SSL certificates are not supported.
Mail server
For both Magento 1 and Magento 2:
- Mail Transfer Agent (MTA)
- Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) server
These cover the essential prerequisites for setting up an eCommerce store using Magento. Keep these requirements in mind depending on your chosen Magento version before proceeding with store development.
2. Choose Your Web Hosting and Domain Name
The next phase in developing your Magento e-commerce involves selecting a domain name and web hosting.
To get your website online, you’ll need a web hosting service and a domain name.
There are numerous hosting providers, but it is essential to choose one that suits your needs and supports the requirements of your Magento stack.
Here is a list of some of the best Magento hosting providers:
GoDaddy
Hostinger
HostGator
HostPapa
Rackspace
Cloudways
A2Hosting
MGT-commerce
Additionally, the selected Magento Hosting partner must be fast and secure enough to avoid potential security threats, ensuring a fast and secure experience for your customers.
When selecting a hosting provider, avoid going for the cheapest option. While expensive does not guarantee superiority, low-cost hosting often compromises security. The providers mentioned above are reliable options, but if you prefer alternatives, opt for a reliable service.
Consider registering your domain name with the same hosting provider for simplified management.
3. Download and Install Magento
Moving forward with your Magento eCommerce development involves installing Magento. Start by creating an account on the Adobe website and starting the Magento installation process.
When creating the account, proceed to install Magento on your computer, choosing between Magento 1, Magento 2, Open Source or Adobe Commerce.
Interestingly, there are over 450,000 Magento users worldwide and only 23,000 are using Magento 2. However, I recommend opting for the latest version of Magento to access updated features and improved support.
Installing Magento is a distinct process that deserves a dedicated blog post. Although the details are extensive, Magento provides an installation flow that serves as a valuable guide.
4. Configure Store Settings
When installing Magento, the next stage in your Magento eCommerce development journey involves adjusting some fundamental platform settings.
To do this, log into your Magento dashboard and go to Stores > Settings > General. Here you can adjust essential settings like country, state, time zone, store name, phone number, address, and more.
Update these fundamental settings to get started with your Magento eCommerce store.
5. Select a Theme for Your Store
This marks a fundamental phase in the development of your Magento eCommerce.
After making your basic configurations, the next step is to customize the look and feel of your Magento store.
To achieve this, you will use a Magento theme. There are two different options for this:
A. Opt for the default theme:
Magento provides two default themes: Luma and Blank. If you’d rather not install or invest in a new theme, you can start with either of these two themes and customize them to align with your brand.
B. Explore a new Marketplace topic:
If the default Magento themes do not meet your expectations, you can explore alternative themes in the Magento marketplace. In addition, you have the option to download themes for the development of your Magento e-commerce from platforms such as Envato or Themeforest.
6. Install Extensions According to Your Needs
After designing your Magento store, you can start installing Magento integrations to improve the functionality of your store. I recommend starting by identifying your specific requirements and needs and then selecting essential extensions that will truly benefit your store.
Once you have solidified your requirements, proceed to install your chosen extensions on your store. You should install many Magento 2 extensions, such as Magento 2 store pickup, Magento 2 order tracking, Magento 2 quick order, Magento 2 store locator, etc.
For example, you may need to install payment integrations to make it easier to collect payments on your online store.
7. Create or Import Products
After adding extensions to your store, proceed to create or import products into your Magento eCommerce development.
I recommend opting for product import as it is more convenient and saves time.
These are the steps to import products in Magento:
- Go to System > Import from the sidebar of your Magento dashboard.
- In the Import Settings section, select the entity type as Products and you will find a link titled “Download Sample File.”
- Download the sample file and structure the CSV file of your actual product to mirror the sample file for successful import.
- Scroll down to the Import Behavior section and choose an option between “Add/Update,” “Replace,” or “Delete” from the Import Behavior drop-down menu.
- Configure the necessary settings and continue with the File to import section.
- Choose the CSV file that contains data for all your products.
- Click the Verify Data button to validate the data for import. If everything is in order, an Import button will appear.
- Click the Import button to successfully import the products.
8. Set Up Payments and Shipping Options
After importing your products, proceed to set up payments and payment methods. Here’s how you can do it:
A. Select shipping methods:
In your Magento dashboard, go to Stores > Settings > Sales and you will find Shipping Methods.
You have three shipping options:
- Flat rate
- Rates table
- Free shipping
Each method includes specific settings. Adjust these settings as per your requirements to set shipping on your Magento eCommerce store.
See the Magento Shipping Methods documentation for more details.
B. Choose payment methods:
Setting up payment methods allows customers to make quick payments.
Navigate to Stores > Settings > Sales and you will find Payment Methods.
There are several payment methods available:
- Payment with zero subtotal
- Check/money order
- Payment by bank transfer
- Cash on delivery
In addition to these basic payment gateways, you can integrate other popular gateways into your Magento store. For example, extensions for Braintree, PayPal, Authorize.net, and more can be downloaded and added to enhance your eCommerce store.
9. Preview And Publish Your Store
By completing the steps above, you will be ready to enter the virtual market with your website.
However, before taking this step, make sure each element fits perfectly into your puzzle. To achieve this, thoroughly test your website on various aspects such as speed, responsiveness, checkout process, reporting, and more.
If everything works as planned, proceed to launch your website live, starting the revenue generation phase.
Why Magento for eCommerce?
It is valuable to understand how to build an eCommerce store using Magento.
However, in the competitive landscape of eCommerce platforms, one might question the reason behind choosing Magento.
The answer is simple: it lies in the functions it offers.
Magento has numerous features that are advantageous for an eCommerce store. Let’s delve into some of these features to understand why Magento stands out as a suitable option for creating an eCommerce website.
As a leading Magento development company, we emphasize the following Magento advantages:
1. Open Source Platform
Magento provides an open source version that includes all the features needed to launch your online store without any cost. Although you will need to invest in hosting and a domain, the open source nature makes it easy to implement.
2. Marketplace for Themes and Extensions
The platform has a sizable marketplace offering a variety of themes and extensions to build and enhance your eCommerce store. With over 3,200 extensions available in the Magento marketplace, you have ample options to customize your online store.
3. Great Community to Seek Help
A significant community surrounds Magento, made up of over 467,000 forum members, ready to help you when you encounter challenges or need help.
4. Simple Store Management
Store management is simplified with Magento features for catalog, order, inventory and product management. These tools enable efficient organization of store data on the backend for seamless processing.
5. Tracking and Reporting
Magento’s reporting features are comprehensive and help in tracking marketing, sales, and customer data to gain valuable insights to stay informed and make informed decisions.
6. Strong Security
Strong security measures such as password management and cross-site scripting attack prevention improve the security of your eCommerce store, instilling trust in your customers and protecting them against potential hacking threats.
7. Mobile Commerce Support
Recognizing the growing trend in mobile commerce sales, Magento is a great option for creating a mobile-friendly eCommerce store. Responsive themes ensure a visually appealing design on various devices including mobile phones and tablets.
8. Hassle-Free Payments and Shipping
Magento makes payment and shipping hassle-free by offering flat rates, table rates, and free shipping methods. It integrates with popular delivery companies in Canada such as FedEx, DHL, UPS, and USPS, as well as supporting numerous payment gateways for a convenient payment experience.
Choosing Magento for your e-commerce efforts is consistent with a strategic decision to take advantage of these features and others. As a trusted Magento development company, we are well-equipped to harness the power of Magento for the success of your online store.
Is Magento Right for Your Business?
I would say yes, but not in all cases.
If you’re just starting and trying to get your online store up and running, Magento Open Source is a great choice.
But if you are expanding your business but want to stay in Magento, open-source Magento is not enough for you.
In that case, you will need to switch to Adobe Commerce, which is a cloud-based solution. It’s a one-stop solution for building a complete e-commerce store with everything you need as you grow.
But there is another situation.
If you are growing or already have an established brand that is getting a lot of traffic and sales and you want to switch to Magento, I recommend using Shopify or BigCommerce.
Why Webiators for Magento eCommerce Development?
Creating your Magento eCommerce store independently by following the steps provided may not always be the most practical decision. Factors such as limited platform experience, lack of a developer team, or a hectic schedule can make this a challenging task. U can hire a Magento development company or a Magento website development company
In such situations, choosing to delegate your project to experienced professionals becomes the optimal solution. When it comes to Magento, Webiators stands out as a competent option with years of practical experience. Our range of services includes:
- Magento 2 eCommerce store development
- HubSpot Integrations for Magento
- Custom integrations tailored to your needs
- Hassle-free Magento migration services and more.
If you need magento 2 development service or related services, consider giving us a try and you will discover the value we bring.