DHL eCommerce: Full User Guide

eCommerce is all about bringing users together with products and services in new and innovative ways. But this is only half of the process. After a customer buys, they then need to receive what they’ve paid for. This is where shipping solutions come in. And, though there are many options when it comes to shipping services, DHL eCommerce seamlessly integrates online shops with shipping solutions. But, it’s one of the shipping companies that has received a bit less attention over the last few decades, so this article is all about answering the question, “How does DHL eCommerce work?”

In the following sections, we’ll explore pricing for DHL packages and some of the key features of DHL eCommerce. We’ll also look into how DHL can conveniently be integrated with Magento® to provide a full-service eCommerce solution. Read on how DHL shipping can benefit business owners for both international and domestic solutions.

What Is DHL eCommerce?

Odds are, if you’ve ever shipped before, you are familiar with UPS, FedEx, or other postal services as the US Postal Service. DHL is another shipping company, and it specializes in international delivery. It provides competitive prices on both international and domestic shipping, in addition to parcel tracking, efficient solutions with advanced logistics, and package security portal to portal. All aspects of shipping are covered: pickups, deliveries, and returns.

Over the last fifty years, DHL has grown to a point where it ships packages quickly and securely to over 220 territories and countries across the globe. Plus, it’s a premier solution for eCommerce shipping services.

Who Can Use DHL eCommerce Service?

Nearly anyone can use DHL eCommerce services. Merchants all across the world will find that DHL ships their packages reliably. Whether you ship internationally or domestically, DHL has you covered.

Different packages are offered for express delivery, overnight shipping, or standard services. One thing that should be remembered, though, is that it might not be suitable for smaller companies.

To use DHL for your online store, you must ship a minimum of one hundred parcels per day internationally or fifty parcels per day internationally. For high volume shippers, DHL may be perfect to keep the store running smoothly.

DHL eCommerce Package Description

DHL eCommerce packages offer services and options to fit all your business needs. It provides affordable prices for both international and domestic shipping.

DHL has a global fulfillment network with many features and levels of services. It employs an integrated network of locations for both drop off and pick up. This includes parcel care from start to finish, both for returns and deliveries.

The services are affordable, even for returns and shipping across borders. DHL also features fulfillment for B2C and B2B, with customs clearance services for B2C.

A great thing about working with DHL is that they offer numerous payment and delivery options. You can choose to pay through an E-wallet or COD. Plus, they feature a range of options for delivery, including overnight, express, and green options.

DHL is integrated with domestic delivery networks, and they run six days a week. This means that you’ll get your customers their products as quickly as possible.

To top it off, DHL features easy integration with other services. This includes portal-to-portal tracking updates both through SMS and email. DHL can be easily integrated with eCommerce platforms, major marketplaces, web portals, and API’s.

DHL eCommerce International

To determine price, you’ll have to decide which international shipping option you’d like to use, look into size and pricing, and then get a quote from a DHL professional. There are three main international shipping options: DHL Packet International, DHL Parcel International Standard, and DHL Parcel International Direct.

DHL Packet International is for smaller packages, less than 4.4lbs in weight and less than 35.4” for the summed width, height, and length of your package. But also it is possible to send large parcels up to 31.5 kg. Delivery runs between four and eight days for anywhere in the world, and the receiver is responsible for paying duty and taxes. One downside is that this option does not allow for shipment value protection.

DHL International Parcel Direct offers direct shipping for 210 countries. Packages must be less than 44 lbs in weight, and the summed girth and length must be less than 79”, or all summed width is 120/60/60 cm. The package will reach the receiver in between five and seven days, and the duty and taxes can be paid either by the shipper or the receiver.

DHL Parcel International Standard is suitable for even larger packages. Package weight must be less than 44 lbs for all countries except for Canada, in which case the package can weigh up to 66 lbs. Combined girth and length must be less than 118”. One thing to keep in mind is that the shipping times are different for Europe and the rest of the world. In Europe, the package will arrive at the receiver in four to seven days. Anywhere else, and the guaranteed shipping time is between eight and fourteen days. As with DHL Packet International, it falls to the receiver to pay the duty and taxes.

One benefit of integrating DHL with International eCommerce is the International DHL iCart feature. This comes standard with international services and helps to simplify shipping calculations. It factors in shipping costs, duties, taxes, and different currency to let your customers know the full cost. Also, for even more details regarding each package, you can refer to the DHL International page.

Domestic Shipping with DHL eCommerce

DHL has more options for domestic shipping than international. The company is partnered with local postal services, handling parcel sorting and pick up, and allowing the local services to handle final returns and delivery.

Some of the options include:

• DHL SmartMail Parcel,
• DHL SmartMail Parcel Plus,
• DHL SmartMail Parcel Return.

You can also opt for DHL SmartMail Bound Printed Material and DHL SmartMail Flats.

All options guarantee delivery from three to eight days for standard ground travel and end-to-end tracking. SmartMail Parcel options also feature shipment protection and expedited solutions. Once you have chosen which option best fits your needs, contact a DHL representative to get a final estimate.

Pricing & Shipping Services

As you may expect, the options for shipping and pricing depend on many factors. An important consideration is whether you ship internationally or domestically.

DHL offers a variety of options for both, though you can expect to pay more for international shipping than for domestic. Other considerations include the size and weight of the package and the overall distance from portal to portal. DHL will insure packages up to $100 per parcel with options for further coverage.

DHL eCommerce Shipping Time

As mentioned above, standard shipping for domestic packages runs from three to eight business days. However, you can expedite the delivery for SmartMail Parcel options to make sure it’s received within two to five days. There is also an expedited max option which guarantees delivery in two to three days.

Naturally, international shipping will require a bit more time. However, DHL is still one of the fastest shippers for global delivery.

DHL Packet International guarantees to deliver in four to eight days.

DHL Parcel International Standard delivers in the same timeframe within Europe, however, for the rest of the world you’re looking at eight to fourteen days.

DHL International Parcel Direct guarantees your parcel to be delivered between three to ten days.

Remember that these are standard options. You can also opt for expedited solutions, including 24 hours and next day services. In some instances, the timing will be influenced by factors that are outside of DHL’s control.

DHL eCommerce Tracking

A helpful feature of DHL is eCommerce DHL tracking. Upon arranging pickup, you’ll receive a unique tracking number. DHL eCommerce distribution tracking is accomplished simply with Parcel Monitor.

Simply go to Parcel monitor and input your tracking number, and you’ll get real-time information on the location and status of your parcel. DHL eCommerce tracking, international or domestic, is simple and hassle-free.

You can also automate the process and have information sent directly to your email by activating the email update feature. This will give you updates whenever your package reaches a distribution center or changes transport methods.

Warehousing & Fulfillment

If you’re a high-volume shipper, you can save loads of time and energy by working with DHL. Plus, you streamline the process, using a reliable and trustworthy company to make sure your customers receive products as quickly as possible. No more worrying about storage, packing, drop off. Plus, working with many warehouses across the world ensures that products are centrally located for all customers, reducing the required shipping time.

So, you may wonder, where is the DHL distribution center? The short answer is that there are distribution centers in many countries across the globe. In America alone, there are two warehouses, one in Ohio and another in California. A third will be opened soon in New Jersey. This ensures that all shipping needs for DHL eCommerce USA are handled with the shortest transit times. Regional offices exist in Singapore and the United States, with the home office situated in Germany.

DHL fulfillment services assist with imports and handle orders and inventory. This reduces shipping lead time and costs. Additional services include storage, packaging, and processing of returns. All of these services are available for international and domestic shipping. This collection of services vastly improves your eCommerce services and streamlines operations.

DHL eCommerce for Magento

DHL has partnered exclusively with Magento to offer first-class eCommerce solutions. It has been named a premier partner, leading the way with both B2B and B2C platforms. This is a collaboration between a global leader in eCommerce and an industry leader in international shipping. DHL helps to improve customer experience and provide added value for online shoppers. The wide range of shipping options makes Magento products available to consumers in 220 countries and delivers goods with a wide range of shipping options.

It’s quick and straightforward to integrate DHL with your Magento shop. First, you’ll have to check the availability in your country. Next, open a business account with DHL and request API access. This will give you a DHL eCommerce login. Once your Magento platform is installed, you can enable DHL, and then with the extension, you can configure and use it.

You can simply enable DHL by going to Stores>Configuration.

Next, select Sales>Shipping Methods.

After that, you can find the DHL section and enable it by setting “Enabled for Checkout” to yes.

In the Title part, write a name that will be used during checkout for this shipping method.

To calculate DHL shipping rate you can use the Gateway URL. However you might have an alternate URL from DHL, so you need to write it in this section.

Complete the UPS XML account information using DHL credentials:

• Access ID
• Password
• Account Number

After that, you can add package description and handling fee by filling out all the required fields.

Also, you can choose single or multiple shipping methods using Magento DHL module.

As easy as that, you’ve connected your shop with a network that can deliver to consumers around the globe and make your customers loyal to your company and satisfied with your services.

Black Friday Marketing: Practical Tips

Black Friday is the day after the American Thanksgiving holiday. It kicks off the heavy buying season leading to Christmas. One day can guarantee your shop is back in the black and profitable, even if the year has been tough sales-wise. Physical stores have more traffic and sales than any other time throughout the year, but it doesn’t stop there. Online stores also show much higher traffic and conversion rates. Plus, the sale doesn’t end on Friday but continues through Saturday and Sunday and into Cyber Monday, which is even better for online stores than physical stores.

For the principal sales holiday of the year, it’s essential to refine your Black Friday marketing campaign. For this, you’ve got plenty of options. Flash sales and hourly deals, discount codes and promo codes. Referral packages, gift cards, and email marketing can massively boost sales. Tune in to the target demographic to showcase best selling items to engage the customers’ attention. This is only the beginning. Let’s explore promotion strategies for making your online shop successful over the sales holiday.

Black Friday Strategies for Retailers

Black Friday has grown into a worldwide phenomenon with global competition. You will need to find a strategy to fit the product and the shop, making it stand out.

1.  Notify clients about upcoming promotions with email or SMS marketing
2.  Mention discounts and events on social media. Hashtags will improve outreach and help clients find what they want.
3.  Item bundling helps you upsell, bringing more conversions to you and offering more value for the customer. This is also a great time to generate excitement with sneak peeks or flash sales.
4.  Gamify discounts with surprise discounts and increase engagement with countdown timers.
5.  Offer gifts or reduce shipping costs for the client. Plus, remember promo codes, cash-back deals, and special promotions.

This is the best part of the year from a sales perspective. It helps to think ahead and give your clients plenty of notice. You might even wish to maintain a Black Friday landing page through the year to keep you high in search results. Also, customers love it when their purchases help others, so boost your sales even more by donating a portion of the proceeds to charities such as local food banks or shelters.

Black Friday Messaging

SMS campaigns are becoming more popular every year. After all, most people will have their cell phone with them at all times, and the deals you send with text messages are more likely to be seen than through any other form of marketing. This will boost sales, especially on websites and mobile apps.

Start dropping hints some months in advance to create excitement for upcoming deals. Make sure the shop is mobile friendly so that interested customers can purchase straight from the message. If you need a handy email template, you can try our new Black Friday email template.

Prepare Your Social Media

Social media has become a considerable influence in our lives, and it’s crucial to make use of its potential, especially over the sales holiday. Write posts to notify clients of specials, discounts, and flash sales. Clients will be coming fast, so prepare posts beforehand.

Employ a service like Buffer or Hootsuite to schedule and post them automatically. Look into the best times to release posts to reach the widest audience. Use hashtags so clients can find your specials.

Plan Your Advertising in Time

Proper planning will also give you plenty of time to calculate sales projections so you know what kind of discounts will let you offer great deals and still make a profit. Factor in discounts and advertising costs to come out ahead while still keeping your clients satisfied.

Customers anticipate this sales holiday throughout the year, the chance to discover great products for great prices. Have the advertising strategy in place well prior to the long weekend. Know what items you want to promote and what discounts and sales to put in place.

To arrange everything in good time, it helps to set up a content calendar, a game plan for the marketing campaign. This is a schedule for social media posts and a timetable for setting up new graphics and banners. This calendar also lets you know when to prepare and release content for emails and ads.

Black Friday Promo Code Ideas

You can provide Black Friday promotions by giving promo codes to loyal clients. When people save more, they’ll spend more. So, giving better deals to preferred clients keeps them happy and boosts sales. Everybody wins, and clients are even more likely to return.

You can offer online coupons that take a percentage off of specific items or even the entire purchase. Plus, when you offer promo codes in mailing lists or to previous customers, you’re letting them know that you value their patronage.

Bundle Your Products Together

Product bundling is another great way to provide value. Upsell by providing special sales to clients that buy a few similar products. Alternately, cross-sell by offering mark-downs on a new item.

Gift packs are another great offering. In addition to making excellent gifts, they can offer customers great value on the bundled items. Consider using popups to offer personalized deals on recommended items.

Catchy Black Friday Phrases

It’s no secret that slogans and phrases catch attention and bring clients to your website. Slogans are best when you can remember them easily and when they create a bit of excitement. For some awesome Black Friday slogan ideas, look into the competitors. It’s key to inform your clients that the best value can be had by acting now.

Try, “Don’t miss out on your black Friday special offer!” Or how about, “You’ll want to jump for joy when you see our Black Friday prices!”

Besides, slogans can be used to generate a bit of suspense: “Tune in on Black Friday to discover some amazing deals!”.

You communicate to clients that the event is fun, happy, and a great chance to get what they want at prices they won’t regret.

Black Friday Facebook Posts

Facebook posts are a great way to get your message out there. They’ll let you showcase your weekend-long discounts and special deals. Plus, you can give clients timing for hourly specials and flash sales.

Basically, they provide clients a timetable for limited time offers and special promotions. Increase conversions by writing posts to showcase gift guides and promote gift packages. Make lists of great gift products for particular people with specific interests.

Promote your bestselling products, and notify clients about the huge discounts. Use your posts right, and you might double your profit over the sales holiday.

Best Black Friday Promos

Promos make the sales holiday exciting for clients and profitable for you. Be creative! Mail or email discount and coupon codes to previous clients and those on the mailing list.

Reward loyal clients with VIP deals and special prices. It helps to include a personal touch as well, thanking your clients for their purchases throughout the year and making sure that they know they’re appreciated. For smaller shops, though, it lets you strengthen personal connections with clients while also reducing advertising costs.

Gift cards are an awesome way to get Black Friday promos out there. Try to set up your campaign early and offer gift cards for larger purchases or faithful clients. They’ll then want to spend the card (and a bit extra) over the sales holiday when the value is best. Gift cards account for nearly half of the purchases over the sales period. Gift cards can also be offered at a lower rate for relatives and friends, giving customers an excellent option for open-ended gifts.

Amazon

When you sell through Amazon, Black Friday is a unique event. It brings in millions of consumers and constitutes a large portion of annual revenue. Plus, there’s heavy competition in these waters. Be prepared and have everything ready in advance of the weekend. Prepare your content, stock the inventory, and plan the deals. Advertise effectively, so clients know what promotions and discounts are available.

Eliminate shipping costs. Do your calculations to maintain profit margins, but absorb shipping costs so that customers feel comfortable buying. Remember, the greatest bulk of Black Friday transactions are impulse buys. Make it simple for the client. Adding in shipping costs causes the client to second guess the buy, which inevitably leads to lost sales. Cover them yourself and boost conversions dramatically, especially when you offer discounted costs and fast shipping times.

Make sure your inventory is well-stocked, even considering your promotional sales. I know we mentioned it above, but it bears another look. Demand is going to go through the roof, so you’ll want to be prepared to handle it. Keep an eye on your inventory during the sales to prevent delays in product arrival. Try to make sure there’s a bit left over, as the prices will jump back up after the sales holiday while the Christmas shopping season is just beginning.

Remember to account for price drops when running sales projections. On a side note, you may want to invest in automated repricing software with pricing strategies to optimize prices according to the sales goals.

Look into what’s bestselling and explore the trends. After you’ve got a bead on the clients, source your products. Look into Amazon’s sourcing hacks to stock the inventory cheaply. Reduced expenses mean excellent deals and great profits. Plus, it helps to bundle items intelligently.

Bundle unique packages and you’re guaranteed to win the Buy Box and increase sales. This radically improves product exposure and increases competitive edge. Provide lower-priced items along with bestsellers and you up the perceived worth, giving your customers excellent promotions on things that they would want to buy anyway.

Topshop

One way to get ideas for the Black Friday marketing campaign is to check out the top sellers. Topshop is a hot seller, offering top of the line women’s clothing and setting the bar in fashion and trends. Look into their deals to get some great ideas to optimize your promotions.

This year, Topshop is offering a sale on all items, 30% off. Plus, they’re running hourly deals and flash sales, which are perfect for encouraging impulse buys on best selling products. Add to that deals on select products, cash back sales, promo codes, and discounts, and you’ve got a recipe for success.

Topshop doesn’t stop there. They support loyal clients and target demographic with VIP sales and student discounts. Plus, Topshop Black Friday sales are in place through Cyber Monday, and they feature extended sales for people who couldn’t purchase over the sales holiday.

Finally, what good are all these sales if no one knows about them? This is why Topshop features deal guides and schedules so that their customers can plan their purchase knowing when the offers are hot. Just Google Topshop Black Friday to find loads of great ideas for showcasing your products and getting customers excited.

ASOS

ASOS is another popular women’s clothing and fashion brand. They provide some great examples of how to leverage the Black Friday holiday to keep clients happy and massively boost conversions. For 2018, ASOS offers a 20% discount on their entire inventory throughout Black Friday weekend. For sales items and the outlet section, it offers additional discounts.

Another great feature of ASOS’ Black Friday set up is the website. They dedicate a website to Black Friday sales and deals, giving clients the whole scoop so that they can see all the savings they’ll get by making their purchases now. Information is king in the current era. This eCommerce giant demonstrates how one can showcase a product and discount for maximum exposure. Have a peek and see if it inspires some ideas for your own Black Friday campaign this year.

Internet Marketing For Small Business: Tips and Tricks

When it comes to small businesses, online presence is of the top priority. Internet marketing for small business has become one of the key strategies to deliver your brand and value proposition to the consumers. Detailed targeting, searching and sponsoring towards the right customers are part of successful digital marketing strategies for small businesses.

How to Use Online Marketing Strategies for Small Business

Internet marketing for small business owners might seem overwhelming in the beginning. But once you have streamlined the process and planned your strategy, trust us, everything will simply fall into place.

Social Media Presence

Social media is one of the best ways to generate a great mix of both organic and sponsored traffic. We would recommend that you choose social media strategically based on your business needs.

Do not focus your attention on too many platforms; this will take a lot of your time for content creation. For instance, to target industry leaders, the right platform would be Medium and LinkedIn instead of Facebook.

Do Business on Facebook

When it comes to local business and internet marketing, Facebook is the buzzword among small business owners now. Scheduling, detailed targeting, and content creation are extremely convenient there.

If you are confused about how to use online marketing strategies for small business, Facebook is the place where you should start.

The reason being Facebook provides free data analytics and easily comprehendible stats based on your Facebook marketing.

Launch Website

Local internet marketing for small business comes with a budget constraint of course. But this doesn’t mean that you cannot create a website.

WordPress and other shared hosting platforms have made websites a cost-effective online marketing tool. All you need to make sure is that the speed and content of the website are not compromised.

Create Your Website Blog

Blogs will help you generate more traffic to your website and build a sense of trust and reliability towards your business. Posting relevant blog posts about your activities and the issues associated with them increases the credibility of your business. It also helps in bringing a behavioral change among the customers towards your product/service.

Improve Your Local SEO

Improving SEO organically is an integral part of a successful small business digital marketing strategy. It always helps to set up a Google Webmaster account to see where you stand.

For both content and images, it is important to put in meta description so that Google search engine algorithms can detect your website. It is better that you create lengthier posts for website keeping in mind the quality of content.

Use the Power of Email Marketing

There are myriads of platforms available that helps you send customized emails at bulk. It is always better to create customized emails with ‘Dear name’ instead of a generic recipient.

With email marketing platforms, the process can be streamlined by including a client database. The rest of the customization starting from templates to messages will be taken care by the designated platforms. You usually get first 1000 or even more emails for free, for the rest, you might have to pay for a subscription.

Small Business Digital Marketing Strategy: Few Tips

From our side, we would like to point out some generic digital marketing tips for small business which are always proven to be successful. For starters, good content is always rewarded for the business. It creates engagement and increases organic traffic.

Content such as blog and engagement posts help to create word of mouth influence and build your brand as a reliable source. If you need some fresh look at SEO, check SEO guide of 2019 from Backlinko.

Impact of online marketing for small organizations can be accelerated through the right SEO and social media utilization. Focus on detailed targeting, create a cohesive plan for the entire month and simply schedule the content at the beginning of the month. This will give you more time to engage with the customers through replies of comments and queries.

Impact of Online Marketing on Small Organizations

Even for a small organization, maintaining an online presence means you have to be active online as well to cater to the engagement needs of the customers. It becomes imperative to include a dedicated person of the company who would be responsible for the client’s query management.

Digital Marketing Ideas for Small Businesses

If you have just opened a small business, these are some of the digital marketing tips for small businesses that you can utilize.

Networking and Building the Community

Facebook events and groups is a fantastic way to drive organic traffic to your business. Brand endorsement is something that works wonders for a small business and for that networking and online community building is a must.

Try to be active in social networks and blog, and let customers interact with your company and brand as it is a real human. Pay attention to their needs and give them relevant content that they will watch and feel the useful impact of it.

Monitoring of Your Brand’s Online Reputation

Through reviews, ratings, and feedbacks, you can easily assess the online reputation of your brand. Remember it is easy to build trust online and break trust even more easily. An online dissatisfied client can become a major burden for you.

Hence, make sure that if you make a mistake, you must acknowledge that and apologize to the client for mitigating further repercussions.

Use Influencers to Promote Your Business

For beauty, baby and other products’ type, Instagram influencers are the most optimum choice to go. Likewise, an admin of member heavy Facebook group is also an influencer. Collaborate with them based on your target group and use them to promote your business.

Also, don’t forget to use Youtube to showcase your products, and involve Youtube influencers to your promotion to get customers similar to how to use products that you sell and get their positive sides. According to Google, 50% of shoppers make their decision based on video from Youtube they are watching while shopping.

Try Live Videos

Live videos are something that provides the scope for a two-way interaction between you and your customers. With Facebook and Instagram, the concept of going Live has gained popularity in the past year. You can check how to work with Instagram live video via its how to guide.

Try to cater to the customer queries, feedback and needs through the live videos and interactions and ask for customer opinions for the constant betterment of product.

How to Use Magento 2 Swatches

Magento® 2 swatches are used to ensure that clients and potential customers can shop through stores with more ease and efficiency. This is done by allowing customers to select options from different swatches instead of from words in a drop-down list. By providing customers with swatch options, merchants can see an increase in leads and conversions. For more information about how color swatches can improve your product list, keep reading!

What Is the Magento Product Color Swatch?

A Magento color swatch is a feature that allows merchants to provide customers with a better idea of what they’re buying. When products are customizable, users can choose from many options that will help them pick a product that suits their needs.

If, for example, a customer wants to have a t-shirt in the color black, he or she will click on the color black. This will often change the color of the shirt on the featured picture as well. In comparison, other stores provide customers with a drop-down list of features for them to choose. Many of these options don’t provide customers with the visual stimulation of the final image.

Types of Magento 2 Swatches

There is a number of different Magento Swatch types for merchants to use in their stores.

Text-Based Swatches

A text-based swatch is unique because it is implemented when there is no image being used. Here, a symbol for attributes is used to show sizes. When a product in a specific size is out of stock, the box describing that size will be crossed out.

Color Swatch

A color swatch will be essential when you’re trying to showcase the different patterns or colors that are available in your store. This makes your products more accessible for your clients and it makes it easier for clients to imagine their look.

Image Swatch

Using an image swatch allows merchants to provide customers with variations of products. If, for example, you have the same product in different textures, you can upload image swatches.

Layered Navigation Swatches

Layered navigation is another type of Magento Swatch; wherein, a merchant sets a color attribute to yes. Here, a merchant can use text-based and color-based image swatches.

How to Configure Color Swatches in Magento 2

Now that you know a little bit about the different types of Magento Swatches, you may be wondering how you can configure them in your online store.

Create Attribute in Magento 2

If you want to configure color swatches in Magento 2, you must first know how to create an attribute.

Step One. You’ll have to select stores from the admin panel. From here, you can go to the attributes section and choose the option for the product. In this step, you’ll also want to click add a new attribute.

Step Two. Go to attribute properties. You’ll have to enter a default label in the same section. Here, you’ll be able to choose the input control you desire; for example visual swatch, text swatch, etc. Click add option from manage options.

Step Three. Manage your options and values. Depending on your needs, you can choose the default value.

Step Four. In this step, you’ll be managing your labels. Enter a title for a label.

Step Five. Now it’s time to describe your storefront properties. Select yes or no if you want specific attributes to be allowed.

For more information about how to create an attribute in Magento 2, you will find out in our How to section.

Assign Attributes to the Products

When you’re going to assign attributes to products, there are a few steps you have to follow first.

• Go to Stores. Here, you’ll see a section for Attributes. Click on it. Next, select Products. All these can be seen in your sidebar.
• Now, you should click on Add New Attribute.
• You’ll have to provide related details like scope and attribute code under Properties.
• You may want to consider use product image for a swatch if possible, which will allow you to use your product’s pictures for your swatches. You’ll have to enable it if you want this feature because it is usually disabled otherwise.
• Now you can include Magento 2 swatch patterns. These will be displayed on the product page.
• To assign an attribute to products, you’ll have to go to Manage Swatch. From here, you can click on Add Swatch.
• Now, provide a swatch name.
• Select your color by clicking on the arrow next to the Swatch Image.
• Go to Advanced AttributeProperties and determine where values should be placed.
• Include an Attribute Label from the Attribute Page.

Configure Product Options in Magento 2

For those who have a lot of products, you may be wondering how to configure them. To do this, you’ll have to install an extension that allows you to create custom templates. These templates can be applied to a number of products at the same time.

Magento Color Swatch Extension to Create Configurable Product

There are a few extensions that you can install in order to create a configurable product.

Color Swatches Pro by Amasty

This extension provides several features that other extensions may not. With Amasty’s extension, merchants can do the following:

• Optimize their site to create the perfect mobile experience
• Allow customers to change the product’s image by hovering over it. This allows them to see another angle of the same product without having to click on the product itself.
• Show the price of products.
• Share the URL of a configured item.

According to Amasty’s website, the goal of this extension is to make your store as simple and as accessible as possible.

Color Swatches by FME Extensions

You can expect to pay for this extension; however, most merchants agree that the price is worth it when they see the difference in customer experience. This extension allows you to provide customers with a different image of a product if they select a specific size, color, etc.

Product Color Swatches for Magento 1 by Aheadworks

At its very base, Aheadwork’s extension does everything it has to. It provides you with an easy way to set up your attributes and it allows you to display swatches rather than older, conventional options. With this extension, you can also keep your customers up-to-date because it crosses out features that are out-of-stock. If, for example, you don’t have any mediums left in stock, your customers won’t be able to buy the product in a size medium.

Magento Color Swatch Extension With Zoom by CMSmart

CMSmart has provided you with the perfect extension for your store. Here is a small list of its features:

• Select attributes by using images
• Use different statuses for swatches
• Provide products with more than one attribute

This extension makes it easier for merchants to manage their attributes and their swatches. Overall, you can use Magento extensions to ensure that you can make the best out of your swatches and to ensure that your business is up-to-date with the newest advancements in marketing.

Project Estimation: Our Approach

One of the key elements to completing a project on time and within budget is a proper website estimate. The estimate helps us to get an eagle-eye view of the development of the website. What the client requires in the site, how to make that happen, and the timeframe involved. Poor analysis can mean missed deadlines and unexpected challenges, not to mention an uncomfortable level of stress for both the client and team.

That being considered, a good estimation is challenging. It could be challenging to predict everything that you’ll run into during development. However, if you have the right knowledge, you can simplify things and come to a more accurate result, saving time, energy and inconsistency.

A good estimate requires effective communication between client and team, a clear outline of the job, and enough experience to understand what it will take, both regarding work and time. The job has to be broken down into components so we can make a clear action plan and set up a reasonable schedule. Here’s a look at how we go about estimating a project and a few tips to ensure the process goes smoothly.

What Is Estimation?

An estimate is an overview of the project. We communicate with the client to find out what they want and need on their website. Look into the details, get an idea of the functionality required, and explore what it’s going to take to get the job done. When the estimate is finished, you’ll have an action plan for building the site and a reasonable idea of the timeframe required to make it happen.

Project Management Estimation: Best Practices

The most important aspect of an estimate is information. There are four steps to an estimate. We have to look into the size of the project, the workload, the schedule, and the expenses. In the process, we’ll go from a rough idea about what’s required to a clear and detailed layout of the steps required to create the site. This gives us a chance to think through the challenge points, find out how many people will be involved and what skills will be needed.

The first step is the size estimate. To estimate the size of the project, we have to visualize it. We have to take the structure of the website into account, consider the potential obstacles, and look into bottlenecks. This means talking to the client. Each site is unique, so it’s important to find out what the client wants and needs. All of the aspects of functionality should be made clear so that the estimate is based on solid ground. This is also when you look into the required documentation. It’s best if this step is documented in written form as well so that changes can be tracked and all required features are laid out clearly.

After you have an idea of what the project will need, the next step is to get an estimate of the workload. We look into the labor required for design, documentation, client interaction and process organization. We also have to take into account quality assurance and, if necessary, prototype implementation. As mentioned above, it’s important not to underestimate the time and work required. This could lead to missed deadlines, overworked technicians, and a lower quality product. None of that is good for the client’s successful website launch. At the same time, it’s unwise to overestimate too much. If you put forth too large a time frame, that won’t correspond to the reality and break up the loyalty and trust.

The third step that should be taken is to move on to the schedule. Since you have a clear idea of the steps involved in implementation, you know the number of people involved and how long it takes to complete each step. This lets us make a reasonable estimate of how many hours will be required for each task and then match that with availability. When this is done, we can set the project to calendar dates. This means that we can arrange a time for when the website is expected to be live.

Finally, you need to look into the expense involved to create the site. At this point, it’s important to remember that the cost of developing a website includes more than just development. Since many people are involved, a project manager is required to coordinate the workflow. Plus, it will need to be tested by the quality assurance to make sure the functionality is on track.

The expense estimate should reflect the value the team puts into the project plus it depends on the pricing model that was agreed before. If it is a fixed price, there should be a certain project cost. As for the dedicated team or outstaffing, there is a need for the development part, but not necessarily a project manager.

Our Estimation Approach

Here’s our approach on how to estimate project cost and time. It begins with an Analysis of Client Requirements and a comprehensive review of documentation gathered by the project manager. The developers, team leader, and project manager cooperate to provide a complete workup of what will be required to complete the project. They evaluate the project and set up a quote. This is done by setting up a task in Redmine. All client information is gathered, and a detailed description is created. The development team and team leader then studies the project carefully. It’s broken up into tasks, which are then evaluated and fit with estimates. A min-max plug is also provided by the development team.

Then, we move on to the next stage, putting together the commercial proposal. The client will receive a file listing the tasks and the hours required for each. The client reviews this and gets back to the project manager regarding the estimates and budget.

Once the client approves the estimate, the project manager prepares the Commercial Proposal (CP). This document describes the project terms and company information. It includes an overview of the project, the platform involved, description of the scope, and the cost of the project. The additional aspects are the technical solutions, terms of payment, and details about our own company. The client is given everything they need to know to communicate effectively with the company and understand the development process.

How We Estimate Client’s RFP?

When a company needs to contract services for a project, they will create a document known as an RFP, or request for proposal. This gives the scope and details of the project and solicits bids from contractors. The RFP also contains a list of criteria by which a proposal will be evaluated. For the client, this helps them to find the right company for the job. For the contractor, the RFP will give us a rough idea of what’s required, so we know what to ask and how to approach the project.

In order to get a clear view on how to move forward, the next step is to ask questions. Once we receive an RFP, we’ll review it and then consult with the client about the details. We’ll have to refine our understanding of the functionality required and specific details regarding each portion of the project.

Once we have enough information and have gone over all the essential details, we can provide an initial software development project cost estimation. We can go over the points and provide a solid response to the RFP, but a solid estimate will still require further communication with the client.

What Would Cooperation Look Like?

Once you’ve decided on a service provider, the next step is cooperation. When you work with us, the first thing we do is request parameters for budget and costs, as well as detailed information regarding the features and functionality of the site. This lets us know how many people will need to be involved and how to budget development expenses, and it provides an overview of the desired end product.

Our development team goes through this information, breaks the project down into functional pieces, and then provides estimates for each piece. This estimate effort project management is then sent back to the client for review. All quotes are discussed and we put together a solid estimate for both time and expenses. If the project requires a dedicated developer, we will then send you a list of CVs and arrange interviews so that you can be sure you have the right person for your project.

After getting the game plan solid, we launch into it. We set our developers to the task, coordinate them with the project manager, and then have our quality assurance department test each portion as it is finalized. We regularly consult with our clients on the development process, arranging planning sprints, delivery dates, and other relevant factors.

Each team member is encouraged to share openly about potential challenges, new developments, and anything else that might impact the final product. If changes in the estimate are necessary, they are published in-house and options are discussed with the client. The project is only complete when your site has all the functionality you need when it looks and works as you want it to. Finally, we provide site support after completion to work out any bugs that might have slipped under the radar and ensure complete client satisfaction.

Development Estimation

The developers, though not the only element in the development process, are still one of the most important pieces of the puzzle. They are the ones that do the coding, that understand the requirements to create the necessary functionality, and have the experience required to give accurate estimates for each portion of the project. Developer or a team can provide an excellent project estimator for the more technical aspects of site creation.

One of the keys to a good estimate is knowing how to break the project down into its parts. This is where the developers are helpful. They will know what is required for each step of the project. They’ll be able to look at each feature and aspect of functionality and divide it into workable tasks. Once the project has been broken into tasks, it can be effectively assessed to generate a solid estimate.

Project Management Approval

At this point, it’s pretty clear why cost estimation is important in project management. Cost estimation is actually the process that shows all of the elements involved in developing the project. This lets PM tap the appropriate personnel and set reasonable timetables.

The project manager is the one responsible for the eagle-eye view of the project. Each developer handles their own small piece of the puzzle. However, the PM puts the puzzle together. They are the conductor of the symphony, arranging all the bits so that they fit together into a team. This is why project management approval is key to providing a solid estimate, both in terms of time and cost. They can look at all of the elements involved so that the overall project can be coordinated on schedule and within budget.

How Many Visitors to a Website You Have: Google Analytics Tool

To make your website successful, you’ve got to keep track of who actually sees it. This is great feedback to see check SEO effectiveness. “How to check my website visitors online?” We’ll go over a few great ways to check site activity and traffic. We’ll explore Google Analytics and how to integrate it with a Magento® store.

Want to Check Views on Website?

Your site’s active and people are visiting. You’re getting a few conversions, but there’s plenty of room for growth. You might be wondering, “How can I check the hits on my website?” The process is simple, you need to check webpage statistics. They offer loads of information. The pages people visit most and least frequently. It looks at visitors, sources, and conversion to give you a snapshot of your website activity.

You can get a quick sketch of your followers if you have a blog by looking at how many comments they have. You can also look into views on embedded videos. Much easier is to get all this information accurately at once. One of the great free services for exploring site activity is Google Analytics.

Magento Google Analytics Installation Guide

Integrating Google Analytics with Magento is easy. First, set up a Google Merchant Account. Be sure to get the URL verified and claimed. You’ll get a report from Google Analytics with an account number in this format: UA-XXXXXXX-1. Save this number. You’ll want it later for configuration.

Enter the account and enable eCommerce tracking. To do this, first, click Admin. From there, choose View Settings. From there, go into eCommerce settings. Activate eCommerce tracking, then click next. Submit, then you’ll get a success message pop-up.

Next is completing configuration. Select Admin>System>Configuration. Click to expand, then activate Google Analytics. Put in the account number from earlier. After that, click Save Config. Voila!

Add Google Analytics Tracking Code

First, you’ll need a Google Analytics Tracking code. Essentially, this is a business file number for your website in Google Analytics. Go to Admin>System>Configuration to add the tracking code. Look for Google API in the Sales selection. Enter the tracking code in the Account Number field. Then enable it. Click Save Config and that’s it. Remember to clear cache to see the newest configurations.

Get Google Analytics Login Credentials

With a Google account, it’s a cinch to access analytics. First, enter google.com/analytics in the search bar. Gmail account email and password are all you need to log in. After signing in, select Analytics.

This lets you explore website details, checking views, properties, and accounts. You can also go into analytics through Google Ads. Just click on Tools and Analysis and select Analytics.

Step-by-Step Instructions

After the installation of Google Analytics is sorted, you’ve got tracking code and login credentials. This lets you look into Real-Time information for every site page. Average page time, visits, bounces, conversions. To get to analytics, go to google.com/analytics and sign in. This brings you to the home page. Click on the account and you’ll land on the Audience Coverage page. Select Real Time from the side menu. For current info, select Overview. Explore viewed pages, user behavior, and geographic location with a click.

How to See Who Views Your Website

To check your website visitors, Google Analytics is an important tool. It’s perfect for monitoring website traffic and traffic sources. This analytics helps you better visualize your demographic. When you understand your customers and site activity, it’s easier to boost outreach and create effective advertising strategies. You can access a free version, or both premium and universal versions. Google Analytics will let you know who visits when they enter, and what brought them there. Some well-placed filters will also help. Using the traffic hacker, filter out junk traffic and your own visits, as both skew the results.

Geographic Location

Google Analytics is great for looking into users’ locations. That’s critical when dealing with both online and physical stores, letting you streamline deliveries for maximum efficiency. Geographic information can be set to different scopes: City, Country, Continent. Location data is based on user IP addresses. However, IP addresses are approximate. Plus, you may be contacted from a computer in Thailand, for instance, to serve an order for a company primarily based in Canada. Many companies operate out of areas that might not reflect their true geographic distribution.

Traffic Sources

Ok. One question you’ll want to ask is, “How many visitors visit my website?” This means exploring website traffic. Plus, it’s important to know how visitors have found you. Traffic sources include direct, organic, referral, and social. It’s best if traffic is balanced across all sources. Google Analytics offers a Traffic Sources report. This gives you details on total traffic and breaks it down by source. Login and select View Report. You’ll be taken to the Dashboard. This gives an overview of site analytics. Select Traffic Sources from the side menu.

Direct Traffic

If you click Direct Traffic, you’ll be shown how many users visit by entering the URL directly or by bookmarking the website in their browser. When you hand out business cards or put up flyers and people visit your site, they reach it by directly entering your URL. While this is an important source for many businesses, it may appear to be higher than it actually is. This is because Google Analytics determines the source from an HTTP referrer. Some browsers, plugins, and mobile devices strip this information as the visitor clicks in. Any clicks that don’t have a referrer are classified as direct traffic. Make sure to tag all your controlled traffic and campaigns, like social media posts and email marketing.

Organic Traffic

When your site comes up in a search and a visitor clicks on it, they reach it organically, without advertisement or referrals from other websites. If you have high levels of organic traffic, it means your site has great SEO. Keyword-based searches rank your site high, so it comes up on the first page. It’s best if not too much of your traffic is organic. Google changes its search algorithms on occasion. This can significantly drop levels of organic traffic overnight.

Referral Traffic

When another website features a link to your website, you get referral traffic. To check your referral traffic, select the Referring Sites option in the Traffic Sources report. High referral traffic is a good sign. It shows that other websites appreciate the services, products, and content you offer. Your influence is both extended and legitimized. Plus, referral traffic has a high conversion rate. It’s a great way to get new customers, and more links also mean better search results.

Social Traffic

Social sources account for about a quarter of the website traffic for most sites. It’s the second largest traffic source. Because the visitors are being directed by links in emails or social blogs, they may not even know what site they’re going to before they arrive. Social traffic also has the lowest return rate. Visitors may come only once. If they return, it’s often through the same channel as before. However, engagement and conversion rates tend to be higher. Social traffic can also be influenced actively. Posts on your social channels can significantly increase traffic.

User-ID Coverage Report

User ID’s are great for engaging your customers more deeply. They give you the option of tailoring a user portion of the site with special content and deals. To check analytics for signed-in users, just enter User-ID Coverage into the search box. On the app, go to Behavior and then choose Behavior View. If using a web view, select Audience and then choose Behavior Reports. This report gives the proportion of user sessions to the total. This shows what your dedicated customers are most interested in.

Other Useful Analytics Tools

It doesn’t stop there. If you want to know “how to track visits to my website,” there are several other useful analytic tools. Buffer, Alexa, SimilarWeb, these are just a few of the high-quality alternatives you can explore. Let’s explore the features of each:

SimilarWeb

SimilarWeb is excellent for analyzing any site or app. It allows you to explore your analytics and that of your competitors. This lets you explore their approach to online strategy and analytics. This lets you follow smart competitor’s techniques to refine your online strategy. It also helps to highlight new industry trends and players.

Alexa

Alexa gives detailed website analytics, including demographics, web speed, visit tracking, and popularity rankings. Just like SimilarWeb, Alexa can track competitor sites. It’s a high-quality site with an easy, intuitive interface and quick results. Alexa also offers several plans to fit any budget or marketing strategy. Another great feature is that Alexa offers recommendations to reach more customers and boost traffic.

Buffer

Buffer is most helpful if your company has a high social media emphasis. It specializes in performance analysis and managing accounts overall social sites at once. It is a rising star, used by more than 80,000 companies including Microsoft and Shopify. You can upload posts beforehand and schedule them to go up when you want. It also lets you explore social media analytics across all accounts. With this information, you can tailor posts and content to reach more customers and boost traffic.

ICONOSQUARE

Iconosquare is another service for managing social sites and exploring analytics across all of them. It lets you take your Instagram and Facebook pages to the next level. Iconosquare lets you upload content and schedule when it goes up. It also monitors all social media platforms, letting you moderate and track all comments from one site. It also has excellent analytics, letting you explore key social metrics. In Instagram, you can tag accounts and locations, review and manage comments, and keep up with gained and lost followers. This tool helps you tune into your demographic and boost your reach.

Guide to Web Development Project Management

Have you ever wondered how websites are made? Have you ever thought about hiring the web development company with proactive and flexible project management approach? In this article, we will focus on web development project management and also look at the different approaches used when it comes to web development, including the Agile approach to systems development.

You often hear people talk about the effectiveness of management for any type of project. You can define a project as a unique continuous task usually undertaken to achieve certain goals set within a given time frame, costs and other limitations. But, what are the key components of project management for the development? About the results, you can have a successful project if the goals that set were achieved due to the instructions that were laid out initially. Also, if the project was done within the agreed timeframe, under the detailed budget, you will come with great results. To run a smooth program, the project manager must be involved, or a team to whom everyone was participating in the assignment should be reporting to. He is responsible for every operation taking place within the project.

Different Approaches to Project Management

Below are some approaches often used in project management.

Agile Project Methodology

This is among the recognized methods used in project management. It is usually a good choice for an accumulative kind of project. This methodology involves a mechanism whereby the progression of the project depends on the chosen groups working together with the clients.

This methodology was initially made to assist in developing software systems as a way of making up for the inadequacies that the waterfall method had. Having sealed the loophole left by the waterfall approach, i.e., it lacked the flexibility to be able to change the project design, made this the most efficient methodology hence the popularity among different organizations.

It is the most popular project management approach that helps to break work into small parts, test each stage and provide flexibility in the development process. Project managers work with a team directly, providing constant communication, update information regarding all the steps of delivering the project from the beginning till the end. This approach helps to learn when and how the team is going through tasks. That is why the team works with a more focused and qualitative approach.

Scrum

This is also another approach used in managing projects. It comprises 5 core aspects. These are; focus, respect, commitment, courage, and openness. The main aim of using this particular approach is always focused on developing, delivering and sustaining complex tasks through continuous progress, accountability, and collaboration.

The Scrum methodology is different from the Agile approach by the way it works with certain production programs, roles, and activities set for the project.

Waterfall

If you read more on the traditional approaches used in project management, then most certainly you will find out this methodology. It follows a linear and straight design structure where the progress is unidirectional and only flows downwards.

The waterfall was originated from the construction and manufacturing industries. However, because of the tools involved, this methodology became more expensive hence lacking flexibility regarding changing the design structure during the initial stages of the project.

This saw the introduction of an agile approach, to deal with design issues, less customer feedback and probably a delayed testing time.

Lean

Another project management approach that promotes the maximization of customer value and minimizing the waste is lean. The approach is aimed at utilizing a few resources to increase client value. It originated from the Japanese manufacturing industry and works on the principle that quality should improve, waste removed and reducing both the cost and time.

Lean is also used for startups. The Lean Startup methodology was created by Eric Ries in 2008. It became an essential guide for startup founders and those who want to develop innovative products without losing a significant amount of investments. The idea lies in the creation of MVP – minimal viable product, testing the interest level from the early adopters and possible outcome on the market after you launch it.

Technical Project Management

From the definitions we’ve seen above, you can describe technical project management as the act of managing or overseeing projects that need web development or just technology initiative involved from the concept stage and sustaining it all through until a concrete outcome is archived.

To do this, the project targets must first be clearly set followed by a well-defined scope put in place before the project starts.

Web Development Project Management Process

You might probably be thinking the main thing towards developing a website involves coding alone, right? Well, coding is just part of it. However, there is a certain procedure that is always followed towards ensuring a successful project.

This is usually known as the website development life cycle with steps usually varying from 6 to 8 but usually the same thing. Below are the seven main steps:

• Gathering the requirements
• Planning
• Designing
• Development
• Testing and Review
• Deployment
• Maintenance

But that’s not all. To control the development process, give additional tasks and get feedback from the client, there should be a set of project management tools to work effectively.

Web Project Management Tools

Web development is an industry that requires a lot of interaction or collaboration thus it requires a good project manager with great project management skills. Well, the manager should also be able to keep his team together by organizing everything and making sure no one is left behind. This is why project management tools are important to control the workflow. They increase the interaction level within the team and a client thus improving the collaboration among all the members.

Web Project Management Software

Project management software is also a part of the project management tools. It is mostly used to bring some ease to the workflow by improving communication between the team members and the managers. Below are some that can help you with web development management.

Jira

This is an issue tracking software. Jira can be used when tracking errors in a project and also a good tool for Agile methodology.

Slack

Slack is another software used for managing projects and focusing mostly on improving collaboration among the team. It is a great messenger and communication channel.

Github

Have you ever heard about a version control system called Git? Well, Github is the software responsible for offering all the management functionalities of the version control system, Git.

Zeplin

Zeplin is a sketching tool. It’s an important software especially when it comes sketching up the designs to be implemented in the project.

Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Illustator is a graphics editor software that can usually be used for creating mockups or designs during a web development project.

All these tools are important because, in one way or another, they help to facilitate the development of the project by increasing the level of interaction. This results in easy workflow within the team.

Mobile-Friendly Website. Full Optimization Checklist

By now, the likelihood of hearing the term “mobile-friendly” in any tech-related conversation is at its highest. Thanks to the proliferation of mobile devices around the globe, design practices that were once aimed at desktop have switched to mobile. According to Statcounter, this was mainly influenced by the overtaking of desktop traffic by mobile traffic in 2017. Web developers continue to realize the benefits of mobile-friendly website daily. A wider audience, higher traffic flow, longer session durations are just a few on the list.

What Is a Mobile-Friendly Website?

Making a website mobile-friendly is not as difficult a task as it may sound. While there is no concrete definition of what a mobile-friendly website is, most definitions focus on factors such as accessibility, readability, and navigation.

Google defined their best practices to include mobile-first indexing, which means that Google indexes the mobile version of your website before the desktop version. The indexes are used by Google algorithms to rank website appearances in their search engine. Such factors have transformed mobile devices from social devices to potential business hubs.

What Makes a Website Mobile-Friendly?

Over time, many statistics have been formulated to analyze websites for their “mobile-friendliness.” The basis of these statistics ranges from the use of mobile real estate to the themes of design that a website developer selects for use. Google has done a great deal in this analysis and now provide developers with clearly defined in the Google guidelines on mobile-friendly web development.

The first focus of a mobile-friendly website will come from the visitors of your site. The visual presentation of information is a crucial aspect of how your visitor judges the website. The key areas of focus in the visual presentation include:

Responsive Design

The responsiveness of a site forms the basis for its mobile-friendliness. Responsive design of a website ensures that the content of that website will be resized and rearranged based on the size of the screen it is displayed on. A mobile responsive page, for example, will turn a vertically displayed menu to a horizontal display to enhance the website appearance. Unnecessary graphics such as images, GIFs, and videos may also be removed for better content presentation.

Readable Fonts

The focus for how information is presented in most web pages tends to lie on text representation, with images, videos, and audio enhancing the information that is in the text. The mobile-friendly website focuses on readability of text and usually have their content in sans-serif which is readable on screens of various types and sizes. Font sizes should also be carefully considered as it will affect how readable your paragraphs will be to the user. A standard size for most platforms your website could be viewed in is 16px.

“You can do a good ad without good typography, but you can’t do a great ad without good typography”
Herb Lubalin

Proper Text Formatting

Long blocks of paragraphs may appear neat on a desktop, but the length on smaller screens may look like too much information and scare the reader. Shorter and more precise paragraphs should be employed for a mobile responsive design. Keep the sentences short and direct, and apply bulleting and numbering where relevant.

Optimized Media Display

Information that is represented in videos and images must be sized in a way that doesn’t need scrolling or resizing of a page to view. Likewise, videos should be able to fit screen sizes appropriately when turned to landscape mode. Accurate adaptability can be enhanced by always using the viewport meta tag for your graphical elements.

Audit for Mobile-Friendly Site: A Checklist

The main points for the mobile-friendly site are the simple navigation, basic conversion elements (sections) on a website, site loading time, usability and content. To check this, you can follow the instructions below.

Checking the Site for Friendliness

To increase your website’s mobile-friendliness, there are some key elements of your website that you need to optimize. The checklist provides a handy guide for where to start when optimizing your website to be mobile phone friendly. Check the main website pages main page, section, flypage, contacts, and other useful sections and blocks. To check if the site is responsive use Google Service.

Checking the Basic Conversion Elements

Conversion elements are essential for websites that are looking to increase their following or obtain a wider customer base. They are parts of your website that prompt the user to take an action within the app. These actions may include:

• Ability to contact the store or office in one click;
• Hamburger menu
• Availability of prices on the products, services at the main pages types
• Page “Contacts or Contact us”: phone number, address, roadmap
• Fill out forms
• Allow for notifications
• Access to the social media page, and more.

These conversion elements should be added to your website in a way that does not obstruct the visitor from the main content of the webpage.

Checking the Site Load Speed

If your website features documents for the visitor or user to download, and the overall content volume is high, you must ensure that the load speed of your website is fast and reliable. There are tools available online that can analyze your website and suggest how best you can improve those speeds. There are tools available online that can analyze your website and suggest how best you can improve those speeds.

Google provides PageSpeed Insights as an online service which analyzes the speeds of your website. It provides details on the speeds and the optimization percentages for your website and provides suggestions on how you can improve these metrics for better ratings.

Pingdom is yet another website analysis tool which can help a website owner to achieve higher traffic for their website. It provides insights such as API integration metrics, root cause analysis, uptime monitoring, and synthetic interaction testing, which are essential for acquiring real-time statistics on website performance.

Likewise, GTmetrix is a tool which provides speed testing for websites. It gives insights to website performance through multiple scheduled tests and alerts, and it provides toolkits which can help web developers to optimize their websites even further for better performance.

Checking Website Usability

The usability of a website is determined by factors such as:

• Readability level – font size not less than 12 px
• The simplicity of navigation
• Minimal error generation
• Efficient completion of tasks
• Satisfaction of use

Lack of usability on your website will result in high bounce rates. Usability tests can be useful in testing individual modules of the website manually. Some tools can also automate the process and provide results much faster.

Checking Content Match for Mobile and Desktop User

As a web developer, you must ensure that what your users see on your desktop website matches what information they see on other devices that they use to access your site. The tests that are run to ensure consistency in each version of a website are known as parity tests. They involve crawling of the website as both a desktop and mobile users and identifying differences between the two versions. Likewise, checking your HTML code can provide insight into the differences and allow you to fix errors as soon as possible.

Typical Mistakes, their Solutions and Criticality Level for SEO

So, you’ve checked your site on some main points as usability level, site load speed, content match, and conversion elements. You are almost ready to provide a mobile-friendly version of your site. But during the process of optimization, some small or significant issues might occur. We decided to point most of them to make sure that your site is mobile-friendly and mobile-ready.

You can use this table above to check all the issues that might have occur on your website. This will help to prepare your site to be fully responsive and user-friendly.

Magento Search and Tips on How to Work With It

If you’re working in the eCommerce field, you may have heard about Magento® search before. That’s because the tool is a necessary feature for any site to have a great user experience; that said, not many have taken the time to describe it or how it works. That’s why we’ve created this guide to tell you more about how to improve your search for the store.

How Does Magento Search Bar Works?

To get started, we should discuss how Magento Search works in the first place.

Search Features

Magento Search features include the use of synonyms; thereby, optimizing your functionality. You can also take advantage of the search’s SEO features, which will allow you to rank higher in Google.

Here is a list of the features you may find with Magento Search:

• Search Engine Optimization
• Synonyms
• Language processing
• URL redirect management
• Product promotion

Types of Search in Magento

There are several kinds of searches exist and.each one has its own benefits. You can use the full-text search, which does not provide a partial match for searches. This search option will provide your customers with results that best match their search, though, because it determines which products are most appropriate for specific keywords.

Next, there’s combined search. It will allow your customers to find products that match partially with a keyword. Because of this, your customers can find products that don’t match a specific keyword, but that they can browse a specific product name.

You can use flexible searches. These will provide your customers with matches depending on a word they search. If they search the word bed, for example, they may find bedding as a partial match.

A sorted search result will show your customers exact matches. In comparison to flexible searches, a sorted search result will not show you the word bedding if you search bed; rather, it’ll only show you results with the word bed.

Magento Search Settings

It has a number of settings that will help your customers to find their products more efficiently. We specified those settings below and for sure, they can greatly improve Magento Search and user experience at your store.

Quick Search

This search feature allows as the name suggests, your customers to search quickly. It installs a search box in the top right corner of your store; wherein, your customers can type keywords or products. If you own a clothing store; for example, they can type “yellow top” to view a list of yellow tops.

Advanced Search Settings

Your customers can use Magento’s advanced search setting to find products with more restrictive parameters. If there’s a maximum price you’re willing to pay, you can enter it here to show results that are within your range. You’ll also have parameters like the following: Name, SKU, Description, Short Description, etc.

Weighted Search

A weighted search will allow you, the eCommerce business owner, to put a specific weight to product characteristics in Magento product search. These characteristics will have weights that range from 1 to 10, 10 being the highest. This means that if you rate “color” at a 7 and “size” at a 4, a search for a “green shirt” will show shirts that have the color green listed as an attribute. In doing so, you’ll allow your customers to find the products they want more quickly.

Configuring Search in Magento 2

Now that you know a little more about Magento Search, we can tell you all about Magento search configuration.

Configuring Magento Search

Before we get into how you can configure different features of Magento Search, you should know how to configure the tool itself.

1. Go to your admin panel.
2. Drag your mouse to the far right part of your screen. Here, you should have a section called Stores. When you run your mouse over it, you’ll see a drop-down menu.
3. Scroll down the drop-down menu until you see Configuration. Click on it.

Configure Catalog Search

1. Stay at Configuration.
2. Now, you should have a section that says “Catalog Search”. Click on it.
3. From here, you can configure the following: minimal query length, maximum query length, search engine (MySQL).
4. Remember to save.

Configure Popular Search Terms

Your search terms are already enabled on your site; that said, you’ll have to connect it to your catalog search. This will allow you to rank higher on search engines.

1. You’ll have to go to the Stores section and press Settings.
2. Click on Catalog.
3. Click on Catalog again.
4. Now, you should find the section titled Search Engine Optimization. You can choose to enable or disable this.

Magento Custom Search Module

Magento Search module will set your store apart from all the others. Below, you can read about different custom modules to ensure that your customers are having the best experience they can.

Layered Navigation Extension by Mageworx

This module is popular for a number of reasons; for example, it’s SEO friendly. Because of this, your website will rank higher in search engines than it would otherwise. Not only this, but you can install different category characteristics on your site so that your customers will be able to narrow down their searches. Customers will be able to select multiple characteristics so that if your customers are looking for shirts that are white or/and blue, they can select these colors to narrow down their search.

ElasticSearch by Amasty

This search module will allow your customers to search for products more accurately. This will be done by finding synonyms when your customers search so that while they might enter the weird “shirt”, products that have “top” as a description may pop up. This feature will make your store more flexible and allow customers to find the products they want – even when they don’t have the exact words to find them.

Google Custom Search Pro by CommerceExtensions

This extension is known for improving the SEO of Magento stores. In doing so, you can expect your store to rank higher in Google than others and to increase your exposure.

The major benefit of this extension is that it can work with any store and you don’t have to change your template for it to do so. It also supports a multi-store environment and comes with a manual so that you can get the most out of your store.

How to Create Any Custom Module in Magento

If the above modules aren’t exactly what you’re looking for, you may have your own Magento custom search query. To create your custom module, use following the following steps:

1. Disable your cache in Magento. This is not necessary but we do suggest it for the optimal experience.
2. Run to a developer mode. If you don’t know how to do this, you can simply go to your terminal. From here, go to Magento 2 root and run this command: php bin/magento deploy:mode:set developer
3. Create a folder. Here, you’ll have to name your module. It should be named VendorName_ModuleName.
4. From here, you’ll have to create an etc/module.xml file. Create an etc folder once you’re done.
5. Your next step is to create the etc/registration.php file.
6. Enable your new module.
7. Create a controller

If you want to know more about how to create a custom Magento module, follow our step-by-step guide.

The First PWA POS App for Magento 2 by Magestore: Our Review

One of the hottest web development trends to hit the world of eCommerce is PWA. Magento® is currently developing a PWA studio to enhance their features. Other companies as Vue Storefront and Magento development agencies are looking to expand PWA’s presence. Progressive Web Apps give your customers greater access to your product and makes it easier than ever to get conversions. Magestore is developing a new POS solution that revolutionizes customer experience with a PWA app-like experience. Magento’s PWA studio and PWA POS will fit your website with cutting-edge eCommerce solutions.

What is PWA?

A PWA is a new way of accessing websites. Basically, it takes all the best features of a website and combines them with all the best features of an app. The user is given an option to add the site to their home screen. If they accept, an icon appears on the home screen and a user can return to the site with a single click. Users aren’t required to download anything, and the PWA loads more quickly than other sites, even on the first visit. Once it’s added to the home screen, it smart caches data for near-instant load times.

What is POS?

POS is an acronym for “point of sale.” It’s an essential element of any eCommerce business. Traditionally, the cash register has performed the role of receiving money and counting orders. In the digital age, even the point of sale has been upgraded to fit new technology and customer expectations. Now, the POS is a blend of software and hardware. It processes credit cards, handles cash payments, tracks and manages transactions, and coordinates post-transaction services. Put simply, the modern POS streamlines business operations while providing customers with a user-friendly experience.

PWA POS by Magestore for Magento

Now you know what the PWA is and what the POS system is. What has connected them? That is the case we want to talk about. The Magestore team has created a new PWA POS product. Basically, it is a fully-fledged POS system that works across multiple devices with super fast and stable performance.

As any business owner knows, handling the paperwork can be a major headache. Going around and around to get all the information you need, from end-of-day totals to customer information. Add in inventory, shipping, and peak hour sales, and you’re looking at the biggest challenges faced by any type of business. This is the beauty of Magestore’s PWA POS. Now that Magento business owners have all information including sales, customers, and inventories within just ONE place – your POS. In real-time. With instant access.

Less paperwork, less chance of deadly errors.

Customers get a full range of options to pay for their purchased products. No need to wait in long lines for the clerks to process one sale at a time. Also, it is easier for the staff to work with PWA POS as it loads quicker and you get the same functionality as in web version. They also receive full customer and inventory details to make sales.

The result? For the customer: a faster and smoother checkout experience. For the business owner: streamlined business operations with built-in coordination of all information necessary for customer fulfillment. To break it down further, this means that you have a successful, and efficient business with lower overhead. Magestore’s PWA POS handles a wide range of different payment styles and processes them at high speed. Plus, it provides easy access allows offline viewing with no lag time. Finally, customers are able to easily view current stock availability as part of the POS.

Now let’s move on to more features of PWA POS and what it will give your business. Most certainly that you’ve heard about Omnichannel businesses. Accessibility is the feature that makes them successful and PWA POS certainly help to create the omnichannel experience.

PWA POS Benefits

In addition to the potential for expansion, the PWA POS has several other benefits. First, it can be accessed quickly, even on the first visit. Many users will bounce from the site if it takes more than three seconds to load. PWAs have been designed with this in mind, guaranteeing instant load time and letting customers surf without interruption even when the connection is bad or when offline. Web pages are updated silently in the background, and information from previous visits is pre-cached to tailor customer experience. Plus, since the same app runs on both mobile and desktop, PWAs lower your maintenance costs and requirements. Let’s take a look at the key advantages in order to understand how it works.

More & Faster Sales

Let’s face it – customers have plenty of options these days. And, attention spans are becoming shorter and shorter. So, if a customer has to wait for a page to load before making a purchase, odds are they’ll find another source. The Point of Sale is the last place you want to lose a sale, so it’s vital that your POS will process product search, checkout, and report quickly. With PWA, you get lightning-fast load times and tailored customer experience.

Time & Cost Saving

We’ve touched a scenario upon how the customer can save time in the sales process. What about the business itself? A great bulk of business overhead is the admin. You have to pay employees to manage the paperwork. You have to spend the budget and man-hours for post-transaction fulfillment. And this is vital for the success of the company. A few unsatisfied customers can lead to poor reviews and fewer visits to your site. Keep your customers happy, and your conversion rates will soar. So, by streamlining your business operations, you actually improve the success of your business.

Ease of Expansion

One of the greatest details of the Magestore PWA POS is that it can be changed and upgraded from the backend. It’s the core Magento system that you’ve already been familiar with. You can manage or add locations for your products or physical sites. It also lets you determine roles and set permission for them. Staff can be assigned directly through the POS, and staff statistics can be easily monitored by the business owner. Finally, when it comes time to expand, there are no extra fees. In fact, this product is a one-time payment with no recurring fees. After purchase, your business can be expanded indefinitely without additional expenditure.

Control All Over the Stores

Another challenge faced by business owners is to coordinate the activity of all stores. Inventory, availability, shipping, these are just a few things that business owners need to manage, and the more stores you have, the bigger the challenge. Admin costs grow with each store, leading the business owner to wonder if it’s worth the challenge to expand. With Magento’s PWA POS, these questions are a thing of the past. You have instant access to all sales, inventory, and operations of every store. This lets you refine the operations in each store and easily switch from one location to another via the admin panel.

Instant Use with Full Benefits

Ease of use is critical in the fast-paced modern world. The PWA POS streamlines the post-transaction phase. This means that customers receive their products or services without hold-ups from inefficient processing. They get what they want. Ease of use is the key to making your product available to your customer. The most beautiful thing about PWAs is that they offer an app-like experience without actually having to download an app. You get all the benefits and none of the downsides. Offline experience, instant loading, and no download.

Omnichannel Experience

Omnichannel is one of the holy grails of current eCommerce platforms. Last year, the big trend was multichannel. But we’ve moved on. Multichannel let the customer reach the site through any device. Omnichannel means that a customer can begin the sale on one device, and finish it on another without having to start from the beginning. Seamless integration happens across all channels. That’s what PWA POS system deliver to you as a business and helps to reach your customers and your business goals. Online fulfillment is integrated so that the customer can interact with the site, shifting devices when they need, and purchasing the product from the most efficient location.

PWA POS Key Features

Magestore’s PWA POS comes loaded with features to simplify your sales and boost efficiency. The login takes less than 3 seconds. Products can be held and processed at your convenience. It allows you to establish coupon codes for customers. You can add customer details for shipping and provide shipping options. All information from prior sales is at your fingertips. Customer status and order history can be accessed in seconds. Plus, this system lets customers leave a deposit to lock in a product. PWA POS is corresponding to the 2 devices: iPad, Android Tablet. It will be easy to work with customers via PWA app, not with a web version. It will save the time of the staff and the store owner.

In reality, you can have different scenarios with your customer at the store. PWA POS cover different situations that might appear. And you will understand them better with the features of the system and how they work.

Customer Management

How many customers can you handle at once? With the traditional methods, your POS gives you a hard ceiling. It means that you have a maximum limit on the number of sales you can make in an hour or a day. However, Magestore PWA POS shatters this ceiling. You can handle loads of customer requests, and stock availability is updated instantly. Transactions can be completed in less than ten seconds, and barcode scans are processed in less than one second. Plus, more than 12,000 orders can be processed in a single hour.

Working with Multiple Customers

The traditional POS limits the number of customers that can be processed at once by the number of available cash registers. Once you set up a PWA POS, you can create multiple orders at the same time. Orders can also be held and processed later, whenever you or the customer are ready to finalize the sale on checkout. When reviewing details of the sale, customers can be looked up in under a second. And when they win, you win.

Filtering Customers

Each customer will have viewing and purchasing histories on your POS system. Being able to explore these histories lets you know what the customer wants. It lets you know what they are more likely to purchase later. Magento’s PWA POS gives you access to all customer history, letting you make targeted product recommendations and send new product offers that up conversions. Also, you can filter your customers in a system by the name, orders status, and location.

Synchronization

One of the challenges in eCommerce is to manually import or export information between the CMS and the POS. Synchronization provides and answers to this. It automatically integrates information from all aspects of the business. Stock information, customer information, orders, and sales are all fed into a single integrated database. Real-time sync incorporates information from Magento and POS. Offline sync lets merchants effortlessly manage the business without the internet connection and saves all actions that were performed during this period.

Partial Payments

One feature that increases customer convenience is partial payment. Customers may not be able to able to pay for the entire purchase at once. PWA POS lets you accept partial sales from a customer and then handles the later payments with no hassle.

Refunds

Customer satisfaction requires refunds. Customers tend to change their mind. Sometimes they bought something that didn’t fit or made an impulse purchase they later regret. Magento’s PWA POS eliminates these challenges and makes the refund process as simple as the sale itself. You can fill out the refund right out from the system.

Reward Points and Coupons

Repeat customers come from incentives. We all love a sale. So, when you give your customers coupons and reward points, you dramatically increase conversion rates. PWA POS makes it easy to incorporate reward points and coupons at checkout as well.

Payment Methods

When it comes down to it, customers will want to pay with all sorts of different methods. Cash, credit card, PayPal, Stripe, set up your site so that the customers can pay as they want. Customers may want to split payments between different methods, and they will want to be able to use the methods that are easy for them. You can choose split payment on the screen at checkout, so the customer can pay half cash and half credit card, for example. Magento’s PWA POS is designed with this in mind, making purchases simple and cutting out the hassle.

Cash

Cash is king. This is how it’s been from the beginning of the business and it’s not likely to change anytime soon. This is just basic business protocol. If you have a physical location, it’s a necessity.

Credit Card

The second most common form of payment is with credit or debit card. And any online shop will need to be able to process this kind of payment. In fact, with both online and physical store, this is the first, the most preferred method of payment. So processing credit cards and debit cards are absolutely critical for the success of your business. PWA POS makes this simple, cutting out the middleman.

PayPal

PayPal is the second most common form of payment for online purchases. Until the game changes, making your site PayPal accessible is an absolute necessity. PayPal is easy to set up, operates across the world, and makes payment simple. PayPal payments come default in the PWA POS system, making it a breeze for you to use the highest ranking international payment site with no additional steps.

Authorize.net

Authorize.net is set up for secure payments and invoicing, as well as recurring payments, secure customer data, and a wide range of different payment types. Plus, it makes checkout simple and includes automatic synchronization with Quickbooks. It might not be the top choice for online payments, but it comes close. PWA POS comes standard with Authorize.net features.

Stripe

This is a scalable, flexible tool for processing online payments. It provides a comprehensive toolkit for Internet businesses. Magestoremade Stripe available for its new POS service. Regardless of the type of business you run, Stripe is a payment option you want to provide to your customers.

Bambora

Bambora is an up-and-coming service that shouldn’t be overlooked in this new digital explosion. Though it may not have as much press as PayPal or Authorize.net, it’s still in the top of the rankings. Like the payment processing methods described above, Magento’s PWA POS comes equipped with facilities to process payments through Bambora. It offers tailored payment solutions to handle a wide range of payment sources. It’s a key payment processing platform for any site of the future.

Online Fulfillment

Ok. So you’ve got your orders in. The sale is made. What’s next? This is where order fulfillment comes in. It’s the post-transaction aspect of the sale. What happens after the customer has made the purchase. And, it’s key to the whole process. Online fulfillment is all about making sure your customer gets what they’ve ordered. This might require shipping or inventory handling. It might mean wrapping up the product in the checkout line. A customer can choose the preferred shipping method and delivery date.

POS and Location Management

Your customers are buying online. And, depending on the type of product, they’ll want something in their hands to complete the sale. This means that you’ll have to work with a physical inventory, based in a physical location. When you use Magento’s PWA POS, your inventory is correlated between all sites and shipping is the process in the most efficient way possible. It lets you give your customers what they want as quickly as possible.

Denomination

It’s a no-brainer that different countries will use different currencies. Some methods of payment processing require multiple conversions from one currency to the next. Each time currency is converted, you lose a bit. So the key is to find methods that cut the number of conversions. Magento’s PWA POS intelligently connects a user to the source, cutting out all the middlemen to make the highest profits from your sale.

Configuration with Google API

Sitemaps are a key to SEO. When you set up a sitemap with Google API, you use a free Google service to coordinate maps, routes, and places with the site. If you have a physical location, this is absolutely essential for your service. It connects your customers with your physical offerings. They can find you, which means you get more conversions. Google API sitemaps make your site more efficient for the customers and for yourself.

Overall, PWA POS by Magestore is a robust solution for the online and offline retailer, who wants to be omnichannel and cooperate with the customers successfully. It has lots of time-saving and innovative features for customers as online fulfillment, partial and split payments, easy navigation, online and offline synchronization, and other great tools. It will help you to control your inventory and plan product distribution among stores, quick reaction to stock fulfillment. Also, you will be able to proceed customers’ requests in a flexible manner and a short time.