Since the release of Magento 2 in the year 2015, a lot of commotion has been doing the rounds with the migration of Magento 1 to 2. A few e-commerce merchants using Magento 1 have already started upgrading their websites to Magento 2 and a few others are still contemplating the option and have been holding onto Magento 1 for about 5 years! There are numerous reasons for this. Firstly, the process is quite tiring as the process of setting up as well as personalizing an online store on the platform Magento 1 is tough.
This makes one assume the migration process would be equally tough as well. Secondly, there is a cost involved in the migration. Though both the platforms are free, the process of migrating would cost you some money. This could be indirect costs as well like losses due to the service outage while upgrading from 1 to 2. However, the main reason is that there is an argument related to both the platforms being the same with no evident differences!
Though this is fair enough, it is time to migrate to Magento 2, irrespective of whether you want to or not, as Magento 1 is retiring. This post is a guide that helps you through the migration process, focuses on the migration options and the benefits of migration. It also gives you an idea as to how the migration process can be done easily using the auto migration tool - Cart2Cart.
The End of Magento 1:
Magento 1 has been running well for more than a decade and it's time for it to retire. The end of Magento 1 began with the launch of Magento 2 in the year 2015. The reveal of the retirement of Magento 1 was done in 2018 and the platform will not be receiving any support from June 1st, 2020. So, now that those using this platform will not be getting any support from the company like extra extensions, fixes, modules, or security patches.
So, the only option left is to switch to Magento 2, as any platform that lacks in security updates, will be vulnerable to numerous cyber attacks. So, let us look into the routes available for the migration process.
Routes for Migration From Magento 1 to 2:
At present, there are two routes to save your online business store before you get hit by cyber-attacks.
1. Avoiding the Magento Platform in its Entirety
The first option is to move your online store completely to a new ecosystem. Yes, this means not opting for the Magento 2 as well as any other editions of the platform. Most of the e-commerce businesses have moved to different third-party platforms like Shopify, BigCommerce, WooCommerce, or PrestaShop. However, be sure to understand the pros and cons of both platforms before you take the plunge.
2. Shifting to Magento 2
The first option might not be suitable for all businesses, and hence online businesses with specific requirements that can be catered by Magento would have to migrate to Magento 2. This refers to e-commerce websites that focus on comprehensive code-based personalization capabilities, strong tools for store management, SEO-friendly URLs, complete platform control, etc. If this is relatable, then you would have to move your entire store from Magento 1 to 2.
Reasons To Upgrade from Magento 1 To 2:
Magento 1 might be quite similar to Magento 2, however, there are a few features that set them apart. To be specific, Magento 2 offers the following:
1. Friendly Admin Interface
Those using Magento 1 would agree that the interface is quite confusing and technical skills are required to configure the tools and personalize your store website. Additionally, Magento 1 does not have a very elegant interface. On the contrary, Magento 2's second-generation interface has been designed to ensure there are lesser technical platforms in contrast to platforms like Shopify.
The platform gives its users, technical or non-technical, a very seamless and very friendly experience. The interface is neat and has understandable functions and the navigation is quite straightforward.
2. Flexibility & Performance
Magento 2 is way better in terms of flexibility and performance in contrast to Magento 1. The web pages of an online store are expected to have a faster loading and response time. Magento 2 has many supplementary tools and technologies used to enhance web performance. For example, the caching process of your site will be enhanced due to the HTTP accelerator tool and the Varnish Cache of Magento 2.
3. Better Security
Magento 2 has focused on and prioritized the security of data. It keeps offering features and tools to prevent infiltration into the system, to avoid cyber attacks, and which also help recover from any possible loss of data. Magento 2 has employed the hashing algorithms "SHA-255" to safeguard its system passwords. If need be, it can be reinforced by the extension of 2-factor authentication which accompanies the algorithm. Also, Magento 2 offers a unique URL for the Admin account, which makes it tough to hack into.
Additionally, Magento 2 covers the countless vulnerabilities that arise due to system development, as the optimal development environment rides on tools such as Magento DevBox Beta.
4. Seamless Checkout System
Magento 2 enables the e-commerce owner to sell faster by way of its checkout system that is smooth and seamless. The shoppers need not fill out registration forms while checking out. Instead, web visitors are identified by Magento 2 as their guests, and it permits them to have a checkout process free of any interruptions. You can also embed many options of payment to your store's checkout page. You can also develop customized payment modules quickly and all you need to do is get your Magento 2 system integrated with a merchant checkout solution.
Methods of Migrating from Magento 1 To 2
Though there aren't any apps or tools to migrate from Magento 1 to 2, this should not discourage you. There are three primary approaches that can be considered to upgrade from Magento 1 to 2.
#1. Manual Migration
This is the very standard and traditional migration process to transfer the data between two platforms. The process is quite technical and is quite tiring. Manual migration from Magento 1 to 2 has plenty of coding involved as well as very complicated web development tweaks. This task has to be done only by technically skilled programmers. Additionally, it is essential to have knowledge about the core structure of each platform along with its source code. The process is quite intricate and there are high chances of making errors. In short, this process could take days and the error rate is quite high.
#2. Assisted Migration
This indeed is very expensive. And here's why. Assisted migration of online stores requires hiring professionals with technical knowledge and experience to get the job done. And most of the time, the professionals make use of the very traditional tedious manual method of migration. They spend a lot of their time moving your store data from one platform to the other while simultaneously coding and reprogramming as well. This is the best option for the owners who need to migrate but do not have the technical skills for the same. However, the downside is that this can be very expensive and there are chances of making detrimental errors while transferring the data.
#3. Automated Migration
This method is quite a favorite amongst many e-commerce store owners. Rather than opting for manual migration, you can opt for an automatic migration from Magento 1 to 2 by using a very specialized migration tool that handles the majority of the store work, minimizes human input, and optimizes the accuracy. This is the closest to the one-click tool for migration. Apps such as Cart2Cart need just a few non-technical tweaks, that will require a few minutes prior to the migration. The cost involved in this method is quite less in contrast to hiring a professional agency. Additionally, the time taken in this method is quite short.
Why Opt for Cart2Cart Data Migration Extension to Migrate from Magento 1 To Magento 2?
The app Cart2Cart is not only a tool to tackle the migrations from Magento 1 to 2. This app is a solution that is renowned worldwide for facilitating automated migrations across various shopping cart platforms. To be specific, Cart2Cart simplifies the entire migration process of e-commerce stores by reducing manual configurations and permitting shop owners to transfer all store data and components without possessing technical or coding skills. It also offers them its intuitive migration wizard that guides the store owners through the complete process of migration
Cart2Cart supports Magento upgrades via its specialized data migration extension for Magento 1 to 2. This extension is available on the Magento Extension Marketplace. Also, it won't cost you anything to get this tool and get it installed on your store's Magento eCommerce platform. You can also create an account where you can customize your options for migration free of cost.
Also, it gives you a free demo of the transfer of your store data between these two platforms of Magento. Through this demo, it migrates a few of your store components from your source platform (Magento 1) to your target platform (Magento 2) to demonstrate its data transfer prowess. If you are convinced by the demo, you will also notice the flexible price schedule offered by Cart2Cart. Once you make your payment for its service and you begin the full migration, Cart2Cart immediately starts the process of data transfer which takes just a few hours, and during this time, your online store remains online without any interruptions in its service.
Yes, this means that during the migration process with Cart2Cart from Magento1 to 2, you do not experience downtime. You could also continue processing the transactions when the data of your site is being copied and transferred by Cart2Cart.
By using this app, you will be able to transfer all your important components of your online store inclusive of CMS pages, supplementary stores, coupons, reviews, orders, manufacturers, customers, products, categories, and the like. Everything that is important can be easily mirrored from the Magento 1 store to your Magento 2 store.
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