Internet Gangsters

The open-source ecommerce solution, Magento has just released a new version in time for all those online Holiday stores(woot!!).  You can download the update within the Connect Manager in the admin portion of Magneto.  It includes:

• Google Base integration
• Scheduled DV logs cleaning options
• Google Website Optimizer Integration

and more, its pretty slick, i sound like an advertisement - but im not, its that great.  Here is a fancy little video showcasing the Google Website Optimizer options within 1.1.7.

Full 1.1.7 Patch Notes here.

So im at a unique crossroads in which I have the opportunity to not only create, design and manage two large online storefronts, but im not getting paid in anything other than equity for both, so naturally, I’m trying to keep my costs low. Enter Magento. A rock solid, open-source alternative to things like CS-Cart, osCommerce and more. Not only is Magento free, but its a breeze to install, configure and update. No wonder it won Sourceforge’s “Best New Product,” last year. It can be downloaded and uploaded straight to your ftp, and with a few tweaks, you can have a running storefront within minutes (minus the incredibly long ftp upload times).

Let me sum it up in one sentence for you, Magento is a pretty hot situation.  Yes, I just called an open source, e-commerce solution a “hot situation.”  It has EVERYTHING the big dogs have, countless shopping cart features, multiple shipping addresses per cart, all kinds of reporting, individual product ratings, suggestions, up-sales and cross-sales, its basically wonderful.  It also is a breeze to customize when it comes to layout.  There are several places to procure fancy themes and plugins, some cost money and some don’t, but when you are getting the expensive part of this set up for free, you can part with some green to make the site look fancy.

Time to go play with the wonder that is Magento, Ill post more impressions tomorrow after I’ve become a bit more savvy with it.