[Update] In February 2020, according to the Built With, the Magento 1.9 platform is still used by 60,990 companies. Adobe stopped support for Magento 1 at the end of June 2020. After the release of the Magento 2 version, the Magento 1 End-of-Life was only a matter of time. Let’s see what the implications for Magento 1 users are waiting ahead.
What does “stopped support” mean?
Magento 1 still provides merchants with the opportunity to provide exceptional service. Most importantly, Adobe has stopped releasing security patches for Magento 1 users. According to this, merchants may have problems with becoming harder to be certified as PCI Compliant. In addition, there are third-party vendors, like payment gateways, that stop supporting the platform.
It is worth noting that if your business belongs to the category of SMBs, you can stay on Magento 1. But you should definitely enlist the support of a reliable eCommerce solution partner who can support and solve issues very quickly.
What should you watch out for if you decide to stay on the M1?
Hosting: you need to be sure that your host will keep the Magento 1 platform running as long as you need it. Don’t forget to ask for additional security measures the host can offer you.
Patches: despite the fact that Magento 1 stopped releasing security patches, providers such as Mage One and Open Mage offer their solutions. Merchants should find ways to keep the safety of customers’ data.
Extensions: M1 extensions were removed from Marketplace on July 7, 2020 and some developers have already stopped supporting their extensions. Review your extension pool, leaving only the ones you need, and make sure they work smoothly. And if you still need our Magento HTML5 Uploader extension, you can download it from the article.
Applications and integrations: ensure that the add-on apps vendors will continue to work with Magento 1. Some payment systems have already announced that they will not support the platform.
Concluding, it remains possible to stay participating on Magento 1 for now. But you have to plan your migration to Magento 2.x for the next 6-12 months. Because after a year the cost of support will be higher than the cost of migration.
Even so, the issue of user data security is very important. And this is the main reason to make the decision to migrate to Magento 2 sooner.
How the security of your site and data can be compromised?
DDOS attacks: hacking a site by flooding with a large number of invalid requests. In this case, the host does not have enough resources to respond to legitimate requests, so the system will crash and the site will shut down.
Running Spam Registrations: spambots regularly create fake user accounts on your site so that they can post malicious links to your site or overwhelm your site and database.
Brute Force Penetration Attacks: hackers try to gain access to an encrypted data file. Once they get it, they can steal data, shut down a site, or carry out another attack.
As customer-oriented business, you have a responsibility to protect your customers’ data and payment details. Without security updates, your checkout may no longer be secure. This means hackers may be able to access your customers’ information, potentially leaving you in breach of data protection laws.
Why migration to Magento 2 is the best decision?
Magento 2 is a completely new platform developed by Adobe. Therefore, merchants do not have the opportunity to make a one-click-upgrade. Migration to M2 is a process of developing your e-store almost from scratch. But the new M2 websites will have faster-loading pages, an improved checkout, and merchants will provide a personalized shopping experience to their customers.
What are the main advantages of Magento 2?
In the previous article, we told about meaningful reasons for migration to Magento 2. And now we again emphasize the M2 advantages.
Performance: Magento 2 has much higher performance, keeping your store running fast. This allows users to feel comfortable without the waiting process.
Enhanced security: you get additional security features such as 2 step authentication and enhanced password security. Merchants must protect users’ data from hacker attacks and possible leakage.
Improved checkout: M2 is easy and fast to use. Developers reduced the checkout from six steps to two steps. This simplification helps to reduce the number of abandoned checkouts and increase conversions.
Third-party integration: while developers stopped working with Magento 1, new applications and integrations are constantly being developed for the second version of the platform. This allows your online store to expand, offering users the most convenient “journey” around the site.
Wrapping up, we once again emphasize that Magento 1 still continues to work and merchants have time to make a decision about migration. But if you care about the security of your custom user data, plan to scale, or just don’t want to be limited, migration to M2 is a must.
About Maven Ecommerce Inc.
Maven eCommerce is an eCommerce solution partner assisting digital agencies and e-commerce businesses in North America and Europe. Since 2010 Maven provides full-range support and integration services for existing Magento web stores, develops turn-key e-shops from scratch, builds up mobile responsive layouts and storefronts, and fine-tunes the integration process with PIM, ERP, accounting, procurement, and other software systems to create a holistic eCommerce ecosystem. Maven helps companies to pass digital transformation without stress, create technologies for people, and train teams to be more efficient with new technologies.
