Have you already switched to Magento 2?

As a Magento user, you know the power of the web store package. This open-source e-commerce software is extremely popular and many web shops today run on it. Yet, as an online store owner, you are currently facing a dilemma. In November 2015, Magento 2 was launched. At that time it was announced that the existing Magento 1 would be supported until November 18, 2018. So in 2015 there was no acute need to make the switch, but now 2018 is approaching. What does this mean? Do I really need to switch now and how do I go about it?

Do I really need to switch to Magento 2 now?
The switch from Magento 1 to Magento 2 does not involve an update that you perform with the proverbial push of a button. It is a real upgrade where Magento has changed the foundation of the software to be ready for the future. You will therefore need to plan a complete migration path.

So it's tempting to continue working with Magento 1 for a while, which may work fine for you. Nevertheless, now seems to be the time to start planning your migration if you haven't already done so. There are two reasons for this. One that has to do with functionality and one that has to do with continuity.

Switching because of functionality
Magento 2 was developed for a reason. The old base of Magento 1 was no longer usable for a number of innovations that were indeed necessary. Then you can't continue updating, but an upgrade is needed. A new technical basis from which the software can be developed again for years and for which the Magento community can build beautiful extensions.

Magento 2 is focused on a greatly improved and modernized shopping experience. This means of course that Magento 2 shops are fully responsive and suitable for all mobile devices. But also that during the shopping process switching from one device to another is fully supported. Customers are increasingly switching devices during the decision-making and purchasing process. They start the search on their mobile, but complete the purchase on their laptop for example. In Magento 1 that is the moment to lose a customer, in Magento 2 it happens seamlessly.

Magento 2 also allows you to manage your webshop from your smartphone. For actions such as adding a product or changing a product text or item price you no longer need to sit behind a computer. In addition, much more attention has been paid to the security and speed of the platform. Both are increasingly important for the success of your web store. Speed is essential for a good user experience and your position in Google. The importance of security is mentioned in the news on a weekly basis.

Switching because of the support, security and continuity
Waiting until after the official 'End-of-Life' is not wise. For the record, your Magento 1 webshop will still work. The internet itself does not change and the shop itself continues to run. However, the support stops completely at such an End-of-Life. Usually this is a phased process. First, no new or improved functionality is developed. However, repairs (patches) are still provided if disturbing errors are found in the Magento 1 software or in case of security risks. From the actual 'End-of-Life' onwards, errors are also no longer fixed and security updates are no longer delivered. And thus the software has become very vulnerable.

However, Magento recently announced that the period in which they still provide support has been extended:

"Magento 1 has been and will continue to be supported for the foreseeable future (...) Lastly, we are committing to a minimum 18-month notice before we make any changes to our support levels" (Jason Woosley, SVP Product & Technology, Magento)

So November 18, 2018 is no longer the hard deadline for Magento 1 users. At the same time, of course, no new features are to be expected. The innovations will be in Magento 2.

Switching to Magento 2 right now?
That means you still have a period of more than 18 months within which you can switch. Your planning depends entirely on your own circumstances:

Are you actually already planning improvements and would you like to start doing so in the short term? Then start planning your transition to Magento 2 right away and include your own requirements in that planning. It is important to check if all the extensions you need are already available as Magento 2 version. The Magento 2 community is becoming increasingly active and there is more available every day.

Did you have no concrete improvement plans and you also find the changes within Magento 2 not very urgent for your business? Then you can still be patient. There will be more and more updates and extensions available and probably also more migration tools. For example, there is already a data migration tool available to simplify the transition from Magento 1. At the same time, waiting all the way to the end is not a good idea if you are using an external party to help you. Those Magento specialists will be busy around a final phase-out. If you want to wait for that, at least make clear agreements about their availability.

Or a different e-commerce solution altogether?
Last but not least, this is also the moment to reconsider your choice for Magento itself. If your experiences so far have made you have reservations about the package, now is the time to look around at the alternatives. Switching is a tough job, but so is upgrading to Magento 2, right?