The usage of PHP frameworks is increasing day by day. The PHP frameworks let developers to initiate innovative modern website development practices.

Here are some top reasons for developers to adapt the best PHP frameworks and see how these top frameworks of PHP can level up the development process:

•         Rapid speed development
•         Gives a well-organized, reusable and maintainable code.
•         The web apps runs on PHP frameworks are scalable.
•         High level of security of your PHP site.
•         MVC pattern ensures the separation of presentation and logic.
•         Promote modern web development practices such as OOP.

We are sharing down here a list of most popular and the best 2017 web development frameworks of PHP.

Laravel

Laravel is the most prominent and best PHP frameworks in comparison with the other frameworks. Although, it is relatively a new framework but it has become the most important PHP framework because of its fantastic features which are helpful for the rapid application development process.

Laravel supports a wide range of databases. Laravel provides an immense ecosystem with an instant hosting and deployment platform. Laravel light-weight templating engine called “BLADE” helps in the repeated tasks such as:

•         Authentication
•         Sessions
•         Caching
•         Queuing
•         RESTful Routing

Latest Version: The top latest version of Laravel is Laravel 5.4

CodeIgniter

CodeIgniter is a light-weight PHP framework with a very straightforward installation process and requires minimal configuration. The framework has some attractive features and functionalities and an ideal choice for PHP developers.

This second best PHP framework can work on all shared and dedicated hosting platforms. The framework, CodeIgniter gives great freedom to PHP developers because it is not strictly based on MVC development pattern. Third party plugins can also be added in this framework for more complicated functionalities. The CodeIgniter framework has numerous components such as easy error handling, no PHP adaption struggle, and simple security and encryption steps.

Latest Version: CodeIgniter 4 is the new upcoming and latest version of this Framework.

Cake PHP

CakePHP is another famous PHP framework. It offers fast and reliable development solutions. The latest version of CakePHP is 3.0, with enhanced session management, improved modularity and have ability to create more standalone libraries.

It is considered the best framework of PHP as it provides high-level of security to the web apps with its built-in security features such as SQL injection prevention, XSS (cross-site scripting) prevention and CSRF(cross-site request forgery) protection. This framework of PHP has kept its popularity intact among the other PHP frameworks.

Latest Version: The latest version of CakePHP is CakePHP 3.4

Symfony

Among the fantastic frameworks of PHP, Symfony is one of them. It is adaptable, versatile and intense PHP framework for MVC application. The developer community of Symfony is very huge.

PHP libraries of Symfony are reusable and can complete different tasks with it such as form creation, object configuration, routing, authentication, templating and much more. There’s a portfolio section available in the web application to get an insight of the finished projects of this framework.

Latest Version: Symfony version 3.2.3 is the recommended version of this PHP Framework.

Zend

Zend framework is scalable, making it famous because of the web based training and accreditation. The framework is utilized by big business association. This framework of Zend is highly not recommended for smaller projects and an excellent one for complex ones, Zend is partnered with Google, IBM, Microsoft, and Adobe and possess many cool features such as cryptographic coding tools, easy-to-use drag and drop editor to support front-end technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

Latest Version: The current and latest Framework of Zend is Zend Framework 3 which is PHP 7 optimized.

Yii Framework

Yii Framework is the highly popular framework of PHP for big scale website developments. The framework is very extensible and set fits on your requirements.

The features offered by this framework includes the faster performance in comparison with other frameworks, integrated with Jquery & AJAX features. The framework consists a powerful class code generator called Gii which supports OOP concepts, rapid prototyping and provides a web-based interface to easily generate the code you desired.

Latest Version: The top version of Yii framework is Yii 2 which is released on 1st Feb 2017.

Slim

Slim, a light-weight micro framework of PHP, suitable for small to medium PHP websites. Slim was created in an inspiration of Ruby microframework called “Sinatra”

The framework is used for the development of RESTFul API’s and services. The good features of this framework include Client-side HTTP Caching, URL routing, session and cookie routing, supports flash messages across HTTP request.

Latest Version: The latest version of the Slim framework is 4.0

Phalcon

Phalcon PHP framework is fast in performance because it is written in C and C++ and can get the highest level of performance optimization with it. It’s a well-documented and easy to use framework.

The standard features of this framework include Universal Auto Loader, Asset Management, Security, Translation and Caching. Phalcon decreases resource usages and boost up the execution speeds.

Latest Version: The latest best version of Phalcon is 5.3

FuelPHP

FuelPHP, a flexible, full-stack PHP framework supports not only the MVC pattern but also supports the evolved version HMVC (Hierarchical Model-View-Controller) on architecture level. The framework comes with detailed and comprehensive documentation.

The framework is modular and extendable, taking care of all the security concerns with its features like input and URI filtering and output encoding.

Latest Version: The new latest version of FuelPHP framework is 5.3.3

Conclusion:

Though there are hundreds of framework available but these are some of the most popular, advanced, fastest and cost-effective PHP frameworks.

The right way for a client is to leave the selection of PHP framework according to your project needs to the PHP custom design and development company or the PHP Developers.

The first Drupal mistake to avoid and the first one on Drupal 8 development checklist is that many new Drupal developers use irrelevant content architecture. And all of you know that content is the most important part of every CMS. Never start website development without the proper understanding and analysis of requirements of the content, it will always cause you nothing more but failure. But don’t you worry, we got you the solution, reuse standard content types and fields.

Wrong Folder Structure And Installation

The second one on the drupal 8 development checklist and the most common mistake in Drupal development is that new programmers do wrong folder structure and installation of themes and modules.

Result? This is the Drupal mistake to avoid because it will cost you, when you upgrade or debug, ending up these things become highly complicated tasks to perform.

Solution? Install all the modules and themes in right directories, not in the root directory.

Excessive Coding

The third mistake in the guide to avoid Drupal development mistakes is to avoid the use of excessive coding for developing modules. The solution is that always use customized code. Drupal have more than 30,000 modules that you can use on your website to make it work smoother. Always make use of these modules on your site to avoid excess use of code. Trust me your time and money is save!

Not Taking Backup Of The Website

The fourth thing that you should avoid during Drupal development, is not taking the backup of the site. The inexperienced developers don’t understand how important is the backup and you know what, they avoid knowing the importance of it.

So if you are a newbie in Drupal development then make sure to note in the Drupal 8 development checklist is to take backup whenever you start making any type of changes in your already developed site. Make sure that the previous saved data is backed up so that you can restore it from there whenever you need it.

Not Speeding Up The Searching

The fifth mistake from Drupal common mistakes is that young developers don’t make use of Solr Search in development practices in Drupal. If you are still not using it, then start using Solr Search in your sites because it really helps your site to speed up and enhance search functionality of your Drupal site.

Not Doing Spam Control

The sixth Drupal common mistake is not controlling spam. The most important and first thing to do on your Drupal site. Don’t allow the spam content and content on your site. Use proper control on spam. Make sure to add this point on top of the Drupal 8 development checklist.

Not Making User-Friendly Back-End User Interface

The back-end interface should be user-friendly, the most common and the most happening mistake that Drupal developers make that cost them to deal with complexity. Using Drupal make it as simple as possible. To avoid any kind of complexity, it is recommended to always design user-friendly back-end and write clean code in Drupal 8.

Not Coding According To W3C Standards & Guidelines

Another common mistake in Drupal development is not having standardized coding structure and format in the sites that are made by inexperienced developers. I suggest new and young developers one of the best development practices in Drupal to use W3C guidelines. Using this approach leads you and your code to be error-free, easy to read and code, make it understandable and well documented as well.

Not Focusing SEO Techniques

Not taking SEO techniques into consideration during Drupal website development, is one the biggest and common mistake in Drupal development which may cost you the most. Always use correct and precise keywords so that google and other search engines can rank you easily. Install Google Analytics and prepare proper meta, these are some development tips for Drupal and the best approach to optimize your Drupal website.

Not Assigning Appropriate Roles And Permissions

The last thing in Drupal 8 development checklist is that always assign appropriate roles as well as permissions to right users. Many newbies commit this mistake but don’t worry you are at the best place. Fill the security gap and check everything with perfection so that it don’t cost you the security of your Drupal website.

Conclusion:

These are the top Drupal mistakes that Drupal developers make. If you want to develop a site on Drupal and you are new, then add these Drupal mistakes to avoid and development tips for Drupal in your Drupal 8 development checklist. Always choose best development practices in Drupal so that your site performance can hit the sky and do not forget to write clean code in Drupal 8 that will helps you and will make easy for you to understand.

Still, have any question or if something that you want to ask? Feel free to contact me. Like it? Share it!

If we talk about the reports that are recently spate against these attacks against Magento stores, it is found that a relatively old and long patched vulnerability is to blame.

If you are a vivid user of Magento and you love this platform as your eCommerce store, we recommend you to follow Magento Security Center updates, about all the information regarding the timings when you have to apply patches to close security vulnerabilities.

Have some Backups

Ransom attackers strategy as mentioned earlier is to encrypt all your data. And once tbrutehe data is encrypted you can not decrypt without a decryption key; that’s what you needed. And when the data is encrypted you don’t have any access to your server. To have access to it, you have to pay the attackers.

To save the situation, regularly backup your data to a third-party service or offsite location, that assumption collapses. If you have a good backup plan, it will make sure to handle all types of disasters including these ransomware attacks.

Conclusion

Well, after knowing about the ransomware, the idea behind it is very frightening for those who have their store on Magento platform. Moderation advice is not different than any other malware risk. For the best practice, follow eCommerce Security best practices and just make sure that you have a robust backup plan and all your eggs are not in one basket.

Got any experience like this before? Share with us and tells others the way to get the situation under control.  Make sure to comment in below.

Like it? Share it!!

There are leaders in the field of website design? Who are they? Let’s see and find out which is the best website design and development company!

Big Drop Inc

(NY, New York)

Big Drop Inc is the best custom web design firm right now. They can elevate your entire business concept and can create an entire online presence centered on it. You will be pleased with the results and will likely notice more traffic coming to your site.

Big Drop is the company which will handle the design portion for you and give you the website that wants people to stick around at and poke around for a while. The company has a wide and impressive list of clients from financial institutions to major retailers of small and medium size businesses located across the country.

Webpage FX

(Harrisburg, Pennsylvania)

Webpage FX is a team of talented people who love helping their clients to succeed online. This custom web design firm is the top firm in Pennsylvania among small to medium sized business. They put user experience at the top of their list of priorities.

They not only just create websites, Webpage FX is also a complete digital marketing agency offering a complete set of services to market it to potential customers including SEO, pay-per-click management,  email marketing and social media promotion.

Kohactive

(Chicago, Illinois)

Kohactive is a perfection in both interaction and innovation as well as one of the leading firms in   worldwide. Kohactive offers clients the dynamic and innovative service they required to succeed in the world on online business.

The professionals at Kohactive enhances the sites for conversion, engagement, and functionality. They communicate with each client to make them ensures that their perspective and professional vision is realized through the e-commerce campaign.

The NetHawks

(Lahore, Pakistan)

The Nethawks has 5-year experience in the field of websites design and development. No matter what category of websites you are looking for online retailing, marketing, catalog, merchant or other, one will not regret the decision of choosing them.

Many investors and entrepreneurs in Pakistan have a high level of trust in them. According to them “Until your satisfaction is not gained, their services is considered incomplete”.

Skuba Design

(New Orleans, Louisiana)

Skuba Design is a full-service agency. They produce client’s product pages the most eye-catching, innovative and engaging. They are also capable of developing and creating content, market research, social media optimization, direct marketing, and brand strategy.

The techies in the firm offer SEO services to get the client web pages visible in SERP ranking. They also develop motion graphics and motion videos.

Final Thoughts

Well, this a look at the top web design and development companies all around the world. They all have same things in common. They provide high-quality services, got an impressive list of clients, have a great looking portfolio and they all contribute to the community in one way or another.

This blog post is all about the best PHP tips and tricks for Web development in PHP so that you can develop your website in PHP without any hassle and you can enjoy your professional life.

Develop with error reporting enabled

Error reporting feature, an important feature in PHP website, is one of the best Useful PHP trick for Developers. The best thing to cope with errors is to set the system to display errors. To set the settings you have to alter the php.ini file when you develop your site. Include these two lines in the beginning.

error_reporting ( E_ALL ) ;
ini_set ( 'display_errors' , 1 ) ;

The following code helps you to see both types of errors whether the fatal errors that produce the dreaded white screen as warnings and notices that may be bugs to fix.

Prevents SQL injection

Security holes are the biggest cause of the bad reputation of PHP but PHP tips for website development are here.

There are many ways to avoid SQL injection but the simplest one escapes any variable that we will use in the database. The code should look like this:

$query_result = mysql_query ( "SELECT * FROM WHERE Ex_table ex_field = \" " . mysql_real_escape_string( $ ex_field ) . " \ " " ) ;

Use the _once() function with caution

PHP developers prefer using include() or function require() to call other files, libraries or classes, but using the  include_eleven() and require_eleven(), are the  PHP tricks for web developer.  Both the functions have the same functionality but the advantage is that it prevent the files, classes or loaded libraries to be loaded again which cause duplication and undesired states in the code.

Learn to handle ternary operators

The best PHP tips and trick for good performance is to use ternary operators as an alternative to simple IF constructions. For instance:

$age = ( !empty ( $ _ GET [ 'age ] ) ? $ _ GET [ 'age' ] : 58 ) ;

This would help your code to get lighter and can be nested without problems.

Retire the MySQL driver

This is 2017 and the technology that we are using is advanced now this is the time for PHP7. A high time to retire your MySQL database and start using PDO. A PHP extension that helps you to connect with different other managers databases.

A very important feature of MySQL driver is MySQL Connector/Python that supports almost all features provided by MySQL version 5.7. Designed specifically to MySQL, MySQL Connector/Python lets you translate the parameter’s value between Python and MySQL data types. Obviously, PHP works other than MySQL too. As a PHP web developer, this tip is one of the best PHP tips and tricks for me for website development with PHP. The code to connect with databases is:

try {
$conn = new PDO ( "mysql: host = localhost; dbname = database ' , $ user , $ pass ) ;
$conn -> setAttribute ( PDO :: ATTR_ERRMODE , PDO :: ERRMODE_EXCEPTION ) ;
} Catch ( PDOException $e ) {
Echo "ERROR:" . $e -> getMessage ( ) ;
}

Use single quotes rather than double

Are you a speedy programmer who can type code fastly?

Well here’s a trick for you! Just use single quote (“) other than double (” “). Trust me! it saves you a lot of time and the performance of your server. Best PHP tips and tricks code! ha?

Clean URLs quickly with .htaccess

The file .htaccess – the best yet simple way to make the URLs more simpler for human eye as well as for SEO. A hidden file that serves a lot with Apache directives. The services that this file provides are performing redirection and clean URLs do not cease to be redirected to after all. One of the best tip and trick for PHP based application improvements.

RewriteEngine On
RewriteRule ^ ( [ a - zA - Z0 - 9 ] + ) $ index . Php? Page = $ 1

This code is the life saver for many PHP developers that can prevent horrible URLs and make it sleek and simple, phew!

Know all the Problems of isset()

One of the PHP tricks for web developer is to understand what isset() function do. Make sure that you know at what time isset() function returns false and on which time it answers true. This function returns True if the variable is not NULL. Yes you read it not NULL.

Just like so, if NULL can be a valid value of the variable,We surely have a problem sire!

$foo = null ;
if ( isset( $ foo ) ) // returns false
And the solution is: Use  get_defined_vars( );
$foo = NULL ;
$vars = get_defined_vars( );
if ( array_key_exists ( 'foo' , $ vars ) ) // returns True

Use a switch instead of stringing If Statements

The useful PHP trick for Developers- use Switch instead of crazy Ifs. Advantage? The code will execute faster thus performance is increased. The usage of Switch statements allows you to go beyond the use of if-else if-else chains.

switch ($color ) {
case 'white' :
echo "The color is White" ;
break ;
case 'blue' :
echo "The color is Blue" ;
break ;
case 'green' :
echo "The color is Green" ;
break ;
case 'black' :
echo "Color is black" ;
break ;
}

Take up cURL

The method to retrieve a file from another server is to use the powerful way cURL, instead of using file_get_contents() function which is easy to use but come on, it’s like having death on your computer. The following code is the example of the use cURL:

$c = curl_init ( ) ;
curl_setopt ( $c , CURLOPT_URL , $URL ) ;
curl_setopt ( $c , CURLOPT_TIMEOUT , 15 ) ;
curl_setopt ( $c , CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER , true ) ;
$content = curl_exec ( $c ) ;
$status = curl_getinfo ( $c , CURLINFO_HTTP_CODE ) ;
curl_close ( $c ) ;

Password Encryption

Often developers ask Tips to improve the website, well here is one, PHP is always on your side and it encrypts your passwords for you. I am talking about the PHP 5.5+ versions, Just store the passwords in your database as.

$enc_pass = password_hash ( $submitted_pass , PASSWORD_DEFAULT ) ;

To check if password is correct or not:

if ( password_verify ( $submitted_pass , $stored_pass ) )
{ 
// User successfully authenticated
}

Advanced PHP Tips to Improve Your Programming

Typically used for web development, PHP is the server-side scripting language. Invented in 1994 by Rasmus Lerdorf, PHP has done a remarkable job in the technology-based world and made the whole work of web development extremely easy for developers.

There’s little doubt that working knowledge of PHP is too important to sustain in today’s cut-throat technology sphere. Here are the 5 advanced PHP tips to learn PHP programming.

I. Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) is the Rudimentary Requirement

OOP is the basic requirement of PHP that every developer should know. PHP follows object-oriented programming and therefore items and programs link things together for developing a program. Using OOP approaches, you can skip the replication of code and can complete the code in a much simpler way. Objects are demarcated under the programs and then you can reclaim this purpose again and again in the whole programming. OOP is faster, easy to correct, and uses slighter server resources, less code and quicker loading process to evade long events. Going with OOP, you can make your coding style more effective and simpler.

II. Intrinsic Functions of PHP are Extremely Usable

PHP language is extremely easy to learn and adjustable for a developer to develop the best websites. Using the inbuilt advanced PHP techniques, you will get the concealed benefits which are very valuable throughout the coding process. If you are doing a custom PHP development or web development, the need for displays and functions is very significant. For example, if you want to count the numbers then you can use count() and like that PHP has a number of built-in functions that are very beneficial for making the coding procedure easy and quick.

III. Keep the Database Secure

The first thing prior to starting any PHP project is that you should use mysl_real_escape_string() for all the database. Doing this will help you keep all the strings safe from any kind of unwelcome threats that may have some malicious code. This should be your first step to protect your database. The other vital thing is that never use $_REQUEST – instead, go with POST or GET strings for submitting the data into the database query.

IV. Always Use POST and Never GET

A good programmer is well aware of the difference between these two. Get method displays the address in the URL and gives simpler ways for the hacker to totally hack your entire project. Going with POST, you can face a secure journey throughout your coding and development procedure.

V. Make a Copy Before Going for CODE

Before you explore the real platform, just stop for a few minutes and make a coarse draught of your whole coding. This will give you better comprehension and will clear your opinions for developing the website. Also, you will discover the main glitches that you will face in the future journey of the coding.

Wrapping things Up

One of the best programming language to develop websites is PHP, which is open-source. Although it is easy to use it’s normal when it takes the time to learn but if you know all the advanced PHP tips and tricks for good performance and for Website development in PHP then you are a champ!

Whatever it takes you to use PHP based frameworks and CMSs consider, use it over Core PHP, as it can give a better performance, a lightweight website and yes you can develop your website in PHP more faster.

These were the tips and tricks for Guide for PHP developers. Do you like any of them? or know any tip better than these? Let us know in the comment section below. Also, PHP beginners are much appreciated to ask. 😉

Thousands of developers use Drupal web development to develop websites for their clients. It includes more than twenty-nine thousand modules and two thousand different themes. This platform is the most widely used platform that makes it the best web development platform with many of the advantages that you can’t ignore.

Comparison between WordPress and Joomla

As we talk about WordPress, beginners love to work on it and also is the best choice for small and mid-sized websites and blogs. Joomla CMS needs some technical knowledge of coding but is useful for eCommerce sites. But Drupal is the most powerful CMS among all yet is the hardest one. This platform fits for all types of websites and is the easiest for moderation.

In a nutshell, we have a conclusion that Drupal Web development is the most popular than both WordPress and Joomla development. Therefore, there are many advantages of Drupal Web development that you can’t ignore.

Drupal is among the platforms that is mostly used to create eCommerce websites just as Magento, Zen Cart, X-Cart and Joomla do. The only reason that many people love to use Drupal for eCommerce websites, is that it takes no time for an addition or modification of custom Drupal template in tailor-made eCommerce websites.

In addition, just like Magento, developers can easily customize and develop different types of Drupal extensions in order to meet user’s requirements.

Benefits of Drupal Web development that you can’t ignore!

Drupal accounts 2% of all of the internet’s websites. That’s pretty cool and huge amount of websites!

Many of the developers loves to use this platform because of the below listed advantages of Drupal web development that you can’t ignore. Some of them are:

Open Source: The whole software is open source that means free! A large number of themes are free, that means it helps many businesspersons to reduce cost on web development significantly.

Customizable: Drupal is highly customizable as compared to other CMS which is an advantage of Drupal web development that you can’t ignore!. It is customizable in terms of all the feature it have, operations, layouts and  designs. This makes the developer’s first choice of choosing this platform because it allow them to customize the layouts as per client’s requirements.

Facilitates Rapid Deployment: After going live on the web, companies can change or customize the site after deployment according to feedbacks and business requirements, because Drupal truly uses “Web 2.0” style. Drupal enables the companies to deploy all the core features and functionalities rapidly. It’s another major advantage of Drupal web development that you can’t ignore for sure!

Enterprise-class Software: Developers can easily and readily integrate it with other applications like SAP, phpBB, etc, all possible because Drupal is an enterprise-class CMS. It is enterprise-class CMS in terms of scalability (You can use it for huge or small organizations), this platform is really flexible, more reliable, easily manageable, no compromise on security and it have all resources that you need.

API Support: All types of social sites custom modules can be made by using these well-documented API including Facebook, Twitter, Google Apps, Google Analytics, Youtube etc. It’s another major advantage of Drupal development that you can’t ignore for sure!

SEO-Friendly: SEO the most important ingredient of online marketing strategies, Drupal help and enables companies to come forward with their SEO-Friendly websites. Drupal platform have a great flexibility of displaying the content that search engine likes and makes your content on top searches. That means more traffic to your site!

Mobile Ready: Many people nowadays uses smart devices over other computational machines more. Thus this opens the doors for new marketing platform for companies. Drupal is mobile ready platform that means it provides the flexibility to the developers so that they can make the site useable by smartphone users and they can view the site same as a desktop user do . This feature is reliable for small businesses so that they can generate more and more leads. Having a  Mobile-ready feature in a platform is the real advantage of Drupal web development that you can’t ignore.

Conclusion

At the end! Drupal  is a perfect solution if companies and developers want to make websites with rich features, high-quality in a small amount of time and cost, a website that fulfills all the requirements of their clients. In a nutshell, companies can get the dynamic and innovative websites by using Drupal CMS to attract their users.

Having a responsive website is not just enough. The user experience on the phone should be just as good as a shopping experience on a desktop computer. Another important thing to keep in mind is to make sure that your ecommerce website is integrated with mobile wallets. It is fairly easy add on process with many payment processors such as PayPal mobile wallet.

Customer will Expect Faster Shipping:

Since, we are living in the age of instant gratification, customer wants free shipping and fast delivery. The advantage of free shipping is, online shoppers add more items to their carts to qualify for free shipping and delivery and even willing to wait longer for the items to arrive at their homes.

To stay competitive in the ecommerce industry, ecommerce store owners are looking for profitable ways to deliver free and super-fast shipping in order to compete with the big digital stores.

There are some latest website trends in ecommerce industry regarding shipping and returns. First is to make sure you offer faster shipping and most importantly ensures that your return processes are easy to deal with.

Customer Service is Important

Customer service is always important. The customer engagement helps in creating an emotional attachments through which customers keep coming back. The customer service should be top-notch.

Whatever channel your customer contacts on, make sure that the responses they get are fast. User generated Content (UGC) is also a way to engage customers with the ability to repurpose and create content with less time and effort.

Social Selling Continues to Rise:

Social selling is becoming the dominant e-commerce trend. With high adoption rates of smartphones, the e-commerce businesses are selling directly on social platforms.

Online merchants use this functionality to create sales for each social platforms and run at different times.

Latest e-commerce trends for social sharing includes buy buttons and social features on social platforms and influencer marketing.

These are not the only ecommerce trends that will dominate in 2017, here are some more.

Predictive Analysis:

Better analysis will help you inform the customer’s next purchase. Predictive and prescriptive analysis lets you update marketing and advertising strategies based on the current data. It is also becoming one of the rising ecommerce trends for any average ecommerce business.

Predictive data can be used to automate email marketing to the existing customers and keeping them engaged with the personalized offers.

Improving analytics is also an important ecommerce trends to follow.

Conclusion:

These are some of our top predictions for any ecommerce business. But there’s always room for surprises so stay connected with us and subscribe to our blog to stay in the loop in 2017 and keep your ecommerce game on top.

There are so many possibilities for complications when you have physical inventory constantly arriving, getting sorted, and leaving. And while having the best possible software will help convert leads and increase sales, how to handle supply chain management makes all the difference at your bottom line.

It might be best to go it alone, or if your business has grown enough, it could be time to find a Third Party Logistics (3PL) provider to do the heavy lifting — literally. Making your decision should be a thorough process -the final transfer of value between your business and your customers is nothing to take lightly! Here are ten do’s and don’ts to get you started.

Do’s

Do set up quantifiable ways to define fulfillment effectiveness

The first thing you need to do is know how to measure success. You need to set up Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) which will help you evaluate the level of service you’re looking for.

What percentage of goods are delivered on-time? How often are products shipped to the wrong address, or are incorrectly labeled? What percentage of your customer base can be reached within 2 business days from your fulfillment warehouse? These are just a few of the questions you should ask.

By collecting data through time logs, barcode/RFID scans, and any other computerized metrics, you can establish KPIs to help you measure the effectiveness of your own company’s fulfillment efforts or any 3PL you might be considering. If you’re getting serious about outsourcing fulfillment to a third party, create a checklist of KPIs you expect to be given real-time data on. There’s absolutely no reason for them to refuse transparency, but if you get any answers to the contrary you should probably look elsewhere for your shipping needs.

Do tour the warehousing facility for yourself

Before you sign any papers, visit the warehouse where your inventory will be stored. Again, there’s no good reason to be refused entry; after all, this is where the lifeblood of your company is held.

If you’re not a logistics guru, bring a neutral consultant or advisor along with you. Expect to see robots — both low- and high-tech — doing all sorts of jobs. At this point, every major logistics center employs AI technology to increase efficiencies and decrease costs; their software might not be proprietary but it will blow your mind when you see how they can locate a single unit in a massive warehouse with a simple search. Or at least, that’s the sort of environment you should hope to see!

Beyond shipping and storing goods more efficiently, there is also the matter of security. Your fulfillment center should vet each one of its employees and provide adequate failsafes against theft, damage, power outages, and even natural disasters (more on this later). Find out how employees are compensated, and pay attention to their body language. If people seem happy at their jobs, they’re more likely to add to your bottom line by taking better care of your inventory.

A good sign to fulfill the needs should be how you feel when you leave the center. Are you excited for the future of your company? Do you feel confident about leaving your inventory in their hands? Great! If not, keep shopping around.

Do let your imagination go crazy (in a bad way)

While it’s unlikely, sometimes the worst can happen. A major winter storm during the Christmas holiday period could easily delay time-sensitive shipments days, if not weeks. A power outage in the region where your fulfillment warehouse is could back things up by 24 hours or more.

Having a Plan B is essential to keeping your business afloat; you no doubt having contingency plans in place for things like server crashes or a data breach, and ecommerce fulfillment is no different. There should be backup servers, wireless networks, power generators, replacement parts, and other elements vital to keeping service uninterrupted for all but the most catastrophic events.

Hopefully you won’t have to worry about natural disasters or other major events disrupting service. In actuality, the most common “bad” thing that could happen is probably a return. What sort of hardware and software is employed by your fulfillment provider to make this process as smooth as possible? Can they handle 100 returns at a time? It’s good to know what their limits are.

Do plan for the best — how big can you get?

Right now you might sell 100,000 widgets per year, which is great. But what if your branding catches fire and you start selling that amount per month? You wouldn’t work with a supplier who couldn’t keep up with demand; you certainly shouldn’t work with a 3PL that can’t keep up, either.

Talk about scalability with fulfillment providers and get a breakdown on everything from storage capacity to discounted shipping. If you sign up with them, they’re the vital arm of your company’s success, so it’s only sensible to include them in your plans for expansion and eventual world domination (or whatever your goals are).

Ask them about their SKU management strategies, their employee shifts, and their available storage space, to name a few conversation starters. If they have experience managing SKU changes, have multiple shifts including overnight, and have plenty of available space in their warehouse for you, they should be a good fit for your goals.

Do an integration audit with their IT team and yours.

There are so many variables to the back-end communication between your inventory management software and theirs. Schedule an initial test audit with your team and theirs (assuming they have an in-house IT team, which is a major plus) to run through everything from test sales to emergency scenarios.

Knowing how your company will integrate your APIs with your fulfillment provider should give you confidence for the first orders that trickle in. And whoever is in charge on your side of the fulfillment chain will appreciate the chance to coordinate a challenging and necessary part of the process with his or her peers at your fulfillment partner.

Don’ts

Don’t choose a warehousing location because it’s close to your HQ

This one makes sense when you think about it for a second; while it’s nice to be near your inventory, it’s nicer for your inventory to be closer to customers. When shopping around for a 3PL provider, consider where the bulk of the people/companies who buy your products are based. If the West Coast of the USA makes up 60% of your sales, it makes sense to base your inventory in Oakland or some other major city in California. Likewise, if the majority of your buyers are overseas, you shouldn’t choose a warehouse in Chicago.

If you have a balance of customers spread out evenly, then it may benefit for you to choose multiple locations to maximize the cost of transportation. In that case, any 3PL that is limited to a single location probably won’t cut it.

Don’t assume that FBA is right for you

For some e-commerce businesses, Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) is the golden ticket to success. Especially for high-margin products such as iPhone cases, deciding to store your inventory with Amazon so your product qualifies for Prime Shipping — and priority in Amazon’s search algorithm — is a no-brainer.

But if you sell a specialized product that requires extensive kitting before it’s shipped, or if your products are especially fragile and need specialized packaging beyond a simple cardboard box and a few layers of bubblewrap, FBA isn’t going to be the best fit. There are so many factors to consider: storage prices for Amazon may be higher, they may not have the capacity to properly pack your product to your specifications, etc.

It would be crazy not to check out FBA and see if their services and pricing match what you’re looking for. But don’t assume that it’s the best fulfillment provider for your business.

No matter how juicy it seems, don’t sign a long-term contract

They could be offering you two months free if you sign a long-term contract, or a cargo container full of cute puppies. It doesn’t matter. If you want to outsource your fulfillment to a company that insists on an annual or some other long-term contract, don’t.

This isn’t because you should be wary of getting scammed by a 3PL; it’s about encouraging them to earn your business from the get-go. While you should be extremely confident in a company if you’re about to sign up for their service, considering how complicated fulfillment gets it makes sense to give yourself an easy exit. As they are effectively becoming an extension of your business, you should never be forced to accept sub-par service.

Don’t be penny-wise, pound-foolish

Here’s a great saying to remember: just because it’s a great price, doesn’t mean it’s a great deal. Like any service, if the prices seem much lower than what anyone else is offering, there must be a catch.

There could be a ton of hidden additional fees that add up, making it more expensive than advertised. Maybe costs are less expensive because they aren’t paying for the latest product-tracking software, or they skimp on hiring qualified full-time employees and rely on cheaper but less-effective temp staff.

Hopefully you can have an honest conversation with a fulfillment provider that offers aggressive pricing, and they can give you a straightforward explanation for their price structure. But if things don’t quite add up, ask yourself if your customers will get the best possible experience with this company. If you’re not sure, don’t feel bad about paying a little bit more to work with a more reassuring 3PL.

Don’t be shy about starting with a trial period

If everything seems to check out, you still have a ton of leverage. Ask a fulfillment provider if you can start on a trial period. If they can stand behind their service it will only help them in the long run to give you a trial before you sign a contract (even if it’s just month-to-month).

By the end of the trial you should have a solid set of KPIs to ensure you are getting the best value moving forward. If you can, do a limited trial with multiple companies at the same time and compare them head-to-head. The time you sacrifice in the short term will pay off when you don’t have to worry about horrible customer experiences after making the right 3PL choice.

Red Stag Fulfillment generated an extensive list of interview questions to ask the potential fulfillment companies. If you found this article helpful, let us know in the comment section below.

The points that can help you choose between Magento go vs community vs enterprise to build an ecommerce store with Magento are provided in this article but first let’s have a look on the current solutions that Magento Support.

Magento Go – If you are a merchant with the small inventory and a very restrictive budget with very basic needs than this version- Magento Go- is best for you and it acts like a Service (SaaS) product.

Magento Community – Magento community features is best for the merchants who like to control the environment more as compared to Magento Go, and for those who are in mid-market and need to leverage extensions. Also, the merchant can customize the code to meet the expectations of their customer.

Magento Enterprise – The target is the top end merchant who wants all the capabilities and the performance should be on top notch.

These are the version that Magento supports, and about this post let’s focus on the two of them and discuss everything about Magento community vs enterprise comparison.

Features

The below table shows the basic Magento community vs enterprise comparison points that will help you decide advantages of Magento Enterprise over advantages of Magento Community. These points are enough to let you decide which specifically is better for your business.

Support

Magento enterprise vs community features was discussed above. Now let us have a look at the levels of support for both of them by comparing Magento versions. The Magento inc. provides full support that will help you as an organization if you have purchased Magento Enterprise.

This support helps you when you need any emergency help or when there is any falling out with the partner and Magento technical support, This is one of the advantages of Magento Enterprise and a  top feature in Magento Enterprise.

Performance Enhancements in Magneto Enterprise

After comparing the  Magento community features and Magento enterprise features, we are talking about the performance of both Magento Versions. Both versions performances change. So only talking about the best version and advantages of Magento Enterprise Version.

• Magento Enterprise 1.13 provides you the faster eStore with an 80% increase of speed. All because of the reindexing advantage that Magento Enterprise provides.
• Whenever a new product is added many processes takes place. In Magento community vs enterprise comparison, Magento Community, the free version takes almost 10 -20 minutes to complete process whereas Magento Enterprise the process is instantaneous in most of the cases.
• If you have a large business then Magento Enterprise is best for you to handle the large product catalogs. Magento enterprise pricing are not to high if you have business with many catalogs.

Final Thoughts

One of the thing that many merchants concern is the pricing, they think that instead of expensive Enterprise, it is more likely to use the Community version but end up with many problems as they lacked in planning according to the business need. Whereas at many times continuing with the Community version is the best option to have with Magento community features.

Robust CMS function for standard pages and giving you more performance is one of the advantages of Magento Enterprise, to make the shopping experience faster for your customers. “Right Now” the expectations of customers that are proved in revealing studies in e-commerce when they shop online. Many of them just leave their carts if it takes too long to load the cart and they start looking their product somewhere else.

Having so many advantages of Magento Enterprise does not mean that the Community version is of no use. You can build your online store with Magento Community version as well as Enterprise, but again costs far outweigh building a strong relationship with Magento. Also, the direct support that Magento Community persons provide to the Magento Enterprise users is not be compared to anything.

Still, you are facing issues to choose the best? Or you are planning to go from Magento Community to Magento Enterprise? Don’t hesitate to let me know in the comments.