Atlantic Business Technologies, Inc.

Author: Atlantic BT

  • Taxonomies: A Trilogy – Your Hard Won Victory

    This blog is part 3 of a 3-part series on Taxonomies. Read part 1 on an Introduction to Taxonomies or part 2 on Common Taxonomy Mistakes if you want to catch up.

    The development or revising of a website taxonomy requires constant check ins. Aren’t you curious to know the results of all your love and labor? Then these check ins should be common sense. In this, the thrilling conclusion to the Taxonomy Trilogy, we will focus on evaluation. I will review basic taxonomy guidelines and techniques. Designing an efficient categorical system can be daunting. These techniques will be sure to help build your team’s confidence as they do so.

    Signs Your Taxonomy Needs Improvement

    First, let’s see what kind of shape your taxonomy is in. Review these warning signs that your taxonomy still needs work:

    • Your content publishers struggle to apply your site’s taxonomies in a uniform manner. Agreement is clarity. If your content team disagrees over which terms to use in which section, your users will end up confused.
    • Users are struggling to find the right content. It can be difficult to tell when users struggle. This is especially true of sites that aren’t tied to marketing success metrics. But, if you have user data that points to findability issues, use it. Data from customer service or social media feedback can help. You can zero in on the areas of the site that need improvement.
    • Multiple classifications in a taxonomy overlap. Similar terms in more than one classification option can cause confusion. Content publishers will struggle to identify which one to use.
    • Perceived hierarchy or mixed usage within a category. Is this an issue? Meet with the content strategist and talk about the needs of the website. Discuss the development of the terms. Try to get rid of the subcategories of your terms. If need be, create new categories.
    Ineffective website taxonomies can cause confusion throughout a team of content creators.
    Ineffective website taxonomies can cause confusion throughout a team of content creators.

    How to Test Taxonomy at Any Stage in Web Design

    You may identify problems early on or while the taxonomy is live. Here is a brief guideline of measures you can take throughout the process. From creation to post-implementation, these will see you through every step.

    Stage 1: Creating Taxonomies

    During the development and testing stage, keep multiple roles involved. This will ensure that eyes are on all aspects of the taxonomy system. These roles will be crucial to gathering valuable feedback. Below are some team roles that will be useful cohorts in this journey.

    Developers:  They will be aware of the possibilities and limitations of your taxonomy system. In essence, they are your experts on taxonomy as a tool.

    Information Architects: This is the person who will likely take the lead in creating your taxonomy. They will focus on efficient and representative organization of terms.

    Content Strategists: This role will keep an eye on how the taxonomy will affect the structure of the site’s content. They will be able to recommend what categories the project does or does not need.

    UX/Interaction Designers: Keep the designers in the loop for updates. If you are finalizing the taxonomy along with the page designs, this is important.

    Researchers: They will identify the best timing and methods for testing your taxonomy. This will be data and insight based. They are likely to be very smart and fun to be around (in my unbiased opinion)

    While you develop your system with these roles, keep a couple of things in mind. Be sure to establish consensus on which page views your taxonomy will generate. Also focus on the overall business goals of the website. Document what aspects will rely on your taxonomy and the purpose it will serve. Then bring the taxonomy draft to team sessions for review.

    As you focus on these aspects, it will be useful to run a few card sorts with end -users. This will help your team understand the benefit to end-users. It will also ensure you are meeting their expectations.

    Stage 2: Revising and Testing Taxonomies

    It’s difficult to predict exactly how everything will work out once a website is live. Test your taxonomy with both the content owners and the direct team. This test will also be a card sort, but this time we will be working in the reverse direction, adding terms to content.
     
    You may want to adjust the standard card sort protocol to get the right results. Remember, this type of testing is about replicating the proposed environment. Prepare to alter testing methods for more representative results.
     
    Be sure to pay attention to the comments and actions of the content owner. As you test, these clues should help make their understanding of the terms clear. And the end of your sessions you should have a good idea of problems that are likely to occur. When possible, solve these problems by adjusting the taxonomy and terms. Any term or category that must exist but is not understandable will need clarity. Make sure you create documentation that clearly explains its purpose.

    Stage 3: Revising Taxonomies After Implementation

    Please note that the most difficult time to get buy-in for research is going to be after the content is live. This is for good reason. There will be a daunting amount of work, picking through all your content. And then creating new terms. Keep this in mind as you redesign or design a taxonomy. Do everything in your power to refine and test a taxonomy while the system is being designed.
     
    But, if you think your live taxonomy isn’t up to snuff, here are things you can do:

    Review terms and categories

    If you find changes in the taxonomy or additions made over time, you might want to consider some revision. Establish the problem space. Then you will be able to relabel taxonomy terms and categories. Always test any changes you make to ensure that you are moving in the direction of improvement.

    Define, develop, and deploy staff training

    You don’t have many options for taxonomic revisions? The problems occurring are severe? Consider assessing how the current system could be best employed. Introduce a new training guide. This will put the bulk of the burden on the content managers. Provide them with as much support and documentation as you can.

    Burn the website and start over from scratch.

    Alright, so this is a little dramatic. But, it’s worth pointing out that this is a viable option. Particularly if the site relies on a system that isn’t working.

    Don’t discount the liberating feeling of destroying a taxonomy that doesn’t work.
    Don’t discount the liberating feeling of destroying a taxonomy that doesn’t work.

    How to Test Taxonomy at Any Point in the Process

    Building a taxonomy is a great exercise in team communication. It’s also an excellent place for researchers to assist in discovering user understanding. Your taxonomy may take a day to build and work fine for a simple website. Its development could also take months for a more complex project. Above all, there are three principles to follow in your journey.

    1. Regularly gather feedback. Communicate with your design and development teams. Test with internal and end users
    2. Be flexible in revisions. The taxonomy will need to support the content needs of the website, so don’t get attached to a single idea. It may not work out in practice.
    3. Research other systems and guidelines related to your framework. Both WordPress and Drupal have excellent resources available. They can help with using and building taxonomies within their frameworks. If you aren’t the developer, you will want to review these.

    Thanks for reading and happy categorizing!

  • 3 Threats and 3 Benefits of the Internet of Things

    The Internet of Things (IoT) is a new interconnection of technology. It is being heralded as the next industrial revolution. What does this imply? Only radical change, disruption, and a brand new paradigm for the planet. Nothing too intense, right? The Internet of Things is an extension of existing connections. These connections are between people and computers to include digitally-connected “things”.

    These things measure and report data. This data can be simple numbers from a stationary or mobile sensor (such as a temperature sensor). It could also be more complex findings from devices that measure and report many data streams at a time. These advanced devices can even actuate or effect data they’re measuring. A good example of this would be a connected thermostat.

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    The IoT is advancing exponentially. Some even say we’re in the “knee of the curve”. This describes the point where advancement happens very fast. Such speed means that its potential uses are beyond the reach of speculation. Even so, many organizations hesitate to experiment and invest in IoT technology. Here are the three parts of the IoT we’ll discuss.

    • IoT threats
    • IoT benefits
    • The path to realizing the potential IoT brings

    Internet of Things Threats

    Threat 1: Security and Privacy

    If you’ve paid attention to major technology news stories, you’ve heard a lot of scary things.

    • The hacking of companies
    • Stolen Identities
    • The hijacking of app-connected cars

    These events are all enough to cause some serious anxiety. You can understand how digitally-connected things have definite security risks. Often, default device settings equate to “wide open”. Many organizations don’t have strong security protocols in place. This is even when access controls are present. This is the IoT equivalent of having a username/password combo of “admin” and “password”.

    Even if you’re savvy enough to configure the connected device the right way, other gaps exist. Connected device manufacturers are often slow to update firmware or release patches. These companies may not provide support at all. Instead, they prefer to resolve security issues with the next version of the “thing”. So, security and privacy on your network of things has to be your responsibility. This may seem unfair as you are the user implementing the tech.

    Threat 2: Data and Complexity

    The IoT generates countless bytes of data. But that isn’t how businesses measure its value. They look at the analysis of trends and patterns. For example, say you have a single sensor reporting one of ten possible values every week. In one year, you’d collect 52 points of data. But, the number of possible combinations of those 52 points is 1 x 1052. Want some perspective? The estimation of the number of atoms on the entire planet is 1 x 1050, which is 100 times fewer.

    Now, imagine the data complexity when thousands of sensors collecting data. The sensors do this each hour across a single organization. You need a plan to process and analyze these huge quantities of data. Then you can translate these findings into better business practices.

    Threat 3: Business and IT Buy-in

    Persuading stakeholders to buy into the IoT can be difficult. Concerns about security and complexity can be intense. There are other factors holding back progress as well. The perceived costs and risks to laying a foundation are considerations. Even running a single experiment can get in the way of stakeholder buy-in. There are plenty of consumer-focused, cloud-managed IoT products out there. But they do little to comfort those looking to introduce an IoT strategy to their enterprise.

    Internet of Things Benefits

    In short, the scale of change that IoT technology offers can be scary. At the same time, the benefits of a well-executed IoT strategy can be a “Holy Grail” for an organization:

    Benefit 1: Safety, Comfort, Efficiency

    Imagine measuring and managing hazardous environments while juggling many factors. You must do this without putting people at risk. And don’t forget to optimize all physical environments for comfort and productivity. Also, you better control those energy costs. Now imagine monotonous tasks automated and done by machines. For example, smart assembly lines could report errors in real time. This produces higher yields and less downtime.

    The result is more time for productive and rewarding work. This would drive higher employee satisfaction and retention, while dramatically improving profit margins.

    Benefit 2: Better Decision Making

    If you can analyze larger trends from empirical data, you can make smarter decisions. This takes assumptions out of the equation. Instead, it’s giving you data-backed visibility into every aspect of your business. Consider testing cycles. They would radically shorten, lowering the costs to optimize a process. Also, the visibility into system behaviors can yield new insights and ideas. This can guide your business like never before.

    Benefit 3: Revenue Generation

    At first, the above benefits will impact your bottom line by reducing expenses. The IoT will also help to improve efficiency. But, it’s only a matter of time before IoT data analysis helps you realize new business functions. Also, this will lead to new revenue opportunities. The IoT may be that special “X factor”. It’s uniqueness gives many organizations a strategic advantage over the competitors. This advantage will be valuable to companies now and into the next decade.

    2 Keys to Begin Using the Internet of Things

    Knowing the risks and benefits of the IoT is important for any company wanting to enter that arena. Now that you have this knowledge, what can you do with it? How can you help your organization take advantage of the Internet of Things? And how can you avoid excessive risk?

    Start small

    A small project is most likely to gain buy-in and succeed. Save the unexplored potential of long-term interconnected devices for later. A natural starting place is to take steps toward making your workplace a “Smart Office”. What does this include?

    • Automated conference room reservations and management
    • Digital asset tracking of equipment or parts
    • Monitoring energy or water consumption and then optimizing usage

    Assemble the right team

    The right time will need the right skills and attitudes. You will need some technological expertise. You will also need some forward-thinkers. These guys will have tons of excitement about bringing innovation into your organization.  You’ll need to make it through three primary phases:

    1. Build a business case and kick off a project
    2. Select, analyze, and rank IoT Tech for the project
    3. Plan, execute, and support

    Atlantic BT would love to help you along the way.  We have a large, dedicated CyberSecurity team ready and able to prepare you for the future.

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  • How to Build and Tune Your Website Engine

    A company’s website is one of the most pertinent ways a consumer can connect to a brand. It propels the client relationship forward. An effective site, like a strong engine, brings all parts together to keep business activity running smoothly. And, like all engines, it requires thoughtful design, regular maintenance, and necessary replacements. Consistent website maintenance is imperative to your company’s digital success.

    But you can’t just poof an amazing website into existence. You have to plan obsessively and then execute on that plan. This takes time and talent. It also takes trial and error. Don’t forget good judgement and a strong understanding of what you want your site to do.

    Suppose you’ve spent a healthy amount of time and money bringing a large website to life. How do you make the most of your investment by maintaining it? Or just as importantly, how can you keep from having to pay for another large web development project in the near future?

    Here are a few ideas about what you can do to keep a complex website in like-new condition for years to come and your website engine running smoothly. 

    Have A Plan

    Knowing exactly what you want your site to do is imperative to making a site that works effectively. A site that just exists is in constant crisis. It’s also taking up valuable space and that’s just selfish. Users don’t have time to wander through a site that promises a specific service and then doesn’t follow through.  They will be angry, leave, and complain to others who will then avoid your site like the plague. What actions justify your website’s existence? If it’s not to help potential consumers then what direction is your website engine taking you in?  Have a map and know where you want to go. 

    Monitor Traffic and Web Analytics

    After your website goes live, a lot of the future growth and improvement should be user-driven. How can you know if it’s running at its best capacity? Great news! There are tools available that can measure the results. You should use them!  By studying visitor traffic patterns and user behavior, you can determine how people are using your pages and what they want more or less of.

    It’s like taking your car in to be inspected. You get good news and you get bad news and you act accordingly. Unless you put things off until the engine explodes in the middle of a busy intersection during rush hour and everyone hates you for a solid half hour. That’s on you.

    No matter how well you understand your market or field, there really isn’t any substitute for knowing what the numbers say. So, as you continue to grow and make the most of your website, pay close attention to the messages sent from your web statistics.

    Keep Adding New Features

    When your new website goes live, it isn’t really finished. Instead, you have simply reached a point where it’s ready to be used. You can continue to add new features and plug-ins for years to come. In fact, that’s exactly what you should plan on doing. Just like thoughtful upgrades to a vehicle adds value to a car, your website engine can benefit from constant growth. 

    Consider the options you have to achieve the goal in your mind. Are they worth taking? Is the goal necessary or a distraction? Will it enhance the entire vehicle and make everyone’s lives better?  No? Then be happy about what you have. Yes? Then get to work on the necessary website maintenance. 

    Not only is it more cost-effective to add to your current website than it is to plan a new one, but fresh content and programming will give users or customers reasons to come back. That makes all the time and money you put into your web development project more valuable.

    Check for Security Issues

    Develop a website maintenance routine that encourages check ups and minor improvements when needed. Particularly regarding security. Website security is a bigger topic than ever before, especially for large companies and institutions. Regular audits of your content management system, custom programming, and plug-ins are crucial if you want to keep hackers away.

    In addition to regular security monitoring and testing, you’ll want to know that your website (and any associated data that has been collected online) is being backed up securely at predictable intervals. That way, you’ll have an extra layer of protection if your website is compromised.

    Update Your Content Periodically

    Relevant content is crucial to productive website maintenance. In the same way that you should keep adding new apps to your website, it’s also a good idea to review your content periodically to ensure it stays up-to-date, which is one of the biggest challenges large organizations have. But, doing so can help you attract search engine visits, make your organization seem more like a credible authority, and prevent the kinds of misunderstandings that arise from outdated information being posted on the web.

    Having outdated content undermines credibility, hurts search engine visibility, and can lead to all sorts of errors and disagreements. Besides, it isn’t that hard to keep content updated if you have a common sense plan in place. Following this checklist will help:

    Your Content Maintenance Checklist

    • Schedule or Assign Monthly Reviews and Additions – Decide who is the best person or team for the content job and then commit to reviewing the pages on your website once a month.This will keep any needed revisions small and the job won’t turn into an overwhelming chore.
    • Remove Inaccurate or Outdated Content -Always look for errors, inaccuracies, and outdated ideas. All of these can be corrected or even removed. An eagle-eyed editorial process is your best friend.
    • Pay Attention to User Activity – By digging into your analytics data, you can see what pages or topics visitors are accessing the most. Your goal should be to give customers more of the content they want and need.
    • Create a Roadmap for Future Updates -As you note which themes are popular and where you could add more thoughts in the future, work on creating a list or editorial calendar. You should strive to reach a point where you are actively producing new pages and articles.

    Know When to Let Go

    There will come a time when your website requires a complete overhaul. This is a natural development in the website life cycle. Making peace with that knowledge will help you waste no time in getting the updates your site needs.  When you’re ready for that next big step, you’ll want the right mechanics on your side.

    Look for a Web Development Team that Puts Your Organization First

    Institutional web design can feel overwhelming, both in terms of the investment required and the number of details to manage. Things get a lot easier when you have the right creative team on your side. At Atlantic BT, we have helped hundreds of groups like yours to break their projects into manageable and actionable steps. We’ve developed a 20+ year reputation for quality creative work, unmatched service, and a commitment to helping our clients achieve their real-world organizational targets.

    Great engines and websites do not magically appear, perfectly polished and roaring with power. They are created to serve a need. We can give you the tools and knowledge you need to keep your business on the road to success.

  • Taxonomies: A Trilogy – The What, the Why, and the Will

    This blog is part 1 of a trilogy on Taxonomies. Read part 2 on Common Taxonomy Mistakes or part 3 on How to Evaluate and Test Taxonomies if you want to skip ahead.

    What the hell are taxonomies? How do taxonomies work? Why are taxonomies important to effective web design?

    This post will tackle these questions and more as an introduction to taxonomies. In two follow up posts, we will cover:

    • Common misconceptions about taxonomies as well as best practices.
    • Techniques to test taxonomies to ensure they’re working and how to fix them if they are not.

    Let’s begin with where the word “taxonomy” came from.

    Origins of the Term Taxonomy

    The first use of the word taxonomy dates back to ancient Greece, by none other than Aristotle. He developed the concept as a way to classify organisms. This later evolved and became known as scientific classification.

    In taxonomy’s scientific classification system, each species has a set of specific categorizations. Each category is unique to only one specie. In other words, each organism has a unique combination of many things that identify it. These include:

    • Domain
    • Kingdom
    • Phylum
    • Class
    • Order
    • Family
    • Genus

    Modern taxonomy definitions apply the same concept of classification to different fields. For example, the Drupal definition explains taxonomy as a way of classifying content. This is the most common in the marketing space, as marketers generally don’t deal with species. But, this definition can be too broad at times as there are many ways of classifying content. The process can encompass everything, from hierarchical relationships to faceted classifications. We’ll be focusing on how marketers and web designers use taxonomies. This will allow us to better understand their nature and purpose.

    How to Properly Use a Taxonomy

    One of the main purposes of a taxonomy is to dictate a website’s navigation. While the taxonomy is not the only tool for laying out the navigation, it is an essential aspect. Think of navigation as a map. A taxonomy serves as the instructions and signs that guide you to your destination. As with routes on a map, there can be many different ways to navigate a site and reach the same destination. There could also only be one way. Let’s take a look at two examples of taxonomies and how they impact your user experience.

    Hierarchical Classification System

    Sometimes there is a single route to get from point A to point B on a website. (In our map metaphor, these routes are our back-country roads.) A hierarchical classification system is a perfect example. With this type of taxonomy, there is usually a single way to navigate to a specific page/content. For example, a site containing a food menu dividing up the items by Meats, Fruits, and Vegetables. This is a hierarchical classification system.

    Each food item falls under a specific category. This is the same as the scientific classification hierarchy. A cabbage can’t be a meat. An apple can’t be a vegetable. A hierarchical classification system such as this,works well for simpler sites. But, what if you need to accommodate a more complex user journey? You will need a more flexible type of taxonomy.

    Faceted Classification System

    Another taxonomy example is a faceted classification. This taxonomy can direct you to the same content through different paths. It organizes content on many dimensions or facets. A facet is “any of the definable aspects that make up a subject or an object.” Unlike Aristotle’s classification taxonomy, a faceted classification does not have to be hierarchical. A good example of a faceted classification system is Zappos’ shoe filtering scheme.

    In this case, there are plenty of navigation routes (read: filters) to get to the same shoe. For example, a user can find a pair of size 8 Nike running shoes on the Zappos site by any descriptive search. The user could search for a size 8 under the size filter or Nike under the brand filter. They could even search for Sneakers and Athletic Shoes under the Category filter. All three filters will bring up the same Nike size 8 running shoes. Yet, each search will be different. Not all size 8 shoes are Nike and not all Nike shoes are sneakers and athletic shoes.

    Taxonomies Help Users Find What They Want

    Adding proper taxonomies to your site’s content provides an effective UX. Your users follow digital signposts to find what they are looking for. Without the proper structure from taxonomies, your site navigation can be a pain. This can lead to the loss of users.

    There are more types of classifications out there. But the two examples above provide a good understanding of how taxonomies work in web design. Get ready for the second part of this trilogy! We’ll discuss common taxonomy misconceptions and best practices.
     
    Any questions? We’ve got your back.

     

  • How to Use the Secret, Overlooked Power of Radio Buttons

    For those in the know, the difference between check boxes and radio buttons seem obvious. Check boxes are for a variety of selections. Radio buttons are for agreed upon exclusive options. It is usually easy to select the proper web form element, but it can get tricky in some situations.

    Old Car Radio
    Car radio buttons used to have depressible buttons for presets.

    History of the Radio Button

    Let’s review how radio buttons came to be.

    Once upon a time, graphical user interface elements were being developed. During this time of innovation, metaphors were often used for icons and actions. For example, an icon with scissors was for the Cut action and a home icon was for a Homepage. Tim Berners-Lee and Dan Connolly were the first to define radio buttons, as well as checkboxes. At the time, car radios most often had buttons for presets, where a person could only press one button down at a time.

    Young web designers may not recognize the metaphor. Most modern car radios have preset buttons that do not depress. Some people think that the term came from “radius” or “radial”. Ah, youth. The good news is that most end users do not need to be familiar with the term “radio button”. Yet, there are plenty of endangered metaphors. Remember the floppy disk icon for Save?

    3 User Experience Tips

    Designing web forms here at Atlantic BT is our jam. Most of the time, it’s pretty easy for us to determine which form element to use. But, here are some situations that have made us think.

    Radio Buttons or Drop-Down

    For a list of reciprocal and exclusive items, should you use radio buttons or a drop-down? Answer: It depends. Use radio buttons when the options underneath are not obvious. This allows users to see every option at the same time. If users understand the options underneath a drop-down, then they work very well.

    For example, selecting a country requires a long list to choose from. A drop-down used in this example makes sense because the user can navigate through it with ease. The user will have natural expectations from other web experiences with the drop-down. They will assume the countries will be in alphabetical order. If the website base is from the United States, users will expect that it will most likely be the first list option.

    Navigational Form Elements

    Which form element do you use when the user is making a choice that will determine the next web page they see? Radio buttons may seem like the obvious choice. Yet, users will not expect radio buttons to perform an action (e.g. launch a new web page). So, regular buttons with proper labels are actually the best choice.

    Default Radio Buttons

    Do you have one radio button in a group selected by default? This is an interesting one. In a 2004 Alertbox, Nielsen recommended to always have a radio button selected by default. There are two benefits to not having a radio button selected:

    • It won’t introduce any bias if you are doing a survey.
    • Users will have to pay attention to the question (if required).
    The drawback of not selecting an option by default is that it may take more time for a user to fill out a form. Select a radio button by default if there are frequent responses to a question and/or a lot of user inquires.

    There are so many other unique situations to list here. Contact us to collaborate on more strategic web projects.

  • Miva Takes on Magento: 3 Reasons Why This is Silly

    Miva Merchant often takes the time to attack their eCommerce competitors directly.  Maybe you’ve seen the following ad:

    Miva Ad

    This ad, sent via email campaign, continues to say,

    “Updating crucial security patches is infamously slow on Magento, commonly breaking the functionality of mods and plugins. The tortured development history of Magento means that every back-end integration requires an expensive custom build and painstaking IT maintenance…”

    All “fresh” software releases hold inherent bugs and glitches that need to be worked out. So Miva’s attacks aren’t invalid, but it’s hard not to wonder why they’re attacking at all. Miva’s smear campaign doesn’t stop there. In the company’s own article, they claim that running a Magento Enterprise site is roughly twice the cost of a Miva platform, and not worth it. In another email they claim:

    “Upgrading Magento software is expensive and dangerous. The transition from Magento 1.92 to 2.0 was a nightmare for store owners, with even the simple transfer of customer data requiring expensive 3rd-party tools. Magento updates are famous for breaking stores, with custom mods and plug-ins requiring expensive deployment to adapt.”

    Miva Merchant shouldn’t be criticizing Magento. The cloud-based platform has great customer service and is easy to update, but isn’t actually in Magento’s league. Atlantic BT is currently preparing to launch a new client site supported by Magento 2. We’ve seen first hand the quality of services it provides for us and our partners and would recommend it to any client looking to rebuild their site. 

    The SaaS-based software shows that Miva shares more with Shopify than Magento. It limits your ability to do custom features and setup. Like Shopify, it’s a solid platform. However, it’s not likely to attract larger businesses that would use Magento. The businesses that Miva is targeting in their email campaign are likely wanting a custom set up with a unique look and feel. Unfortunately, you’re not going to find these options with Miva.

    Additionally, think about the last time you heard about Miva. Probably never, right? Miva has been around for 18 years. It was actually one of the first eCommerce platforms to be created. You know people that use Shopify, WooCommerce, and even WordPress eCommerce solutions, but, despite their seniority, Miva? Hear those crickets? . From their size to the language they use, here are 3 reasons Miva shouldn’t even try to compare itself to Magento.

    1. Few Businesses Actually Use it

    Go ahead and look up “Top eCommerce Platforms.” Which names do you find? Magento, WooCommerce, Shopify, and even SquareSpace. These results all come before Miva. When you look at the numbers, Miva doesn’t even make the top 10.

    On their website, it says “Miva customers have processed over $100 billion in online sales since 1997.” Assuming this number is true, it certainly didn’t happen recently. Since the beginning of this year, Miva Merchant added 10 websites and lost 18. By comparison. Magento gained 2,071 websites.. More specifically, it is used by over 150,000 online stores and powers 15% of the Alexa Top 1 Million. Out of the 415 eCommerce platforms in that category, Magento ranks #2.

    Even when you put Miva head-to-head against WooCommerce and Shopify, it falls short. Only 0.2% of eCommerce sites have been using it. Want the exact numbers? That’s just 2,332 businesses. There are “approximately 110,000 eCommerce websites generating revenue of meaningful scale on the internet.” That’s not just eCommerce sites this year. That’s all eCommerce sites which are actually doing well. Assuming all of these Miva sites are generating enough revenue, they only constitute 2.2% of eCommerce sites.

    Despite their numerous years as an eCommerce platform, Miva doesn’t make the cut for most customers. It seems attacking another platform is the only way to get visibility.

    2. More Aesthetics, Less Structure

    Miva focuses more on the look of an eCommerce website than the structure behind it. They use a HTML/CSS-based content management system to allow business owners to create and manage their eCommerce websites. That comes with the capability to upload and edit product descriptions and images, track and manage incoming and outgoing inventory, and securely process customer orders.

    While Magento has similar customization features, there is more emphasis on structure. Using a MySQLdatabase management system, PHP, and elements of the Zend Framework, Magento applies the conventions of object-oriented programming and model–view–controller architecture.

    So what’s the difference?

    Magento is a better program for people who have systems in place and want a platform to help organize those systems. This means sites that use Magento will also have people in place to manage that infrastructure and handle a more database- and function-heavy platform. Miva is half the cost because it’s better for people starting from scratch. If you’re looking for a strong backbone your team can use to run a larger eCommerce business, forget about using Miva. 

    3. Scale Matters

    Miva Merchant is half the cost because it’s intended for businesses half the size (or less) of the ones using Magento. Although Miva claims it’s a better solution for enterprise than Magento, its strength lies in small business. It is entirely cloud-based, which is ideal for smaller businesses who lack the infrastructure and software needed to power a successful eCommerce enterprise. In addition, it excludes some areas of business—Miva doesn’t host for retailers with soft goods (meaning services or downloadable products).

    Magento is designed with larger businesses in mind. Yes, managing the code base, all the updates and patches, and troubleshooting for security can be complicated. It takes more to run an enterprise-level business. For a large business processing thousands of payments every day and managing hundreds of products, you need more than HTML and CSS—you need a platform built for growth. From managing the databases to keeping it secure, you need a team to keep it going. Only Magento’s high power and functionality has the capacity for enterprise.

    The Bottom Line

    All of that aside, Miva Merchant does have some advantages which Magento needs to learn from. Miva excels in providing helpful support and customer service no matter what package their clients select. For Magento, this simply isn’t true. Despite the strength of the platform, Magento Community customers are pretty much on their own. Even Enterprise users have a hard time getting the help they need. That said, Miva has a bad record in terms of hidden charges and surges in cost. Magento may be expensive, but at least you know what the price is going to be.

    If you’re established and have the staff you need on Magento, stay there. It may be complicated, but moving to a completely different language in the cloud isn’t going to solve your problems. Whether you use Enterprise or Community, you don’t have to feel alone. Are you having issues getting the support you need? Don’t switch over to Miva. At Atlantic BT we can provide the same level of support and beyond. As a Certified Magento Partner, we have the expertise you need to keep your platform running safely. Check out our eCommerce page to learn more.