Upgrading the Magento Platform and Implementing Headless Architecture for an Oceania-based client

Upgrading The Magento Platform and Implementing Headless Architecture For An Oceania Based Client

About The Client

The client is an Oceania-based organization that specializes in providing a wide range of vaping products and accessories. They aim to support smokers in their transition to a healthier alternative by offering quality e-cigarettes, e-liquids, and vaping devices. With a focus on customer satisfaction and product knowledge, they strive to be a trusted source for vaping enthusiasts across the region.

Background

Our Client journey began with a small store in Oceania, and as their reputation for exceptional service and expertise spread, so did their customer base. They recognized the need to accommodate their growing community and expanded rapidly. Today, they proudly operate over 120 vape shops throughout Oceania-based countries, complemented by our user-friendly online store, where they continue to deliver the same exceptional service that has endeared us to our loyal customers.

The mission is to offer a compelling alternative to traditional cigarette smoking. There are staunch advocates of harm reduction, dedicated to enabling individuals to embrace healthier and longer-lasting lifestyles. Their commitment lies in delivering unparalleled customer service to ensure that every shopper departs with a smile.

Integration Used In The Website

Integrations Sigma

Key Business Needs & Challenges

Key business needs and challenges of upgrading the Magento platform and implementing Headless architecture.

The client was running two Magento websites, each with its own Magento admin. However, manually entering data on both websites was time-consuming. Therefore, the client wanted to merge both websites under a single admin panel.
The existing Magento frontend responsive UI was not compatible with the latest mobile devices and had issues with performance as well.
Performance issues plagued their existing system, hindering the smooth operation of their platform and hampering user experience.

The older version of the Magento platform that the client was using had numerous unnecessary extensions and bugs, posing significant risks and limitations to the company’s operations. Furthermore, these older Magento versions were incompatible with the latest Magento packages, preventing the client from leveraging new features and functionalities.
The client expressed a desire to separate out frontend and backend and look for cross-platform compatibility which gives flexibility, improved performance, and provides SEO benefits.

Proposed Solutions

We recommend upgrading the client’s Magento version from the outdated 2.3.2 to the latest version 2.4.4. It offers improved performance, security, and stability.
The Sigma team deployed Strapi, an open-source, JavaScript-based, next-generation headless CMS, that lets you manage any content, on any device, in minutes, not weeks. Build a custom API for React, Vue, mobile apps, and even IoT, using REST or GraphQL.
We recommended a cutting-edge Magento PWA headless framework that is aligned with client needs to separate out frontend/backend, cross compatibility, and performance improvements.

The Sigma team has significantly reduced the existing extension in the newer upgraded versions. We extensively leverage the default Magento features, which reduces unnecessary extensions and dependencies.
The Sigma team has enhanced the existing PWA Venia theme to accommodate the client’s business requirements and quickly troubleshoot any arising issues.
The upgraded platform will also give administrators greater control over managing content, empowering them to easily make necessary changes.

Overall Impact

Performance
Increased performance of the website with Magento PWA and Headless architecture, resulting in faster page load time.
Business Effectiveness
Using our flexible data structure solution approach, our client now has control to easily update the site content without updating the code base

Security
The new website is now more secure with PCI compliance and leverages the latest security patches from the Magento platform.

Features Used In The Solutions

Product Recommendation
With Algolia Recommend, we have used their robust APIs to build the recommendations experiences best suited to meet our customer’s needs. On the Algolia dashboard, we have configured the Index for recommendation and built recommendations carousels quickly that automatically show products or digital content to users, subscribers, and shoppers, while leveraging the power of AI.
Click & Collect Delivery
We have provided our custom Solutions where customers can place their products on our website and later collect them from their nearest store. With the custom REST API, we can get the list of stores available for Pickup delivery for their desired product. Also, they can see the available stock quantity.
Sale Price Adjustment
By utilizing our custom Solutions, we display exclusive prices for the product during sale seasons.
Store Locator
Leveraging Google Maps, we can rely on their robust widget to construct the map with store markers.

Product Review Widget
We have integrated their Widget for showing the Product Review Ratings and Collect Product Reviews using their Javascript Library. Generated authentic reviews that make a difference and displayed them where they are most impactful. Collect Customer Reviews the Smarter Way. Used data-driven tools that make it simple for customers to give feedback so you can turn every purchase into a review.
Repeat Delivery
With Amasty Subscription, get predictable recurring payments by selling products by subscription. We have customized the module based on our custom payment gateway Windcave. We have created custom subscription plans to cover any demand.
Prerender.io
Our setup deploys a worker directly on the Cloudflare CDN, redirecting all crawlers to the dashboard and fetching cached HTML. This approach enhances website speed and contributes to improved SEO scores.
Tailored Payment Options
Incorporated Wind Cave CC, Account to Account, Zip, and Layby payment methods on the checkout page.

Tools & Technologies

Code Repository – Github	Meeting – MS Teams
Magento Version – 2.4.4	PHP
PWA Venia version – 1.3.0	ReactJS – 17.0.1
Strapi Headless CMS: v4	Google Analytics
MYSQL	PWA
Project Management: Jira	IDE: PhpStorm

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