The JetRails Podcast

Nextopia and Searchspring spent years competing head-to-head to provide eCommerce sites with the best site-search and navigation tools. They each honed their solutions to help shoppers connect with products that they were most likely to purchase. Then they were both bought by the same company. Now they're one company: Searchspring. What's happening behind the scenes? Why is there tech so valuable? Why do merchants need...

In previous episodes, we've discussed optimizing product data, and the term "PIM" always comes up. So we invited a guest to break down just what a good PIM does, and how product information management software can bring a lot of value to businesses with eCommerce sales channels. Guest: Jon Marsella, JasperPIM.com Host: Robert Rand, JetRails.com If you enjoyed this episode, you'll probably like episode 33 on Digita...

There are more teams of web developers in the world than we can count. While they all have different strengths and weaknesses, pros and cons, what if some of them started to evolve into Public Benefit Corporations? What would change? Who would be better off? Listen to this episode to learn why one agency is following the path of companies like Allbirds, Ben & Jerries, Bombas, New Chapter, Patagonia, and Tom's Shoes to ope...

There was a time when your users would access your entire website directly from your web hosting server. Now, if you're focused on speed, security, scalability, and reliability, you're undoubtedly using an edge network to deliver a better experience to your web visitors while doing a better job of keeping your hosting server(s) stable and safe. How does all of this work? Will this technology give you a leg up on your compe...

If you're migrating to a new Magento 2 website, the last thing that you want to do is lose historical SEO rankings along the way. Ideally, you want replatforming to this brand new version of your eCommerce store to lead to better results, not worse. So, how do you make sure that you accomplish your SEO goals (and avoid common pitfalls) while moving to a fresh instance of M2? Tune in to learn what to do AND what not to do to k...

Magento has been in the process of deprecating just about all of their payment gateway integrations. Why are they doing it? What impact will it have? Tune in and find out! Guest: Alex Povolotski, CollinsHarper.com Host: Robert Rand, JetRails.com Recommended reading: https://community.magento.com/t5/Magento-DevBlog/Deprecation-of-Magento-core-payment-integrations/ba-p/426445 https://docs.magento.com/user-guide/stores/compliance-p...

Having proper systems and processes to allow your eCommerce team to collaborate and produce outstanding product information can give you a leg up on the competition in multiple ways. After all, your product data impacts your site navigation, digital marketing, site search, conversion rates, your ability to sell across online channels like marketplaces, and more! Learn where businesses get stuck in the mud when it comes to managin...

We've spoken about Magento 1 End of Life (EOL) and the security implications of staying on M1 after June of 2020... but in our previous episodes, we've only mentioned PCI Compliance. In this episode, we'll dive deep into the risks Magento 1 merchants will face and the actions they should take to stay compliant. Spoiler alert! Magento 1 merchants are risking losing their ability to run credit cards on their websites. G...

Cash flow can make or break a business, and eCommerce businesses are no exception. Online sellers need liquidity to pay for inventory and other expenses. In times of turmoil, merchants may need more cash on hand because revenue is lower than normal. Conversely, a loan can be crucial when you need to buy more inventory or bring in more labor to meet increased demand. While traditional loans and lines of credit may be helpful, the ...

Successfully transitioning B2B buyers to an eCommerce sales channel is often much more complex than opening up an online retail store. However, whether you're a manufacturer, wholesaler, distributor, or sell complex or high-ticket B2B items, an eCommerce website can empower you and your team to greatly increase the efficiency and success of your sales and marketing operations. Guest: Angela Murphy, MSTS.com Host: Robert Rand, ...

There have been recent calls to extend the end of life of Magento 1 because, to quote a very wise person, "now is not the time" for merchants whose businesses are experiencing an unprecedented market event to be focused on hitting a deadline to replatform. While Adobe has not extended the EOL of M1, luckily, the Magento community has created options to safely and securely stay on Magento 1. On this episode, we specifically ...

With so many brick-and-mortar shops closed, if a fraudster wants to use a stolen credit card to make purchases, they pretty much have to turn to eCommerce stores. At the same time, with some eCommerce websites experiencing lower sales, they may actually see a higher percentage of fraudulent orders. Fraudsters don't take a vacation because of a pandemic, even if normal shoppers may be more skittish about placing orders. Tune in...

We're experiencing unprecedented market conditions, but this is not the first recession that eCommerce businesses have experienced. While not all challenges can be overcome, many online shops can position themselves to grow both during and immediately after this downturn. Guest: Sasha Berson, CatapultRevenue.com Host: Robert Rand, JetRails.com Public Service Announcement: If your business is being hurt by the COVID-19 Corona...

In order to meet your requirements, you may need a website or app that "breaks the mold". While using a popular eCommerce, CMS, or other framework will often be your best bet, that's not always the case. So, how do you know if custom is right for you? Tune in to learn the in's and out's from risk analysis, through project planning, and long-term maintenance. If your organization is scrambling to launch somethi...

Merchants need to be versatile enough to meet customer needs and expectations. An omnichannel experience can allow you to support your customers seamlessly across systems, channels, and even physical locations. This episode was recorded shortly before retailers started closing their doors in the USA, but we're quickly seeing just how important omnichannel strategies - like Buy Online Pickup In Store (BOPIS) - are to eCommerce...

Popular Content Management Systems like Magento, Drupal, WordPress and WooCommerce provide you with lots of features, plugins, integrations, and flexibility. However, their popularity can also make them targets for hackers who look for weaknesses they can exploit en masse. Need to know how to keep your site safe and secure on a great CMS or eCommerce platform? Then this episode is for you! Guest: Victor Santoyo, Sucuri.net Host: R...

A year ago, we talked about the end of life of Magento 1 as something that merchants would have lots of time to plan for. Now, it's becoming clear that a very large number of merchants will remain on M1 for a period of time after the official end of life. What will change for these merchants? What risks will they have, and how can they mitigate those risks? Tune in to learn more! Guest: Mark Lewis, CTO & Founder, Netalico...

Whether through Apps, Extensions, Modules, Plugins, or Addons, eCommerce website owners are compelled to integrate additional features and functionalities into their sites in order to improve the shopping experience for customers and make operations more efficient and profitable. With so much software out there, how do you find the best software to add to your website? How do you measure the risks, rewards, and real costs of apps,...

With Magento, you can enhance your site with additional software, such as by installing individual extensions or integrating other standalone systems via API. However, some extension developers have been pushing these boundaries. There are limitations to what an extension can do, and there are questions about long-term support for extensions (as many Magento 1 users have begun to experience). Tune in to learn about this journey ...