4 WAYS TO INCREASE THE ONLINE SECURITY OF YOUR E-COMMERCE SITE

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Online security is one of the most important features of any e-commerce site.  Users want to be able to trust your web site, regardless of how it looks or performs, before using it.

With modern hacker techniques, even the most harmless user information can be leveraged into an attack on your customers, so it is critical that your e-commerce site be secure and reliable. Here are four ways to help improve the online security of your e-commerce site:

  1. Use a secure connection for checkout: SSL certificates are fundamental to your customers’ online security. They encrypt the information during the checkout process to make certain that even if the data is intercepted it is useless to anyone other than the intended destination.  Additionally, more and more customers are looking for the https, where the “s” stands for “secure”, when shopping online. Update your site to use SSL (https) on the entire site – not just during checkout. Make sure your site reassures your customers and protects their personal information.
  2. Only store the customer information you need: Hackers are very sophisticated when it comes to victimizing users. The best way to protect your customers is store only the information you need.  Avoid storing information that might be useful later, or that was used but is no longer necessary. Also, make certain you have verification procedures in place. If your customers have membership accounts, insist on strong passwords, and train your employees on the proper ways to handle this data.
  3. Conform to the PCI DSS – The PCI (Payment Card Industry) Security Standards Council is a global body led by the five main credit card companies.  The Council exists to help businesses meet the stringent requirements they require when using credit card information.  They publish the PCI DSS which is a security self assessment tool, and is designed to help companies be as secure as possible.  Whether or not your business uses credit card information directly, being able to successfully conform to the PCI DSS means your site is as secure as some of the best on the web.
  4. Remain Up-to-date with Security Updates: Avoid becoming comfortable with your security.  Your security personnel should always be updating their knowledge.  Security should be performing tests on a regular bases, including attempting to compromise the site’s security. Work with certified Magento professionals, like Crimson Agility, to ensure your site remains secure and up-to-date with all the latest security updates. Request a security audit of your site to ensure you are following all Magento security “best practices”.

Online security is an ongoing journey with no end point.  As long as there is data to be stolen, hackers will try to steal it. If you’re looking to update the security of your e-commerce site and make it secure and reliable for your customers, we invite you to schedule a complimentary consultation with one of our Certified Magento Professionals.

NEW MAGENTO SECURITY PATCH UPDATE: SUPEE-7405 AND SUPEE-7616

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Last week, Magento released a security update patch, which includes Security Patch Bundle SUPEE-7405 and USPS Patch SUPEE-7616. The update is intended to improve both the security and functionality of Magento sites for all editions.

The SUPEE-7405 patch resolves several security related issues, and also contains important functional updates such as official support for PHP 7.0.2, which should reduce memory consumption as well as provide other dramatic improvements to performance. The patch is available for Magento versions 1.4.0.0 – 1.9.2.2 and 2.0.0.0 – 2.0.1.0.

The SUPEE-7616 patch addresses several changes USPS recently made to their services, rates and package names in all new releases for Enterprise and Community Editions. It is only applicable to customers using USPS as a shipping method and is non-critical.

Security updates and patches are essential for maintaining the security of your website and preventing hackers from being able to access important databases. If you’re currently running an older Magento version, you should definitely upgrade as soon as possible, as there are security issues, performance improvements, and a wealth of usability options that you’re missing out on.

Some of these upgrades will simply make your life a lot easier, but others are absolutely mission-critical. Crimson Agility has a 100% success rate with upgrading Magento platforms, and given our proven methodology and state-of-the-art development environments, we eliminate any risks that come with upgrading your Magento platform.

If you’re interested in upgrading to the latest version of Magento, we invite you to schedule a complimentary upgrade assessment and estimate with one of our Certified Magento Professionals.

5 E-COMMERCE TRENDS THAT COULD IMPACT YOUR ONLINE BUSINESS IN 2016

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As we enter 2016, many online business owners are taking stock of what the dynamic force that began to transform their businesses at the start of the new millennium has in store for them next.

Only then can they make the necessary changes to their online businesses so that they can stay ahead of the curve, and make 2016 their most profitable year yet. Here are 5 e-commerce trends that could impact online businesses in 2016:

  1. Mobile is the name of the game. The writing, as they say, is on the wall: With every passing quarter, shoppers are making more mobile purchases. Making your ecommerce site “mobile friendly” is no longer recommended; it’s required to remain competitive.
  2. Multi-channel shopping is the “middle” name of the game. Selling products on one site once was considered the “purest” way to develop an e-commerce presence. But the reality is, shoppers continue to turn to multi-vendor websites to compare and contrast products. Listing your products on sites like Amazon and Etsy obviously will take time, but it’s a time investment that should pay dividends in terms of raising your online profile and enhancing your bottom line.
  3. Online shoppers clamor for online loyalty programs. Once the domain of brick-and-mortar stores, loyalty programs enjoy nearly universal appeal. E-commerce sites that want to gain a competitive advantage are developing programs that reward shoppers for return visits and especially multiple purchases.
  4. The pop-up “grows up.” Back in their “adolescent” days, pop-ups were derided as loud, pesky and intrusive. But many e-commerce sites have found a way to successfully, and quietly, use this tool to gather the information they need: create a pop-up that seeks an email address in exchange for a free product or service. After one appearance, the pop-up rarely, if ever, returns.
  5. Real-time analytics prove their worth. Whether pictures take too long to load or customers continually experience problems at check-out, nothing compares to being alerted to ecommerce problems immediately so that they can be remedied. Real-time tracking could be the true “game changer” for online businesses, separating those who profess to embrace a superior customer service experience from those who actually deliver it.

With so many e-commerce trends on the horizon for 2016, you’re bound to have questions about how to best position your online business so you can fully capitalize on these trends. Let the experts at Crimson Agility assist you. We invite you to schedule a complimentary assessment with one of our Certified Magento Professionals.

5 MOBILE STRATEGIES TO DRIVE YOUR ONLINE BUSINESS IN 2016

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Now that your business has survived the busy holiday shopping season, you must look to the new year and be prepared if you want to make sure that you are ready to meet the increased demand of mobile shoppers. Some experts believe that traffic from mobile devices will exceed 50% of total e-commerce traffic in 2016, so it’s critical that you continue to make the shopping process easier for mobile users. Here are five ways to embrace your mobile device-using customers and ensure your site is ready for 2016:

  1. Make sure that your Magento site works well on all mobile devices. Whether you opt for a responsive theme or design a separate, mobile-friendly version of your site, it needs to be easy for users to navigate, view items and complete the ordering and payment process on a small touch-screen. Try using your site on a variety of popular mobile devices, including various tablets as well as phones. Steer clear of animations that may not be compatible on some mobile operating systems.
  2. Start using caching and content delivery networks to boost site speed. A slow site will instantly cause you to lose customers, especially on mobile devices that are working off cell network signals.
  3. Optimize your site to make it light for mobile. You need to do what you can to minimize the amount of data that customers will need to use to shop on your site. Resize and optimize images for mobile, stop using URL redirects, and take advantage of the features of HTML 5 where you can. If you can replace an animation or image with HTML, it will immediately lighten your pages.
  4. Keep in mind that it is easier for mobile users to scroll down a long page or swipe through a gallery of images than it is for them to use buttons. When designing product galleries or information layouts, aim to use swiping functionalities wherever possible.
  5. Don’t forget that social media is hugely important, especially for mobile users. Make it easy for users to instantly share pages of your site to their social networks by adding large, easy-to-tap share buttons on product pages.

For people looking to do more and more of their online shopping from their phones and mobile devices, a website that caters to their needs makes the buying process much easier. Taking the steps now to make your Magento site as mobile-friendly as possible is sure to give your business an edge in 2016.

If you are looking to make your Magento site mobile-friendly and responsive, we will ensure that your new mobile-friendly responsive design (RWD) aligns with your brand and vision to maximize your online presence. We invite you to schedule a complimentary assessment today with one of our certified Magento professionals.