Hamza Riaz

8 Proven Ways to Make Your E-commerce Store load Faster

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Optimizing your eCommerce website for better speed and performance is significant in a market with cutthroat competition. Your competitor may take away all the conversions if his or her website loads a bit faster than yours. According to statistics shared by Trinity.One, about 37% of visitors leave a website if a website takes 5 seconds or more to load. The online buyers know that they have choices in abundance. If your website does not load faster, they may bounce back to open another store from the SERPs.

Magento is a reliable platform for setting up your eCommerce website. Though, it has all the pre-requisite of building an online store. But, you may still need to optimize it to load better and faster in different browsers and devices. This post discusses some of the proven techniques that can help you speed up your Magento store, whereas you always have the option to hire experts for it.

  1. Remove unused images

Images that are high in quality are bulky. These cause the web pages to load slower. One of the effective techniques is reducing image sizes. But, what about the unused images that are still present in your website database? These unwanted images are used neither in products nor CMS pages.

You may not able to find them as you may have either deleted or removed from different pages. But, their presence in the database is costing you a lot in website performance. Search them right now and wipe out straightaway. By default, you may not find an option to quickly all such images. Magento Image Clean extension is a purpose-built tool that allows you to extract a complete list of orphan images, which does not belong to even a single page of your website.

The extension allows you to erase the complete list, delete unused images of a specific product or category, or try deleting such files by selected formats. By enabling a cron job, you can automate the image clean operation and keep the website and database storage free.

  1. Seek Professional Assistance

Knowing every bit of speed optimization technique is different. There are a plethora of factors that may be affecting the speed and performance of your Magento website.

Though, we share the tips to help you gain knowledge and try most of the things on your own. But, somehow, you may still need the assistance of an expert. You can decide to hire Magento 2 speed optimization services either before trying some of the techniques yourself or after that.

In either way, you can end up with expert advice. Depending on your knowledge and technical skills, you can check if you can carry some of the tweaks or have to ask on a dedicated speed optimization expert.

  1. Update to the latest version

Every update of Magento 2 comes with speed and performance enhancement features. If you want to remain competitive in the digital arena, keep a close eye on the latest version of Magento and update it as soon as you can.

Log onto the admin panel of your eCommerce website and check if any latest version is available to update. Before an update, ask your web development team or agency as if the tools and extensions you have installed will still be working fine after the update.

Once you get a ‘Go Ahead’ do not spare a minute to update as it comes with a lot of speed and performance enhancements.

  1. Enable flat catalogs

Magento 2 is often considered slower in reading the database that ultimately results in poor website performance. Do not let the reading pattern of the platform affect your store loading speed. You can enable flat products and categories, as this eases readability.

To have this, you can log in to your eCommerce website admin panel, click Stores and navigate to the configuration settings. Upon tapping the Catalog tab, drag down to the catalog and reach Storefront. On the screen, below the basic options, you may find these two options:

  • Use Flat Catalog Category
  • Use Flat Catalog Product

Enable both of them, and see if it impacts the speed and performance of your online store or not. Keep an on the page loading speed after every change you make.

  1. Evaluate 3rd party extensions

The 3rd party extensions that you may have installed on your eCommerce website may not officially be approved by Magento. These tools are not gone through technical review of the Magento team. Therefore, these may sometimes slow down specific pages or affect the performance of the entire website.

Inspect every extension with the perspective of its contribution to your website’s sluggish performance. Disable the extensions one by one and evaluating its impact on the site speed. Uninstall the extension if the module is negatively affecting your website.

  1. Choose a featherweight theme

Magento is a standalone eCommerce platform. It does not require any other software or CMS to develop a website as we often see WooCommerce that depends on WordPress. Therefore, a Magento theme is often equipped with all the basic to advanced options.

If you are starting low, then do not go for a bulky theme. Jot down your business requirements and find a lightweight theme that suffices your needs. As you scale up your business, you can decide to move to a versatile theme without comprising the speed and performance of your eCommerce website.

  1. Enable production mode

Magento comes with 3 modes that are used for different occasions. The default and developer modes are enabled with the aim to make changes to the website or carry debugging tasks. These are slower and may not give optimum speed and performance to the website. The third mode is the production mode, which is the fastest of all. Enable it for your live site and feel the difference in page loading speed.

  1. Reliable and speedy hosting

If you are using the Magento Open source, the server hosting may also be playing an eminent role in the defining speed of your eCommerce website. Shared hosting is not going to work for an online store that aims to attract audiences across the globe. Avail dedicated hosting or managed hosting for your Magento website to make the most out of it.

Final words

The points I have shared above in this post are quite helping in laying a speed-optimized foundation of your Magento store. Work on each technique to effectively improve the page loading speed and performance of your web shop. A small mistake can cost you a lot.

For making any change to your website, it is always recommended to take a backup of the entire data and discuss them beforehand with your web development partners. To save time and hassle in understanding the entire process, you can opt to find a Magento speed optimization specialist. Let him do his job professionally and enjoy your peace of mind.

7 Must-Have Features to Skyrocket your E-Commerce Business

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Every website has its own set of unique requirements and functionalities. Elements of website design are always subject to change, such as animations, dynamic product searching and 360 product review capabilities. But trends are themselves temporary in nature, hence do not provide reliable boosts in conversions. Features, on the other hand, provide functionality which directly answers user requirements. The following features are excellent choices to upgrade your website and attract your target audience.

Mobile-Friendly Website

Mobile shopping has skyrocketed in the past decade owing to advances in smartphone technology. The projected numbers for mobile shopping are expected to be 54% of all purchases by 2021. As such, you should take advantage of the foreseeable future and prepare accordingly.

A responsive website is a perfect way for catering to customers using mobile phones. The content adjusts according to the smartphone model’s specifications, enhancing user experience on an individualized level. Walmart managed to boost their mobile sales by a whopping 98% just through upgrading their mobile site.

With the ever-increasing numbers of mobile users, it is advisable to start preparing for a mobile future, if you have not already.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Potential customers often have questions regarding products and services. For these, they need accurate answers from a reliable source. And FAQs are the solution to bridge the gap between brand and customer.

Brands can answer common questions in their dedicated FAQs section to facilitate the customers. This ensures that their queries are answered from an authenticated source which is directly responsible for selling their products and services of interest. As such, it lends credibility to that information and prompts them to believe that information to finalize their purchase.

Related Items

Providing the customer with items related to their searches often leads to secondary purchases. This happens because they have either been looking for similar items or seeing related items prompts them to get a good deal. It also personalizes the shopping experience by answering any subconscious thoughts that the customer may be having regarding the purchase of related items. For example, if your store provides a customer who has purchased a laptop with choices of highly rated mouse and headphones, the chances are high that they will make the purchase. They are also more inclined to purchase everything at a single instance rather than at different instances from different stores. Related items assist them in understanding their choice of products better and buying from an already trusted e-commerce store.

Security Features

The success of an online store is directly proportional to the number of online purchases that they are able to achieve. This draws the attention of cybercriminals, who are on the hunt for sensitive information that can be used to steal money and data. Online customers are also well-aware of this, and hence prefer e-commerce stores that offer cybersecurity over those which do not.

CMS such as Magento and WordPress already come loaded with heavy security features, technical support and are widely recognized by online customers. This makes them priority choices for e-commerce activity. Customers also search for SSL certificate, two-factor authentication on purchase, firewalls and open declaration of privacy policies to know how well their information will be protected. Implementing and integrating these security features solidifies customer trust and prompts them to purchase from the online store.

Advance Payment Options

Having advance payment options is mandatory for your online store. With payment gateways such as Apple Pay and PayPal being widely used, it is important to cater clients that are using it. It significantly optimizes user experience, as they can literally purchase products and services with a single click, such as with Amazon One-Click Shopping.

In case of exceptions, clearly elicit why your website is not catering to advance payment options. Modern customers have a higher understanding of technology and software, hence both demand and understand more information. Moreover, it builds trust to be as transparent as possible.

Store Locator for Magento 2

The Magento 2 Store Locator extension assists potential customers in an impressive way. It provides the addresses of nearest physical stores from customer location that has their searched products and services. Just a simple Google Maps integration provides customers with your store’s location as well as basic business information.

The Magento 2 Store Locator builds a Store Locator Page for your business and lists it on Google Maps when integrated. Each landing page is different for the store locations and supports displaying different business information for each one. It allows store searching via addresses, tags and filters. It also supports uploading CSV files to add or import stores. Magento Store Locator also covers in-depth SEO features, default map radius functionalities and setting accurate coordinates.

Flash Sales with Countdown Timer

The Magento 2 Flash Sales extension provides features to create limited-time discounts to boost online store sales. It supports creation of multiple sales campaigns, setting countdown timers, discount percentages and flash sales. You can display the sales labels of products on listing pages and set fixed and set percentage discounts on sales campaigns.

How to keep your Vinyl Records Safe: 5 Simple Tips and tricks

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Though the modern digital music mediums have taken over the entire music industry by storm but there is no debate in saying that some classic music mediums particularly Vinyls are still pretty much in the mainstream and aren’t still ready to ride off into the sunset just yet. The surprising fact is that the number of vinyl enthusiasts is increasing dramatically as more and more people are turning to classical music mediums.

The thing that keeps vinyl still alive even at this age is the unmatchable sound quality it offers. However, in order to enjoy the best possible vinyl sound quality, you must take good care of your disks. The problem with many Vinyl keepers is that they often don’t take good care of the disk and end up damaging the sound quality. If you are interested in Vinyl, you must also learn vinyl storage and in this article, I am listing down 5 simple tips and hacks to keep your vinyl records safe and secure.

 

  1. Clean Vinyl Records Before Putting Them in The Cases

An important thing that you must make sure is that you clean the vinyl before you insert them in the case. But always remember, Vinyl are sensitive creatures so don’t use a T-shirt as it may damage the outer layers of the disks. There are specially designed tools available for the job.

If you are a vinyl enthusiast, don’t hesitate in investing a few dollars on a good record cleaning brush as it is the best way to wipe off all the dust that appears on the disk. It may now be difficult to find a vinyl cleaning brush in your local neighborhood store, but they are easily available online. You can also opt for a vinyl-cleaning solution if your records require a thorough cleaning.

 

  1. Keep the Records in the Album Jackets

Another mistake that people often make is that they place the vinyl naked while it must be in its jacket. When the record is not on the play and you are done listening, carefully clean the record with a brush and gently place it in the jacket. Carelessly putting your vinyl here and there will impact the sound quality as dirt will start to accumulate on the record.

 

  1. Always keep the Vinyl Collection in an Upright Position

Do not place your vinyl in a horizontal position, I can’t stress it enough. Always always place your vinyl in the upright position as it is essential for ensuring a good condition of the records. When you place the cases in slant, they are extremely vulnerable to damage as uneven pressures can result in cracks. The best practice is to use crate dividers for they keep the records firmly upright and ensure that there is no slanting.

 

  1. Carefully Stack Your Records.

Now, this may sound a bit frustrating but the thing that even if the disks are in the jacket all time, they are at the risk of damage. The reason is that when the vinyl is stacked for an extended period of time, it can result in wrapping which may even lead to scuff marks and cracks. So, make sure that the records are carefully stacked and play them every once in awhile to make sure that the records are in their optimal condition.

 

  1. Keep Them Cool and Dry

Vinyl keepers often take this for granted but it is very important that you place your records in a cool and dry place. Vinyl veterans recommend that the records must be protected from heat and direct sunlight. The ideal temperature is between 65-70 degree but you must also watch for humidity levels as higher humidity levels may also harm your records.

Owing to the fact that vinyl are tnder, brittle and soft, it is important to ensure the utmost care and prevent them against all sorts of scratches and rough surfaces. So if you are a vinyl lover, it’s best to spare a few dollars on some quality vinyl cases to keep them safe and use them for a long period of time.

Smart Buying Tips for Winter Collection

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The landscape dressed in white snow, among toxic chills of turbulent winds, spreading vicious darkness around, creates a soothing sensation of serenity throughout winter. Where comfy clothes, warm attire and slim fit suits add weight to the enticing season. The arduous drill of replacing closet with stylish winter collection begins with the initial winter blues. But, without smart buying the task remains unaccomplished. However, you can look classy during the cold season without having to spend a small fortune on clothes. Some of the smart buying tips for winter collection are:

Buying during clearance and sales

The best way to look trendy in cheap designer clothing is by keeping an eye on sales and clearance deals. All you need to do is to take time out of your innumerable engagements for browsing the internet for the best suited items in sale. You can also ask around in your social circle for upcoming deals, offers or discount vouchers to get quality clothes on cheap rates without actually visiting the outlets.

Pick the universal colors for clothing

Winter comes up with warm and vibrant clothing. Preferring generic colors i.e. different shades of black, gray and deep blue, while choosing among made to measure suits, customs suits or slim-fit garments, helps to provide you with a wide variety of ways to carry same dress in different ways. Universal colors are easy to pair with your entire collection. Instead of buying whole wardrobe, only one suit can be used in multiple ways to create different appearances.

Quality products last longer

Smart buying does not always refer to low price. Spending money once on a good quality product saves you for a longer period of time. Winter clothes are costly, considering the type of material, specifications, strength and maintenance. The wise option for winter clothes is to get your hands on a quality leather jackets, warm fleece jacket / coat, waterproof synthetic jacket, wool sweater or trendy overcoat. Buying anyone of these will save you for entire season as you can match this with your favorite jeans, warm pants, pre-loved shoes or comfy sweat shirts underneath. In this way, your stylish clothes will last longer by saving you from spending more money on new clothes.

Make a catalog of your winter collection and note down necessary items for buying

The biggest drawback of unplanned shopping is to end up buying needless items. Most of the time you will be attracted by the false glitter of fancy things while stepping inside a shopping mall and ultimately you will spend your budget on the redundant stuff. To have a precise list of required items keeps you directed towards the actual essentials and hardly allows you to go astray behind must-not-have items. Therefore, making an inventory of all winter collection and looking for the needed items to buy will save you from regret of adding pointless stuff to your collection.

Buy during Off-season

Out of season purchasing saves a lot of money. If you are lucky enough to find your size in your favorite outfit during off-season, grab it immediately! The best time for buying clothes is around two months prior to the beginning of season. Before the official launch of seasonal clothes, previously stored in-stock items are seen on discounted rates which will serve the purpose after winter will properly set-in.

Insightful market survey before buying

Comparison of prices and goods from different market places caters to your smart buying need. Same quality and design of men suits, women suits, and kids wear cost different in different shops. Market survey helps you to find out the best market place located around you for reasonable and quality shopping. Consequently, it is favorable for you to set on a market survey first, and purchasing later.

Keep an eye on online deals

While purchasing more than one items, it is advised to check for online deals. Most of the time you will find exciting online offers i.e. buy-one-get-one free offer, buy-one-get-another for 50% off discount, buy a pack of three on 50% off discount offer etc. And some of the time you will hit a jackpot deal in one package including clothes, foot-ware and accessories of your size, among a wide range of choices, on very low price.

What else can make you happier than getting everything required in a single deal!

Factory Outlets offer discounted rates

If you are a crazy brand-lover and prefer to wear trendy clothes only, trace out factory outlet stores in your location. Local factory outlets offer you same quality of products as found in grand malls, but on considerably discounted rates. You can save a decent amount of money while shopping from factory outlets.

Create your own signature style

It is not always feasible to run after trendy winter fashion blindly. You can create your own signature look by decent accessories while spending less on fashionable winter clothes. You can reuse your entire closet and wear one dress in multiple ways on different occasions. Pick the dress wisely and create a stylish look by creativity.

In a nutshell, smart buying helps to accomplish winter goals for you. The real contentment comes from thrifty and classy purchase that helps you to create stylish look during winter season. Stand out in your own classy way during this winter!

5 Things You Should Know About Cupping Therapy

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Thanks to the Rio Olympics 2016, the cupping therapy became a hot topic of conservation around the world. Audiences and sports enthusiasts witnessed strange purplish and reddish bruises on the shoulders of famous athletes, Pavel Sankovich and Michael Phelps and soon as people started to freak out, it was immediately revealed that these are spots left after a therapy that athletes are doing to relieve the soreness in their muscles.

Cupping therapy might appear scary and painful to some when the matter of the fact is that cupping therapy is pretty relaxing and offers hundreds of benefits. The irony is that there is a lot of misinformation on the internet suggesting that the therapy is ineffective and some even calling it harmful.

In this article we would like to set the record straight. We are mentioning 5 facts about the therapy that you must know about.

 

  1. Cupping is a safe therapy

Although cupping can be performed by physicians, it is wise to consult a trained acupuncturist for the matter. The procedure used by all the acupuncturists is the same. An alcohol swab is lit inside a cup which is then placed on the patients’ skin. A trained acupuncturist carefully places suction cups on specific points. Suction is produced as the heated air is trapped between the skin and the cup. The heat creates suction which increases blood flow to the area. The cup can either be stationary or the acupuncturist may move them around. When performed by a trained practitioner, the therapy is 100% safe but is certainly not a practice that a layman and an inexperienced person should try at home.

Cupping may appear painful and to be honest it is a little painful but the benefits it offers are worth the pain. You might feel like a hickey or slight pinching when the suction begins. Have you ever imagined how would it feel to have you skin sucked by a vacuum cleaner hose, that’s precisely how the therapy feels like.

 

  1. The Therapy is not New:

A lot of people have this misconception that cupping is some new phenomenon when in fact it is hundreds of years of is old. The exact origins and the time of its discovery is still a matter of controversy, though it has been a major contributor in ancient Egyptian and Chinese medical and clinical practices.

 

  1. The Marks indicate the Level Stagnation in Your Body:

The marks that appear after the therapy session are an indicator of the levels of stagnation in your body. This is one reason why the Olympian athletes who received cupping got a lot of attention because of the prominent marks. A person with high stagnation levels will have dramatic purple marks which will stay there for few days before fading. A person who receives the therapy regularly will have lighter marks as the therapy increases circulation and eliminates stagnation.

 

  1. The Benefits of Cupping are Innumerable

Now that we have talked about some general information, let’s come to the benefits. Cupping therapy offers a wide ray of benefits for our overall health and wellbeing.

Here are some top of the line scientifically proven benefits of cupping:

Treats Rheumatic Diseases: Many researches have proved that cupping can cure several rheumatic diseases such as arthritis, lumbago and other joints pain. Cupping enhances muscle elasticity and helps joints sustain impact and improves flexibility.

Extinguishing Weakness within the Body: Body weakness is not only caused by malnutrition and bad diet but is also caused by diseases that don’t get diagnosed. Cupping therapy cures diseases and also open stiffened nerves and releases blood to areas where it is needed the most and improves overall health.

Prevents Liver Diseases:  As Hijama extracts all the stagnant impurities in the blood, the volumetric blood flow automatically increases in the liver allowing liver to its designated activities more productively.

Improves Skin Tone: Cupping draws all sorts of impurities, toxins and inflammation from deeper tissues and facilitates skin healing process and gives it a healthy life. Cupping has innumerable benefits for skin, which is why, skin experts are recommending facial cupping and beauty cupping therapies.

  1. Precautionary Measures

Cupping is a therapy that is one of its kind and if you are interested in a session, its wise to consider some precautionary measures to avoid complications. You can find detailed precautionary measures of cupping by clicking over here.