Over the past few years, the Magento community has been asking a critical question: What does the future hold for the Magento brand? This concern appeared after Adobe acquired Magento. Once celebrated as a leader in open-source eCommerce innovation, Magento’s role has changed. Adobe now treats Magento Open Source as more of a foundation for Adobe Commerce than a standalone product. While Adobe still mentions Magento Open Source, it’s tucked away deep within their website.
In Adobe’s words:
“With Magento Open Source, you’ll have the essential tools to create and manage a thriving digital storefront. Whether you’re an early entrepreneur or developer behind the next award-winning brand, Adobe has an ecommerce solution to help you get started and keep costs low.”
Embracing Magento’s Role Today
Adobe’s messaging makes it clear that Magento is not a central focus of their promotional efforts anymore. Instead, Adobe sees Magento Open Source as a building block for Adobe Commerce, which is their flagship product. For the Magento Community, this shift in positioning initially raised concerns about Magento’s brand visibility and its accessibility for small-to-medium businesses (SMBs).
However, this clarity is liberating. By fully embracing Magento Open Source as a robust foundation for eCommerce innovation, the community can focus on driving its evolution independently.
Challenges: A Barrier to SMB Entry
Adobe’s shift in focus has made it harder for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) to discover and adopt Magento Open Source. Without a clear marketing strategy, many SMBs may never hear about it.
Can eCommerce agencies alone shoulder the responsibility of promoting such a global brand? Will our individual promotional efforts be sufficient to maintain Magento’s prominence in today’s vibrant and competitive eCommerce platform ecosystem? While we’re hopeful, the reality suggests otherwise.
Opportunities for eCommerce Agencies
Despite these challenges, there’s a silver lining. As Adobe emphasizes Adobe Commerce, eCommerce agencies and community-driven initiatives are stepping up. They’re creating innovative tools and solutions that make Magento more accessible, customizable, and powerful for merchants—helping to ensure its ongoing relevance in the eCommerce world.
Attending the Meet Magento Poland conference in Poznań was a turning point for my perception of Magento. The event showcased the passion, collaboration, and innovative spirit of the Magento Community. Seeing how agencies, developers, and entrepreneurs are actively driving innovation in their Magento-based solutions made me realize that its future doesn’t solely depend on Adobe. Instead, it’s in the hands of the community and the solutions we create together.
Examples of Magento-based Community Solutions
1. Mage-OS: A community-driven initiative ensuring Magento’s longevity and innovation. Learn more about Mage-OS here.
2. Hyvä Commerce: Known for its simplified frontend solution and partnerships like the one with Mollie, Hyvä Commerce exemplifies how agencies can build on Magento. Read more about Hyvä Commerce here.
3. Sparq by Snowdog: Snowdog’s unique flavor of Magento-based solutions showcases how agencies can offer tailored products. Discover Sparq here.
4. Optimo Commerce by Interactiv4: Another great example of an agency-built solution enhancing Magento. Explore Optimo Commerce here.
These examples highlight how the Magento Community is transforming challenges into opportunities.
Conclusion: Build, Evolve, Contribute
As agencies and developers, we must accept Magento’s role as a building block. Adobe has made its stance clear, and the ecosystem should embrace this clarity. Rather than waiting for Adobe to promote Magento Open Source as a product, we can sue it to create accessible, feature-rich, and ready-to-use solutions for merchants.
Why This Matters?
1. Empowering SMBs: Agencies can lower the entry barriers for SMBs by developing unique Magento-based solutions.
2. Ecosystem Growth: A strong foundation like Magento Open Source fosters innovation and collaboration.
3. Contributing to Magento’s Evolution: Community contributions will ensure Magento remains a strong platform for years to come.
Ultimately, Magento Open Source remains a cornerstone of ecommerce innovation. By embracing its role as a building block and actively contributing to its growth, we can all benefit from a vibrant and thriving ecosystem.
