Stonecrete Direct

Magento 2 support services for the construction sector.

Client Link

stonecrete-direct.co.uk

Services Used

BACKGROUND.

Stonecrete Direct is an established building materials company specialising in the manufacturing and supplying of cast stone and concrete materials, catering to both B2B and B2C sectors.

BRIEF.

As a leading Magento Support agency, Absolute was approached by the development team at Stonecrete Direct. Our task was to develop, enhance, and complete a Magento 2 site that the team had initially started building in-house. This involved migrating critical business data from their existing Magento 1 site, improving site performance, and managing the site's launch process.

A crucial aspect of the project was ensuring the site remained PCI compliant. To meet this
requirement, we upgraded the site to a newer Magento version capable of receiving the
latest security updates and patches.

Additionally, Stonecrete Direct needed a significant data migration from the existing Magento
1 site. This included customers, orders, and product data to ensure that users maintained
access to vital product and customer information on the new site.

HOW WE HELPED.

We received the website with its core development completed, but it was necessary to first conduct a Magento site audit to confirm that the site was built correctly and adhered to best practices, providing a solid foundation for further development and functional expansion.

The audit results revealed that the current Magento 2 version was outdated and no longer
supported by Adobe. As a Magento support agency, security is among our top priorities.
Consequently, we decided to prioritise a version upgrade before making any UX
improvements to enhance the site journey.

Utilising a supported version of Magento has
numerous benefits, such as the latest security patches for customer protection, module
compatibility, and improved performance, resulting in a more responsive and efficient
website during high traffic periods.

This upgrade is particularly vital when the client uses a third-party payment gateway
responsible for the majority of their PCI compliance. The client agrees to maintain supported
software and perform any necessary security updates within a 3-month period. Failure to
comply, such as running an unsupported version of Magento, invalidates the agreement with
the payment gateway. This lapse could potentially nullify any insurance or mitigation
measures in the event of a data breach.

The final and arguably most critical stage of the project was the data migration from Magento
1 to Magento 2. The scope of a migration can vary from site to site, so we initially consulted
with the client about their specific needs and any data they wished to exclude. A senior
developer was then assigned to outline all necessary steps for a successful data transfer.
This planning phase was crucial in our project timeline, as it allowed us to ensure a smooth
migration without any loss of data.