E-Commerce Migration: 5 Important Guidelines To Follow

The decision to move your existing E-Commerce operation to a better, quicker and latest platform should not be considered lightly. E-Commerce Migration is an essential milestone of growth for any online business. You will have to make several decisions to avoid potential pitfalls.

As soon as you make a strategic decision of E-Commerce Migration, it has to be performed very smoothly. This activity is similar to relocating an offline store to another location. To make E-Commerce Migration a successful one, it is vital to follow five important guidelines.

Top 5 Guidelines for Successful E-Commerce Migration

When you follow a well-defined process with the five guidelines mentioned below, it will assure a seamless transition while performing E-Commerce Migration.

  1. Backup Product Data and Organize Catalog

E-Commerce Migration from one platform to the other is the right time to make a re-evaluation of how you manage your product data as well as the catalog. Let your product development manager and product teams prepare a chart after examining the product data to find out the potential areas that need improvement.

Collect the existing product data that comprises of product description, product photo, SKUs, product name, price rules, etc. to move it to the new platform. The principal objective should be to know how your product data looks at the PoS or Point of sale and track your inventory to remove the discontinued products or add fresh products.

It is important to make changes to your inventory at this stage, as the changes you make in old inventory will not get reflected in the new store once the migration process begins.

  1. Pay Attention to Visual Design and User Experience

Your online store should attract the attention of the users through an impressive visual design. Pay attention to how your color scheme, logos, and banners will look on the new e-commerce platform. Plus, optimize the user experience to make your shoppers buy more quickly.

You must also consider tweaking the checkout process, re-organize the products and have a brand new navigation setup. Remember, each template and platform is distinct in its way, and such features will not have the same effect after the migration process gets over.

If you are planning for a logo redesign or make changes to the settings of your online store, perform it now. Usually, the recommended time taken by E-Commerce Migration is from 6 to 10 business days. If you wish to make more changes beyond the backgrounds and colors, then consult a designer.

It is also the perfect time to check your new platform and get familiar with its settings to understand how the changes you make will be reflected in the new template.

  1. Enhance Utilities

While migrating to a new e-commerce platform, you have to pay attention to the utility aspects of your online store and enhance it to serve your customers in a better way. It is inevitable to alter your major business processes during this period.

Consider revamping your store settings to choose from several secure payment gateways, add store functionalities like modules, plug-ins and extensions and terms of shipping to assure your buyers a pleasant shopping experience.

Prepare a flowchart about each process in the existing system and later map it to the latest platform. It will help in analyzing and identifying the critical processes and the ones to eliminate.

If you are not happy with the service of your existing shipping provider, then try switching the providers at this time of E-Commerce Migration. Also, consult your CPA, tax attorney or finance controller to clear your doubts regarding the tax rates based on the locality and region of operations.

  1. Test Thoroughly

Like any other latest IT system, the latest e-commerce platform must be tested offline thoroughly, once the configuration and data migration gets completed successfully. It must be a rigorous testing process that builds time for fixing the bugs and identifying the issues that have to get resolved.

This step must begin thorough testing in every department in the organization as a part of the planning process of e-commerce migration. Departments like Sales, Marketing, IT, Finance and Accounting, which have a pivotal role to play in e-Commerce process must be vetted by the system to know how it coordinates with the operations.

The issues that get identified must be rectified, and the opinions from each department about the latest e-Commerce platform should be recorded and obtain the views of the users who have operated the system. Check how potential buyers respond to features.

It is essential to populate the data in both the latest and existing platforms and test the performance before migration.

  1. Go Live

To minimize confusion, and create better customer impact, it is essential to have an elaborate plan and careful consideration before going live. Make sure that transition timing and regular schedules of customer activity consideration are taken into account. The time of a day, seasonal business and days of a week must also be configured.

Your customers should be informed about what is taking place and what they will experience. It is important because your site may take many hours for propagating and the shoppers who visit your site during this migration period have chances of viewing both your earlier and new website. So, you will be getting orders from 2 sites while giving you an idea of what is working and which needs refining.

It is true that e-commerce migration can be a tedious process but, with the right planning, consideration, and preparation by various departments of your business, execution of the project can be much more comfortable. Make sure that you work with a well-versed migration expert team to ensure that the launch of your online store in a brand new platform is a painless and hassle-free process.

10 Useful Tips For Better SEO In Prestashop Websites

We better agree to the fact that you are looking for better traffic to your website. For this, you must optimize it well for search engines to find you. Anyhow you have to do this while you create your store and not after it. If you are looking forward to engaging your prospects that visit your e-commerce site and convert them into potential customers it is essential to do the SEO part.

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After all, you expect revenue rolling out of your store and for that, you need more visitors to your site.

Let’s have a look at some useful tips for doing SEO in Prestashop websites.

  1. Track The Website

The first step is to monitor the activities on your website. For this purpose, there are a lot of free tools on the web like Google analytics or Quicksprout. You really need to understand how you are doing in different areas to plan ahead of how you are going to implement your marketing strategies. You can monitor what people search online to reach your website. Normally people would search for phrases that contain the name of the product that they are looking for. You can be sure that people won’t be searching for the name of your company unless you have already become popular.

  1. Register In Free Directories

It may sound insignificant and time-consuming but it is the easiest way to improve your website’s visibility. For this, you have to find the right keywords that you must use so as to rank well in search engines. Use the right description of 500 to 600 words to make sure that you reach the right audience.

  1. Make Use Of The Power Of Content

Never underestimate the power of great content. Once you find out the keywords you need to use, start writing articles and blogs including the right keywords. Don’t stuff the keywords, but use them meticulously. Make sure that the content is search engine optimized. The right content will help you reach your target audience. You can be sure that a great content can help achieve a higher rank for your website.

  1. Presence In Social Media

Optimize your content for social media platforms. You know that everyone is on social media nowadays and you don’t want to miss the opportunity to reach out to your prospects that are active in social media. Make use of Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Pinterest etc to post your photos, videos, and info-graphics. Also, promote your website in Google plus, it’s a great way to rank in Google.

  1. Link Building

Building links is a major aspect of search engine optimization. Search engines crawl the web using these links and rank you accordingly. A website’s or blog’s popularity is determined by the number of inbound links that you have added to your content. If you link other popular websites you receive traffic from these websites too.

  1. Mobile Friendly Site

Google has recently chosen mobile-friendly website as one of the factors that determine to rank in its search. While optimizing your website as mobile friendly, design it for touchscreen as most websites are accessed from smartphones and avoid pop-ups or flash. Also make sure that haven’t blocked CSS, JavaScript, or images.

  1. Increase Website Speed

Consider increasing the speed of your website as Google views this crucial to your website’s performance and thus ranking. A better page load speed can improve the conversion rate and also the revenue. It is nothing complicated; nobody wants to visit a website that is loading at a slow pace. You may not have direct control over the website’s page load time but if you have the development skills that are required to implement changes to your site’s performance you can be sure to get a better ranking.

  1. URL Setting

Making use of friendly URLs is important. When a search request is made, search engines identify friendly URLs rather than unfriendly ones. It would be great if you have the product name or its category in your URL. This ensures your products are listed while a search query is made. Ultimately that is what you expect from optimizing your website.

  1. Sitemap

Sitemap shows the structure of your website. I recommend that you use the Google sitemap as it is better indexed. When you add a sitemap search engine bots find it easier to navigate and index your websites. Having an updated sitemap helps your website users to navigate through your website too.

  1. Title your photos

Since you are working in the product category you might add a lot of photos of your products on your website and other social media. Make sure that these photos are rightly titled. As Google can’t figure out images as such, it searches for titles or descriptions added to it. Once you add titles to your images Google will be able to find what image you have added.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Will Revolutionize Web Development – Know-How?

Artificial Intelligence is assumed to change the world, for better and for the worse it’s bound to happen sooner or later.

Obviously AI’s profound impact will be on Technology domain. It will be tailored to do the difficult tasks of web developers shifting its main focus at enhancing the user experience.  And we all know that more people are on the mobile web, which means the user interface is going to be on top of the pyramid.

Artificial Intelligence And Its Role

Applied artificial intelligence is eradication the technical barrier for the non-technical web developers, making things easier for them. It is programmed to almost all of the tasks which require skilled web developers.  We can already see the sparks online with websites that help you build your portal with just a few inputs.

According to some experts, AI can prove a threat for many web developers as it might increase their risk of being unemployed. But at the same time, many of them deny this fact. Do you really think artificial intelligence will replace the human intelligence in terms of web development?

The Web Developers Challenges

Well, you need be afraid of the above said, neither web development nor the web designers will find their intelligence getting eradicated. If the truth is to be told, AI and the current DIY website building platforms, all totally rely on the web developers. The web designers train the system in such a way that any non-technical person can get it done through AI.

Training a machine or a platform on how to act and perform like a web developer can increase the need for learning new technologies and understand the need of interpreting demand & behaviour of a user. However, there is a never ending debate on this. All in all, a website developed by you is more appealing than a website built using the AI concepts.

The Future Of AI

AI assumes to pay the hottest price for technology. We assume it will affect almost 2/3rd of the ways a customer interacts with the system.  Let’s look at how AI can arouse the future:

  • More and more businesses will search for newer ways to interact on the websites
  • Superior UI experience will drive companies to use the power of AI
  • Chat bots, which already exist, will take over the traditional customers retail needs.
  • Viral robots will be integrated with the technology
  • Voice based searches will see a rise in demand
  • In-store experiences will be personalized
  • Will be able to sense the moods of the customer knowing what he wants and what he is looking for

A Take Away For The Web Developers

So, what can web developers do to stay ahead of all these technological advancements?

We would suggest you to keep a watch on the consumer’s behaviour and needs so that you learn the changing web and mobile usage patterns. You need to augment these skills by learning the code smartly. See yourself working intelligentlywith the AI technology.

Now the important part, you should always remember, computers and the so called ‘AI’ will never be able to replace one thing- Human responsiveness. Don’t back out with the ways users interact.  There is always a need for smooth and clear user experience, which can only be provided by smart and intelligent web developers.

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And since you are reading this, we are sure you are one of those who can provide an outstanding UI experience to your users.

Concluding The Matter

The web industry is ever changing with the growing awareness and research for technological advancements. Web developers have the potential to take their work to an entirely new level if they keep updating their related facts. Lastly, don’t forget the USER IS KING. So don’t forget you will be rewarded right for pleasing the king.

How to Build a Web Application Using Python

As you all know, Python is a widely used high-level programming level that can be used to build web applications in combination with HTTP protocols. However, you also need to employ the features of a web framework like Django that allows you to develop web applications through a clean and pragmatic design.

Choose Django as your Python framework to build a web application and you are all covered. Additionally, web applications call for the storage of data, which is taken care of by a database in contrast to a simple file. This database is akin to your spreadsheet which stores data in the form of tables. So, if you are a developer looking to build a web application using Python, this step-by-step guide handholds to create one, without any hassles.

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First and foremost, it is important that you set up and create your web services by creating a project directory. You can do this through the following code:

mkdir website

cd website

Now, the next step is to install Django. You can rely on pipto install Python code. As you are aware that Python code is installed as a package, you need to list all the currently installed Python packages using the command $ pip freeze.

You can install Django using the $ pip install djangocommand.

How do you create a new Python/Django Project?

To set up a new project, you can use the below mentioned Django code.

$ django-admin.pystartproject website

You will then see the below-mentioned structure of the folder and files that will be generated.

website

– manage.py

– website

– __init__.py

– settings.py

– urls.py

– wsgi.py

You then need to concentrate on the important files which are settings.py,manage.py, and urls.py.

As a developer, you must be accustomed to performing a number of configurations so as to set up a web application. The same goes with your Python project which employs website/settings.py. This file has a long listing of names that can define all the configurations needed by your web application. You are good to go with the default configurations for now.

You should recognize that the INSTALLED_APPS name comes as a sequence of strings. The next step is to add this to the tuple. Also note that the DATABASES name is defined as a dictionary.

How to create a database?

The next step is to create a database that will store all your data. Let us now create a database by coding the following script.

pythonmanage.pysyncdb

The output is shown as below:

(django) website $ ./manage.py syncdb

Creating tables …

Creating table django_admin_log

Creating table auth_permission

Creating table auth_group_permissions

Creating table auth_group

Creating table auth_user_groups

Creating table auth_user_user_permissions

Creating table auth_user

Creating table django_content_type

Creating table django_session

You just installed Django’sauth system, which means you don’t have any superusers˓

→defined.

Would you like to create one now? (yes/no): yes

Username (leave blank to use ‘greg’):

Email address:

Password:

Password (again):

Superuser created successfully.

Installing custom SQL …

Installing indexes …

Installed 0 object(s) from 0 fixture(s)

Notice that the top-level folder website contains a file with a db.sqlite3name. This is your database file.

How to inspect the database?

You then need to inspect the database file that you just created. To perform this task, you should choose the sqlite-shell-win32-x86-….zip file. You should unzip it by double-clicking it. The next step is to drag and drop this file into C:BOOTCAMPPython34.Ultimately, you need to add this to a directory on the path.

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A database application is akin to a server which sends requests using clients. Here the clients the programs that you code; like the Python website. So, in order to inspect the database you would require a server that is exclusively meant for this purpose. You then need to launch the client by keying in sqlite3 db.sqlite3.

The sqlite3 program offers a new type of shell through which you can inspect your database. Below is an illustration to help you understand better.

(django) website sqlite3 db.sqlite3

SQLite version 3.7.13 2012-07-17 17:46:21

Enter “.help” for instructions

Enter SQL statements terminated with a “;”

sqlite> .tables

auth_groupauth_user_user_permissions

auth_group_permissionsdjango_admin_log

auth_permissiondjango_content_type

auth_userdjango_session

auth_user_groupssqlite> select * from auth_user;

1|pbkdf2_sha256$12000$YqWBCAkWemZC$+hazwa/dPJNczpPitJ2J0KR8UuAX11txLlSkrtAXk5

k=|2014-˓→08-21 14:59:05.171913|1|greg||||1|1|2014-08-21 14:59:05.171913

sqlite>

It is through the .tablescommand that you can list all the tables that make up your database. These are the just the same that were created earlier by executing the .manage.py syncdb command.

If you look at the illustration closely, you will notice the select * from auth_user; is the SQL code. We are using SQL to program a database so that you can create a web application using Python. This command helps you get anything from the auth_user table. You then need to key in sqlite3 .quit to exit.

How do you run the server?

The next step is to run the server through the ./manage.py runswevercommand.

Now the stage is set for you to send HTTP requests using your browser as the client. You simply key in http://127.0.0.:8000/. And what do you see?

If at all you wish to quit the server at any point in time, you can do so by the ctrl + c function.

Creation and Installation of the Python Web Application

Since you have chosen Django as your preferred web application creating framework, you are all covered when it concerns the task of organizing your code. You can now work around a proven architecture that simplifies your web app building tasks in more ways than one.

You are now all set to create a blog that will be your Django/Python app. Through Django, you can organize your code and create a blog with the ./manage.py startapp blogcommand. Now you can view a folder dorectory that looks like this:

– blog

| – __init__.py

| – admin.py

| – models.py

| – tests.py

| – views.py

– db.sqlite3

– manage.py

– website

– __init__.py

– settings.py

– urls.py

– wsgi.py

It is now your job as a developer to tell your website about the presence of your blog. You can do this by adding the below code to the INSTALLED_APPS tuple.

INSTALLED_APPS = (

‘django.contrib.admin’,

‘django.contrib.auth’,

‘django.contrib.contenttypes’,

‘django.contrib.sessions’,

‘django.contrib.messages’,

‘django.contrib.staticfiles’,

‘website’,

‘blog’,

)

Next in line is the process of creating web services.

How to create web services?

You should now start programming the server to return responses for a HTTP GETrequest. To go ahead with this task, you will need to perform two jobs:

  1. Match a URL to a view function
  2. Define the view function

Website/urls.py is the filename that matches URLs to view functions. Upon execution, once the Django server receives a URL, it tries to locate and search in this file for a match. If the match is found, the command results in a mapped function. Else, you get to see the 404 Page Not Found error.

You then need to open the views.py file in your blog app through the below-mentioned code:

fromdjango.httpimportHttpResponse

defhello(request):

returnHttpResponse(‘hello’)

Your next task is to configure your website to a request that will trigger this view function of saying “Hello”! You can do this by adding a code line to website/urls.py:

urlpatterns = patterns(”,

url(r’^hello

, ‘blog.views.hello’),

url(r’^admin/’, include(admin.site.urls)),

)

Now, your website will successfully respond to a GET request when you can see your browser http://localhost:8000displaying“hello”.

This comes to the end of the step-wise guide to code a web application using Python, its framework Django, HTTP requests,employing SQL as the database.

5 Must Follow Principles in Web App Development

Driven by changing trends, the field of web application development has been seeing a massive change in the recent years. Earlier principles of web development do not make sense anymore, as the new ones have replaced them.

A quality web application should have unique features to make it useful for both the current and future users. It must adapt to the changes in the technology, cater to the long-term needs of the users, must offer easily maintainable setup and also grow along with the business.

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The brain behind the tech, web developers can build high-quality applications when they have an understanding of the principles of modern web app development. Such principles will enable the developers to create different apps that will be able to meet business needs of various users.

1st Principle: Offer Great User Experience

During these years, web development has witnessed immense changes regarding methodologies and tools for latest devices. However, one principle remains unaffected and has attained greater significance, which is the user.

Often, the focus on the user gets shifted to few other aspects of the web development, such as applying the latest technology, meeting a strenuous deadline or rushing a project. No matter what issues might arise, it is crucial for the developer to stay focused on the primary goal, which is, offering excellent user experience. Each developer should focus on creating better usability experience for their users. It includes easier navigations, crisp design, attractive buttons, design layouts, etc.

The web application created must be readily accessible on all devices while offering enhanced user interface.

2nd Principle: Security Is Mandatory

The web developers should be aware that the hackers love to attack the online assets of business only through their web applications. Most often, the web apps experience severe threats as they do not have proper access control procedures, confidentiality features, and strict authentication processes.

Several web-based applications are also vulnerable to SQL Injection and Cross Site Sculpting too. These security threats can be prevented easily by incorporating top-notch security features, as soon as the developer begins building the web applications. It is vital to check if the authentication mechanisms are in action and if the transit of data is performed securely.

3rd Principle: Make Use Of Modern Tools

Earlier web developers used a single language for web application development. This scenario has changed now, as they are required to know several programming languages, latest architecture, responsive design, online vulnerabilities, principles of UX, JavaScript, API integration and so on.

The web app developers must get equipped with evolving skill set to handle complex web app developments.  Learning about modern tools are much needed, as they will have to face several challenges such as delivering apps quickly while not compromising on the security or functional aspects as well as working under strict deadlines.

They can make use of the tools, libraries, and frameworks that would enable them to deliver the applications much quicker. Plus, tools like cloud computing, smart IDEs, etc. are quintessential for any developer, as these tools can fill up the gaps and help them achieve the tasks that cannot be handled on their own.

4th Principle: Embrace the Multi-Screen World

These days, people prefer to access the web applications through an array of gadgets having different screen sizes. So, the web developers must assume that their app would be viewed on many handheld devices with varying screen sizes. So, they must have a flexible mindset while building web apps to make it highly compatible with all types of devices.

5th Principle: Pay Attention to Architecture and Address Concerns

The web developer should never ignore the architecture of the app, as it plays a vital role in impacting its scalability, security, flexibility, maintenance, and others. The app architecture should not be visible to their users while making the overall app impact look huge.

Paying attention to database planning and initial architecture has a vital role in making the web app a successful one. They can also consider the microservice architectural style to develop a single app for a small services suite, where each would its process running and establish smooth communications with HTTP resource API or similar lightweight mechanisms.

The approach is a perfect choice for the web apps, as it breaks the backend into several resources and services while making the apps very reliable, flexible, organized and modular.

Apart from the top 5 principles of modern web application development, the web developers should also focus on creating web apps driven by speed. In the recent years, we have seen several applications demanding an increase in speed, which is due to 2 key factors.

Firstly, the users of web application users have less level of patience as their attention span is short. The developers must build web apps with the ability to deal with a significant amount of data through several data sources. When the apps are not optimized correctly, the high volume data can cause it to slow down and drive away the users.

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Secondly, the businesses are required to have impressive page speed. Google followed this trend by announcing that they considered their page loading speed as a ranking aspect. It shows that slow pages will get penalized in the search results. The AMP Project having the Google support is said to be the open standard for web pages get loaded on mobile devices quickly. Performance optimization is swiftly becoming a significant element for the developmental process of web applications.

15 Movies Programmers Should Not Miss At Any Cost

Programming is an art and it needs good dedication and time to explore the world of innovations. But once you get through, it seems like a world of imagination and instincts that can work wonders. There are many awesome movies that portray the possibilities of programming and technology. Brilliant directors connect certain ideas to give us a world of entertainment, education as well as inspiration. Just like books, some amazing movies can make a magical impact to some people. We have heard stories of people whose life has transformed amazingly with the inspiration they got from movies.

When choosing movies, everybody will have their special taste. When it comes to movies for programmers, they would mostly love to see screen plays that use the most updated technology or the real life stories of their programming heroes. Here is a short list of some movies which is highly recommended for an aspiring programmer.

1. The Matrix

This is an awesome movie which every programmer would love to watch despite time. The Matrix is a science fiction action film that hit the screens in the year 1999. This was one of the first movies in which the idea of “hackers” was highlighted in the mainstream. This movie inspired many youngsters of the time to learn more about computers and programming. The programming enthusiasts can see that the concepts of recursion and loop are executed brilliantly in this movie. It was directed and penned by The Wachowski Brothers.

2. The Social Network

This is a 2010 American movie that has occupied one of the top spots in the all time favourite movies of programmers. The Social Network fictionally depicts the origin of Facebook and the muddle of lawsuits that were to be faced. With eight nominations, the movie was a hit at the Oscars. The movie admirers would love to see the life journey of the founder of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg. The introduction of this social media application was a sensation of the period and the movie also got enough appreciation for its brilliant screen play, editing and direction.

3. WarGames

This is an American Cold War science fiction movie that was released back in the year 1983 under the direction of John Badham. In one word, movie lovers will describe WarGames as ‘classic’ which screened the story of an 80’s kid hacker. The movie shows how the kid accidentally accessed WOPR (War Operation Plan Response) thinking it was a game and the after effects. Some experts also saw this movie as a message to parents and teachers to have an eye on the kids to avoid misuse of the possibilities of programming.

4. Takedown

This 2000 movie portrays the story of a computer hacker, Kevin Mitnick which took the plot from the book ‘Takedown’ written by John Markoff and Tsutomu Shimomura. As he is the topmost hacker globally, programmers would love to watch Takedown to see how he uses or misuses the programming possibilities to challenge the world. Skeet Ulrich and Russell Wong played key roles in the movie and it was directed by Joe Chappelle.

5. Source Code

It is an amazing science fiction thriller that hit the screens in the year 2011. Source Code is a kind of movie that keeps you exciting throughout the run which is intellectually stimulating and connects you emotionally, as well. The movie takes you to an interesting plot of tracking Chicago commuter train bomber with a top secret operation. You can see an amazing mysterious trail when the hero enters another person’s body in the journey. The movie was directed by Duncan Jones and penned by Ben Ripley. The key role was handled brilliantly by Jake Gyllenhaal.

6. Pirates of Silicon Valley

This American drama film that hit the screens in the year 1999 came under the direction of Martyn Burke. A true programming enthusiast would definitely spend some time to watch Pirates of Silicon Valley as it shows the journey of developing the personal computer while exploring the competition between Jobs and Gates. The incidents that happened throughout the year span of 1971–1997 are depicted in the picture when finally Apple and Microsoft announced an alliance.

Also Read: 25 Best Programming Movies Every Programming Student Must Watch!

7. Antitrust

This is a 2001 thriller film from the pen of Howard Franklin that tells the story of young idealistic programmers. The plot of Antitrust is a large corporation which is a dream land for any programmer which offers creative opportunities in an informal working environment. The movie showcases how a young programmer found out some hidden truth behind the organization and brought some anti-trust problems to limelight.

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8. The Imitation Game

This is an amazing American historical drama film that was released in 2014. Programmers would find watching The Imitation Game really interesting as it portrays the journey of inventing world’s first computer. You can see the struggles of Alan Turing and team in the process which eventually decodes the prominent German Enigma code. Historians praise this invention for making the war shorter and saving many lives. It was written by Graham Moore and directed by Morten Tyldum.

9. The Fifth Estate

This biographical thriller film hit the screens in the year 2013 under the direction of Bill Condon. The Fifth Estate portrays the incidents and controversies that paved the way for WikiLeaks. Programmers would be excited to know about how the internet activists set a platform to misuse the programming possibilities to anonymously leak important data from corporate crimes and government. The movie inspired the plot from some famous books on wikileaks.

10. Jobs

This is an American biographical drama film which was released in the year 2013 based on the life of Steve Jobs, the man who took Apple company to next level. The movie Jobs portrays important incidents in his life right from his college to the finding of the Apple iPod. He is such an inspiration for the young programmers and this movie can really do a lot in impressing the folks. It was penned by Matt Whiteley and came under the direction of Joshua Michael Stern.

11. Primer

This 2004 American movie portrays the unintentional discovery of time travel. The experts evaluate that the movie Primer is made exclusively for engineers and not for an average audience. That is why it holds a special position in the list of movies for programmers. It runs an experimental plot structure which depicts the story of a strong comeback of two hardware engineers into the pinnacle. The inspiration from the movie is good enough for any apathetic engineer to give it a try with the programming possibilities.

12. Hackers

This is a 1995 American crime film based on the plot of a set of high school hackers and their role in the conspiracy of corporate extortion. The Hackers hit the screens when the idea of internet was not that popular and what the movie showed seemed a mystery to many. This movie was directed by Iain Softley and penned by Rafael Moreu.

13. Office Space

This is a 1999 American comedy film that deserves a spot in the list of most loved movies by programmers. In Office Space, the work life of a typical software company in the late 1990s is portrayed in a fun space. The movie was inspired by Judge’s Milton cartoon series. Even when the movie was not a big success in the box office, it won many hearts, especially that of programmers whose life was portrayed beautifully.

14. Tron

This is a really interesting American science fiction action-adventure film that was released long back in the year 1982. The plot of Tron is really amazing to watch, especially for programmers as it portrays the story of a computer programmer who got zapped into the computer world. Considering the time the movie was released, the effects that was used throughout the film deserves applause. The interesting plot shows how he interacts with programs in order to escape from that world.

15. Ex Machina

This is a science fiction psychological thriller that hit the screens in 2015. The Ex Machina runs around an interesting plot of artificial intelligence and the fictional discovery of “strong AI”. This discovery was something which people would love to have, as it lets you know whether the person in front actually likes you or is faking it. A breathtaking cinematography is what made this movie an awesome one. The movie showcases the brilliance of software developers in creating beauty and meaning to the world around us while giving a caution of handling it properly.

From the movies listed above which one has influenced you the most as a programmer? Comment below and let us know.

Tips to Make a Killer Product Page for Your Online Store

It takes a lot more to sell products than opening a store. You have to be creative with your approach and make people feel that they need your product. Whenever you create a need for your product, users will start buying it without thinking a lot. You know your product is good, but how do you make your website visitors believe that too? Does your website statistics say that a lot of people are visiting your product page but decidedly less buy the product? If that’s what is happening with you, all your efforts are going down the drain.

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If you want to boost your sales, you need to revamp your product page. Wondering how to do it? Here are nine tips that will help you make a killer product page for your online store:

Clean product URLs

An exact product URL is easier to read and remember as well. If your product page URL is www.shop.com/ccc%%%%crea??mcc/, no one will be able to recognize it. Most people will not even bother to share it. But if your product page URL is www.shop.com/cream/ a visitor will find it easy to remember.

You have complete control over designing your product URL the way you want, so why not do it neatly? Also, remember to keep your product page URL SEO-friendly. When your URL appears at the top of the search and is easy to read, the prospective buyer will be compelled to open it.

SEO-rich product titles and descriptions

Make sure your product titles and descriptions are SEO-rich but also high in quality. Focus on keeping the names of your product simple and easy to read. Write descriptions that are short and crisp. Use actionable sentences to create a need for the viewer, so that he is forced to buy it. You need to do a keyword research well in advance. Make sure you don’t overdo the keyword use.

Rather than putting a product title like Cream, put a title like Cream – for Winter Care. While searching, people don’t search just for the products. Some of them use other terms associated with the product as a tag.

Ensure product pages are mobile-friendly

Your product pages should be mobile-friendly. If your product page isn’t mobile-friendly and appears only in the desktop version, which is difficult to view on mobile, the user will exit from your website. According to reports, nearly 60 percent of people use mobile devices to search on Google

Over the past couple years many people have started shopping through mobile devices as it is very convenient. Accept the truth and get your website’s mobile-friendly interface ready soon.

List the pricing correctly

If you have a website that ships worldwide, you need to mention the price of your product in all currencies. Have a currency conversion plug-in attached to your website that does the work for you. No one has time to open another window and Google the conversion from one currency to another.

Mention the price just below the title and then give the specifications and product descriptions. Always place the price at your eye level, so that no one has to hunt for it all over the place.

Show the product from different angles and in a setup

It is evident that your prospective buyer wants to get a good look at the product. Click photos from different angles to show how the product looks. You can google the types of aspects that are used and ask your photographer to do that. Usually, there should be at least three angles.

Also, one photograph should be how the product looks in a live setup. You will need to get very creative here and shoot setup shots giving a real-life experience. For example, if you sell the sofa, create a small setup with the couch, rug underneath, and a coffee table with some accents on it.

High-quality images

All images you use must be of high quality. It reflects that your company and products are genuine. The person won’t spend time thinking if the product is authentic or not. Always use your images and not images that are similar to your product.

For clicking high-quality images, you don’t need a professional photographer. Purchase a good quality camera and click photos. There are so many videos available online that teach you how to click the perfect product photographs.

Hire writers to write positive and descriptive reviews for the products

Anyone who visits your website will read the reviews first before buying the product. If there are no reviews, the customer won’t buy it. If you are starting a new business and not many people have bought your products, you can hire writers to write positive reviews for the products. They don’t have to sound overly confident but should be descriptive.

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For example, if you have a clothing store, ask the writer to talk about the softness, thickness, and texture of the fabric.

Pay attention to details like size chart

If you have clothing or footwear store, having a size chart is compulsory. This size chart should include the measurements for different sizes. If you have a furniture store or any other store, give dimensions of the product, so that people can measure it in their setting.

Give exact measurements because that adds value to your product page. Your product page becomes more legible, and one-time customers will turn into a loyal customer when they get the product in the exact size as mentioned on the product page.

Bold headlines

Your product title is your first headline. Write the title in capital letters and make it bright. It should be in the most prominent font size you can use so that the prospective customers see it first as soon as they open the product page. Other headlines on your product page will be specifications, measurements, descriptions, and reviews. Make all these headlines bold and in capital letters as well.

It also gives a structured look to the product page and becomes very easy and readable for the viewer.

Take care of these tiny things to make a killer product page for your online store. Make sure that is no grammatical error as it is a significant letdown. Keep experimenting, and you’ll find your most active strategy to boost sales very soon.

How To Build An Ecommerce Website [Step By Step Guide]

It has been a while since online sales are registering more traction when compared to physical sales. Sparing you the physical effort and strain of running from pillar to post in search of your choicest merchandise, you can now order any product under the sun from the comfort of your living room; all in a jiffy.

All thanks to a host of e-commerce websites that attract online shoppers through attractive themes, product listings, offers and discounts that you can make the most of online shopping.

If you as a digital marketer are planning to host your e-commerce website, here is a 10-pointer step-by-step guide that will handhold you to build an online shopping interface that will boost your bottom-line.

Step 1. Select And Book a Domain Name

First and foremost, it is important to choose a perfect domain registrar. You should keep in mind that the domain name will remain the same and that you cannot change it in the future just like you wish to change the theme of your website. So it is very important to be choosy with the domain name.

It is not an overstatement to quote that the domain name is the visiting card of your e-commerce website. Meaning, you as an online salesman will make your presence felt in the online shopping sphere only by virtue of your domain name.

Hence, you need to come up with a domain name that is easy and unique. Care should be taken to keep the name as short as possible, avoiding the use of hyphens in between. Short names are easy to recall. Customers who visit your online store will find it easy to locate your website with a short domain name.

Step 2. Scout For Server Space For Your Domain

Your next step to building an online store will be to trace out web hosting options and service providers that will offer a server space for your domain. It pays to make a right choice in selecting a befitting server for your e-commerce site.

It is important to select a server that can be scaled to your requirements. You should strike a deal with a web hosting services provider who guarantees you 24/7 technical support.

You know for a fact that a minute of downtime to your e-commerce website can cost you loads of money and reputation as well.

Hence it calls for a great deal of forethought to pick a provider who promises you a good connectivity speed; a feature that does not drain your customers’ time and patience with a slow-loading website.

You can check out the dedicated hosting option to that of a shared hosting option and pick the one that suits your requirements.

Step 3.Choose a Website Developer

Website developers are a dime a dozen. Hence, it pays to exercise caution while signing up with a website developer who has the power to make or mar your e-commerce website.

You need to take into consideration a number of functional and technical parameters that will help you zero in on a good e-commerce website developer.

You need to identify the most promising source that is backed up by professional qualifications and previous experience of churning out e-commerce sites to other clientele.

The number of years of experience in e-commerce website building can also become a yardstick for selection. Every website designer has his own style. Alongside checking out his style, you can delve deep into his programming capabilities.

A website designer who is abreast of the latest technological trends in website building can be your top choice. Identify his strengths with regard to SEO and whether he can build a responsive site that can be viewed effortlessly on any smartphone.

Pricing is another parameter that you should look into along with the hiring cost of engaging a copywriter who delivers crisp and attractive marketing content. It is important that you strike a deal after understanding the payment terms between you and your developer after assessing his ongoing support capabilities.

Step 4. Simulation of Your E-Commerce Site

After you have developed your online shopping interface by a professional source, the next step is to check out the functionality of your website. You can simulate your online store by placing a couple of demo products while setting up product options.

You can append discounts and coupons along with the operations of shipping and payment gateways. Additionally, you can also incorporate and check whether your site is delivering notification alerts.

Step 5. Get Into the Shoes of  Your Potential Customer

This is another test for your e-commerce site to familiarize yourself with the website layout. This step will acclimatize you to your online store functions.

Step 6. Website Aesthetics – Attach a Logo and a Banner

This step is all about providing an aesthetic appeal to your e-commerce website. You can avail the benefits of a various open-code CMS themes that promise you a multi-functional online store.

You can select and place a befitting logo on your website while you extend efforts in matching the colors in the logo to the layout of your website. Banners can attract the attention of online customers.

You can go ahead and standardize the layout of every page whether it is your home page, your category page or the product page. This way, customers will find it easy to navigate to the page of their choice without any hassles.

Step 7. Backup Your Entire Website Building Project

It is recommended that you take a backup of the entire website building project. When you do this, you will be able to retrieve your website along with your demo products and all the basic steps that were initiated earlier.

Step 8. Edit Your Website

Editing your website is the next step that features in the step-by-step guide to help you build an e-commerce website. Under this step, you will have to remove and replace all the demo products with your original online merchandise.

You can use the export/import feature to feed your original products and categories and then your website will feature your online offerings.

Step 9.Market Your Website with SEO

Now it is time for you to promote your e-commerce website. Promotions via Google Adwords in the form of banner ads, video ads and search ads will fetch you more customers. You can also resort to email and SMS marketing while focusing on SEO.

Step 10. Initiate Marketing Automation Strategies

After completing the above mentioned 9 steps, your e-commerce website reaches a stage when it starts accumulating orders from online shoppers. This should ring the bell that the stage is not set to initiate the procedures of business automation. How do you do this?

You can bank on a plethora of marketing automation tools that are not only powerful but also easy to use. These tools help you enhance your digital presence through well-chalked out marketing campaigns that you can run online and reap the benefits of a customer-centric and sales-oriented e-commerce site.

Closing Thoughts

As a digital marketer, your primary responsibility would be to develop, implement and manage marketing campaigns that will enhance the online presence of your company’s offerings.

And the pre-requisite to help you deliver your responsibilities in the best possible manner is to have an e-commerce site that speaks volumes about your brand equity.

The above 10-pointer guide thus handholds all digital marketers to show up effective and aesthetically-designed e-commerce websites for their employers alongside simplifying the lives of online shoppers in more ways than one.

End of Net Neutrality! Will it Destroy Ecommerce Market?

FCC (Federal Communication Commission) has voted to repeal Obama’s net neutrality rules. This hasty decision has opened up a Pandora’s Box in the internet world.

Ajit Pai the main behind the repeal has been opposing the net neutrality which promised equality in providing content to the users for quite some time. He has stated on many occasions that the whole net neutrality scene is created with hypothetical harms and hysterical prophecies of doom.

Is it really out of hysteria? will it have any impact on the way we experience internet?

Experts are saying that ISP (Internet Service Providers) are now being awarded power to pick winners are losers on the internet and it’s going to change the way users access the internet.

Another worry is that this draconian law, if spread all over the world, will put an end to the way we shop or even cause irreversible damage to the online shopping industry?

Current scenario

It’s been raining news about the whole issue. People are carrying over discussion, protests, spreading internet memes in Facebook and Twitter, comedy videos etc about the decision of FCC.

The latest video by The juice media is one such video in which they clearly explained that the murder of net neutrality is preposterous.

Famous online portal Verge has claimed that FCC has killed Net Neutrality by giving the title

The FCC just killed net neutrality

Last Week Tonight the famous American Television program did a special show on the issue and did a great job explaining the whole situation.

The world is furious, Business sector especially e-commerce sector is petrified and raged regarding the issue.

Let’s have a look at the negative impact that’s going to have in the online retail industry. If the draconian law dismantles net neutrality.

Will it be the end of online stores?

Imagine that an ISP is preventing a user from entering an online store and on the other hand faster loading is being provided on another website.

Won’t it be the end of the online stores that’s been slowed due to whatever reason it might be?

Even though the example sounds a bit overdramatic it is indeed a possibility. Imagine that every ISP’s in the world is following the path of profit, which they can easily get hold of if there is no net neutrality.

Numerous News has come out earlier that Donald Trump in his initial days of his being president of USA  had a detailed discussion with FCC regarding the access to various content to common people.

The question here is, will this act be an example for governments across the world? If it does, it would be devastating.

Big names in the internet world like Google and Amazon have always given impressions that they support net neutrality. In reality, the picture is exact opposite according to recent reports. Google has blocked Amazon from advertising certain content through YouTube. If this has happened for real isn’t it hypocrisy at its best?

Another prime example of the situation is that. Netflix records 34% of the internet usage during the prime time (7-11pm) and reports are coming in that the new law if in practice will force Netflix to share their revenue owing to the huge loss of other websites during this peak time.

The net neutrality supporting camp is stating that during big sales time like Xmas, Black Friday, weekends etc. bigger retailers would pay their ISP’s and would channel the traffic to their website causing devastation to small retailers all over the globe.

Since studies have proven that 1 second of delay time will affect 7% of the conversion rate of a website. Small websites will have to face worse situations in their business.

Freemium marketing will also be affected drastically. If channeling of internet traffic happens. This freeemium (trial version of the software in which companies allow users to use their certain features for free) version has to be made payable to cover up the loss.

But, experts are saying that there is no need to panic for now as all these scenarios are hypothesis and nobody knows what ISP’s will do if net neutrality is taken off.

On the contrary, that’s the exact reason for the panic right now. What will happen if power is given to ISP’s are unknown. All we can do now is to cross our fingers and hope for the best to happen to the booming online market all over the world.

14 FAQs on Odoo Web Development

Odoo web development is undoubtedly in high demand over the past few years for its excellence in efficiency and user-friendliness. This fastest growing software is available in three versions- the enterprise, online and community version.  Unlike its counterparts, this single platform lets users to accomplish their multiple business goals from a single place. This open source ERP software model is a good choice for any type of businesses, especially small to medium sized ventures. The software is built on a modular structure and this is a cost-effective choice which can be accessed for free from the official website.

Those looking to set up their online venture using Odoo might have a lot of doubts in mind or clarifications to be made. To help at least some of you, some of the most frequently asked questions on Odoo web development are answered here.

1. What actually is an Odoo module and how it helps?

An Odoo module is an optional element that is made on the framework of Odoo. A user can implement the desired module conveniently based on what function they need in their business. The features incorporated in a particular module actually depend on what all other modules are included. Several modules that are linked to a particular business domain come with an Odoo app. This in fact is a main module that incorporates core features and it comes with a configuration screen by which you can enable any additional features.

The uniqueness of Odoo development is the availability of 1000 plus modules out of which the marketing module is the best with options such as Live Chat, Lead Scoring, and Email marketing.

2. What is the procedure to install a theme in Odoo development?

Getting your favourite theme for your online Odoo store is very simple. First you have to get the desired theme that adds style and functionality to your store from Odoo apps. Within the Odoo installation tab, the theme folder has to be placed inside addons. Followed by that, you have to navigate to the Settings page. Now you can look for the particular theme in the list. And you have to just click on the install button in order to get the theme almost instantly.

3. What license shall I use for Odoo Modules?

Every Odoo modules you use are published with reference to the open source AGPL License similar to other elements of the system. As the modules are also components within the same software, they are supposed to be published under this license.

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4. What is a “private module” and how it differs from a “Community module”?

A private Odoo module is the one which is developed by a company or an individual which is for internal use only. As it is not a proprietary module, it involves no selling or distributing to third parties. And a community module is the one developed by someone in the Odoo community. It would then be made available to anyone and they can access it easily by downloading it. Most of such modules can be accessed from Odoo Apps Library.

5. Is it possible to import data from other software applications to my OpenERP Online System?

Yes, it is possible for users to import data from other software applications to the online ERP system. Data importation is allowed from.CSV text files (Comma Separated Values) for any item within the system. Your own scripts can also be even connected through web-services. Data migration services are also provided for Odoo users.

6. What license shall I use in case I make an Odoo Module for my website?

All Odoo modules are supposed to be published under the same license just like other system components. So the rule is also applicable when you make your own module too. However, if you wish to make a private module to use with Odoo Enterprise, you may benefit from a licensing exception (OpenERP AGPL + Private Use) which allows you to keep the source code private.

7. What is to be done in order to translate my Odoo website?

You can translate your website to any of the available languages automatically using Gengo App. But if you prefer to do it manually, you may do the following simple steps. Once you reach the website, you have to click on ‘Add a language’ icon seen on the page’s bottom right corner. From the list, the preferred language has to be selected and click on ‘Load’. If your website was in English and now you chose French, you can see French in addition to English on the language bar. They also show some texts that are already converted to French. There you have to just click on ‘Translate’ button and see that your website got translated into the chosen language.

8. What are the languages that are available on the Open ERP online?

More than 10 languages are available in OpenERP Online system. This includes English, Catalan, Dutch, Estonian, Chinese (Simplified), French, German, Portuguese, Spanish, Italian and Polish. However, only English language is offered for the OpenERP Online control center.

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9. What is the stepwise procedure to track your Odoo website’s traffic in Google Analytics?

You can do that in a few simple steps. First, you have to set up a Google Analytics account if you don’t have any. Then you have to get the tracking ID by accepting conditions in the creation form. Now you can copy the tracking ID and then insert it in Odoo. In your Odoo’s Website app, reach the Configuration menu. There you have to turn on the Google Analytics and then paste the tracking ID followed by saving the page.

10. What has to be done if I find a bug in OpenERP Online?

You don’t need to worry as Odoo comes with all comfort for its users. The OpenERP Publisher Warranty (OPW) comes as a rescue for the OpenERP Online customers. If bugs are seen on usage, users can feel free to contact the support team at online@openerp.com.

11. What actually is an “official/certified module” in Odoo web development?

The official module or the certified module is the one that is developed and verified by OpenERP SA. These modules come with the standard Odoo distribution. In the latest version 8.0, users can have access to more than 200 official modules that are bundled with the app. Such modules can be easily identified on the Odoo Apps Library using a special badge.

12. Is there any option to integrate OpenERP with Amazon?

Integrating your store to popular shopping websites helps to improve the reach of your business. The Odoo web development has provided enough support to integrate your OpenERP with Amazon. An app for Odoo-Amazon connector is released for Odoo V8 & V9. It is based on the latest API. Odoo V9 Community & Enterprise version now provides Amazon – Odoo integration and Amazon FBA – Odoo integration app. The integration process is really smoother than you think and the software maintains utmost consistency and efficiency post-integration too.

13. What are the key pros of Odoo web development?

This comprehensive software covers a range of business needs including e-Commerce, billing, manufacturing, warehouse, CRM, accounting, and inventory. Odoo features an efficient user-friendly interface which is simple looking. The platform supports good navigation options with search functions across the screen. The software works at very good pace and allows good flexibility. This budget-friendly solution allows easy integration too. The minimal task completion time adds to the productivity of the software. Also, this robust ERP solution runs on up-to-date technology.

14. Are there any disadvantages for Odoo web development?

Of course, no systems are perfect and come with some cons when compared to its counterparts and that is the case of Odoo too. But the list is a short one compared to its pros that mainly include the lack of backward compatibility in the design and poor bug fixing standards. They just started bug fixing in their 8th version and may get better over time. There are some challenges in the usability as it comes with custom packages. It has a lack of organization in the documentation too.

These are just a few among the frequently asked questions on Odoo web development. As it is comparatively new in the market, there is some scarcity when it comes to related resources available on the internet. So the new users might have a lot of questions when setting up the Odoo platform for their business. However, the active community is always ready to help those users in need and provides them adequate suggestions and advice to ease their concerns on using the platform.

Odoo is improving its functionality in each version and it has reached a long way in its efficiency ever since it was introduced. Over 2 million users are presently using Odoo web development to improve their reach of the business and the platform is slowly winning the industry with its open source benefits and proven quality.