Imagine 2013 - My Foray into the Marketplace
17th Apr 2013
Walking into the Marketplace at the Magento Imagine 2013 Worldwide Conference was like coming down the stairs on Christmas morning as a kid. Everything I could ever possibly want for our clients was there. And even some things I had never imagined!
I was in awe of the services that were being offered. I must admit, I was a little overwhelmed at first. I had taken a lot of time to page through the booklet and read up on all the attendees. I had a plan of action so that I would get to stop by and chat with every single one of the vendors I wanted to meet. But when I walked in, all that went out the window! I took a lap or two around the room and got such a great vibe from all the attendees there that I had to stop and talk with almost everyone.
I was most impressed with those vendors that provide multiple solutions with one extension. One of the biggest challenges I face is trying to find extensions that meet our clients' needs. Sometimes it may take 2 or 3 to reach the end goal. The vendors at Imagine 2013 get it! They know what the retailer needs and have created a product that packages everything into one extension. I am so excited to get working with these new extensions and showing them to our clients. A few of my favorites were:
While I found great solutions and new products to try at the Marketplace, I also discovered what won't work. You might think that is discouraging, but it's not. It is a huge time saver! In a very short amount of time I was able to determine if a product would be a good fit for our current clients or not. I met some great people and made valuable connections for the future.
The Marketplace at Imagine is a must see for everyone. From the newbie to the seasoned Magento expert, there is always something new and exciting to see...something you may never have even IMAGINED!
P.S. If you missed the convention or just want to see what's available, check out MagentoConnect, the Magento Extension Marketplace.
