Lessons Learned Creating the Most Downloaded Extension on Connect - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Lessons Learned Creating the Most Downloaded Extension on Connect Alex Podopryhora co-founder / MD

Agenda 1. From ESS to M2E 2. 4 Key Lessons learned

From ESS to M2E

From ESS to M2E Web Development Zend, Codeigniter, JQuery, Ext JS (Sencha)

From ESS to M2E .NET Platform Development ASP.NET v3.5 and ASP.NET MVC, Windows Forms

From ESS to M2E Java/J2EE Development JSP, Servlets, JDBC, Spring Framework, Struts, Hibernate

From ESS to M2E iPhone and Android Platform Development

From ESS to M2E Completed projects include: Online stores Meta Trader API Various web portals SAP B1 API Planning tools Forex Trading Platform Customized CMS’s Multi-tier Betting/Trading System Customized ERP’s MS Outlook add-on & eBay connector Social Networks Warehouse Management System

From ESS to M2E Being a generalist: PRO’s: CON’s: Bigger and broader market Ongoing projects support Following trends Varied skill set Constant learning Large teams

We tried, it worked.. Magento Development Theme Design, Custom Implementation, Custom Extension Development

Becoming a specialist • Streamlined processes • Reduced headcount • Become real experts

Today, in numbers. 60,000 + downloads 22,000 + active eBay accounts + 7,000,000 + live listings $500,000,000 + annual transaction volume

4 Key Lessons Improve the Solve a solution problem Talk to customers Select a platform

Lesson 1: select a platform

Lesson 1 : select a platform  Technology  Community  Growth Potential  Scalability

Lesson 2: talk to customers

Lesson 2 : talk to customers • Eager to talk  Problems  Challenges  Competition

Lesson 2 : talk to customers • Easy to find  Online forums  Magento events  e-Commerce events  Retail conferences  High street

Lesson 3: solve a problem

Lesson 3 : solve a problem • Does a solution exist? • Is it a popular solution? • What do customers say? • Is it robust enough ? • Can it scale?

Lesson 3 : solve a problem • Great research tool for existing solutions • Identify market opportunities for new solutions

Lesson 3 : solve a problem Outside Investment • a specific project • request for change • may be funded

Lesson 4: improve the solution

Lesson 4: improve the solution • Keep Talking to your Customers • Feedback on Connect • High-Touch Customers

Lesson 4: improve the solution

Lesson 4: improve the solution • 6 years of continuous work • 3 different versions • version 6.x revamped GUI • 50+ major releases • 1500+ emails a month

The opportunities are out there!!! • Innovate • Experiment • Improve • Compete >> Being small is good!!!!

“Hello World”… while ( ! repeat ( ” Experiment “,” Innovate “,” Customer Focus ” ) ) { product bool workHard = true ; 
 bool doNotGiveUp = true ; 
 bool haveFun = true ; }; user platform