Both allow the clients to update all the content and images in the site themselves using a browser, rather than having to pick up the phone to us (as much as we love to speak to our clients!) Casa Bellavista also features slideshows that can be managed by the client.

Please do re-send any emails you would like a response to. Email address is info@randomriver.net

Chris Dicken

The site also makes use of some other useful Magento features such as wish lists, product comparison (very useful when looking at two apparently identical golf clubs!) and a very speedy one-page checkout.

Magento isn’t great for everything however. The managing products is very slow and cumbersome, and importing any products takes ages. It’s also difficult to use for non-technical people processing orders or updating products and sections. Actinic is still a long way from being retired!

The feature I’m most excited about is the ‘Streamlined Checkout’ – which significantly improves the currently somewhat cumbersome checkout process in Actinic. This area has long been a problem area in Actinic sites, and a place where a lot of customers can get confused and abandon their orders. The new checkout improves things by making everything much more logical – all address information is dealt with on one page, then tax and shipping, and then finally the customer can do a final review before paying. It’s a great improvement, and one I really recommend for all Actinic customers.

Other features include a real-time stock control (really useful for fast-moving items, or items available in limited quantities) and also the display of recently-viewed items on the page.

From the start of June, Random River will be offering an upgrade service from only £200 per site. This upgrade service will cover upgrading the site, checking over the design and making sure the transition to the new version happens smoothly on the live website.

If you’re interested in this service, feel free to get in contact.

This site features some great photography – enchanced by an integration with MagicZoom for closely examining the photos.

New features on the site include a slideshow of customer sites and testimonials, a blog, and a dramatically designed home-page designed to help people find the information they are most interested in.

If you have any comments, please drop me an email.