Magento Extensions Review - 1

As usual i am going to be introducing completely out of sync topics to my Blog.

I need to review some Magento Extensions for some work & need this to be available for easy reference.. Was going to make a file first.. But then thought why not a blog ? Much more useful for others as well ! So here goes..

The Magento Connect Categorization is & navigation is pretty awful & it seems its not crawled very well by Google.. Hence this effort.. Maybe i will resort these blogs later to put them in more sensible categorisations

My picks from Magento Connect Category - Catalog

1. Category List

Shows Category list on Home Page with image, title & (short description ?)

Screenshot :
http://www.magentocommerce.com/images/modules/CategoryModule_ce1a3404b1466cda7dea6435eb3d3138_category.jpg

URL : http://www.magentocommerce.com/extension/2202/category-list

2. Search Engine Friendly Layered Nav and Sort

Changes url structure to include category name along with sub category names .
Eg :

http://yoursite.com/main_category/sub_category/shopby/price-9-25/order-price/dir-asc.html

Would become
http://yoursite.com/main_categroy.html?order=price&dir=asc&price=9%2C25&cat=150

URL :http://www.magentocommerce.com/extension/2197/search-engine-friendly-layered-nav-and-sort

3. Multi Fees

This one looks like it will be a must have for most sites.. You can provide additional services to clients

Multi Fees extension makes it possible to add any number of additional services (fees) and service groups like Gift Cards, Gift Wraps, Rush Delivery Service or whatever you may want customer to be able to select before the order checkout. Fee cost can be set either to a flat rate or a percent of an order subtotal. Selected fees are being added to the order total and then visible to admin on the Order view page.

Features

• Unlimited number of additional services and fees combined in groups
• Each fee option can have its own logo and image
• 'Additional Fees' column is available in Sales Report
• Fee can be either a flat rate or a percent of an order subtotal
• 3 input types for your fees: checkbox, drop-down, radio button
• Store view independent settings and translations
• Pre-configured static block for additional fees description

URL : http://www.magentocommerce.com/extension/2180/multi-fees

4. Magento AjaxPro Extension

AjaxPro extension delivers amazing user experience to your customers. They can add to cart, wishlist and compare products with out page reload.

- A must-have extension for every ecommerce website.
- Supports all major browsers.
- Based on prototype library
- Easy 1 minute installation
- Completely configurable through admin interface
- Add to cart
- Add to compare
- Add to wishlist
- Works on shopping cart page
- Confirmation dialog

URL : http://www.magentocommerce.com/extension/2174/magento-ajaxpro

5. Edit Configuration in Cart

Allows you to edit product configuration for Configurable products in cart..

I wonder if there is one for Bundle products.

http://www.magentocommerce.com/extension/2042/edit-configuration-product-in-cart

6. Shopping Cart Editor

And voila ! My Question is answered with this extension !

Shopping Cart Editor enables your shoppers to edit Custom Options, Configurable Product Options and Bundled Product Options right in the shopping cart.

Shopping Cart Editor enables your shoppers to edit Custom Options, Configurable Product Options and Bundled Product Options right in the shopping cart. This means that when your shoppers change their mind about some details in their order, they won’t change their mind about making the purchase.

This is a must-have for stores that carry products with custom options, configurable and/or bundled products.

The extension comes with a User Manual and is 100% Open Source.
http://www.magentocommerce.com/extension/1940/shopping-cart-editor

7. JC Import Export for Categories

Surprisingly Magento does not come with an inbuilt impirt export profile for Categories. This extension fills the GAP.

http://www.magentocommerce.com/extension/1899/jc-category-import-export

8. Bulk Product import with Support for tier pricing, bundled products etc..

Another issue with Magento is handling the complex product structures you can build in Magento for Import Export.. This extension promisses to do all this.. See their descrition below.

http://www.magentocommerce.com/extension/1894/custom-bulk-product-import-with-tier-pricing--product-custom-options--configurable-products

9. One Step Checkout

This One Step Checkout extension add 6 steps of original Magento checkout to 1 step.

This extension add 6 steps of original Magento checkout to 1 step.
Now, customer only need to make on click to place an order.
Load all necessary information immediately when customer click checkout.
When customer change shipping information, shipping costs are reloaded automatically using ajax without clicking button.
It's the same when customer choose shipping method and payment, order review is reloaded.
All functions of original checkout are kept.

http://www.magentocommerce.com/extension/1856/one-step-checkout

10. Custom Menus

Another things that bothers me in magento is the lack of a Menu Manager. This extension lets you make custom menus. Add fully configurable menus to your Magento installation. Build menus with links to products, categories, CMS pages, blogs, external urls ... anything!

http://www.magentocommerce.com/extension/1750/custom-menus

11. Configurable Checkout

Ever wanted to get rid of the Shipping part of Magento's checkout ? Get rid of other unnecessary information in checkout ? Well this extension is supposed to be able to do that..

Only downside ? Works only with One Page checkout..

With Configurable Checkout Extension you can disable unnecessary checkout fields and steps. The extension works only with One Page Checkout.

List of features:
* Allows to disable Shipping information, Shipping Method, Payment Information steps
* Allows to disable any fields of Billing Information, Shipping Method, Payment Information steps, except for e-mail, first name and last name
* Compatible with AITOC’s Checkout Fields Manager which allows for adding extra fields to the checkout process
* Comes with a User Manual
* 100% Open Source

http://www.magentocommerce.com/extension/1565/configurable-checkout

12. Custommer Quotation

Create customized quotations for customers

Magento Quote Module is Designed to Help Webiste owner to propose to their customer customized quotes containing products with specific prices and delivery conditions. You also can print quote to PDF Format or simply notify customer by email.
Once quote is activated, customer can view it from customer area, print quotation or add it to cart.
In addition, a form on frontend allows customer to request for a quote.

http://www.magentocommerce.com/extension/1401/customer-quotations

13. Checkout Fields Manager

Allows you to add fields to virtually any checkout step. With it you can collect all additional info you might need from your customers. Many input types supported: text field, text area, dropdown, date, etc.
http://www.magentocommerce.com/extension/1037/checkout-fields-manager

14. Ajax Cart Pro

AJAX Cart Pro allows customers to add and remove products without having to click the update button. Only the shopping cart is refreshed. The interaction is immediate what allows users to continue shopping without waiting for the page refresh.

http://www.magentocommerce.com/extension/1185/ajax-cart-pro

15. Frequently brought together

Frequently Bought Together has been created to substitute and significantly improve functionality and usability of Magento core module Related Products.

Seems like a good product to show rel,ated products right inside the product landing page.

http://www.magentocommerce.com/extension/1272/frequently-bought-together

Thats all for now.. Will follow up with some more for more interesting extensions . Let me know if you know any that i should consider !

Need some Magento work done ? Drop me an email : sales@tekdi.net