This year marked the sixth edition of Meet Magento in the Netherlands, and of course Cream was there. It was also the first year at a new venue: Media Plaza in Utrecht, a fantastic setting for an event like this.
On day one, Cream attended as a sponsor. This day was aimed mainly at companies that don’t use Magento yet. Through a speed-dating format, we met some great companies.
Day two brought the familiar lineup of sessions, just like in previous years. Some were geared toward developers, others toward Magento users. Below, I’ve summarized the sessions I found most interesting. Unfortunately, a few were less engaging, partly because of the speakers’ limited English, so I’ve left those out.
Magento 2
Magento 2 is a hot topic that comes up at Meet Magento every year. This year was different, though: we finally got clarity on the timeline. A solid beta version of Magento 2 should be available in December 2014, followed by a release candidate in March 2015. The first stores will probably be able to make the switch in the fourth quarter of 2015. We’re curious to see how it plays out!
PostNL’s Magento plugin
Floortje Schilt hosted a roundtable on PostNL’s Magento plugin. Since several of our clients use it, this was a great opportunity to share their wishes for the plugin on their behalf. Unfortunately, the half hour set aside for it wasn’t enough, so a small group of us continued the conversation in the hallway. PostNL has big ambitions for the module, but in my view, it should stick to its core business of shipping mail and parcels and make the module perfect for that first. Fortunately, Floortje mentioned that cash-on-delivery shipments will soon be supported in the module, so we’ll be able to roll it out more widely for our clients in the near future.
PayPal
I was invited to a private session hosted by PayPal, where they shared their plans for PayPal and eBay over the coming years. For example, eBay Now is coming to the Netherlands soon, so your order can be delivered to wherever you are within an hour. I’m curious to see how it catches on here!
Closing session: Uber
The closing session featured a presentation that didn’t have much to do with Magento but was fascinating all the same: Uber, the alternative to taxis. You use the app to request an Uber driver, and within minutes they’re at your door.
Conclusion
All in all, another great Meet Magento at a stunning venue. The sessions were generally of a high standard, and once again I got to talk with lots of interesting companies. We’re already looking forward to Meet Magento 2015!
