MageCloud

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of a jewelry business. We design and make all of our jewelry and then we sell it either online or in-store.

What challenge were you trying to address with MageCloud?

We had been running on a website that predates what e-commerce sites are today. It came to a point where we couldn’t easily use modern e-commerce plugins, so we turned to MageCloud for a complete website rebuild.

What was the scope of their involvement?

MageCloud rebuilt our website from scratch and made it more compatible with modern e-commerce plugins and tools. In order to do this, they built the new version on WordPress and integrated WooCommerce. 

They retained some of our old website’s functionalities and created a jewelry customization section. Here, customers could select the stone that they want for their jewelry, and the image on the screen automatically adjusts to show what that would look like. 

What is the team composition?

I primarily worked with Paul (CEO) and Sergei (Developer), but I believe there were several others who were on the project. Paul ran the operations and Sergei did a lot of the coding. 

How did you come to work with MageCloud?

We looked for providers around Upwork and different websites. Based on the reviews we’ve seen, MageCloud seemed to be the right people to take on this task. That’s when we reached out to their team. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested around $25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started around April 2021. The website has been launched, but MageCloud continues to do little tweaks in it here and there. 

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

In general, what impressed me about the website is that it functions very well and looks very good. Paul and his team brought forward ideas that correlated with ours. They also came up with good solutions for issues that we didn’t know how to solve before, and this presented a lot of opportunities to improve the frontend and how our customers would interact with it. 

While we cannot directly attribute good online sales to the new website, we think that the user-friendliness and smooth functionality of it encourage people to want to shop more than they had previously.

How did MageCloud perform from a project management standpoint?

MageCloud is very good at managing the project. They’re very communicative and organized. Our time difference is sometimes a bit problematic, but it’s not something that can be helped. Overall, they’ve done a good job on this project. 

We use Trello and typically communicate there. If there is something that needs to be done quickly, I simply message Paul through WhatsApp. We’re generally pretty good at planning ahead, so there haven’t been any real emergencies. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

The most impressive thing about MageCloud is their efficiency. It’s not that common to work with a development team that has a very good understanding of the design, but they have a good idea of how things should look. 

Another thing that really impresses me is how Paul is always very mindful of the time and the budget. He suggests more cost-effective methods but can still support us if we want something done a certain way. He just always makes sure to get my approval before proceeding with things, making sure that we never feel like we’re being taken advantage of. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

The only issue I’ve seen is with regards to me needing to clarify things a little bit further for Paul. He speaks English very well, but there may still be some barriers there. Uploading videos and pictures to our Trello board has helped, so I don’t really think this is a valid complaint. Overall, they’ve been great about everything. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you’re going to work with Mage Cloud, just know that Paul is very straightforward and wants his clients to communicate their ideas as clearly as possible. Put everything in a document and make sure that nothing is vague. Videos and photos with clear annotations will also be of great help.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the e-commerce manager of a men’s grooming company.

What challenge were you trying to address with MageCloud?

We had updated our website from Magento 1 to Magento 2 before working with MageCloud. We got it to a point when we could launch it, but there was still a lot of work to be done. That was when we engaged with MageCloud to continue the project and do maintenance to our new Magento 2 website.

What was the scope of their involvement?

MageCloud updates and gives maintenance to our Magento 2 website.

What is the team composition?

We work with two people from their team: a web developer and a project manager.

How did you come to work with MageCloud?

I came across MageCloud on Upwork two years ago. They were incredibly knowledgeable and helpful. To my regret, we didn’t engage with them to update our website back then.

Since we weren’t happy with our previous developers, I decided to reach out to MageCloud again to give maintenance to our new website. I explained to them our situation, and we went from there.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent somewhere between $10,000–$20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in September 2020, and our engagement is ongoing.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

MagCloud is very knowledgeable about Magento 1 and 2, so our experience has been great so far. We don’t have any complaints about their work. They always provide what we ask.

How did MageCloud perform from a project management standpoint?

We don’t have set deadlines. We use a Trello board to manage the project. The project manager and I discuss the priorities for the month. We might not get all of our low priority goals done, but that’s not a problem. Nevertheless, they always complete our high-priority goals within the specified deadline.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’ve been very happy working with MageCloud.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It’d be great if MageCloud had a clear indication of when certain tasks will be scheduled or work on. At the moment, we add a set amount of hours and tasks for the month, and they’ve completed them. However, the cost spreads out across the month, and I’m not always sure for which particular day or week a task will be scheduled. Other than that, I’m very happy with them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be open to suggestions from MageCloud’s team because they’re competent and know what they’re talking about. Also, if you communicate your goals clearly, you’ll get the most out of them.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re an e-commerce retailer, and we sell vitamins, protein, natural personal care products, natural health products, and other natural products. I’m the founder and CEO of the company.

What challenge were you trying to address with MageCloud?

We were looking for a technology partner that could build the new version of our website. As a result, we engaged MageCloud to create our Magento platform.

What was the scope of their involvement?

MageCloud did everything; the team coordinated the server, installed the software, and implemented the design and layout. They also installed extensions, and they did other custom work to finish our site. 

What is the team composition?

We worked with a project manager and a developer.

How did you come to work with MageCloud?

I discovered them through Upwork. We posted our project there and stated that we were looking for a development partner for our new site. We had a call with Paul (CEO), and he was very helpful. I could tell that he was very honest and direct. He clearly explained what our options were and provided a good description of what our website would look like once they develop it. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $50,000–$200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project took a year to build, so we worked with them from November 2019–November 2020. 

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

One of the great things about the new website was its mobile-friendly design; we didn’t have that before and that was really a big win for us. We saw an instant increase in mobile traffic that came to the site. Furthermore, it allowed our platform to convert better and our average order value also significantly improved. Overall, we saw an uptick in all of our major metrics for the site. 

How did MageCloud perform from a project management standpoint?

MageCloud was good at meeting deadlines, and they cared about us. We faced a lot of challenges along the way and they were always ready to solve them. Moreover, the team was responsive and they ensured everything was working well on our website. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were great to work with because they were hardworking and trustworthy.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think there was anything that they didn’t do that I would’ve wanted. In fact, I still talk to them every week. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Ensure that your scope is well laid out so that MageCloud can provide an accurate quote and timeline. In our case, we spent a lot of time scoping ours and we gave the team all the details we had. As a result, when it was time for us to engage with MageCloud, they understood exactly how much the project was going to cost and the time required to complete it. 

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of BJC Products, an online store that sells a variety of products and that specializes in airsoft guns, knives, swords, and other collectibles.

What challenge were you trying to address with MageCloud?

We needed help with the programming and development of our business software and solutions.

What was the scope of their involvement?

MageCloud helps write the code for our unique software and integrates with our suppliers using PHP APIs. The software does nearly all of our work—it keeps track of sales, checks inventory, and manages order processing. Almost everything on the platform is integrated with our websites.

What is the team composition?

We work a project manager and a team of developers.

How did you come to work with MageCloud?

We’d used a few different dev companies but were unsatisfied with all of them.

How much have you invested with them?

We spend about $1,000—$2,000 a month. Our total cost is probably around $50,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve worked together since July 2015.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

The software processes anywhere from 150–300 orders a day, and the entire system is automated. MageCloud’s work has saved us countless hours.

How did MageCloud perform from a project management standpoint?

Because we’re in the U.S. and they’re in the U.K., I can send them emails and information at night, and then wake up the next morning to quite a bit of progress. They pay attention to details and don’t miss things. If they’re unsure about a certain task, they’ll ask questions to clarify.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They communicate extremely well and always deliver quickly and on time.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Whenever you send them information, include screenshots and be detailed. They know what they’re doing, but they need to know what you want.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I have a children’s online rental boutique where moms and photographers rent high-end designer children’s clothing from us for special occasions - weddings, photo shoots, etc. I am the owner.

What challenge were you trying to address with MageCloud?

I run a Magento platform, and not only is Magento kind of unique, but not a lot of developers are trained really well on it. Furthermore, I have a rental software extension that runs on Magento. That extension is even more unique and I found virtually no one that was familiar with it that was desirable.

What was the scope of their involvement?

I hired them originally to get the calendar function working properly and to add more delivery options. I have a really complicated calendar system because when you rent something, you schedule it for so many days and the software has to track inventory when it comes and goes. I’ve worked with two other developers trying to get it figured out. MageCloud did it.

One of the other things I was having an issue with was people being allowed to get things expedited, so we added more shipping options. We added more search and filtering features which completely changed the design of the site. Now it’s cleaner and more user-friendly. We also updated the site to be a lot more mobile responsive because we found that a lot of visitors were using our site on their phone.

How did you come to work with MageCloud?

I found MageCloud through Upwork. I had several responses but I don’t think anyone else actually looked at my website and understood really what I needed. I got a lot of very superficial proposals telling me that what I needed to be done would take four or five hours at the most. Given my experience, I knew it was going to be a much bigger project than that. MageCloud took the time to understand my business and what I was looking for. They wrote a comprehensive reply to my post. They have experience developing rental software on their own, so it was a good fit for me. The rental software extension is Sales Igniter’s Rental Booking Software.

How much have you invested with MageCloud?

We have invested around $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

I think we started early spring this year, maybe February. The first project is completed but I ended up working with them going forward because Paul [Ryazanov, Owner] had a lot of really great ideas to make my site more user-friendly and taught me a lot about analytics and things I’m not very experienced with. I’ve been working with them on an ongoing basis.

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

I don’t have any sales information. I’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback. Before, I had just a ground shipping option that took three to four days for the people to get their items. Now, we have two-day options. I would say 25% of orders are now shipped with the two-day option. Before, I would get a lot of emails asking to expedite shipping if possible. So adding that preset option has alleviated that time-consuming process.

How did MageCloud perform from a project management standpoint?

Paul has done really well. Because I wear a lot of hats at this business and I’m constantly pulled in many directions, he really stayed on top of emailing me when there were action items and to follow up on things that needed to be done. I really never had to bug him repeatedly to get things done. He’s very responsive. Usually, I’m the one getting emails from him saying let’s move forward on this. That was good. He sends me detailed lists of plans for the next month. We go over the budget and our goals on a monthly basis and revise how many hours he can allocate to my project. That’s really been helpful. I’ve really been just working with Paul, who speaks English. Sometimes the developers are on a conference call, but since they are in Russia I don’t know if they speak English. If I ever have a problem, Paul will email me back within an hour.

What did you find most impressive about MageCloud?

I would say follow-up and following through. It is really valuable that I’m not having to constantly email them for updates or status requests.

Are there any areas MageCloud could improve?

It would be nice if they were in the US, but honestly, it hasn’t been that big of an issue. Paul works at hours that I’m working.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Uzooka sells headlights or auto parts, more specifically headlamp housing for mostly the DIY market or the crash industry. I’m the chief financial officer.

What challenge were you trying to address with MageCloud?

We have an e-commerce site we launched, uzooka.com, and we were having issues with our current provider and the ability to host the Magento site on AWS [Amazon Web Services].

What was the scope of their involvement?

We wanted our Magento site to be on multiple servers. We basically wanted load balancing and some redundancy. The current provider couldn't do that, or more accurately, didn't have the technical skills. MageCloud took our Magento site and separated the front and backend, which was a core requirement to be able to migrate to multiple servers.

We now have a separate frontend and backend, and we can have as many servers as we want for the frontend of the site with load balancers. That was their initial project.

How did you come to work with MageCloud?

We found MageCloud because they’re one of the AWS partners, and that's how the relationship started. I was drawn to the MageCloud site. I reached out to about five different Amazon partners that all do the same thing. I think what I liked most about MageCloud was that I got a response from Paul [Ryazanov, CEO] and he was easy to talk to. He knew what my challenges were and jumped right to it. All the other guys went back and forth with questionnaires. I couldn't get quotes from some of them. I just got the runaround from some of the other companies. MageCloud fit the bill.

How much have you invested with MageCloud?

[Confidential]

What is the status of this engagement?

We started about a year ago, maybe a little less, in 2015 and it’s ongoing.

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

The biggest success was that they accomplished something that my original partner couldn't accomplish. My original partner couldn't figure out how to do load balancing, and MageCloud pointed out that we needed to separate the frontend from the backend. You couldn't have your frontend and your admin on the same server. I think that was a big step.

How did MageCloud perform from a project management standpoint?

They were great. Paul led everything. Every time we talked, he would email me basically what we talked about, what his action points were, and what he wanted to work on. He'd give me a quote and I'd approve it, and then he would give me updates along the way. Things went really well - enough so that we're still using them for all of our development now. We don't just use them for the server side; now we're using them for any changes or anything we want to do to our Magento site.

What did you find most impressive about MageCloud?

With my last partners, I had to find the issue, report it, and ask for it to be fixed. Paul will actually find lots of issues himself, which is very refreshing, and then email me what they found and that they'd like to go ahead and fix them. I think that's probably my favorite part of working with them. I don' have to be constantly looking for the problems; they're actively looking for issues.

They're easy to communicate with. I think that's the best part. I think Paul has a lot to do with that. He just makes it easy for me.

Are there any areas MageCloud could improve?

At the moment, no. I'm not looking for any other partners. They've been satisfying all our needs for the site. We're pretty happy at the moment.

Please describe your company and your position there.

President and CEO of Natural Pigments, an artists' materials manufacturer and online distributor.

For what projects/services did your company hire MageCloud, and what were your goals?

We hired MageCloud to improve the overall function of our Magento websites. We needed to improve the security, performance, and overall functions of different aspects of the website.

How did you select MageCloud and what were the deciding factors?

MageCloud provided excellent recommendations and recommendations by other clients.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

The project included an audit of our marketing and website. MageCloud identified key deficiencies and made recommendations on improvement. They implemented changes to Magento installation and provided means to properly connect Google Analytics.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

We worked with three members of MageCloud's team.

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

Within the first month, we saw a dramatic improvement in the performance of the website, namely speed and reliability.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timelines.

We communicated through Trello which offers an easy-to-use visual interface to manage project tasks.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

We are impressed with the competency of the technical team. They made changes to Magento that conformed to its standards, which is important so that all Magento extensions work properly.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

We do not have any suggestions on how to improve their work.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I run a Baby Company that rents baby equipment nationwide. I am involved in the aspects of development, marketing, and customer service.

For what projects/services did your company hire MageCloud, and what were your goals?

We hired Magecloud after a 4-year project came to an end with another development company that could not perform work in completing our custom software on the Magento platform. Our goal was to launch a fully automated rental booking software through Magento that specifically catered to the baby equipment rental industry and all the logistical factors that the industry comes with.

How did you select MageCloud and what were the deciding factors?

We posted our project to Upwork and made the selection after reviewing a few different Magento developers. Their reviews were excellent and the level of customization that I saw was encouraging. After watching a video from Paul I decided to contact them and things took off from there.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

This is very broad and complex but in short, the work entailed customizing the back end portal for multiple vendors throughout the U.S integrating different cities and zip codes with multiple factors embedded within each of them. Customized delivery system integration. Editing integration Email integration Front end design

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

4 people in total: Main contact project manager code manager designer

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

The latest version of this project has made the business more manageable and easier to work with on both sides of the industry. Mainly the customer side and the vendor side. We have what is like stores within stores each with its own customizable traits along with a super admin panel that allows us to control everything.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timelines.

Very organized project management with a Trello dashboard that is well maintained and updated. Once we got past the learning curve on it we had a smooth system that was easy to use. All work is done by month's end and always done on time.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Communication and an ability to understand and perform things that I previously thought were not possible. They really can do anything with Magento. Their suggestions were very helpful as well.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

None that I can think of.

Please describe your company and your position there.

We’re an online e-commerce store, providing household goods.

For what projects/services did your company hire MageCloud?

We initially hired MageCloud for optimization of the speed of a Magento site. Since then, we’ve hired them on an on-going basis for various Magento development needs.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to increase our website’s speed and fix bugs on the site.

How did you select this vendor?

They were the only company we spoke to that provided a very detailed action plan and to-do list to tackle our complex issue.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

They initially reviewed our entire site and provided an action plan. That included reducing the JavaScript code and changing its loading process as well as removing unused and useless modules.

What was the team composition?

Paul (CEO, MageCloud) led a team of more than ten people. We worked with a select few that were most qualified for our application and needs, including one project manager and two developers.

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

We’ve worked with more than ten different developers for various projects. Some were good but MageCloud is great.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

It’s proved to be invaluable to have access to team members who have worked on similar projects in the past.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They give me project ideas that we review and execute if they make sense for our business needs.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, they're great.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the Director of a retail company.

For what projects/services did your company hire MageCloud, and what were your goals?

Magecloud managed the upgrade of our Magento 1 site to M2. They applied security updates, design changes and troubleshooted technical problems.

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

Price and experience

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

We worked exclusively on Magento 2 platform. They produced a working site from our design mockups and managed the upgrade process.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

There was a project manager and 2 developers working largely behind the scenes.

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

The upgrade projects ran fairly smoothly. We didn't have any disasters.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

Good, prompt communication. When there was a problem, they were quick to respond.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

They know magento well. They had quality work for a reasonable hourly rate.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

Prior to performing upgrades, they would have us check over the dev site. There were often lots of mistakes and errors on the dev site - many of which I feel they should have picked up on themselves. They were all fixed once we pointed them out.