Magento 2 PWA Extensions: Myths & Facts

We all know Progressive Web App is so great in bringing a better online shopping experience for Magento users. Among several ways to build PWA, many Magento merchants choose Magento 2 PWA extensions because of their low cost and the quick time to complete the process.

Fast and cheap are two things that make this option appealing for firms.

However, the most important thing that the store owners need to consider carefully here is the final result.

Will the PWA development by extension truly improve the shopping experience like what the advertisements claim?

In this post, we will provide insights into this solution and see if it is worth the investment. Let’s begin!

Myth: Lightning Fast Loading Speed

The benefit of Magento 2 PWA that is most mentioned is the loading speed improvement. Customers are getting more impatient so keeping the waiting time to the shortest is the key to keep them engaged in the store.

But Magento PWA extensions cannot complete this mission.

Those are installed in the backend and bring along new PWA features. However, the website structure remains the same and no elements are to support the loading speed.

If merchants want to optimize waiting time for online shoppers, the Magento PWA extension is something to cross on the list.

They need to look for other solutions like the Magento Progressive Web App theme which replaces the current website frontend with the PWA storefront and uses the new technology – Service Workers to minimize the loading time to only a few seconds.

Myth: App-like Experience

App-like experience cannot be limited to full screen without a URL bar. This definition extends to app-like features including separate design for mobile users, fast loading speed, push notifications, offline mode…

Most of these features are absent or unsteady in PWA extensions. So what Magento 2 PWA extension providers claim as an app-like experience is only a bigger screen to view and a shortcut on the mobile home screen.

If merchants hope for further enhancement, this solution might not be the answer.

Myth: Customization For Splash Page And Design

PWA extensions for Magento allows firms to make customization but not so much.

For the splash page and welcome page, merchants can change the background color and logo only. Other factors on the page stay the same.

With the PWA design, only the main theme colour can be adjusted. These other elements are fixed.

This means the storefront would not be so unique and it may not be able to represent the store’s characteristics.

Brand recognition would be lower among consumers and the unattractive interface would seem boring for consumers and make it harder to raise store’s revenues.

Thus, the investment in Magento 2 PWA extensions might not be so effective.

If the original website is low in responsiveness and mobile-friendly level, there is nothing extensions can do to fix this issue.

The new website after extension might still fit computer users only and mobile users might still encounter serious inconvenience.

With the trend towards mobile shopping, developing PWA by extensions might be unable to support stores in gaining the largest market share in the eCommerce industry.

Myth: Independence From Internet Connection

Offline mode is available on Magento stores developed by using PWA extensions. However, some extensions select only some static pages to go offline.

This is not true with the PWA offline mode which is applicable for any preloaded pages. Any data that has been loaded before will be available for consumers to view in the absence of a network connection.

Myth: Responsive Across Operating Systems

PWA extensions work mainly on Android and Chrome. Websites viewing from iOS might suffer from unstable performance and some PWA features do not work so well.

Apple fans probably those who get the least from the up-gradation to PWA by extension.

This is not good news for merchants as well since Apple users account for nearly half of the world population. For developing and developed countries, the proportion is even higher.

It is not a wise decision to invest in a solution that cannot satisfy all store customers.

It’s time to reconsider your decision of using Magento 2 PWA Extensions for PWA integration

Magento 2 PWA extensions might not bring the best results like what some providers might say in their advertisements. The final result is not like what consumers expect from a PWA store.

Other solutions might be more costly and take more time to complete but the turnover rate can compensate for that issue.

The solution might only fit small businesses or stores not focusing on developing the eCommerce sector. Otherwise, merchants would soon realize that this solution would just waste time, money and effort.

We suggest using Magento 2 PWA Studio or integrating Magento 2 PWA themes as the alternative ways for building PWA for the store. These are the two best solutions and they both gain a lot of positive ratings from firms.

If merchants still have concerns relating to Magento Progressive Web App, feel free to leave the question below.