The five-year anniversary of the Magento ecommerce platform happens this year. The company, owned by eBay after being acquired for a figure reportedly in the $180 million range, will host its annual Imagine Ecommerce conference in Las Vegas on April 8th-10th.
Ben Pressley, head of worldwide sales at Magento, took some time for a little question and answer session with EcommerceBytes about this year’s event.
EcommerceBytes: What factors have been foremost in helping Magento’s growth over the past year?
Ben Pressley: A number of factors have contributed to Magento’s growth over the past years. As consumers are increasingly empowered by unprecedented access to tools and information, ever-ready to experiment with new services and tailor them to what they want, merchants are increasingly looking for ever greater scalability, flexibility and speed to market without breaking the bank.
These trends have driven a strong upmarket demand for Magento’s Enterprise Edition among a growing number of large merchants in a variety of industries. Rapid adoption of our Magento Development Certification has also enhanced the size and expertise of our developer ecosystem, who continue to push the boundaries of exceptional quality implementations.
EcommerceBytes: Where geographically has Magento seen the most growth in the past year?
Ben Pressley: Magento has seen tremendous growth worldwide. We’ve witnessed the most substantial growth in North America and Australia, while we’re also seeing exciting results in Latin America and Asia.
EcommerceBytes: What industries in the U.S. and the UK have been the biggest users of Magento in terms of category (apparel, electronics, etc)?
Ben Pressley: Apparel continues to be Magento’s number one vertical, but we also have strong positions in home goods, food and beverage, technology and publishing. We’ve seen significant growth with pure play online retailers and great traction with branded manufacturers going direct-to-consumer.
EcommerceBytes: Who will be your main keynote speaker at this year’s conference?
Ben Pressley: John Donahoe, President CEO of eBay Inc. will be speaking at this year’s event. This year’s keynote speakers also include: Steven Levitt, Co-Author of Freakonomics, Jeff Jordan, Partner at Andreessen Horowitz, Jamie Clark, Adventurer and Storyteller, Roy Rubin, Co-Founder COO, Magento, Matthew Mengerink, CTO, Magento, John Lunn, Director, PayPal Developer Network, Jimmy Duvall, Head of Product Magento.
EcommerceBytes: How many people do you expect to attend?
Ben Pressley: The 2011 and 2012 Imagine conference sold out to over 1300 attendees, with a 250 person waiting list. We are expecting similar success this year. (Note – as of press time the 2013 conference is also sold out, with a waiting list available.)
