Release Notes May 2022
The NextChapter eCommerce platform is continuously updated and innovated. In these May 2022 Release Notes, we have listed a number of important improvements again for you.
These Release Notes concern:
NextChapter Core
Features & Modules
Integrations
PIM
OMS
Newly launched webshops
In addition to this, we are constantly working on further product development. So keep an eye on our blog, LinkedIn page and newsletter and you’ll won’t miss anything. Would you like to know more about the release notes or their implementation onto your webshop(s) and channels? Please contact us.
1) NextChapter Core
Platform performance and pagespeed
In the past 3 months we have achieved excellent results in platform performance and pagespeed scores. Our development team, led by the CTO and one of our lead developers, is carrying out a step-by-step plan that significantly improves the technical performance of the platform. In general terms, we can say that all webshops that are delivered from the NextChapter Platform, have become 5x faster in technical response times (measured in milliseconds) and mobile pagespeed scores have doubled on average. We will continue to work on this in Q2 so that the platform will become even faster.
NextChapter API
We have released new API's over the last 3 months for products (PIM), stock (SIM), orders, returns and cancellations (OMS) and newsletter subscriptions. We are testing the API's extensively before they become public. In one of the next release notes we will explain more about the new API's in detail.
2) Features and Modules
Facebook Conversion API
Traditionally, the measurement of Facebook ad results could be done with cookies (Facebook pixel). However, because of the worldwide ban of third party cookies by (amongst others) Apple, it's becoming more difficult to measure your Facebook advertising results correctly. Apple doesn't accept third party cookies by default, which means users have to change their browser settings before they can measure behaviour correctly. The Facebook Conversion API is the new, serverside way of measuring ad results, on top of the Facebook pixel. Would you like to use the Conversion API of Facebook? Please contact us!
Buttons in sliders + theme images
Many webshops want to show buttons, titles and subtitles in their homepage images. Sometimes webshops Photoshop these themselves and the NextChapter Platform offered the option to add them via the backoffice. We have improved this functionality now: it's much easier to add buttons and titles (you only add text). Plus, this feature supports better pagespeed scores because of lazy loading. The number of buttons is unlimited. Apart from buttons, you can also manage titles and subtitles much easier.
More rich snippets via Schema.org
With rich snippets it's easier for marketing partners like Facebook to extract information from your webshop. The NextChapter Platform already offered these rich snippets using Schema.org. We now added extra rich snippets on the product page.
Tooltip in filters on lister pages
Sometimes a webshop sells complicated products. Their product search filters don't always speak for themselves. For example: running shoes have a filter called “Pronation”, but not all visitors know what Pronation means. Therefore, you can now add more information to a filter. This info will show in a pop-up when the webshop visitor clicks on an information icon at the filter.
More unit variables on productpages
In some industries it's common to show a price per unit. Besides showing a regular price per product, you can now also show a price per square meter (M2) or per linear meter (M1).
Stock warning feature
The stock warning feature helps webshops to emphasize urgency. Per product variant (like size) visitors will see a notification when only a few items are left. We made technical updates in the variant logic behind this, that makes this feature even smarter.
Micro copy in payment methods
It might be useful to show additional info for payment methods in the checkout. For example, for instructions about paying with giftcards. It was already possible to add micro copy to delivery methods. This is now also available for payment methods.
Store Locator
By default the store locator shows all stores in a range of 10 kilometers, from the place you search for, unless you manually select otherwise. This is useful when you have a high store density. International parties usually have stores more widespread in the world and prefer a larger kilometer range, to show results, despite the place you are looking for. Therefore, you can now search by default within much larger kilometer ranges (for example 1.000 km). A visitor can still manually change this.
3) Integrations
Mollie
The integration with payment provider Mollie has been updated and is now fully up to date again.
ChannelEngine for marketplaces
Selling through marketplaces is a fast growing business. Therefore we continuously extend the integration with ChannelEngine (the gateway to 200+ marketplaces). In this release we extended the return flow with pre-alerts.
TritonX
We performed updates in customer number logic in the tritonX (a CDP platform) integration which enables syncing guest accounts.
4) PIM
We have done several improvements and bug fixes again in the NextChapter PIM, Product Information Management.
5) OMS
Non-paid orders in allocation
Webshops with multiple stock locations often use NextChapter order allocation for managing their ship-from-store process. Normally, an order must have the "Paid" status before it can be allocated to a stock location. However, in some cases the order without this status, still has to be allocated. By this update, you can now manage whether an order should be paid first before entering the allocation process, or can enter this process right away without being paid.
6) New launches
Outdoorspecialist
Outdoorspecialist.nl is a new e-commerce platform, run by a collective of 10 large outdoor retailers in The Netherlands, specialized in outdoor products. By joining forces, they benefit a.o. from an accumulated inventory, shared product information management (PIM), order allocation and a personal vendor backend for each participating retailer. Customers can benefit from excellent products, advice and service. The webshop is integrated with the POS systems and webshop orders are shipped from the retailer store(s) (there is no central warehouse).
As NextChapter is an expert in e-commerce for retailer collectives, we are happy to have this brand new webshop in our portfolio. Outdoorspecialist is a concept of ANWR Garant, a large retail service organisation in the Netherlands.
13 Retailer webshops Runnersworld
Runnersworld (part of the EK Sport division of EK, formerly know as Euretco) is a franchise organisation of 13 retail stores in The Netherlands, specialized in running shoes and equipment. Runnersworld has a proposition focused on specialism, expertise and service. That's why their main objective is to connect their customers to local stores and build (personal) relationships throughout the "running career" of their customers. Besides the general formula website, containing product information and specialized content about running, Runnersworld launched 13 retailer webshops. Each retailer webshop offers the local store products and stock, and provides dedicated information about the retail store to increase a personal connection with customers.
No bugs
Issues and bugs in the platform are always directly fixed by us. Therefore the NextChapter Platform is completely bug free.
Contact
Do you have any questions about the Release Notes of May 2022 or their implementation on your webshop(s) and channels? Let us know. Check our previous Release Notes here.