My Renewed Affinity for Miva Merchant
MIVA, Inc. nearly ran the Miva Merchant shopping cart right into the ground. The new owners are like a breath of fresh air.
Those who’ve studied the stock of MIVA, Inc. have a decent idea of the company’s lack of understanding when it comes to providing services people want and need. Their lack of support of the Miva Merchant shopping cart probably didn’t play much of a role when it came to stock prices, but it certainly hit users’ and partners’ wallets just the same. Until last August, we were convinced this once-great shopping cart had no real future. Then, like knights in shining armor, came two people who saw the ‘endless possibilities’ many of us already new. They set out to make it one of the best carts on the market, and they’re off to a good start.
This past weekend I sat amongst nearly 300 Miva Merchant users, developers and partners, listening to the new owners of the ecommerce software talk about the immediate changes being made since acquiring the shopping cart software this past August, and the plans to take the product to a competitive level. Those involved in third-party development, along with users of the software had reached the point of (presumptively) no return, as Miva Inc (formerly FindWhat) dragged the shopping cart software into an abyss—from which many of us feared it would never emerge.
Those who read my weekly blog at this site have learned my story about the financial and functional duress my company endured as a result of not paying close enough attention to the people I selected to get the job done. What I haven’t shared is the financial struggle many Miva Partners endured over the past few years, during which time the software’s former owners treated the cart like a disposable diaper. Many developers actually moved onto (or at least branched out into) other platforms, including competing shopping carts. Some of us vowed to stick by the Miva Merchant cart—even if that meant we’d essentially rely on the needs for customization and development by even a small number of users.
Back to the bigger picture, and for the reason I feel the need to toot a horn that most professionals thought was so out of tune that attempting to fix it wasn’t worth the time. I am completely awed by what this new company has achieved in such a short period of time.
I’ll admit, I was still a bit skeptical in the weeks leading up to the Miva Merchant Conference in San Diego. I had faith in the new owners, and even our brief conversations instilled belief that their intentions were true—they want Miva Merchant to be the best shopping cart on the market, while also supporting the third-party development community. I have, however, heard such guarantees before, both in past private conversations with the powers-that-be, and at previous Miva Conferences. I can’t tell you how many empty promises were made over the years. The annual conference had, for lack of a better description, become a ritual I performed simply to keep my name on the list of supporters. It was strictly a business move as, each year, I’d spend the better part of $2,000 to attend while progressively meeting with less and less people. (I believe the last conference under Miva Inc’s direction garnered only about 80 attendees, half of which were developers and partners). I, like other developers, come to conferences like this to learn, but also to network and build new business relationships. My annual attendance had turned into little more than a tax write-off.
Until now. For the first time in years I feel like management sees not only the big picture, but also why the Miva Merchant shopping cart is even still around. CEO Russ Carroll thanked third-party developers and partners for not only keeping the software alive, but also noted that had he not witnessed the devotion of the development community, he would have walked away from the prospect of purchasing the software. His bold statement (I say bold because most companies don’t much care for giving credit to those who operate outside their own walls) garnered great applause.
While introducing the new management, Russ called the current Miva Merchant employees to the front of the room. I watched the attendees around me, mouths agape, as a horde of people made their way up. And I realized right then that the statements the new owners were making were not empty promises—in fact, they avoided using the word “promise” entirely. They freely pointed out previous and current problems, and openly conveyed their plans to address such, including bringing support back in-house (done within a week of the ownership change). All I’ve ever wanted from management of the Miva Merchant cart is a commitment to the users and partners. The new Miva Merchant company has committed to more, having obviously invested a great amount in its creation of new jobs for qualified people.
I’d been excited in anticipation of the conference since August, yet held back going public in fear I’d be dodging the bullets of non-believers (their lack of faith was totally understandable); or that I might be forced to eat my own words.
Rick Wilson, Executive Vice President, is the former VP of Sales and Business Development of the former Miva, and he personally watched FindWhat (and MIVA, Inc) consistently shove users, developers and hosts aside, launching ridiculous programs and channels that left those of us in the know up in arms. So-called money makers like Miva Merchant Fast Track and Express never had a chance because the implementation was shoddy at best, and MIVA’s web design outsourcing program was an utter failure. Couple these with the outsourcing of support to India, and by the beginning of 2007, many partners saw only darkness at the end of the tunnel.
Ill-fated attempts to corner the marketplace (all the while further ruining relationships with partners and users) were among the first things new ownership tossed out the window. It was a smart move. Russ and Rick see the value in Miva Merchant and their plans actually rely on third-party development. That’s good news for the small guys who toughed it out and actually kept the cart afloat, as well as for end-users, who can expect to see necessary features rolled out in version 5.5. In addition, with Miva Merchant Payment they’ll be able to provide competitively priced payment services and finally, turn the Miva Merchant product back into a profitable business.
Never have I returned from a Miva Merchant conference so enthusiastic and excited about the future. It will take long hours and hard work on all fronts, but those committed to its success (and that includes the third-party development channels) will finally begin to reap the benefits promised to us in years past.
The ones who stand to profit most, however, are the store owners. With partners now having direct communication with Miva Merchant department heads and developers, along with upcoming features, users can expect to obtain better support and more add-ons, and will have less concerns about buggy upgrades. In years past, it was a constant struggle to keep up with ever-changing software updates and self-reliant workarounds to bypass bugs that went long-ignored. In the not-too-distant future, Miva Merchant users will be able to take those long-planned days off and vacations, without needing to hover over their stores, wondering what’s going to go wrong next. Now, when issues are discovered, they can expect fixes to roll out quickly. Fixes, I’m certain, that will work.
As the ‘08 conference came to a close, I thanked Russ, Rick and the rest of the crew one more time, and took leave for the airport. I thanked them for a great conference (the educational sessions surpassed those of years prior) and for both being open about their plans, and understanding about our concerns. They realize what partners and users have known all along—that the success of Miva Merchant is dependent upon everyone involved. What I really should have said was, “Thank you for buying this company.” And it would have been from the heart, because had they not stepped in, those of us who stayed the course all this time would have had to deal with the harsh reality of the world of Miva Merchant coming to a bitter end.
This post is filed under Developers' Corner and has the following keyword tags: Miva, shopping carts.
