If you’re planning on starting up an ecommerce website, you’ll need to offer more than high-quality products or fast shipping services; you should also offer an awesome website. There are certain things that users expect from ecommerce sites, but if you don’t hire a trustworthy Woocommerce web design agency you could end up with a sub-par website that actually hurts your sales.
How can you know you’re hiring the best company, though? It isn’t too hard, but you have to know what to look for first. There are plenty of ecommerce development companies that don’t prioritize client satisfaction; they could cut corners, delay your website launch with missed deadlines, or simply turn out to be difficult to work with. You could also shoot yourself in the foot by choosing the wrong company for your website’s area of focus. For instance, going with someone who specializes in fashion-related ecommerce sites, when you’re selling camping equipment. Not all ecommerce development companies are the same; below you’ll find 5 talking points to go over with any company you’re thinking about hiring.
- What is their USP?
Every ecommerce development company will have a USP (unique selling proposition); the question is whether or not that’s a good fit for your website. They should be able to tell you why they’re a better fit for you than their competitors, and what they’ll be able to offer for your site. If you want your website to stand out from all the others, this is where it starts – and you want to make sure you’re starting out on the right foot.
Do you want something that makes your brand look as iconic as possible? Maybe a company that specializes in originality would be the best choice. Are you on a deadline? Find someone who makes speed a priority.
As a point of reference, here are the most common USPs of ecommerce development companies: guarantee, specialization, service, selection, quality, price, convenience, speed, originality, and customization. Since several of these USPs could apply to your ecommerce site, you’ll have to consider other factors before making a decision. Even so, this is one of the most important things to get right.
- How qualified is their workforce?
Here’s something to keep in mind: every ecommerce development company will claim that their workforce is qualified to do the job. That’ll be true for some of them, but with others, it’ll just mean that all of their employees have at least six weeks of experience. How can you tell the difference? By asking for specific details.
First, ask about certifications. Have the members of their workforce been trained and certified to do the work they’re offering to do, or are they self-taught? Being self-taught isn’t always a bad thing, but it does come with considerably less assurance that they actually know what they’re doing.
Second, ask about experience. Certification is definitely a priority, but then you don’t want an entire team of certified newbies putting your ecommerce site together. Even if some of the team members are highly skilled, there’s no guarantee that they’re actually going to be the ones spending time on your website; that’s why you should ask about everyone, not just team leaders or supervisors.
- Do they have a robust portfolio and good reviews?
A portfolio will be one of the fastest ways to weed out the companies you definitely don’t want. A picture is worth a thousand words, and all the assurances in the world won’t be enough if you don’t like the look of their clients’ websites. Yes, they should be able to follow your vision, but your website will also be heavily influenced by the tastes and style of the people who build it; that’s why looking at their portfolio is crucial.
Then there are the client reviews. An ecommerce development company can pick and choose the best examples of their work to go into a portfolio, but there isn’t much they can do to influence which online reviews you see. If the company doesn’t meet deadlines, is difficult to work with, or is otherwise problematic, you can bet that this will be mentioned somewhere online. No company will have absolutely perfect reviews every time, but you’ll be able to tell if there’s something they consistently fall short in.
- Can they stick to deadlines?
Expecting people to meet deadlines isn’t just a matter of how patient you are; an ecommerce development company that’s holding up the progress of your website could actually cost you money. Developing an online business takes a lot of collaboration, and if one party is holding up the rest, it could actually extend deadlines (and increase the amount of money you’re paying) for everyone else. If this is a concern for you, see if you can find a company that promises speed as their USP. Either that, or make sure there’s a clear deadline specified in the contract.
- Are they transparent about the cost?
Here’s something else you want outlined in the contract: how much you’re going to pay. If you hire an ecommerce development company that isn’t as legitimate as they say they are, you could end up signing a contract that leaves out a few key parts of web development. Then, once they’re halfway through the project, surprise! They want more money – and it’s for stuff that you definitely need.
This is pretty easy to prevent; just ask for a list of everything that’s included in their quote. Get this list from several companies, and compare them. If you notice that one company doesn’t include something that the other ones do, they might be trying to rip you off.
Ecommerce development is something that most people spend a healthy chunk of money on, so you should be prepared for the expense. What you shouldn’t have to deal with, though, is going over budget because of a dishonest company. Once you have the necessary background information, hiring an ecommerce development company might not be as complicated as you thought it would be.
