Launching an eCommerce business could be challenging, especially when there are many options available in the market. These can confuse budding entrepreneurs to start an online store. If you are one of them, you are at the right place. Here we have designed some questions that will take you out of your dilemma and assist in choosing a professional ecommerce development agency.
Most importantly, we have grouped your questions under subheadings to reach the right question at the right time.
Ecommerce Website Development Costs
You Can Also Read: Benefits of Responsive Website for Your Ecommerce Store
Budget is the biggest concern for every entrepreneur, moving from brick and mortar to online. Therefore, do not forget to ask these questions whether you are looking for Etsy, woo-commerce, bigcommerce, or Shopify web development company.
- How does your selected agency estimate your project cost?
- Can they offer you a fixed budget for your project?
- If any agency is charging more, ask, why are you charging more than others?
- What did their past deliverables cost?
Answering these questions will let you be aware of the estimated cost. Also, if some are offering services at cheaper rates, you can find out the reason. Probably, they don't have in-depth knowledge of the eCommerce industry, business, or products you are planning to sell.
My recommendation is not to hesitate to go with saving a few bucks, choose the market professionals that can build your brand image.
Experience Matters In Creating Ecommerce Websites
Knowledge is the key to building a 100% reliable ecommerce store. For this, experience has great significance. So, when you plan to choose a software development agency, do not forget to ask the below-mentioned questions.
- Can you show your references?
- What type of business or services are they serving?
- Do you have served similar industry projects?
Asking these questions has two major causes. Firstly you can be aware of their past experience whether they will be able to deliver your industry project or not. Secondly, an ecommerce platform development company will invest less time to get familiar with and deliver your project.
Even if you are looking for specific technology or functionality in your platform. Ask the company whether they have delivered projects in the same technology or functionality or not.
Steps & Time-Frame For Ecommerce Development
The timely delivery of a project is a crucial stage. If the company is taking so much time, you might be out of the business at the delivery stage of the project. So, prepare yourself to ask the underneath questions.
- What is the expected project delivery time frame?
- What is the probability for a project to exceed its time limit?
- What is the company's policy for projects that exceed the expected delivery date?
Generally, such situations hardly arise if you have chosen a reliable and professional web development agency. Still, it's better to be careful in advance than regret a decision.
Also, the time frame lets you estimate the company's working scenario. For instance, a company taking so much time to build a website may not be aware of technology norms. And they are taking time to understand technology. On the other hand, too tight deadlines may raise a question on project quality. In both cases, you can ask the company to give a valid explanation.
Post-Production Support From An Ecommerce Development Agency
As the platform development is essential, the same way cannot ignore the post-production scenario. There can be lots of questions to ask for post-production support. These could be:
- What services do you provide for post-production maintenance support?
- How do you charge in case of amendment or improvement in a project?
- Do you provide a project warranty?
- What is your policy for the ongoing project post-development phase?
So, the cost of building a platform is not a short-term cost. You have to look after your business and project needs in the long run. Bear in mind some agencies charge less for project development costs, but their post-production invoices can shock you. You can also look for companies offering maintenance services for a specific period of time.
Available Employees
Employees are the real asset for a business and play a crucial role in your project development. Therefore do not forget to raise questions on employees. You can ask;
- How many people will work on your project?
- How many active projects is your team handling?
- Do they have skillful manpower to handle your project?
- Does the company assure that they have experts to handle post-production projects and resolve issues instantly?
The mistakes can harm your future online business. Hence, it is essential to be careful when hiring the right people for the right job. You can also learn about their expertise. Like, if you want to choose Shopify plus platform for your business. It is crucial to hire a Shopify plus development company that employs Shopify experts only. It gives you the liberty to immediately resolve any issue.
Managing Your eCommerce Project
Efficient project management is only possible with a skilled project manager. Therefore, never forget to inquire about.
- Can I share my ideas with the project manager?
- Can I see a sample project to be sure before hiring?
These are the most asked questions before hiring an ecommerce platform development company. Spending time with the project manager can let you observe his skills and technical knowledge. Therefore, schedule one session with the project manager too.
Communication
Communication is one of the most important things for building business relationships. One needs to be aware of quick communication techniques to avoid project delays. Therefore, you should ask for:
- What types of communication mechanisms a company or agency is using?
- What is the communication hierarchy?
- How will the company inform you about project development stages?
Some companies clear these questions while building contracts. Still, asking these questions can build your confidence in the company. You can be more sure about the company, also you can suggest alternative communication modes that suit you the most.
In essence, it is illogical to demand an everyday project report for Shopify theme development, you can set weekly or monthly for your and the agency's convenience.
Other Questions
If something is missing, you can add it to your list to build a platform. Here are some questions for you:
- Do you work with any third-party designer?
- How do you test final product quality?
- What are your tech slacks?
These questions will give you another viewpoint about the project and ecommerce development agency. If something else comes to your mind related to certification, product, or services, clear every doubt.
Wrapping Up!!
We have discussed almost every question related to your ecommerce business query. Now it's your turn to choose a platform and an experienced ecommerce platform development company. Asking these questions lets you be aware of the company and its deliverables. Plus, you can save bucks by choosing a company offering post-production services too.