Having a successful online business is about more than simply offering products that people want to buy; building a top-notch website is just as important. After all, you need people to do better than just hit that “complete purchase” button; you need them to identify with your brand. And how do you accomplish this? By making sure your ecommerce site stands out for all the right reasons.
This being the case, most people end up using ecommerce development service providers such as WebCitz to make sure their business starts out strong. However, it’s important to realize that not all ecommerce development companies are created equal. Just like in any other industry, some companies deliver amazing results for a reasonable price, while others fail to meet expectations. So how do you tell the difference? There are a few key talking points that you should bring up when you’re getting to know an ecommerce development company; if they have the answers you’re looking for, they might be the ones who end up designing your ecommerce website.
- Are they transparent about the price?
It’s happened to everyone at some point. They want to get something, they find someone who’s offering a deal they like – and suddenly they find themselves paying way more money than they anticipated. This is equally true whether you’re having a website built, or you’re remodeling the guest bedroom; it’s best if you find someone who won’t rip you off.
If you’re worried about this happening with an ecommerce development company, the main thing to look out for is how complete their packages are. Probably the most common tactic is to offer a package that sounds complete, but leaves out something you’ll definitely need at some point. They’ll get halfway through the project, and then inform you that the budget needs to be expanded in order to complete your website. In order to prevent this, simply pay attention to what other companies are offering in their packages. There should be a lot of overlap between them, so if you see that a particular company is leaving out something that everybody else includes, that’s your sign to pick someone else.
- Do they prioritize deadlines?
It’s easy enough to see how dishonesty could cost you money, but what about tardiness? From a big-picture point of view, ecommerce development companies represent one of many moving parts that all need to stay on schedule if you’re starting a business. If one part of the process gets delayed, that will probably affect most of the other parts – and it’ll almost certainly cost you money.
Ask any company you’re talking to how well they comply with deadlines. If you want to play it safe, you could even have it written into the contract, or find a company that’s known for completing their projects on time.
- What’s their unique selling proposition (USP)?
Any company’s USP is essentially the answer to the question “what makes you better than everybody else?”. Most ecommerce development companies will have a USP, but it won’t always apply to your site. For example, an online business that sells high-end streetwear might prioritize the option to customize the site, while one that’s geared towards online auctions might prefer a water-tight guarantee written into the contract. To give you an idea of what to look for, most USPs will fall into one of the following categories: price, quality, selection, customization, originality, service, specialization, speed, guarantee, and convenience.
For some people, the USP they’re looking for is more subjective. Do they want to find the people who can do the best work for the lowest price, or does their budget have room for creative and original designs? Choosing which USP you like best isn’t always about the website; sometimes it’s just about what sounds most appealing to you.
- Do their reviews match the quality of their portfolio?
It’s easy to look at an ecommerce development company’s portfolio and think “I want that”. What those glossy pictures won’t tell you, though, is how satisfied the clients are with the company’s work. Even if you get the end result that you want, it’s still possible to regret choosing a certain company. Maybe they did shoddy work that needed corrections from someone else, or they failed to complete anything on time. It could be that they were just extremely unpleasant to work with. Whatever the case, this is why you shouldn’t just look at the portfolio; you should also check out the reviews.
The great thing about reviews is that, even if they don’t mention every positive thing, you can count on them mentioning most of the negatives. You can’t expect perfection from even the best ecommerce development companies, but if there are consistent complaints across the board, you’re probably better off choosing someone else.
- How well-qualified are their team members?
There are a couple of things you want to discuss. First, make sure you’ll be working with a team that’s certified to build ecommerce sites. Just because they brag about a couple of highly qualified team members doesn’t mean they all have certifications. Second, ask about how experienced the team members are. Once again, just because this person or that manager has 15 years of experience in ecommerce development doesn’t mean the rest of them do. There will be multiple people working on your site, and you want all of them to have both certification and experience in the field. And while you’re asking questions, it wouldn’t hurt to find out which technologies and platforms they’re experienced in. After all, that experience won’t count as much if they’re using an unfamiliar platform.
Finding the right ecommerce development company can be complicated, but knowing which questions to ask will help the process move more quickly.
Whether you’re starting at ground zero, or trying to narrow down the candidates on your shortlist, these questions may add clarity to your search. One thing’s for sure: when you’re looking at your brand-new ecommerce site, you’ll know it was worth the effort!