Are you ready to launch your business online? Building your e-commerce website is the first big step you have to make.
Building a strong and positive web presence for your business can do wonders for its overall success. According to statistics, there are over 3 billion Internet users all over the world. 46.1% of the entire world population are on the World Wide Web, and one of the greatest ways to reach this large audience is through building an e-commerce website.
But, the question is, “How?” To help you out, here are questions you should ask yourself as your guide before looking for an e-commerce website design company for your business’s online success:
- What are my goals for my business when it goes online?
- What are the online needs and requirements of my business?
- Who is the target market of my e-commerce website?
- Which e-commerce websites am I eyeing for inspiration?
- How much budget do I have for e-commerce web development?
After figuring out the answers to this questions, let’s narrow down to the factors you need to consider in looking for an e-commerce website design company you can partner with:
Industry experience
A website design company that has a rich experience in the industry is a company to consider. Get to know their history, background, length of service and practice, and the number as well as the name of the clients they have served.
The length of the company’s service in the web design industry indicates their stability and credibility. A web design company’s years in business can give you an assurance that they are competent in partnering with clients like you. Their history can give you an overview of who they are – their staffs, their practices, and all. The number of the clients they have served is a good preview of how they complete projects.
However, there is another factor you should look out for regarding a company’s web design experience. If your goal is to build an e-commerce site, you should look for web designers with an e-commerce expertise. There is a huge difference between building and designing a company website and an e-commerce website. It is necessary to seek web design companies with established e-commerce experience and expertise.
Company portfolios
The portfolio provides an in-depth history and review of the previous projects a web design company has successfully accomplished. Thoroughly review and evaluate the actual e-commerce websites they have worked on. Observe the actual performance of these e-commerce websites – UX, SEO values, design, interface, loading time, mobile responsiveness, etc. And, above all, observe how their main site performs.
Also, take note that certain web designers showcase their style trademarks in the projects they work on. To avoid frustration, see if your e-commerce website preferences are aligned with the previous websites made by a specific company you are eyeing. Make sure that your answers to the questions we’ve listed above are compatible to the likeness of the line of websites of your e-commerce web design company choices.
Custom services
Even if basic web design is the primary service you’re looking for, you must also look for companies that offer other web services. Besides the basic web design services, other companies also offer service inclusions such as logo design, content creation, digital marketing, SEO, web hosting, maintenance, etc. However, you must note that some of this add-ons may incur additional fees and charges.
The success of your e-commerce website doesn’t only rely on its web design. Other factors such as the different custom services enumerated above also greatly contribute to the overall success of your business in the online world. Search for the best company that could cater to most if not all of your e-commerce website needs. A one-stop company that can cater to most of your e-commerce website needs is the best choice.
Customer help and support
Another essential factor to look for in a prospect web design company for your business is remarkable customer help and support. Companies that offer great services without an ongoing support and maintenance can give you frustration, wasted resources, and additional expenses. See to it that your choice of web design company offers ongoing and long-term professional support and maintenance included in their web design services.
A web design company you can count on for help and support can spare you from outsourcing additional developers to fix web issues you will encounter. There are some companies that offer promising support on their clients in the beginning, but as time passes, their commitment starts to mellow out. Make sure to partner with a company that can commit. This is also why it is smart to research a web design company’s customer feedbacks and reviews.
Clients’ reviews
Once you have found the top web design companies that address your e-commerce website needs, it’s time to do some background checking and research. Reviews and feedbacks from a particular company’s clients are valuable in your decision making. Get a load of each of the web design company’s customer reviews and feedbacks. With this information, you can assess how each company works and communicates with its clients.
Do not limit your research on the customer reviews in their website. The majority of companies only post positive reviews and feedbacks and keep the negative feedbacks to themselves. To view no-holds-barred information, search the web for client reviews on third-party sites such as forums, communities, etc. Take time doing your research to help you in making your decision of which e-commerce web design company to choose.
Pricing and rates
Get quotes from your prospect web design companies and compare their rates and project prices. Also, be aware that besides the fixed project prices, other extra charges may be added such as ongoing charges. Clear the scope of the web design packages and make sure to know what you will be paying for. Do not go for the cheapest services, go for the best deal. Make the most out of your money and resources.
Here are some pricing questions you should ask yourself when choosing the best web design rate for your e-commerce business:
- Are there additional charges for add-on services?
- Are there hidden charges?
- What are the particular limitations of the company’s web design service?
- Are there additional development costs?
Take ample time in choosing the e-commerce website design company you’ll partner with for the success of your business. Consider the above guidelines and be wise in making your choices. The future and success of your e-commerce venture lie in the palm of your hands.
