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Posted by dani cass on November 18th, 2011

Assess your needs and choose a specialist agency for your requirements.

The first and perhaps the most important thing you need to do before you choose a web design company is to think about what you want and need from your website. Make a list if the features and functionality you require (you can find tips about things to consider in our blog ecommerce & seo: the important part you play).

Different web designers specialise in different types of websites on many different platforms. If you decide your business needs an ecommerce website, choosing a specialist ecommerce web designer will mean that you get the best possible solution. Impact Web Solutions specialise in building Magento ecommerce websites. The Magento platform is a robust system offering a wide range of add-ons to cover pretty much any function you can imagine.

As specialist Magento Web Designers, we have an expert understanding of the platform, its capabilities and how it can increase sales for your business.

Visit our demo Magento Commerce store.

Does the company focus on how your online store will increase your sales?

The main purpose of an online store is to make money for your business. Is the Magento Web Designer talking about your sales and return on investment; or are they just focusing on pretty designs and the latest technology?

Impact Web Solutions have over 10 years’ experience of building ecommerce websites that focus on increasing your conversion rate and making you sales while you sleep.

Do they have a portfolio/examples of previous work?

Any established Magento Web Design Agency should be able to provide examples of work they have completed for other clients.

Although you may require something completely different, viewing their portfolio will give you an idea of the standard of work, the type of clients they’re already working with and their ability to complete a project.

Remember, a poorly designed or developed website can be detrimental to your business and actually reduce your conversion rate, by checking out their previous work you can become more familiar with how their designers and developers work and decide whether they are right for your business needs.

Can they provide details of clients you can contact for a reference?

The best advert for any company is a happy customer and if they are doing a good job they should be able to provide details of a few clients that you can contact for a reference.

Speaking to their existing clients gives you the opportunity to find out whether they are reliable, proactive, responsive and stick to agreed budgets.

Have they worked with similar sized companies to yours?

It is important to discuss with your Magento ecommerce web design company the size of their existing client companies to determine whether they have the experience and resources to handle your project effectively.

If you’re a small business, are they able to provide examples of other small businesses they have worked with and demonstrate how their business has grown as a result of their ecommerce website? If they are used to working with large businesses, will the services they provide be suitable for your small business needs?

If you’re a large business, do they have sufficient resources available for your project?

Do they have a separate web designer and web developer to work on the project?

There are many amazing web designers out there and lots of very skilled web developers but they don’t always cross over all that well. Make sure that the agency you choose has a separate designer and developer to work on your project.

Check that the developer has all of the skills necessary to create everything that you want to include in your website. The Magento Commerce platform has a vast range of extensions available to provide all kinds of functionality but if there isn’t an extension available are they able to build one for you?

Check whether the designer will create designs specific to your companies’ requirements or will they be working with premade templates that restrict how the design can be changed? How many concept designs will the designer provide?

Are they local?

Choosing an agency that is local to your business will make it much easier for you to contact them and to keep up to date with the progress of your project.

If the company is local, you will be able to meet with them face to face giving you access to various members of the team ensuring the project keeps flowing. Visiting their offices will also give you a chance to see where and how they work and to get a feel for the company as a whole.

If they will be providing support for your company, being local also ensures they are available during your working hours which is essential for fixing any bugs with the least amount of inconvenience to your customers.

Is the work completed inhouse or outsourced to a third party?

This is an important one. If you choose a company because they are local and they outsource the work to a company in India it kind of defeats the object.

Ask your ecommerce web designer if any aspects of your websites development are outsourced and if so, what kind of affects this will have on your project. Does the company they are working with complete the work quickly, do they provide regular updates to your Magento web designers and what happens if they can’t complete the project i.e. do they have a backup?

How will you be kept up to date with the progress of your project?

Regular updates will allow you to keep up to date with the progress of your Magento website project. Will you have a project manager or an account manager that you can contact to discuss your project with?

What is the payment schedule?

This is an important question for two reasons.

1. We have spoken with many companies who have paid a web designer the full amount up front to create a website never to hear from them again. Not only does this leave the company without a website, it also leaves them out of pocket – often affecting the budget they have to pay another company to create what they thought they were going to receive originally.
   Paying for the website in more than one instalment, e.g. a deposit and a payment on completion of the website means that if the worst should happen, you still have something in reserve to complete your project with another company.
2. We all know that the current economic situation is a little dire and that many companies are being forced to close for whatever reason. Again, paying by instalments will give you that extra peace of mind.

Honest, well established companies that have no doubts about their ability to deliver should be willing to accept payment by instalments. If the company demands full payment up front, you should consider carefully whether they are the right company for your project.

For more information about creating a Magento Commerce website with Impact Web Solutions, visit http://www.studio2online.co.uk/e-commerce.php or call us on 0116 2758456.

Dani
Impact Web Solutions
Magento Web Design