An e-commerce site is more complex than a regular business website, it touches payments, inventory, customer data, and ongoing operations. Choosing the wrong partner here doesn't just mean a bad-looking site; it can mean lost orders, security issues, or a store you can't scale later. Here's what actually matters when evaluating a company.
Ask which platforms they specialize in (Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, custom builds) and why they'd recommend one for your specific catalog size, not just the platform they always push regardless of client needs.
Don't settle for screenshots. Ask for 3-5 live stores they've built, ideally with similar order volume to what you're planning. Add a product to cart, go through checkout (without paying), and check mobile speed.
Ask specifically how they handle PCI compliance, SSL, and secure checkout. This is not optional for an e-commerce site, and a company that can't answer clearly is a risk.
Your store today isn't your store in a year. Ask how they handle traffic spikes (sale days), adding new payment methods, or expanding product categories, and what that costs later.
Confirm you own the store, the product data, the customer data, and admin access, not just a design that sits inside their proprietary system.
E-commerce sites need more ongoing attention than a static website: security patches, plugin updates, uptime monitoring. Get this in writing, including cost after the free support period ends.
Vague answers about security, no live store examples, pressure to sign before you've seen a proposal breakdown, or a price that seems too low for the complexity you've described.
If you're comparing e-commerce development quotes and want a second opinion on whether one stacks up, send it over, we'll give you a straight read on it.
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