How to finalize an ecommerce web design package?

Before hiring an eCommerce web developer to build your online store, you must check his/her eCommerce package and ensure it has all the necessary items to run a successful eCommerce business. In other words, you must ensure that an eCommerce website’s cost is worth your business.

In this blog post, I am going to share some of the essential features that an eCommerce website package must include:

#1 Domain Registration/Web Hosting

The package must clearly state whether you will get a free domain and web hosting or need to pay for them.

Most newbie webmasters assume that an eCommerce web development package includes domain and web hosting, even if it’s not specified in the package. So, eCommerce website packages must mention this to avoid confusion and conflicts.

#2 Logo Design

Most business owners assume that the logo is part of eCommerce web development. Therefore, you must check with your web developer or web design company to see if they have included the logo design in your eCommerce website proposal.

Recommended post: 12 Essential services or items that you can expect from your website designer

#3 Basic On-Site SEO

In my personal experience as a web consultant, I’ve noticed that most web developers do not integrate basic SEO plugins/modules into the websites they develop.

Therefore, every webmaster/business owner must make sure that their website has at least basic On-Site SEO is done which may include (but is not limited to) meta tags, canonical tags, robots files, XML sitemap, SEO-friendly URLs, proper 301/404 redirection and interlinking between pages.

#4 Mobile Responsive

I don’t want to emphasize the importance of mobile responsiveness for an eCommerce website too much, especially in 2016, when most internet users use their smartphones to access online information.

However, I know that many web developers still don’t develop mobile-responsive websites for their clients. When their clients ask them to do so, they insist on paying an additional amount for that (this fact is based on my personal experience).

So, make sure that mobile responsiveness is included in the eCommerce web design package; if not, find another designer.

Recommended post: 5 Web design tips to ensure responsiveness of your website

#5 Blog

You must also check whether your eCommerce designer will develop a blog for your online store. A blog plays an essential role in interacting with your existing and new customers and achieving a high ranking on search engines.

Blog development is not a huge task, especially when building websites using open sources. Most CMS platforms provide plugins/modules for creating a blog. However, it’s always better to check if this feature is available in your web design package.

Recommended post: 5 Ways in which a blog can help you to grow your eCommerce sales

#6 Analytics

The analytical tool is another item that most web developers would not include in their website development packages.

You must also know that integrating a 3rd party analytics software takes just a few minutes. With this small task and update, you can measure your eCommerce website’s performance. So why not include this as a mandatory item for your web development?

#7 Payment Methods

Before you finalize an eCommerce web developer to build your store, you must check with them about the payment methods they will integrate.

By default, most web developers integrate PayPal with your eCommerce store to accept payments online. However, you may want to use local payment gateways, too. For example, many small businesses in Singapore prefer local payment methods like eNets, Smoovpay, etc.

Therefore, you must define your preferences and insist that your web developer include them in their proposal.

Recommended post: 4 Best payment methods to integrate with a WooCommerce website

#8 Shipping & Discounts

Depending on your business’s nature and strategies, you may require a flexible shipping system and discounted prices for your products.

It would be best to mention your plans and then ask your web developer to include these features in their proposal. E.g., you may wish to have different shipping costs per item, per order, or according to the shipment’s location.

Also, you may want to offer your customers discounts on a specific product, all products, a specific category, or a specific order value. Whatever the case, just mention it clearly in the eCommerce package.