E-commerce platforms are the backbone of online businesses. They need constant maintenance, upgrades and testing to provide the best user experience possible. That’s where developers for WordPressy come in. A great developer can help increase sales and help you stay competitive in a fiercely contested marketplace.
However, finding the right developer for WordPress can be tricky. Read on for sensible advice that can help you make the right choice:
1. Figure out your e-commerce website goals
Before you can hire the right developer, you need to know what work must be completed. Here are the prominent questions you should ask:
- What parts of the website need maintenance, upgrades and new ideas?
- How much money do I have to spend?
- What is the timeframe for the work?
- What are the website goals?
2. Check prior experience
Make sure the developer has direct experience with the e-commerce website. They differ from regular websites and require a different skillset. Please take a look at their portfolio to see what similar projects they have completed in the past. Ideally, they would have familiarity with your industry by having worked for similar clients.
Check to see if they have experience implementing the features you need adding. Relevant experience enables an e-commerce developer to hit the ground running instead of wasting time trying to figure things out.
3. Developer work process?
Find out how the developer will complete the work. Their work schedule should ideally line up with your timeframe. It will help meet website goals and have realistic expectations of work speed. You may be better off hiring a developer that has a free schedule to give your work the attention and priority it needs. Developers that have too much on their plate may take a long time to finish your work.
Ideally, the developer will be flexible to your required process and timetable. You’re the client and should command a certain degree of flexibility within reason.
4. Pricing model
Cost is an important consideration so you can stay within budget. Contracts can be broken down into two forms, which are fixed price and hourly:
- Fixed price: this contract type is excellent if you have a limited budget and want to know the exact cost of the job. Once the contract is agreed upon, there are usually no extra fees.
- Hourly: here, the developer will specify an hourly rate and possibly a rough estimate for time taken to complete work. However, the developer may log more hours if unforeseen problems arise.
5. Agree on communication
Project success depends on the quality of communication. Without it, the developer may not deliver what you need or work slower due to a lack of direction. Agree on productive communication channels and the frequency of contact. Constantly checking progress at the start is worthwhile to get the right result.
Closing thoughts
Hiring the right developer for WordPress is a big deal, and you can get it right with the advice above. They perform an essential role as e-commerce websites are the backbone of a business. Furthermore, countless things can go wrong, so constant maintenance is required to put out the fires that could be hurting your bottom line.
