With as high as 39.5% of the world’s websites running on WordPress, it’s hard to go past the platform’s eCommerce offering if you’re looking to start selling online.
WooCommerce, launched in 2011 and now celebrating its 10th Birthday, has been widely adopted as the eCommerce industry boom continues. With a reputation for its easy installation, wide customisation options and freemium cost model, WooCommerce is a great choice many small to medium-scale businesses looking to get started with their online retail presence.
Why should I work with a WooCommerce development agency?
In starting your research around getting your WooCommerce store built out, you’ll likely encounter a range of freelancers, sole traders and agencies all fighting for your business.
While working with someone you’ve found on Fiverr or Upwork might seem like you’re scoring a bargain, there’s a difference between cost and value when it comes to WooCommerce development.
Many of the solutions you’ll find on these sites will only offer customisation of existing WordPress themes, with the end product limited in functionality and design.
While these will be quicker to put together, these sites are harder to scale as you’re limited to the basic functionality of the out-of-the-box WordPress design.
A custom WooCommerce site does involve more of an investment in terms of time and budget, but you’ll futureproof your online store by ensuring your site can grow as your business does.
Finding the right WooCommerce development agency is crucial for launching your online store successfully. Here’s what to look for in your prospective agencies to make sure you find the right fit for your business.
Case studies in WooCommerce development
To get your site to market in the most efficient and effective way possible, partnering with an agency with a proven track record can save you time, money and headaches.
When scouting potential agencies, look for examples of work within the WordPress and WooCommerce platforms and visit their clients’ sites to get an idea of the end product. You’ll be able to get an idea of the user experience that the agency can deliver, along with the level of customisation applied to the design.
Be mindful that an agency’s site portfolio is likely just a snapshot of their scope of work, so don’t be afraid to ask for a consultation and request examples that are relevant to your business.
Experience in conversion-driven design
It’s no secret that the eCommerce landscape is a competitive one – new online stores launch every day, and with platforms like Shopify making global markets more accessible, this competition is only set to increase.
So, a crucial step in your site’s WooCommerce development is a conversion-focussed structure. From your site architecture to your page design, every element of your site should be considered for performance – and your agency should be able to explain their approach and experience in delivering this for other businesses, too.
Another thing WordPress is known for is its powerful SEO plugins, so make sure your WooCommerce development agency incorporates a strategy to rank both your site and your product pages in search results, too.
Clear scope of project work
Another characteristic that’s a green flag when it comes to choosing an agency is a detailed quote that outlines exactly what is (and isn’t) included in the figure.
Unfortunately we often hear horror stories from clients about past experiences with agencies, who quote one price but then add extra charges for things like communication hours, revisions, integrations and maintenance.
Ensure the quote you receive not only covers all of these factors, but gives a realistic provision for them, too. If you’re building out a larger site, for example, then one round of feedback probably isn’t going to be enough for you to feel confident and completely happy with the final design.
Similarly, if your agency’s obligation to you ends the day your site goes live, then you need to make sure you get a detailed handover on the back end of WordPress, how this integrates with WooCommerce and any issues you could reasonably expect to experience down the track.
Your WooCommerce site will be the first impression of your brand for many potential customers, so it’s important that this impression is a good one. Spending some extra time researching your WooCommerce development agency at the beginning of your journey will pay for itself many times over down the track, both in revenue and in peace of mind.