It is estimated that there are 12 million – 24 million eCommerce sites across the Internet. With the advance of technology and tools, building a site is getting easier and more accessible for everyone. However, less than 1 million of these sites sell more than $1.000/year, boiling down to a lack of technical knowledge and expertise. That’s where an eCommerce website development company comes in and brings benefits to your business. 

This article will go through the ultimate guide to hiring an eCommerce website development vendor. After reading this post, you can understand the characteristics of a good eCommerce site and some functionalities to consider when building it. 

1. What is eCommerce website development? 

E-commerce website development is building a site for customers to buy products/services online. Distinct parts of an eCommerce site include business pages, shopping carts, order forms, and support pages. 

According to Forbes, 20.8% of retail purchases are expected to take place online in 2023. With more customer shopping online, running an eCommerce website is not optional anymore but a must-have part of the business. As long as a customer has access to your business website, they can purchase from it, even if they’re on the other side of the world. In other words, if you currently have a local or national presence, you can still reach your target audience from various locations through the website. 

What is eCommerce website development? 

2. How much does hiring an eCommerce website development company in Singapore cost?

There are two main ways to create an eCommerce website: Use an eCommerce website builder or Hire an eCommerce website development company. Which one you choose can significantly impact how much money you have to pay. The cost of a website per month also depends on the website type, the site’s complexity, and the services you require. Generally, an essential website with hosting, security, and some additional services can range from a $5 to $50 monthly fee. More complex websites with custom design and development can range from $500 to $5,000 monthly.

The results of a good website design are worth its cost. You could come across some reasons in the following articles:

>>> Read more: Should invest in Shopify or your own e-commerce web design in 2023?

You can check the cost of each method below: 

2.1 E-commerce website builder 

An E-commerce website builder is the least expensive way to build an online store. It’s tempting to use free, open-source platforms, but you end up paying for hosting, themes, plug-ins, and even help from a developer if any problem arises.  

An eCommerce website development company is the least expensive way to build an online store

Here’s a rough breakdown of the calculation for creating an eCommerce website:

• Domain registration: $10–$30 annually
• Web hosting: $5–$250 monthly (depending on the hosting plan and provider)
• SSL certificate: $0 (complimentary with some hosting providers) to $200 yearly

E-Commerce website builders can range from $39 to $399 per month, depending on whether you have retail stores. 

2.2 E-commerce website development company

E-commerce website development companies contain teams of experienced developers. They will take charge of building and customizing the website the way you want. Of course, that makes website development houses cost you more than a builder, but you can reap the reward later. 

E-commerce website development companies contain teams of experienced developers

Prices vary depending on what services you need. For example, some development companies like OuterBox charge upward of $100,000 for a customization job. Other established Shopify agencies can cost between $5,000 and $20,000, depending on the scope of the work. Besides the two options above, you can also do it well by contacting an eCommerce website designer in Singapore. 

3. Outsourcing agency or in-house development team, which is the best option?

Outsourcing agencies or in-house development teams has been an endless debate for decades. Remember, each option has its pros and cons. In other words, deciding which is right is up to you. 

Let’s compare in-house versus outsourcing by looking at their pros and cons.

3.1 In-house team

The in-house development team refers to creating software within your company. You can assign a project to your development department, which includes a team of full-time developers with a fixed salary and other employment benefits. 

The in-house development team refers to creating software within your company

Pros: 

• You can be sure that you only hire the people you need
• You can closely monitor the effectiveness of business decisions
• All the team’s working time is dedicated to your project
• Your team’s involvement and concentration are undivided 
• You know what to expect and what you can demand from your employees
• You determine and regulate strategies and the budget 

Cons: 

• When you hire an in-house developer, you pay them a monthly salary even if they’re not doing anything.
• You need to be aware of how much work your team can handle and be able to select a replacement for those who leave quickly.

3.2 Outsourcing team

Software outsourcing is estimated to reach $430 billion by 2023. Outsourcing team is best for:

• People with little technical know-how
• People who need to have a professional website 
• People who want to develop medium-sized businesses

Software outsourcing is estimated to reach $430 billion by 2023

Pros:

• You don’t need to waste time recruiting specialists and building a development team.
• Professionals who work in outsourcing tend to highly value their reputation, making the maximum effort to achieve the best results possible.
• You pay much less than you would for the maintenance of an in-house team. 

Cons: 

• Your project is not the only one this team is working on
• You cannot closely monitor the project

4. 7 key factors to consider when hiring for an eCommerce website development company

Now that you know the outsourcing partner’s pros and cons, you should know what to consider when hiring a website development vendor. In this session, we will discuss how to select the best eCommerce website development company.

4.1 Look at the website 

When evaluating the ability of a software vendor, looking at their website will help. Through it, you can learn more about the company and its services, such as loading time, navigation, call to action, and Google Ranking. This would help you easily find a good eCommerce web design in Singapore. 

When evaluating the ability of a software vendor, looking at their website will help

4.2 Check the rating, reviews, and customer feedback

To know if the software vendor is reliable, reading reviews from other clients can be helpful. Running across the profile of the eCommerce website development company, from the rating section to customer reviews and feedback. 

To know if the software vendor is reliable, reading reviews from other clients can be helpful

4.3 Read case studies

Every eCommerce website development company has portfolios to showcase past projects. You can look for a case with the same demands and requirements as you expect in your project. Examining them lets you see the final product you might receive after the whole process. It helps you to analyze what you can expect from the developers. Moreover, with a portfolio, it’s likely for a website company to appear reliable. If they don’t, they are not confident in their previous work.

Every eCommerce website development company has portfolios to showcase past projects

4.4 Continuous support 

Most people must realize that they still need developers after launching a website. Website development is not like “shake your hand, receive money, and go away.” It is a long process of maintaining and keeping it functional. If you encounter any problem while running your website, having a developer team always on your side will be great.

Most people must realize that they still need developers after launching a website.

4.5 Transparent communication

Good cooperation is based on two-way communication, in which you and your vendor understand each other. In that sense, you know what to expect and what the process looks like in the project. For example, for an eCommerce website development company, it’s their job to understand the client’s needs deeply. As such, the developer can deliver the product according to your requirement. 

Good cooperation is based on two-way communication, in which you and your vendor understand each other

4.6 Time to Complete the Project

It’s a must to know the end of the project. If not, managing this process couldn’t be hardly more difficult. So, before putting your pen on the paper, ensure you know how much time is required to complete the website.

Ensure you know how much time is required to complete the website

4.7 Quality work with cost efficiency

You should prioritize the quality of service when hiring an eCommerce website development company. Due to the lack of a shipping cart page, your customer will leave you for others. To avoid this scene, the web development company must offer high-quality service to the customers. They must be able to provide customer service, development services, and web designing.

You should prioritize the quality of service when hiring an eCommerce website development company

4.8 Culture Company

Besides high-quality work, the culture company is also a significant factor to consider. The company culture reveals a lot about your partner, including the style of work, soft skills, way of communication, and how dedicated they would be to your project. 

A good company culture promotes the following:

• Honest communication
• Consistent workflow
• Accommodating employees
• Motivated teams
• Collaborative and accountable problem-solving

5. Sum it up 

There’s no denying that online shopping is prevalent in today’s day and age. In this market’s scene, businesses should have an excellent online presence. If you want to hire an eCommerce website development company, don’t hesitate to contact us!