It can be tough to know where to start if you’re looking to have someone design and launch your Shopify Plus store. There are so many agencies out there that it’s hard to tell which ones will be able to help you reach your goals and which ones will waste your time and money. To ensure you make the right choice, follow these steps when hiring a Shopify Plus agency.
1) Do you have a development team?
We do! We’re here for you if you need something fixed or new features. Our team of developers, designers, and strategists come from different disciplines, so they can help with whatever needs arise. We can also help optimize your store through search engine optimization, marketing automation, and conversion rate optimization, to name a few.
2) Will you create mockups for me?
Mockups are typically done in Photoshop or Illustrator and provide your designer with a clear overview of what the final product will look like. This is especially important for e-commerce websites because they need to be able to show potential customers what they will see on the site. Having some mockups completed before your agency starts working can help ensure that all design decisions are made with your vision in mind, saving you time and money in the long run.
3) How often do you meet with clients?
The best Agencies are not simply limited to designing and building eCommerce stores for clients. They also provide ongoing support, offer domain expertise, assist with other tasks such as conversion optimization and even handle marketing initiatives. Regular meetings ensure that you achieve your goals together and grow your company over time. Meetings can happen virtually or in person. We’ve seen that clients benefit most from meetings occurring monthly (at minimum) when they include both strategic planning sessions and tactical sessions. We’ve noticed that clients benefit most from monthly meetings (at minimum) when they include both strategic planning and tactical sessions. If future face-to-face meetings are planned shortly, it’s also good to figure out how long each session will be so you can book time off if needed.
4) Are there any extra fees involved?
How many website projects have you completed? (questions should change based on the specific needs of the business)
How long will the project take?
What is your turnaround time?
Can you provide an estimate of the cost?
What is your agency’s process for bringing on new clients? (questions should change based on the specific needs of the business) How do you typically work with clients through the beginning, middle, and end phases of the website design process, and what are the stages involved in each of these phases? How do you ensure site consistency and branding throughout the site’s lifetime?
5) How long does it take for you to make changes to my store?
Once the agency completes its brief, our developers start coding right away. They don’t stop until the task is completed. We’ve had developers keep going until 2 AM to ensure everything gets done, with us being local. I’m not sure how much of an incentive there would be for them to do that when they’re thousands of miles away and have clients in other time zones to work on too.
I hope that’s helpful!
6) Do you offer 24/7 support?
At Cubo Creative, we love that our team is available 24/7. We know your business doesn’t always go according to plan, so we must be there when you need us most. We understand how frustrating it can be when technical hiccups prevent you from being productive and delivering the best customer experience possible. With our qualified team of experts fluent in front-end development and back-end functionality, your worries will soon melt away!
7) How many projects are you currently working on simultaneously?
We’ve been managing seven projects simultaneously, and I don’t think that’s unusual for an agency. It’s about how you work your time and processes as you grow. You also have to be committed to providing exceptional service to all clients, even on other projects with other clients. This doesn’t mean sacrificing the quality of work, just knowing when is the right time or person to contact so they can help with another project.
8) Do I need to provide content and assets before starting work?
When looking for the best agency to handle your ecommerce needs, one of the first things you should ask is if they charge you before beginning work. If so, ensure there are no extra costs for equipment or other supplies and any charges for additional hours worked. One more thing–make sure their refund policy is in line with yours! If not, that’s great; many agencies offer free consultations where they can learn about your project and then provide an estimate.
9) What’s your expected timeline for launching my store after I hire you?
The time it takes to launch your store will depend on how you set up your store. For example, if you already have an idea of what type of theme and template you want, the development team can help set up the shop as quickly as possible.
To get an idea of how long it might take for the developers to work with you on setting up your store, there are a few questions that we recommend asking first.
10) What’s your refund policy?
This is one of the most important questions you should ask any prospective agency. It will help you determine if the company has your best interests and can act as a safety net for unexpected changes. For example, your agency must refund you promptly if your account exceeds ten daily transactions. If they refuse or offer an unreasonable refund policy, think twice before moving forward with them.
