eCommerce is predicted to increase at a minimum of 6.3 percent every year as a whole. User penetration will reach 82.2 percent by 2024, up from 77.3 percent in 2020, according to Statista. The retail apocalypse and a worldwide pandemic have boosted eCommerce growth.
Considering the data above, it’s high time that companies should start investing in eCommerce because this is what will hold the future for the coming 20-30 years.Â
Choosing an eCommerce agency can be a tricky task; you don’t want to invest your money, time, and efforts into someone who doesn’t understand your business and your short and long-term plans. What you need is not just another agency that works for your money, but an extended support team that believes in your plans and understands your requirements.
Choosing the wrong agency can give you a hard time and lead to a waste of money and efforts by putting you in a position where you can’t change anything and can’t get your desired revenue back. This is the reason why one must do thorough research on some factors before finalizing an eCommerce services agency.
Table of Contents
Following are the factors one must consider while choosing an eCommerce services provider-
1. Experience & knowledge about your business
The first and foremost factor which you must consider is whether the agency has enough experience dealing and working with prior clients in the same industry you are in. If yes, then this will not only help you, but it will also be beneficial to the agency as they will understand your business in no time and will start showing results much faster.
Your industry has its own unique problems and culture, and not every other agency will be able to relate to what you are going through. Expecting your agency to have prior knowledge about your business and industry is a fair enough demand. If the agency meets these particular criteria, then you can add them to the list of shortlisted agencies.
2. Robust Operations Team
One of the strongest factors to look for while deciding with whom to go forward is the team that works at the back end, yes, the operations team. These people are the soul of the business who works directly with their clients on a day-to-day basis, solving eCommerce problems.
Do keep a check on the people who are going to work on your project. The easiest way to do that is to check their experience on LinkedIn. Also, one can refer to the blog section (if they have one) on their website to get an idea about their internal team’s expertise and the services they cover.
3. Check Agency’s Portfolio
Examples of past work with clients and their success stories are also a great way to understand how well the eCommerce services agency provides services and meets expectations.
The credibility of agencies is evaluated mainly by their past projects and the trust of their clients. If you want to take a call on the basis of the agency’s past performances, then specifically ask for success stories for the particular service you are interested in. This will give you a fair enough idea of whether you want to go ahead with them or not.
4. Just another Agency or your partner?
Let me put this question straight, is eCommerce even a significant part of your business? Do you see a future in eCommerce? If yes, then you don’t want an agency to expand your business but a partner who understands your business and your offerings.
If you want the best results from an agency, then you must go with your guts that they will do their best to help you accomplish your goals.
5. Agency promising you everything! Is it even possible?
When you are in search of an eCommerce services agency, you will probably end up speaking to dozens of them to be able to choose the one that fits your requirements.
But are there any who are promising you everything irrespective of your demands? My suggestion is to stay away from them. A smart agency is one that will listen to your requests & expectations, and then they will commit to what is possible and what is out of their league.
Some eCommerce service agencies will accept everything, just to take your project, probably at unrealistically smaller fees too, but those are the ones who will not deliver as promised. Never go for this option just because it is cheaper and promises you the world!
You might end up making a big mistake. Always choose the one that gives you enough time to understand your business and your requirements first, and then provides you with a customized proposal based on those needs.
6. Agency Charges
The last factor to consider before finalizing an agency is to check if the agency’s charges match your budget. Ensure that you are taking into account the total cost that is going to be incurred both pre and post-hiring of the agency.
See to it if there are any hidden charges to be paid that are not laid out in the contract. Of course, agencies will charge more, but after careful examination, you will find some of them to be worth it. Every extra penny invested in them is going to make your life easier.
Closing Thoughts
In the end, you need to balance your expectations and the current budget you have. You cannot blindly opt for every other service that the agency is pitching to you. Make sure that you prioritize your requirements and make the best decision possible.Â
Choosing the right agency is not an easy task. A lot goes behind finalizing one. Ask these questions yourself before taking that final call-
- What is my priority at this moment? Does it add any value to my long-term goals?
- Is the eCommerce services agency an expert in eCommerce services or just another jack of all trades organization?
- Ask as many questions as possible. They are not going to charge you for it.
- Compare and review all of them multiple times.
- Decide on the balance between cost and quality.
We hope that we were able to make this process a little easier for you. If you are looking for an eCommerce solution & services provider who can support you with end-to-end ecom solutions by being your extended support team, feel free to connect with us. Request a demo from the right floating button or drop us an email at info@paxcom.net.
