Things to consider before hiring an OpenCart developer

With the increase in the demand for OpenCart developers and with thousands of developers around, hiring a skilled and experienced one can be a daunting task. Here are the most crucial things you need to consider before choosing an OpenCart developer for your next project. 

 

OpenCart powers millions of e-commerce websites and it offers plenty of benefits, one of which is the availability of a wide range of extensions that makes it a great choice for online store development. If you are also planning for your e-store development and are looking for an expert and certified OpenCart developer then here are some tips for you. As finding the ideal developer can be a little challenging, here are a couple of things you need to consider to make the right choice of developer for your project. 

 

Here’s the checklist you must remember while hiring your OpenCart programmer. 

 

Consider the experience the developer has in OpenCart development:

When it comes to hiring a developer for an OpenCart project, experience matters a lot. 

A less experienced or a beginner in the field who may quote you a lower development cost may also make you face project-related issues like delay in project completion, lots of errors and bugs on the website, and inability to implement certain complicated yet demanding features into the website. Therefore, before handing over your OpenCart project to a developer, make sure to enquire about the total years of experience of the developer in OpenCart development. It is suggested to work with the ones who have at least 3 to 4 years of working experience in the field. 

 

Ask the developer how he or she takes care of the OpenCart website's security:

Though OpenCart is a highly secure platform, it is essential to implement and take the best security measures to ensure complete website protection against hacking, external threats, malware, and all viruses. Ask the developer what security measures he or she takes and which security tools he or she uses. And of course, these skills will not be possessed by a newbie in the field, which is why in the first point it is already suggested to choose someone experienced for your project no matter whether you are getting a new website built or you are redesigning your existing site. Every eCommerce site stores some sensitive data like customer details, payment info, transaction or banking details, etc. And this makes it important to consider this particular point. 

 

Ask how many successful OpenCart projects the developer has delivered:

It is not just about the experience that matters when it comes to choosing an OpenCart developer but it is also about how many successful OpenCart projects the developer has delivered before and what kind of eCommerce projects he or she has created previously. Also, ask to show some of those work samples.  This will give you an idea about the quality of work and whether he or she has any experience in your kind of e-store development or not. 

 

Ask about the charges or the development cost:

For all eCommerce business owners, especially startups, the budget and the developer’s charges matter. And it is not possible to spend a huge amount on website development. It is hence important to find a developer who can offer budget-friendly OpenCart development solutions that can not only fit the client’s budget but can ensure a high-quality project as well, meeting all the client’s requirements and expectations. Share your project requirements with the developers and get an estimated price for it. Compare the prices given by different developers and then make a wise decision. 

 

Ask whether the developer has expertise in OpenCart extensions customisations:

There are many OpenCart developers who know very well how to install and set up an OpenCart website and how to install and configure its extensions as per the project requirements. However, customising the extensions is necessary as your website may not need all of the thousands of OpenCart extensions. Hence, make sure the developer you are choosing has expertise in OpenCart extension customisations as per your business specifics. 

 

Ask the developer when can he or she start and how soon he or she can deliver the project:

It is suggested to ask the developer when he or she starts the project and how soon he or she can deliver the project. You must be having a timeline for your project and may want to launch the website after a certain time. This makes it important to talk about it with the developer before hiring. If you have a tight deadline for your project launching, ensure to choose someone who can start the project soon and can deliver it before the deadline. For this, choosing a programmer who maintains a proper time management strategy as per the requirements is always a good idea. 

 

Ask whether the developer offers post-development or website maintenance services or not:

Website development doesn't end once it is just developed. It's an ongoing process and needs continuous maintenance to stay updated and to cope up with the advancements in technologies. That's the key reason why you will need continuous support from the developer even after the development of your website. 

 

Jonathan Paul is a dedicated and certified OpenCart developer associated with a leading OpenCart development company in Australia, PHPProgrammers. The author has written this article to help you choose the right OpenCart programmer for your next project considering the most important skills and abilities.