The Insider Guide for Getting an Accurate Quote for OpenCart Services

Great web development and design is all about the details. Getting the most accurate quote for your custom service requires all of the details you can give us about the task you want us to complete.

The more effort you put in explaining your specifications, the easier it will be for us to comprehend your requirements in the way you mean them, leaving little room for errors and miscommunication.

Provide a clear and detailed overview

Our team needs as much detail as you can give about what is expected from the functionality, interface, performance, and design of the customization. Be sure to include the exact characteristics about the following subjects:

1. A text specification with a detailed description, covering all the features you want to receive
 

• Explain your idea. What problem are you trying to solve?

Example: I want to preserve my products in my cart for 1 week.

• Explain the user story

Example: I have placed products in my cart and I am closing down my browser. When I reopen my browser I would like to have the products in my cart.

• Explain if you need to be able to tweak the settings. This will most probably require an admin panel or you are okay with just setting them up once and leaving them like this.

Example: I need to be able to enable and disable the module whenever I feel right. Also, if I need I would like to be able to tweak the time duration for how long the products stay in customer’s cart.

• Mention the OpenCart version you have

Example: I am running OpenCart version 2.3.0.2.

• Are you using any third party modules already making modifications to your store?

2. A visual representation, like a mockup, screenshot or sketch showing us a clear perspective of your idea

Everything is explained better with visuals. Send us over a screenshot or another kind of visual presentation of your idea and exact specifications. For example:

Above is a screenshot of the back-end of how an OpenCart module looks like. It’s also very important to send us specifics about the expectations you have for the front-end part of your website. Something like this:

Highlight the elements you want to specify and add an explanation of what exactly you want to create, configure, modify, redesign or implement.

3. An example of a website, video or presentation that lets us understand how the software should interact with users

If you cannot find a better way to explain your requirements and the exact details of the custom service you want performed, the easiest way to do it is with an example. Show us a website you like and show us the exact elements you want to use, or the type of functionality you want to have in your website.

• Give us a URL to the website you want to use for an example

• Attach a screenshot showing each of the elements and your exact requirements

(Image source)

You are free to use any kind of materials that will help you explain your requirements better, and help us understand your exact specifications. This can also be in the form of a video, showing how a particular piece of software works. Something like this video tutorial:

One thing that is always part of the process of conducting an accurate quote, and later guaranteeing project success, is back and forth communication. Essentially, the requirements are a setting stage for what both sides can expect from the project. Always make sure to ask questions whenever you don’t understand something and get ready to answer whenever the other side needs more information.