Hi mate,
The prices could be different for many reasons, but don't just assume that the more expensive will be better or that they are trying to rip you off.
The more expensive quotes might be because they are custom building the cart while the lower prices might not be. (Ahtough the lower prices may be custom created as well) A custom built cart by a good programmer will always be better that existing software customised to your site. Ideally, a cart should be built around the site, not the other way round.
Other things that might affect pricing are whether the company is a single person working from home with little overheads, or a large company with offices and higher overheads. Both have their advantages, with the biggest for the smaller company being that you are likely to get more one on one support.
Some things to ask would be:
[li] Links to previous sites of this type that they have created and if none, then a link to any e-commerce site that they have created. Make sure that they know what they are doing, you don't want to be a test case that goes wrong. Be aware though that these sites may have been updated by the client since it was created, so anything that looks terrible might be outwith the developers control, it may have looked good when they built it.
[li] Full pricing. If tax applies to the transaction, make sure that the prices including tax are given to you. Some companies quote minus tax, while others quote including tax. Get it in writing that there are no other costs involved to complete the project, other than any extra work you ask them to complete.
[li] Ask them if the work would require a contract to be signed. If they say no, walk away fast.
[li] Get fixed timescales from them. They should give you a date for you to supply final content and then another date for full completion of the project. You would be better giving them an idea of what date you would be looking to start this, so that they can give you a proper date, rather than saying a timescale and having to change it later because they have too much work on at the time.
[li] Will you get an administrative section so that you can add/edit/remove products yourself? Unless you are willing to pay them for every change to your site, make this a requirement in the request for the quote. If they won't supply you with one, ask for full pricing to make updates and minimum work terms. (They may charge £5/hour, but require a minimum of 5 hours each time)
If they reply to any of the above with an answer that you don't quite understand or it seems vague, ask them to explain it in detail. If they want your business and care about their business, they will not hesitate to do this.
Hope this helps
Wullie
The pessimist complains about the wind. The optimist expects it to change. The leader adjusts the sails. - John Maxwell
