Got questions?
FAQs
General
How does the process work?
Below is an outline of the general process which we follow when designing and building your website. For each deliverable you’ll be given a round of revisions to provide your feedback and request any changes. During the process, you’ll have direct contact with your Project Manager who will be able to answer any questions and provide assistance along the way.
Step 1: Agree delivery and feedback dates
Step 2: Complete our online forms detailing your requirements
Step 3: Receive your Free Logo Design pack and request any revisions to your favourite design
Step 4: Receive your website design concept
Step 5: Provide us with any revisions to your design concept
Step 6: Receive a link to your shiny new website and provide any revisions
Step 7: Go Live!
What happens if I'm not happy with the design?
During each key stage of the project, you’ll be given an opportunity to request revisions. We call these revision cycles. We’ve been building websites for over 11 years, so it’s actually pretty rare if we don’t hit the mark the first time round and we often find customers don’t have any revisions at all.
It’s important to remember that we’re offering a creative service, so sometimes we may not interpret your brief in the way you imagined. If this is the case, don’t panic, just let your Project Manager know as soon as you receive the deliverable. Once an element of the project is complete and we’ve begun the next stage, if you change your mind later on or if your initial requirements change, we’ll provide a quote to re-do the work for you.
Just content which you’ve decided isn’t quite right? Don’t sweat! You’ll have access to your website after we’re complete to change the content as much as you like from your dashboard.
Do you offer other design services?
Yes! Our team are highly experienced designers and are also able to offer graphic design services such as leaflets, business cards, banners, digital ads and brochures. If you’re not sure, just ask us. We have a huge portfolio of work in many different areas.
What format will I receive my logo design in?
We’ll send your chosen logo across in PNG and/or JPG format. PNGs are usually the best option as they have a clear background. We can also offer SVG formats on request which are suitable for large format print. We’ll supply your logo in common sizes for different social media platforms so you have a range of options.
What happens if I miss my mutually agreed deadlines for feedback?
We understand the unexpected can happen. We all lead busy lives and sometimes delays can occur. If you’re unable to meet a deadline, please contact your Project Manager as soon as possible.
We’ll then agree with you on some new dates and re-schedule the project. If the dates are missed again, all is not lost. You’ll be given the option to either re-schedule your project again or alternatively freeze your project and return to it up to 6 months later. If your project requires rescheduling more than once or your project is frozen and then requires rescheduling, a 10% fee will be applied to resume. Please note, a project can only be frozen once and if you are paying in installments, the due dates will not change if your project is delayed.
Pricing
Which payment methods do you offer?
We offer several convenient ways of making payment for your project:
Pay upfront
If preferred, you’re welcome to pay upfront for your project. We’ll provide you with bank details to make a transfer or alternatively you can pay via credit/debit card including American Express.
Pay in 3
We offer the option to pay in 3 instalments at no additional cost. For all projects, the initial 1/3 payment is due upfront as a deposit. This can be paid securely via bank transfer or credit/debit card. The second and third payment are then made each a week apart via Direct Debit.
Please note, the Pay in 3 option does not correlate with project progress – delays in providing feedback or required information to complete your project will not impact the payment schedule.
Do you accept credit/debit cards?
We understand the benefits and convenience of paying via credit/debit card. We are able to accept the initial deposit or a single upfront payment via this method, however for payment in instalments and for any future work, we only accept payment via Direct Debit or bank transfer. This is simply to reduce costs and keep our pricing as competitive as possible.
You are fully protected when paying via Direct Debit by the Direct Debit Guarantee and you’ll always be notified in advance by email when a payment is due to process. If there are any problems or queries, please submit a support ticket and we can cancel or adjust the payment for you.
Are there any hidden costs?
The packages which we offer are very transparent. Take a look at our pricing pages for both brochure and eCommerce websites which offer a full breakdown of the features included in your package.
There are no hidden costs, however please keep in mind that all websites require website hosting and a domain name to function on the internet and additional requests beyond the scope of your project will incur additional design/development cost. An example of this might be that you’ve completely changed your brief after you’ve received your design.
Often customers find they don’t need our help to make further changes after the website has been built as you can login and make edits to the pages and content very easily.
How much is hosting, warranty & support after the free period?
Depending on your chosen package, you’ll benefit from a free period which includes hosting support, monthly security updates (to help avoid damage to your website) and monthly website backups. There is no contract and the cost for this is currently £22.99+VAT per month (as of March 23).
What does the warranty cover?
We understand the importance of a smooth website launch. That’s why we offer a complimentary 30 day ‘Go Live!’ warranty for all of our customers. Although we thoroughly test your website prior to launch, occasional technical bugs and glitches can occur. That’s where our warranty comes in. If you, or we, notice any issues, such as display errors or functionality problems, simply submit a support ticket and we’ll take care of it promptly and at no cost to you*.
If you choose to host your website with us beyond the 30 day mark, you can rest assured that we have you covered for any major issues that may arise through the normal use of your site*. Please note that certain exceptions apply, as we provide you with a great deal of freedom in your dashboard, allowing you to make changes to your site that are beyond our control.
eCommerce
How long does it take to build an eCommerce website?
We offer a range of fixed-price packages to suit your needs. Typically, it takes us around 3-4 weeks to build your online store from start to finish. However, we understand that sometimes delays can happen, especially if we’re waiting for feedback from you. We always try to keep you in the loop and will let you know if we anticipate any delays.
If you require custom or advanced functionality, the timeframe may be a bit longer, but we’ll always keep you updated throughout the process. We know how important it is to have your online store up and running as quickly as possible, so if you have an urgent project, we offer a premium express service at an additional cost. This means that as long as you’ve provided all the necessary information, we can have your fully working store ready in less than 7 days!
We’re here to make your eCommerce journey as smooth and stress-free as possible, and we’ll work closely with you to ensure that we deliver a website that meets all your requirements. So, whether you’re looking for a standard package or need something more bespoke, get in touch, and let’s discuss how we can help you.
What platform will my eCommerce store be built on?
We build all of our stores on WordPress with Woocommerce. Woocommerce powers over 5+ million websites across the world and is one of the most popular solutions for eCommerce. There are lots of different features out of the box and more information can be found here.
How can I accept payments on my website?
All of our eCommerce Packages include the option for either PayPal or Stripe to be installed. Both of these solutions offer competitive rates for small businesses to process credit and debit cards. Please note, we’re unable to assist with the creation of a PayPal or Stripe account, however the process is very quick and easy. Both PayPal and Stripe offer Apple Pay and Android Pay too, so you can offer an extra level of convenience for your customers.
How many products can I add to my store?
Good news! There is no set limit to how many products you can add to your store. If you’re just starting out, it can be very tempting to add hundreds or thousands of products, but we wouldn’t recommend this if you’re looking to generate sales through search engines. Instead focus on your top products, ensuring that the descriptions are well written, unique and have high quality imagery.
The only limitation you’ll have is based on your website’s storage. On our basic hosting package, if your images are compressed (under 500kbs), you should be able to add 500+ products with no impact on performance. Need more storage and higher speeds? We offer custom hosting solutions for large stores.
Why is your solution better than Shopify or Wix?
Many customers prefer us to build their websites rather than using platforms like Shopify. One significant advantage of having us build your website is that you will retain complete control over it. This means that you will own all the website files, and you can make changes to your site as you see fit. In contrast, using Shopify means that you never technically own your website, and if Shopify raises its prices, you have no choice but to pay up or lose your site altogether.
Moreover, if your business becomes successful and continues to grow, Shopify’s plans may become prohibitively expensive, with costs exceeding £340 per month to keep your store running or to add more products.
There is also greater flexibility in having your website built on WordPress/WooCommerce. These platforms offer more customisation options, allowing you to tailor your site to your specific needs and preferences. So, if you want complete control over your eCommerce website, and the ability to scale your business without incurring unnecessary expenses, then having us build your site on WordPress/WooCommerce is the way to go.
How do I manage orders?
Managing your eCommerce orders is super easy, it’s just like managing your emails! You can access your order management system from anywhere with an internet connection. Even better, our mobile app sends you push notifications every time you make a new sale! How cool is that?
From your online dashboard, you can view all your order details, process refunds, and even take manual orders over the phone. Our order management system is designed to be user-friendly, so whether you’re a newbie or an experienced online seller, you’ll find it a breeze to use.
Your customers will receive automatic email notifications when they place an order, and you’ll also receive an email notification of their order details when they complete checkout. You’re in full control of your orders and can easily set the status for each one with just a few clicks. And when you dispatch an item, we’ll automatically send another email to your customer letting them know their order is on the way.
What reports are available in my store?
We’ve got a wealth of reports available right out of the box. From your dashboard, you’ll be able to view and customise reports to show revenue, most popular products, sales by coupon, products by category and much more.
Using both graphs and stats, you’ll be able to view your online stores sales on a daily, weekly, monthly and yearly report. For a full list of reports available please click here.
What type of products can I sell in my store?
Our stores are perfect for selling both physical and digital goods. Products can have variations such as different colours, sizes and/or shapes – perfect for making your store easier for your customers to navigate.
We also offer custom solutions for selling tickets, subscriptions, memberships and more. Please contact us for a quote if you have any custom requirements.
Is there a stock management system?
Your website will be setup with a full stock management system allowing you to control your inventory. Stock can be managed through your dashboard and will dynamically update each time you receive an order or if you process a refund.
It’s also straightforward to manually adjust your stock levels, set products to in/out of stock and display a backorder option if you’re in high demand!
What options are there for shipping?
We include the setup of basic flat rate shipping in all of the eCommerce websites which we create. There are further options in the dashboard which you may want to customise, such as shipping by weight or by category. For those looking to offer free shipping, you can set this option on specific products by using the Shipping Groups facility.
More advanced functionality is available (additional cost) and we can also offer integrations with Royal Mail, DPD and other couriers for dynamic pricing. Some third party solutions also offer automatic label printing and more to allow you to automate more of your processes.
Websites
What is a Content Management System?
A content management system or (CRM for short) is a platform which we build your website on and is a term used to describe the ability you’ll have to make edits and update the website via an online panel. In just a few clicks, you can update the website, change text or maybe even add a video, without the need to contact us! The CRM which we’ll build your website on is called WordPress – it’s the world’s most popular.
What is a drag and drop editor?
Your website will be built using a very simple, yet powerful tool which allows you to visually move different aspects of your website’s content around the page into a position you’re happy with. You can add new text blocks, image blocks and much more all in a few clicks! This makes it very simple for you to edit existing pages or even add new pages, depending on the package which you choose. You don’t need any previous experience, although you will need a basic understanding of how to use a computer.
Can I use my own hosting?
Yes, you are welcome to use your own hosting if you wish, we do not tie you to our own hosting. We do however, strongly advise against this. The reason for this, is because all websites running a content management system require regular security updates to avoid viruses, hacking and compatibility issues. Cheap hosting providers will not provide these security updates for you and you will be required to do these yourself, which runs the risk of damaging your website.
Do I own the rights to my website?
Absolutely! We’re completely transparent about website ownership. Once you’ve paid for your website design, it’s yours. Any images which we have supplied for you are technically licensed to us, however this allows you to use them on your website.
Can I add more content/pages?
All of our websites run on a content management system, which means you have a control panel which you can log into. There are lots of different customisation options which allow you to create new pages, post to your blog and more. You are free to add images, videos, PDFs and other content at will, subject to your storage space.
Do you include SEO in your packages?
There are two types of SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) – On-Page SEO and Off-Page SEO. Sounds complicated right? It’s actually pretty simple:
On-Page SEO
This is work completed your website itself. How it’s built, the user’s experience and the way in which it’s coded. We include a level of this within every package so that Google can find your website, read it and understand its contents.
Off-Page SEO
This is any work which is not completed directly on your website. It involves building up your website’s authority and reputation online. This is a separate service which is required to rank for any competitive search terms. The costs for this start from £350+VAT per month and vary depending on the level of competition to appear for your chosen keywords.
SEO is the foundation of many successful businesses. It requires patience, persistence and trust in your expert. It can take over a year for a brand new website with no authority to rank for a competitive search time, so it’s important not to expect quick results.
There are many companies offering cheap SEO services for as little as £100 per month – simply put, you’d be better off paying for Google Ads if your budget is this low and you run the risk of the company using bad/dangerous techniques which could result in a penalty which is when search engines remove your website from it’s search results completely!
How secure is my website?
Whilst you’re hosting with us, we handle all of the maintenance on your website to help keep it secure. You may also opt for a security certificate which adds an additional level of trust for your website visitors.
We apply an industry standard level of security to all websites for your peace of mind. Occasionally websites can become compromised – whilst rare, it’s important to have backups readily available to restore the website and repair it. We ensure your website is regularly backed up as part of your hosting package.
Will my website load quickly?
All of our websites are built using the latest coding standards, ensuring that your website is quick to respond to visitors. Our website hosting packages offer a high-speed service which is specifically optimised to run WordPress.
It is important to consider that if you host elsewhere, you may find that the hosting speeds are much slower – very cheap hosting companies such as Godaddy and Bluehost will often advertise that their hosting is super fast, when in reality it can be quite the opposite – just read their reviews!
For customers looking to get the highest possible performance out of their website, we also offer a speed optimisation service.
Do you supply images for my website?
Yes, we’ve got you covered. We have access to a huge library of licensed images which we’ll use across your website. Images and photography play a big part in the overall look and feel of a website, so it’s important to get them right.
Professional photos reflect a professional business. If you have a specific style of image in mind, you’re welcome to select your own images if you’re not happy with the ones we’ve chosen for you.
Have your own images? We’d normally recommend that any case study photos or previous work photos are used in a Gallery or Portfolio page, so that the overall design of the website isn’t impacted.
Are you able to make ongoing changes for me?
We receive lots of requests every month from our customers who either don’t have the time to be making improvements or changes to their websites themselves or simply just don’t want to.
We’re more than happy to assist with regular edits and changes – simply submit a support ticket and we’ll provide you with a great value quote. We charge in 15 minute increments and offer different levels of service depending on how quickly you’d like the work completed. That way, if you have an urgent change which needs making, you know you can rely on us to jump straight to it!
Custom Functionality
I need custom functionality, can you help?
Good news! Whilst many of the websites we build are straightforward brochure websites or ecommerce stores, we also regularly develop websites with complex custom functionality. We have vast experience in booking systems, membership platforms, job boards and recruitment systems, subscriptions services, price comparison tools, estate agency platforms and much more. We’ve not yet had a request we’ve not been able to achieve (subject to budget)!
If you’re looking for some custom functionality, it may cost less than you think. Simply get in touch with us to discuss your project.
Do you build mobile apps?
We have a member of the team with extensive experience in building business-based mobile apps such as dashboards, booking systems and informational apps. We’re unable to develop games and media-based apps.
Please note, app development requires significant investment and native apps (those which are downloaded from the App Store) typically start at £20k+VAT and have monthly running costs starting at £500+VAT per month. This is because app development is a specialist service and confirming with the guidelines for the App Store is an ongoing process – every new device which is released each year needs to be made compatible!
A popular, more affordable solution which we often suggest, is a web app. These look and feel like a mobile app and users are able to add a shortcut to their home screen, but are accessed in the same way as a website.
This is much more cost effective and is a great option for an early stage idea which requires a proof of concept before investing in a native app.
Can you build on platforms other than WordPress?
In some scenarios such as custom dashboards or a much larger project, we may advise to build on a PHP-based framework. This really depends on the budget, complexity and the overall goal of the website.
Do you provide training?
Absolutely! After all, what use is a custom platform if you’re not sure how to run it?! For projects with customer functionality, we typically include 1 hour of remote training via a screen-share. This is a great opportunity to ask questions, try out the different areas and get to grips with your new system. Usually 1 hour is enough to cover most aspects, however you can request additional training by the hour and we’re also able to offer group sessions.
Prefer training videos? Instead of 1-2-1 training via a screen-share, we can instead record a video narrating the training for you so you can watch it back whenever you like. If you’d prefer this, please mention this prior to booking in your training.
Aftersales
What level of support do you offer?
We offer an excellent level of support for small businesses opting to host with us. The vast majority of our support tickets received are responded to, and often resolved, within just a few hours (during working hours). We’re happy to answer questions and also provide additional guides on how to make edits and changes to your website, subject to fair use.
For adding new features and functionality, our support team are on hand to provide you with a quote and get the work booked in at your chosen turnaround rate.
One aspect that really sets our support ahead of the competition is that it’s the same team who build your website. We’re a small business and really care about building a relationship with our customers. In most cases, our team will already be familiar with your website. There’s no need to re-introduce yourself or spend endless time on hold speaking to a call centre abroad who have no prior understanding of your website or business.
Are there other marketing services you offer?
We also offer Pay Per Click Management (Google Ads), Search Engine Optimisation, Social Media Advertising and more. If you’re interested in how you can generate more revenue for your business through marketing, speak to our team today.
How can I get in touch with you?
For support queries, we kindly ask that you submit a support ticket. If you have a question or would like to speak to a member of the team, we’re happy to arrange a phone call or video call at a convenient time.
Can I transfer my website to a new provider?
Whilst we’ll be sorry to see you go, you can request to transfer out your website. If you’d like to do this, please complete our transfer out form.
Please note, once you’ve transferred your website away, we are unable to provide further support or warranty and you’ll need to update and maintain your website yourself.
If you realise that the service you’ve transferred to isn’t up to par, please contact our team as we’d be happy to have you back!
