It doesn’t matter how savvy or aware you are; you still should be on a constant lookout for scammers. If you think you would never be a part of people who have been victims of this situation, you need to think again.
Being a reputed and highly recognized entrepreneur, Faisal Abidi shares his relevant insights on how frauds revolve around the website design industry.
When approaching an All-In-One website design company, a lucrative offer of a wide range of products is catered.From supreme ease to use to content management sophisticated design along with great E-Commerce tools, website designers and builders offer you loads. This is where the scam starts to happen.
This search for website designers and builders requires you to exercise your due diligence. Several website building services out there employ shady business practices, promising you the world only to sell you services you don’t need.
Charging Outrageous Prices For Websites Eventually Producing Poor Results
Users who employ shady website design services commonly complain about websites conducting slow to nil results.
The Process
Business owners hire a website design consultant online to create a website or an overall marketing plan. Shady scenarios involve no guarantee from the consultant about a website’s performance during a particular time frame. However, the business owner pays the required amount of money due to the contract.
Afterward, the website or the proposed marketing plan produces poor results.
How To Avoid Falling For Them
* If the consultant or the designer has not been on the Internet for at least a year, avoid them at face value. Additionally, there is no need to consider them if they are on the web once a week. Keep in mind that to have a successful website design that boosts your revenue, the website designer should have experience of at least five years.
* The consultant or the website designing team you choose should clearly define the scope of the problem to be solved. All expectations should be met along with a clearly defined schedule of payment, deliveries, and conditions under which any of the previously said clauses can be changed or negotiated upon clear discussion.
* Make sure upon the delivery of the project and ending timeline of the contract, it should end with the client receiving documentation of what the designer/consultant did in comparison to what they initially promised and recommended. This should be in writing on the consultant/designer’s letterhead.
Two Ways Website Design Scammers Can Affect You And Your Business
* Inflating The Price Of Associated Costs
Be it themes, graphics, fonts, plug-ins, etc., if you allow the web designer to purchase them and let them bill you for their costs; you might end up paying substantially more than you should. However, if you buy them yourself, you have effective control over the prices and can transfer them to other designers if you plan on changing directions someday.
* Website Hacking
As a business owner with a website, make sure to purchase your domain name. Faisal Abidi, the owner of Phonato Studios, reveals that though it’s tempting and easy to have the designer take care of everything, that choice has long-term repercussions. The designer has the ownership and control of removing your site from the domain and replacing it with malicious content.
Steps You Can Take To Avoid These Frauds
* Getting A Contract
Consider it a red flag if someone offers to build you a website without a contract. Keep in mind that having an arrangement helps note what is to be done along with the money between the two parties. Having a contract also ensures that there are no surprises on either end.
* Avoid Spending Significant Money Upfront
While you must pay some part of the money upfront, you shouldn’t typically pay more than a third to one-half of the total cost upfront. If they ask you to pay more than half the amount, consider replacing them. Additionally, use credit cards or digital payment services such as PayPal that offer you protection if the benefits aren’t delivered accordingly with the promise.
* Check For User Reviews
While seeking the services of an agency, a check of the agency’s BBB page should also provide a window to the company’s record of dealing with clients. User reviews reveal their credibility and let you know how your website requirements will be managed.
Note
The majority of the people make the mistake of going for the first web designer they meet without doing proper research. Hence, no matter where you are, chances are a high number of web designers available to get the job done. Always prefer working with the ones who are transparent in their works and conversations.
Conclusion
Choosing a website designer is vital for your business to generate good outputs. However, website designer scams cloud the market today. As a business owner, you should know how to avoid them so that you don’t become this game’s victim.
