Commerce Pundit

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there. 

I operate the international websites for Capezio, one of the oldest dance brands in the world. We've manufactured dance products for 130 years.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Commerce Pundit? 

We needed help with the development of a new e-commerce website. We wanted it to have a different look and feel from our other sites.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement? 

Commerce Pundit developed an e-commerce site built on Magento. That particular site is no longer live but, it had the capacity to process multi-currency transactions. It also had a translator functionality. We gave them some direction for what we wanted, and they provided advice on how to make the final product.

For our second project, we needed a website for the Asian market. Because the e-commerce site was no longer in use, we asked them to reskin that site and turn it into our Asia-focused site. Commerce Pundit still supports and maintains that site. Recently they helped address some technical errors around multi-currency and translations.

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked with five different people throughout the relationship, including the owner. 

How did you come to work with Commerce Pundit? 

A colleague found them and reached out to the owner about working together. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent over $50,000 at this point.

What is the status of this engagement? 

We started working together in June 2014. The first e-commerce site took roughly six months. The site for our Asian market was just a reskinning and took only a few months. Now we’re under more of a maintenance contract.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

Commerce Pundit got the job done well and within budget. Their timeline was great. They were really on top of things. They understood our needs and what we wanted to get live. It was quite a successful project.

There was clear and steady growth when the e-commerce site went live. Customers were able to transact and work with the site easily. The speed was good. We shut it down due to business decisions, not performance issues. 

How did Commerce Pundit perform from a project management standpoint? 

Their team is so good. They have no problem with pinging me if I owe them something. It's easy to forget about something when you're involved in a lot of projects, but they're on top of everything. We had very few problems with Commerce Pundit compared to working with other developers. We mostly use Skype and email to communicate. 

What did you find most impressive about them? 

Commerce Pundit is reasonable, negotiable, and qualified. 

Are there any areas they could improve? 

I don't have anything negative to say. In my experience, they’re on top of every request. They’re super accommodating. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers? 

Be clear about what you want. They want to deliver whatever it is that you request, so their work will only be as good as you articulate.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of a wholesale clothing company. We have a retail site and we work with a lot of marketplaces.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Commerce Pundit?

We needed a company to develop our e-commerce site.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They developed the e-commerce site from scratch using Magento. One SKU (stock-keeping unit) has multiple items like colors and size variations. When users type in the main SKU, the box pops up to be filled in regarding those variations. They used Magento. It was completed in three to four months.

We now have three sites with them and continue working with them to change things, add features, etc.

What is the team composition? 

We work with seven or more people. Our person who handles the account has been the same for some time.

How did you come to work with Commerce Pundit?

I found them online. There was a sales rep that I talked to for about six months before we signed up with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $40,000 or more.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January 2014, and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

They’re very knowledgeable. Sometimes I come up with ideas and then find that they’ve already worked on what I was thinking of. They work with a lot of companies in similar industries, so they know Magento very well. The work they’ve done is reliable and functional. People ask me about who has developed our site, which shows how well received it's been.

How did Commerce Pundit perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re overseas, yet they’re available in the middle of the night or late evenings to talk to us. We’ve had five people that we speak with on the phone. We have weekly meetings during project time, and their communication is very good. We also use Basecamp and email. Generally, they do a good job with the workflow and timeline, and they’re trustworthy.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their communication via email is very prompt and clear.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could follow-up with the client and keep them informed of new developments we could implement. They’ve done pretty much what I’ve asked for, but they don’t come up with solutions that would be advantageous to us.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Trust them and give them a project. They take a day or two to go through it; then they'll send you a detailed scope and timeframe. Depending on the project, they work with the deposits. It’s pretty standard.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president of Short Round Supply Co. We sell ammunition and firearm accessories.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Commerce Pundit?

I needed a Magento platform that could accommodate the complex restrictions on firearms sales for different product categories. From a supplier standpoint, we needed to comply with laws and regulations for each state and municipality.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Commerce Pundit built a Magento 2.2 platform. Each state has its own restrictions on what ammunition, accessories, and features can be sold. Consequently, the team made the site recognize distinctions between these product categories in multiple jurisdictions. For example, the site’s zip code checker, which appears before checkout, enables users to determine whether we could ship certain products to their address.

What is the team composition?

I worked with the project manager and the delivery manager, who served in the capacity of an account manager. The former focused on Magento development while the latter oversaw ongoing performance.

How did you come to work with Commerce Pundit?

I researched vendors through the Magento partner website. Next, I interviewed 3 – 4 firms and requested a scope from each one. Based on my previous Magento development experience in the industry, I knew Commerce Pundit understood our business challenges. Their executive leadership had the industry experience to lead a firearms-based project with complex product categories. Ultimately, I hired Commerce Pundit because they had the internal resources to execute the workflow.

How much have you invested with them?

I spent around $20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in February 2018 and Commerce Pundit launched the site five months later in July. They now provide maintenance.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

The site is fast, responsive, and easy to navigate. My colleagues enjoy its unique look.

How did Commerce Pundit perform from a project management standpoint?

They performed strongly, never dropping the ball with communication. Even with the time difference, the team went out of their way to respond quickly to a range of issues. We used Basecamp.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Commerce Pundit has provided responsive tech support during the maintenance period. Recently, we’ve chased an issue with the checkout page. After a live customer experienced the problem, the team held an 11 p.m. GoToMeeting session with us to troubleshoot the issue with the end user. That level of customer service on a Friday night was awesome.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of anything.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Set clear scope requirements before the project starts. A misunderstanding may arise due to language barriers. But if Commerce Pundit gets the requirements, they’ll complete the project well and quickly.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the sales manager of Intro Light Ltd., an importer and distributor of lighting products and systems for hotels and homes.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Commerce Pundit?

We requested a transfer from our Magento 1 platform to a Magento 2 Porto theme platform, which would consist of new features and extensions.

What were your goals for this project?

Our existing e-commerce website was quite dated, so we hoped to update it with new designs and functionalities. With the transfer to Magento 2, we expected to improve our customer experience and Google ranking.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We read reviews of several firms on a variety of websites, including Clutch. We negotiated with each option before ultimately selecting Commerce Pundit.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

We relied on Commerce Pundit to design the Porto theme in accordance with the authorized scope of requirements and to transfer our database from our current website to a Magento 2 platform. The project was separated into four stages.

What was the team composition?

During this engagement, we communicated with a project manager and a developer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What problems arose, and what did Commerce Pundit do to address them?

Although we were expected to pay for each installment on time, Commerce Pundit did not adhere to the project deadlines. There were periods—sometimes weeks—when we received no updates. This was a continuous problem. Our final payment has been made, but the project has not been finished, and the new functionalities have not been implemented.

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

We did not receive a functional e-commerce store, and we have lost money because of this venture. Our updated website is not complete, and our existing Magento 1 website has since lost its search ranking and has fallen out of favor with customers because it is out of date.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

We received a number of empty promises. They convinced us they were capable of these tasks, but their actions proved otherwise. The project manager was detached from the project and sometimes blamed us for having extra requirements despite the fact that they took much longer than expected to complete our initial requirements.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They talk themselves up very well.

Are there any areas for improvement?

They must prioritize honesty and trustworthiness so that they can serve their clients better.

Company Responses

The vendor responded on January 16, 2019. The reply is written by Manmeet Singh (Business Development Manager, Commerce Pundit).

We are surprised by the feedback and feel it does not reflect with the work delivered. Our team did take longer to deliver the project, but the deliverables did meet the scope requirements. We received payment for the four milestones only after the client verified and approved our work.

The delay was not entirely Commerce Pundit’s fault. The client performed content delivery network (CDN) and Varnish cache on the server, but did not communicate our work had been lost. We had to redo tasks as a result, which affected the timeline. We closed the project with both sides agreeing that everything but a few issues was completed. The client accepted these terms after we had previously addressed user acceptance testing (UAT).

Our team was always prompt and responsive. From our perspective, the client’s emails were not professional; the nature of their communication only strained the relationship.

We could not have affected organic results because we have not touched the website. Commerce Pundit has successfully delivered more than 550 e-commerce projects. Our reviews and client success stories speak to the quality of our work.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Tiger Promo, a promotional company. We send products to different corporate branches and customize them for marketing.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Commerce Pundit?

We developed a website in 2014 so it was very outdated. I needed it redeveloped and redesigned. I discussed with them what I needed, then they came up with an idea for the price metrics and price structuring. It’s very complex, especially with a customized product.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They redeveloped and redesigned our website from scratch using Magento 2.2. Now it’s very easy for me to use the site’s metrics. That is the best part of what they developed, and I find it very useful.

We now work together on the marketing as the site launched two months ago.

What is the team composition?

They assigned me one account manager and a project manager, who were my points of contact. There are three to four developers and two designers.

How did you come to work with Commerce Pundit?

I did some online research and read reviews. I contacted two to three companies and I found Commerce Pundit to be the most suitable for me.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent over $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in June 2018 and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

We launched the site two months ago and it’s already receiving good levels of visitors and traffic. It’s much better than the old site. I’m still working with them on marketing and the initial impact is going well.

How did Commerce Pundit perform from a project management standpoint?

The project management is good—I get daily updates and they achieved the deadline for the launch. We used Basecamp and Google Hangouts, and have weekly meetings on RingCentral Meetings.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their e-commerce understanding is the most impressive thing. They shared ideas that helped me tremendously in the business. When it comes to the implementation, they are certified developers who did a good job.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’m working with another agency for social media marketing, but it would be nice if Commerce Pundit could provide this service. I’d be happy to assign it to them if they did.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I’ve had a good experience with them in terms of development, design, and management. I’m happy and so if anyone wants to work with them, they should.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the owner of an online garden center called Pixies Garden. We ship home and garden products as well as live plants all over the US.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Commerce Pundit?

We approached Commerce Pundit for full-service e-commerce work, including site management, product listing, and digital marketing efforts.

What were your goals for this project?

Our main goal was to double our SKUs and generate 3–5 times the ROI from Google Ads.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

A colleague referred us to Commerce Pundit for their aggressive approach and comprehensive e-commerce services. They’re a one-stop shop for everything we need to run my online company.

Can you go into detail about the services they provided and the scope of the project?

They’ve provided a range of e-commerce and digital marketing offerings, including Google Ads campaigns, site management, product listing, and support on Yelp and Facebook. They’ve also helped us list products on Amazon, handling all the related services to run both our Amazon account and website.

What was the team composition?

They’ve assigned a project manager who oversaw all project details. We also have access to top management for strategy sessions.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

Since starting our online operations in 2015, we’ve doubled our revenue every year with Commerce Pundit’s support.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

We have weekly meetings and can also reach the project manager as needed for emergency services.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They’re a one-stop solution for all of our e-commerce needs. They have a professional approach, excellent strategic input, and convenient emergency support.

Are there any areas where they can improve?

No, nothing comes to mind. They’re able to set up two-page websites for small business owners and social functions.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the sales manager and operations director for a company called Colman’s Military Surplus LLC, a primarily e-commerce buyer and seller of new and used military surplus equipment.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Commerce Pundit?

We outgrew our current e-commerce platform on WordPress that had a commerce extension. This platform has limitations and we wanted a website that could handle multi-channel marketing that includes AdWords and direct marketing. In general, we decided that we wanted to upgrade our website to an enterprise-class e-commerce platform.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The main thing their team did was integrate the new website with our accounting software, which will limit mistakes on our end of the website and streamline our e-commerce operations. In terms of features, we wanted to be able to view several items on a single page and integrate our website with MailChimp, Amazon, and eBay. So far, about 75% of the project is complete.

What is the team composition?

The team consists of an overall project manager, a senior project manager and a marketing team with a marketing lead. An employee we previously worked with, Amanda, also checks in with the project to make sure it runs smoothly.

How did you come to work with Commerce Pundit?

We previously worked with one of their employees, Amanda, when she was with another company. She highly recommended Commerce Pundit, which was a major factor in our decision-making process. We decided that they would be the best fit for us after we priced out the competition.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $10,000 on the project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started work on the project in January 2018 and we are about 75% of the way completed.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

The website looks great so far, our whole team loves it. We have nothing but positive feedback on the design and the functionality upgrades. We just need to work on a couple of elements before we launch the website. The true test will be where we stand from an SEO standpoint after the website launches.

How did Commerce Pundit perform from a project management standpoint?

We primarily communicate through Skype and phone calls, which are scheduled weekly. We also started communicating through Basecamp to set our goals and track their progress. Recently, one of the project managers came to our office for a week and worked with us one-on-one. It was nice of him to fly in from India and learn about our company operation, project, and process. Our business is less organized than Commerce Pundit, and it is nice to have their strong structure complement ours and keep us on track.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They complete any task you ask of them right away. If you ask for something to be added to the project, they will complete it that day and not push it off until tomorrow. This was important to us because that is why we fired the previous company we worked with.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It is hard to say because the project is not complete yet. But I don't have any issues so far.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Make sure you have a webcam set up because face-to-face communication is much better than just over the phone. I think that is important for a great outcome to any project.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder and CEO of a B2C portal that sells gifts to Indian customers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Commerce Pundit?

We hired Commerce Pundit to migrate our existing needs and processes to the Magento framework.

What were your goals for this project?

Since our legacy e-commerce platform was unable to keep pace with our business needs, we needed a state-of-the-art, responsive site. We wanted to reproduce most of the functionality built on our previous CMS and add a few new functions. One critical goal was to transfer all of our customer information to a new Magento platform, including passwords and login information. However, we didn’t want to make any changes to our URLs or critical data.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We analyzed the portfolios of major Magento companies in our area and conducted face-to-face interviews with a few of them. We decided to go with Commerce Pundit because we were impressed with their depth of expertise and company history.

Can you go into detail about the services they provided and the scope of the project?

Initially, they helped us frame a scope document and held a kickoff meeting to clarify all of the details. They helped us in all aspects of the migration, including heavy theme customization, extension development and integration, payment gateway integration, login migration, and extensive testing. They transferred all of our existing products and categories to the Magento framework.

What was the team composition?

We worked with an account manager, a project manager, frontend and backend developers, the sales team, and the testing team.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

Our new site is both responsive and full HTTPS. Commerce Pundit did fabulous work, which is reflected in our metrics. The number of pages viewed per session increased by 20%, the conversion rate increased by 30%, and the bounce rate decreased by 15%. They helped reduce the average order time by 20%, which has improved customer satisfaction. We felt extremely confident of our vendor selection due to the depth of expertise they displayed throughout the project.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Commerce Pundit was extremely structured while being mindful of our business needs. The team used agile methodologies, with multiple points of contact and a structured escalation matrix. We had a dedicated account created in Basecamp that allowed us to closely track progress, while their COO also regularly sent us updates. We communicated via emails, phone calls, chats, and in-person meetings. They were all highly responsive and dealt efficiently with all change requests.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Commerce Pundit has a customer-first attitude, from the top management down to the frontline staff. They are genuinely focused on their client’s business success and delivering high-quality results. Magento is a complex framework, but they were able to surpass our expectations.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the owner of a company that sells Indian garments and accessories. We sell branded clothing by different designers all over India. Our services are available throughout the United States and Canada.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Commerce Pundit?

I originally owned a large brick-and-mortar retail store. To supplement this business, I needed a developer to create a Magento e-commerce platform.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The team captured all the details within the broad scope of our project. They understood each and every requirement. In particular, I wanted the website to convey accurate sizing for the clothing we sell. Commerce Pundit built a sophisticated feature that users can easily operate. A mannequin graphic in the center guides clients on how to take their own measurements. This was one of the one of the best features I could offer my clients. It saves them the trouble of visiting a tailor prior to placing an order.

The scheduling function they built also worked very nicely for us. Our clients can schedule appointments through our online booking system. This is much more convenient than having a five-minute phone call with me about a bridal fitting. Customers can immediately add products to the shopping cart. When users put in bulk orders, an algorithm calculates the estimated shipping cost. Commerce Pundit is currently focused on helping me get more clients. We’re working on a keyword strategy to improve the site’s ranking.

What is the team composition?

I worked with two resources from Commerce Pundit including one primary point of contact.

How did you come to work with Commerce Pundit?

I limited my online search to development company based in India whose prices fit within our budget. After finding Commerce Pundit on Google, I read reviews of their work and they seemed like the best fit. One of my friends also provided a reference. Their prior experience creating platforms to sell clothing gave me confidence they could complete my project.

How much have you invested with them?

The website cost roughly $11,000-$13,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working on this website last June. Our website launched about two month later. I think it took almost two months to finish up the whole project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

My clients really like the website’s user-friendly design. Several customers have said it's very easy to navigate the site and clearly examine our product offerings. We quickly sold out after the site launched. Customers keep purchasing new Saris, which must mean that we offer good customer service. Immediately after the site went live, I had some setbacks related to my family for 3-4 months. We just started working again and I’ll have clearer SEO results a few months from now.

How did Commerce Pundit perform from a project management standpoint?

Commerce Pundit’s team was perfect. They knew exactly what they were doing. The team delivered within deadlines and followed all my guidelines. Our primary contact was very supportive and cooperative, and understood everything I needed. Even though we had to go back and forth with several changes, she got all the details right and executed every requirement correctly.

We primarily used basecamp to organize the project. It worked very well for us. The oversight on developers’ individual tasks helped me keep track of deadlines. I could easily add comments or new requirements. Using the chat system, I could communicate with the whole team or any individual resource.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m very grateful they were able to create the measurement and scheduling functions. These were difficult features to build, and they did an excellent job.

Are there any areas they could improve?

When the site went live, we had minor issues with the pictures loading and checkout lines. They could definitely work on fixing those glitches. I had to wait another week before clients could access my website, which lost me customers.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you pin down the exact scope from the beginning, it will preempt little mistakes down the line. I wasn’t clear about what exactly I wanted at first. I suggest narrowing down your requirements and giving them clear instructions. Moving forward, you can always expand if your business does well. Clear requirements will also provide a better cost estimate based on required hours of work.