Q: What are the beginning steps of my design process?
A: The design process beginning steps are:
Q: Why do I need to submit a deposit?
A: All of our design work is 100% custom and extremely labor intensive; therefore, we ask for a 50% deposit on all design jobs.
Q: How soon will you start working on my design?
A: As soon as you have submitted your survey answers, they are received by your Designer, who will begin work immediately.
Q: Can I get the process done any faster?
A: We do offer rush delivery for an additional charge. Also, you can help move the process faster by submitting your survey answers promtply and filling out the questions completely, this makes a big difference!
Q: Do I need to fill out your survey?
A: Yes, the survey questions we ask you are VERY important to the design process! They let us know the specifics of what you want, both for the visuals and functionality of your design.
Q: What if I don't understand a survey question?
A: Please contact us right away, we are available by phone, email, and live chat (during office hours) and we're always happy to help!
Q: What if I don't know my answer, or don't have a strong opinion about a specific question?
A: Please give us a general direction to go in. For example, if you don't have a precise color scheme in mind, a response like "I prefer warm colors" or "I like light, airy sites" is much more helpful than no response.
Q: Why can't you just use your best judgment to make my design? After all, you're the designers, not me.
A: Yes, this is true - and we're very happy to share our expertise with you throughout the design process. Still, there are MANY different styles and preferences, and no hard-and-fast rules - so it's very important to us that we create something that YOU like and are proud to own.
Q: Who will be working on my project?
A: You will receive personalized attention from at least 3 people on our staff during your project:
Q: Who do I direct my questions to?
A: You will be interacting with all 3 members of your project team. During the design phase, you will post your feedback and revisions directly to your Designer. Your Programmer will be available to answer technical functionality questions and provide installation information. At ANY time, your Project Manager is available to assist with any questions about your project, by phone, email, and discussion board (see below).
Q: Can I call you if I have a question?
A: Yes, your Project Manager is available by telephone. However, for specific feedback regarding your design, we generally ask that you reply to the online discussion board (see below), so we can refer back to your information as needed.
Q: Where are you located? When can I communicate with you?
A: In order to optimally meet the needs of our clients, we have one Project Manager on the East Coast and one on the West Coast (U.S.). You can call, text, or instant message your Project Manager any time during normal business hours, Monday-Friday. You can post replies to the discussion board any time, 24/7 and we will reply at our earliest availability. Normally, all messages are responded to in under 1 business day.
Q: What is the discussion board?
A: When you begin a new design project with us, we will give you exclusive access to our private discussion board. This will allow you to directly communicate with all members of your design team, receive your design mock-ups, post your replies, etc. all in one location.
Q: How do I log in to the discussion board?
A: We will send you the login link, and a user ID and password, at the start of your project.
Q: Can I just email/call you instead?
A: We are happy to respond to phone calls and direct emails - however, you will find the discussion board platform very easy to use, and it provides a record of your important input. You will need to log in to the discussion board to retrieve your mock-ups and provide your feedback.
Q: How do I post a comment?
A: Every discussion thread has a comment field at the bottom of the page - simply type your comment and click the "Comment" button.
Q: How do I send you a file, such as an image for you to use?
A: Below the "Comment" entry field is a button to "Attach Files".
Q: How will I know if someone replies to my posting?
A: You will receive an email with all discussion replies, and you can also log into the discussion board any time, 24/7, to check your project status.
Q: I received a message that says I have an attachment, where is it?
A: Your email notice will not display the message board attachment. Use the "Click here" link in your email to go to the discussion board and pick up your attachment.
Q: When will I receive my first mock-up?
A: Please allow 5 to 7 business days from the time you submit your survey answers for your first mock-up.
Q: How does my Designer develop the mock-up?
A: We custom build your design - both the functionality and the visual elements - based on your survey answers. We may also include suggested features that we feel enhance the design and provide you with additional promotional/sales opportunities.
Q: Can I request changes to the mock-up I receive?
A: Absolutely! We expect you to have feedback and revisions, so we can fine-tune your design to match what you want.
Q: What kind of feedback should I give?
A: Please be as specific as possible. For example, "I'd prefer to see the title bars in blue" is MUCH more helpful than "I don't like the color".
Q: How long do revisions take?
A: Please allow 5 to 7 business days from the time you submit your revision request(s) for your revised mock-up.
Q: How many revisions do I get?
A: We prefer not to set a hard limit on the number of revisions - however, each revision takes several days to complete (even if your changes are fairly simple), so it is very much in your best interest to look very carefully at your mock-up and provide us with a thorough revision list. If your feedback is complete and organized, it shouldn't take more than 1 to 2 revisions to finalize your design.
Q: How can I speed the completion process of my design?
A: Please be both prompt and thorough in your feedback. A design that takes 7 or 8 revisions because of minor tweaks can be greatly streamlined if you give us all of your requested changes in one complete list.
Q: You indicated that not all of the design features I requested are available - why is this?
A: When you fill out your survey, you will be asked what eCommerce/marketplace platform your design will be installed on. We will then build your design to work specifically with that platform, including any available features/functions, and excluding any functionality that we know does not work or is not allowed on that particular platform.
Q: My design looks great, now what?
A: If you are happy with your mock-up and have no further changes, please let us know that we have your final approval on the design. Important: if you request revisions to any element of the design (graphics, text, colors, background, layout or functionality) subsequent to submitting your final approval, you will incur additional charges. This is because it is very difficult to make these revisions once coding/installation has begun. If you request any revisions after submitting final approval, you will be charged a fee based on the amount of redesign/recoding required. Therefore, to avoid incurring additional charges, it is very important that you review all aspects of your mock-up before submitting final approval.
Q: I've given my final approval on the design - what's next?
A: Please click here for our Checkout & Installation FAQ's.