Characteristics Of Good osCommerce Developers

Posted in: Business Online |
by Chris Channing

The open source route to opening up one’s own commerce website is made available for free with osCommerce. But the free solution can be rather tough to make plugins and modules for, meaning hiring a developer will be necessary in order to obtain specific features from the osCommerce platform. But as webmasters will, obtaining the right developer can be quite tricky.

The reason why many average users won’t be able to develop their own plugin is because it requires knowledge of multiple languages, the osCommerce platform, and many other technical aspects that few have altogether. More importantly, a skilled developer will be well versed in security issues so as to keep a plugin secured from attack.

As far as the programming languages go, the ideal osCommerce developer should be fluent in PHP and MySQL. As PHP can be a very error and security risk prone language, it’s very important to quiz the developer on several security issues. If at all possible it is best to get a few demonstrations from the developer to see the kind of work that can be done. When possible ask the developer to explain details that may seem like jargon or cryptic in manner.

When one wishes to buy a developer’s service, there is usually a general price frame in mind for both individuals. In both cases, it isn’t uncommon for even simple plugins to run a couple hundred dollars. And for the bigger projects, prices can soar even higher. While this is a high price to pay, it ensures quality. Anyone bidding below these ranges might be worthy of investigation, but in the end the more money one spends usually helps ensure a better job is done.

Projects that have high price ranges will obviously make the buyer fairly skeptical. In this case, the buyer should investigate any previous customers, references, and examples of work. Only after these aspects are confirmed should a buyer go through with a large purchase. After all, there is nothing worse than spending a few thousands dollars on a development job only to be disappointed in the end- or even be scammed!

On a last note, it’s always a good idea to have the developer of an osCommerce project to submit to arbitration. Through arbitration, goods are delivered and payment is sent only when both parties agree they got what they wanted. This is commonly done through online platforms that offer escrow services, and usually costs upwards of a couple hundred dollars for big projects. Nevertheless, the “security blanket” is well worth the money spent.

Closing Comments

In the end, an osCommerce developer can be tricky to find. This is usually true since they need to have many skill sets, which means that they are pricey in effect. But finding a great deal with the right developer isn’t tough- it just takes work and effort. Going to difference osCommerce resources can help in the process of connecting both developer and buyer, and is recommended for anyone serious about their osCommerce project.

About the Author:

Leave a Reply