Process / 01
We open with a two-week discovery sprint that maps product catalog structure, local payment adapters, and inventory rules before a single storefront page is built. After that, the build runs in fixed-scope phases, each closed with written acceptance tests.
Discovery is billed separately from the build. Hosting, licenses, SMS, delivery API and provider fees are quoted apart from our fee.
See the build phases| Stage | Duration | You receive |
|---|---|---|
| Discovery paid | 2 weeks | Catalog matrix, payment status map, inventory exception list |
| Build phases | 3 to 5 weeks | Fixed scope, per-phase estimate, acceptance tests |
| Evidence | Per phase | Provider status ledger, redirect map, test results |
| Handover | 1 week | Runbook, admin training, transfer checklist |
Scope changes are re-estimated in writing before work resumes. Review the handover evidence or request a discovery call.
05 / Build phases
Each phase closes with a signed artefact. If the artefact is missing, the next phase does not open, so scope drift shows up in week one instead of launch week.
Categories, variants, attributes, filters, and import files get mapped before a single storefront template is built. Legacy URLs are collected in the same pass.
Templates, facet filters, and product imports follow the approved matrix, with stock rules attached per variant rather than per page.
Adapter setup and status mapping for the approved providers, with a ledger that names every order state: created, authorised, captured, refunded, failed. Merchant approval and provider terms stay with the provider.
Reserved carts, low stock, negative stock, multi-warehouse mismatch, and oversell rules are scripted as acceptance tests, then wired to delivery and pickup flows.
Acceptance tests re-run on production, monitoring and alert thresholds are set, and credentials move to your team with a written checklist.
Build time is quoted per phase, not as one closing date. See the handover evidence or start with the discovery scope.
Handover evidence
Every phase closes with items you can inspect yourself: acceptance tests run against real order data, a redirect map for each indexed address, and a checklist the merchant approves before credentials change hands.
| Test | Pass condition | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Variant to cart | Size and colour resolve to one SKU | Pass |
| Payment callback | Status maps to paid, failed or reversed | Pass |
| Oversell guard | Reserved carts block a second sale | Retest |
| Warehouse sync | Stock delta lands within one minute | Pass |
| Old address | New address | Type |
|---|---|---|
| /catalog/old-1 | /catalog/sku-1 | 301 |
| /product/legacy | /catalog/sku-2 | 301 |
| /shop/cart | /cart | 301 |
| /index.php?id=9 | /catalog/group-3 | 302 |
Provider approval, hosting and delivery fees stay with the merchant. We hand over the map, not the bill. Request a handover review
Next step
We work through catalog structure, payment status mapping, and stock exceptions before quoting a build tier.