Quick answer
An online store needs to work after the order is placed. Start with the product catalogue: variants, stock, bundles, discounts and who updates listings. Then map checkout, payment confirmation, delivery choices, order changes, returns and customer service.
Practical scope
Check whether the store must connect with a point-of-sale system, inventory tool, accounting software, couriers or a CRM. Identify the source of truth for stock so two systems do not sell the last item twice. If products are made to order or configured by customers, document how options affect price and fulfilment.
An established ecommerce platform may cover standard needs. Custom features should be justified by a real operational requirement. Ask for a demonstration of both the customer purchase and staff fulfilment journey, including an out-of-stock item and a refund.
What to define before requesting proposals
- Products, variants, bundles and stock ownership
- Checkout, payments, tax, delivery and collection
- Order changes, returns, refunds and customer service
- POS, accounting, courier and CRM integrations
Questions to ask service providers
- Which standard platform features will be configured?
- How are overselling and failed payments prevented?
- What can staff manage without a developer?
How to assess the answers
Demonstrate the complete order lifecycle, including out-of-stock and refund cases. A polished shopfront is incomplete without dependable fulfilment operations.
Distinguish the order from the payment
Define pending, paid, cancelled and refunded states where relevant. Decide whether stock is reserved before payment and what happens if confirmation arrives late. Ask the payment provider and developer to confirm supported methods, account requirements and charges for your specific setup.
Demonstrate operations, not only checkout
- A customer buys the last available unit.
- A payment fails or remains unconfirmed.
- Staff change an order and handle the agreed refund process.
- The inventory connection fails and staff must resolve the difference.
Is a payment status field enough?
A field can record a status without collecting money or checking a provider response. Specify collection, confirmation, reconciliation and staff actions separately.
Order lifecycle acceptance table
Copy these items into your brief, adapt the requirements and assign an owner and status. Examples illustrate planning decisions, not customer case studies. Fill cost fields with HKD quotations you obtain and state the billing period.
| Decision / item | Information to provide | Acceptance / comparison check |
|---|---|---|
| Order and stock | Product variants, stock source and reservation rules | Two buyers cannot reserve unavailable stock silently |
| Payment outcome | Confirmed, failed, delayed and refunded payments | Order and money records can be reconciled |
| Fulfilment and returns | Delivery, collection, cancellations and staff roles | Staff can explain the next action for each exception |
Download the editable worksheet (CSV)