Launching a successful food website in 2025 demands more than just appetizing visuals and catchy menus.
You need a robust, scalable platform that handles e-commerce, inventory, and customer engagement seamlessly.
BigCommerce stands out as a reliable solution, but unlocking its full potential requires the expertise of a skilled developer.
Hiring the right BigCommerce developer ensures your website delivers a smooth user experience, integrates essential tools, and stays ahead of industry trends through effective job and talent application processes when building your development team.
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Understanding BigCommerce for Food Websites
We need to understand how BigCommerce is a viable option for food websites and its core features help food businesses build powerful online stores.
Core Features
BigCommerce’s core features for food websites include:
Advanced Product Management Tools
- Custom variations help manage sizes, flavors, dietary options (such as gluten-free and vegan), and spice levels with built-in tools.
- Age verification tools are essential for alcohol, CBD-infused products, or age-restricted items.
- Nutritional information must be displayed in detailed product descriptions, on ingredient lists, and dietary labels.
Multi-Channel Integration Capabilities
- Marketplace expansion tools help sync inventory and orders across Amazon, eBay, and regional platforms like Instacart.
- B2B functionality offers wholesale pricing, bulk ordering, and customized catalogs for business clients
Logistics Optimization Features
- Offering weight-based rates, in-store pickup for local stores, and real-time carrier calculations that help influence the final price.
- Offering cold chain support by integrating with third-party applications for perishable goods tracking.
BigCommerce as a Strategic Advantage for Food Brands
BigCommerce’s scalability helps handle rapid growth, as seen with Vivino’s 200% YoY revenue surge after adopting BigCommerce.
Its security features include PCI compliance and SSL encryption to protect sensitive customer data.
Native marketing tools such as built-in coupons, email campaigns, and gift certificates drive repeat purchases while improving customer retention and generating recurring revenue.
Why Businesses Should Hire BigCommerce Developers
Hiring BigCommerce developers is a significant step for a food business that wants a substantial online presence and website.
Food businesses are among the most challenging to run because of the many variables that need to be accounted for to ensure everything runs smoothly.
Running a food eCommerce business presents unique challenges, from managing perishable inventory and adhering to strict compliance regulations to delivering a seamless and engaging customer experience.
Food businesses often require features like product variations, age verification, and multi-channel integration to meet industry demands and consumer expectations.
Partnering with a food content marketing agency can also help strengthen brand visibility and engagement, especially in such a competitive digital landscape.
These complexities make it essential to have a robust, tailored solution rather than a generic setup.
Advantages of Hiring Expert BigCommerce Developers Over DIY Developers
Most people suggest opting for freelance DIY developers over experts, claiming it’s more cost-effective.
However, unlike DIY approaches or hiring generalist developers, a specialist can:
- Tailor your site’s design and functionality to highlight your unique food offerings and brand identity.
- Integrate essential features such as inventory management, compliance tools, and logistics solutions that are critical for food businesses.
- Ensure your website is optimized for multi-channel sales, allowing you to efficiently manage orders across platforms like Amazon and local marketplaces.
- Leverage BigCommerce’s open SaaS capabilities, enabling seamless integration with third-party applications and legacy systems for maximum flexibility.
- Streamline the development process, saving you time and resources while reducing costly errors or compliance oversights.
Defining Your Project Requirements
A BigCommerce implementation or upgrade is as effective as the project requirements it needs to meet.
Begin with clarity on your business goals and your food website’s needs.
Features like subscription boxes, delivery scheduling, or curated meal kit elements shape both the user experience and the technical requirements of your site.
Next, you want to outline the essential features your site must have to compete in the food e-commerce space, which include:
- Comprehensive product catalog
- Secure payment gateways
- Efficient order management
- Mobile responsiveness.
Don’t overlook additional requirements such as inventory tracking, customer reviews, and integration with third-party services for delivery or marketing.
Set a realistic timeline and budget for development, taking into account the complexity of your features and the resources required for a smooth launch
Essential Skills To Look For In a BigCommerce Developer
We’re now at the business end of the article, helping you find hire BigCommerce developers to build a website for your food business.
BigCommerce developers are gauged based on different criteria including, but not limited to, the following:
BigCommerce Development Experience
This is understandably a given but your developer must have a deep understanding of the BigCommerce architecture, features, limitations, tricks, and best practices.
Their experience allows them to get the job done right and in a fraction of the time, thanks to the different projects they’ve worked on in the past.
Additionally, developers must be proficient with the Stencil framework for front-end theme development and customization, ensuring fast, responsive, and visually appealing designs.
Front-End Development Skills
The main front-end skills include advanced mastery in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to create, modify, and optimize store layouts and user interfaces for better customer experiences.
The developer must be experienced with modern JavaScript frameworks, such as React or Angular, to add dynamic and interactive features to your storefront.
Additionally, a Strong grasp of responsive design principles is required to guarantee seamless performance across all devices, including mobile, tablet, and desktop, for proper development across different platforms.
Back-End and Integration Experience
A robust front-end needs a strong back-end that ensures the website’s form and function work flawlessly.
Developers need to have the following back-end specific skills:
- Ability to integrate and manage APIs, including RESTful API development, for connecting third-party services like payment gateways, shipping providers, CRMs, and marketing tools.
- Knowledge of server-side programming languages such as PHP and Python can be essential for custom back-end logic and integrations.
- Experience with database management systems such as MySQL, PostgreSQL, or NoSQL databases, which support efficient data handling and store performance
SEO and E-commerce Experience
Having a great product or service isnt enough, you need the right eyes on the business for leads and conversions that food businesses can use to grow their customer base.
The right WooCommerce developers are familiar with various essential e-commerce workflows, including, but not limited to:
- Order processing
- Product catalog management
- Payment gateway integrations
Furthermore, the right WooCommerce developers need SEO experience with URL structures, schema markups, on-page optimizations, and other processes to improve the website’s organic visibility.
BigCommerce App and Plugin Development
BigCommerce, as a platform, comes with several native e-commerce features that help food businesses build and scale their options.
However, BigCommerce stores can be made more powerful with third-party applications and plugins for personalized functionality.
Expert BigCommerce developers are experienced with application and plugin development, having worked with various clients in the past.
Food businesses can integrate advanced site analytics tools, loyalty programs, or build custom checkout processes to improve the customer experience.
Where To Find Experienced BigCommerce Developers
We’ve talked a lot about what BigCommerce developers can do and this section explains how to find said developers to build and deploy a powerful food website.
There are three ways for a food business to find BigCommerce developers to build their websites:
Using the BigCommerce Partner Directory and Certified Agencies
The BigCommerce Partner Directory is a curated resource featuring over 1,200 vetted partners with expertise in development, design, marketing, and integrations.
These certified agencies are audited by BigCommerce for proficiency, competence, and customer service, and many offer specializations relevant to food eCommerce, such as compliance and logistics.
Using the BigCommerce partner direction helps direct communication with partners and access to client feedback and reviews, making it a reliable starting point for finding experienced developers.
Using Job Boards and Freelance Platforms
Platforms like Upwork and Toptal provide access to a global pool of freelance BigCommerce developers.
Using these sites allow you to review profiles, portfolios, and client ratings, and to post your project requirements for tailored proposals.
Toptal, in particular, is known for its rigorous vetting process, ensuring candidates have proven expertise in BigCommerce and related technologies.
Using third-party job boards is risky and food businesses should properly vet the development team they’re working with.
Using Professional Networks and Referrals
Ask any freelancer or marketing agency what the best way to get clients is and they’ll reply with referrals.
Recommendations from industry peers, business associations, or local tech communities can lead to trusted developers who have a track record in food eCommerce.
Using professional networks and referrals often yields candidates with relevant experience and a reputation for reliability.
Evaluating and Shortlisting Candidates
Once you’ve listed a few prospects for your project, evaluating candidates is the next step.
The evaluation process includes:
Review Portfolios and Case Studies Relevant to Food Websites
Examine candidates’ previous work, focusing on projects in the food and beverage sector.
Look for evidence of custom features such as product variations, compliance modules, and integrations with delivery or logistics services.
Check References and Client Testimonials
Contact previous clients to assess the developer’s ability to meet deadlines, communicate effectively, and deliver quality work.
Positive testimonials, especially from food businesses, are strong indicators of relevant expertise.
Assign Technical Assessments or Trial Tasks
Provide real-world tasks or assessments to evaluate technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and familiarity with BigCommerce’s ecosystem.
This step helps ensure candidates can deliver on your specific requirements.
Negotiating The Contract and Finalizing the Agreement
After discussing the project and finding the right BigCommerce development team to work on your food website, it’s time to get down to business – signing the contract.
It’s essential to be super specific about each detail and ensure nothing is overlooked or left to chance.
The three step process for a contract negotiation includes the following:
Choose the Right Engagement Model
Decide between hourly, project-based, or retainer models based on project complexity and your preferred level of ongoing involvement.
Each model comes with specific pricing and contract terms that impact project progression and expectations.
Draft a Comprehensive Contract
Clearly outline deliverables, timelines, payment terms, intellectual property rights, and confidentiality clauses.
Specify expectations for support, updates, and maintenance after launch in as much detail as possible.
Leave absolutely nothing out because a written contract requires adherence and lists down everything the business can expect from the development team.
Set Expectations for Ongoing Collaboration
Establish regular check-ins, progress reporting, and feedback mechanisms to ensure transparency and accountability throughout the project.
Common Mistakes To Avoid When Hiring BigCommerce Developers
We’ve discussed how to hire BigCommerce developers but it’s important to know what to avoid during the hiring process.
Here are 8 common mistakes to avoid:
Not Verifying Relevant BigCommerce Experience
A frequent error is hiring developers without proven experience on the BigCommerce platform or in the eCommerce sector relevant to your business.
Developers may have general web skills but lack the specific knowledge needed for BigCommerce’s architecture, integrations, and unique features.
Always review portfolios and ensure candidates have handled similar food or eCommerce projects.
Overlooking Soft Skills and Communication
Technical proficiency alone is not enough. Poor communication, lack of teamwork, or inadequate project management can lead to misunderstandings, delays, and unsatisfactory results.
Assess candidates’ interpersonal skills during interviews and through client references.
Ignoring Cultural and Team Fit
A developer who doesn’t align with your company’s values or workflow can disrupt project momentum.
Evaluate cultural fit and collaboration style, especially if hiring remotely or integrating into an existing team.
Skipping Technical Assessments or Trial Tasks
Relying solely on resumes or interviews can result in hiring someone who can’t deliver in practice.
Assign technical tasks or trial projects to gauge real-world problem-solving and platform expertise.
Neglecting to Check References and Client Testimonials
Failing to contact previous clients or review testimonials can leave you unaware of potential red flags regarding reliability, quality, or professionalism.
Always check references and seek feedback from past clients.
Focusing Only on Cost Instead of Value
Choosing the cheapest option may lead to poor quality, missed deadlines, or costly fixes later.
Balance budget considerations with the developer’s expertise, track record, and ability to meet your business needs.
Not Defining Clear Project Requirements and Expectations
Vague or shifting requirements can cause scope creep, confusion, and project overruns.
Document your goals, required features, timelines, and deliverables before hiring, and communicate them clearly to candidates.
Overlooking Platform Limitations and Compliance Needs
BigCommerce has specific constraints and compliance requirements, especially for food businesses (e.g., age verification, labeling).
Developers unfamiliar with these can create solutions that are difficult or costly to maintain
Read Also: How to Hire BigCommerce Experts and Grow Your Technical Team with Folio3!
Final Thoughts
Hiring the right BigCommerce developer transforms your food website from a basic storefront into a dynamic sales engine.
A skilled specialist tailors the platform to your unique needs, ensuring compliance, seamless customer experiences, and scalability as your brand grows.
This strategic investment directly impacts revenue, customer retention, and long-term competitiveness in the crowded online food market.
Prioritize developers with proven BigCommerce expertise and food industry experience.
By avoiding rushed decisions and focusing on technical proficiency, communication, and alignment with your goals, you secure a partner capable of delivering a website that drives results.
